Anyone have panic attacks in the middle of the night?

[boundndetermined]

I had another one in the night last night. Woke up out of a deep dreaming sleep to pee, got out of bed and had bad chills (I think because I went to bed with wet hair and the windows open) hurried to the bathroom and back to bed so I could cover up. Got back in bed and bam...full blown panic attack. I got out of bed and took a xanax - last attack I had at night wasn't this bad and I didn't need the xanax. I also did deep breathing, got a drink of water, paced a little, and journaled the attack. And it went away and I went back to bed and back to sleep. I guess I think that it is the same thing as usual...a physical symptom and then the attack, and that I am dealing fine during the day but at night they catch me off guard and happen before I know it. And this one was pretty bad...I thought the Celexa numbed the last one, but this one was not numbed at all! Any thoughts? <sigh> It can be so discouraging...I am doing so much better, but I hate these night time attacks. My very first attack was a night time one that ened up with my going to the ER by ambulance.

[boundndetermined]

Hmmm...I was just reading about night time panic attacks and read that chills can also be a symptom of a panic attack? Wonder if the chills were part of it instead of the trigger?

[zane949]

I had one last night woke up in the middle of the night and bam sweats nausea thought i was going to throw up got some water layed down on the floor and took a xanax the symptoms decreased somewhat in intensity before the xanax kicked in, all I can think about now is if I will have one tonight so worried you are not alone stay strong.

[Albedo82]

I get anxiety attacks at night that can wake me up from my sleep. They used to be full blown panic attacks until I started taking my medication. Now I sometimes wake up feeling completely dreadful and uncomfortable. I kind of have to lay back and do some deep breathing to try and calm down a bit.
Attacks that wake you from your sleep can be the worst because you can still be delirious from sleeping which can heighten your anxiety even more. I know that my mind is racing at 100 miles an hour when this happens to me. I'm hoping this gets better soon because no one should have to live this way.

[boundndetermined]

Zane, I thinkt he anxiety about having another one is about as bad as the attack itself! Hard to get to sleep.

Albedo, that is one thing I am not fully clear on...if I am having them in my sleep and waking up or if I am waking up and then having it. My daytime anxiety is under control. But you as right, the night time is horrible because you aren't fully awake and "with it"!

Hope both of you get to feeling better! Me too. :)

[crazygirl1]

Yup thats how it started for me. I'd be so "sick" with symptoms that I'd have another panic attack thinking about how was I going to be able to get to work?? lol

[Cpt_Stunning]

I wake up in the night, feeling panic, but only because night will turn into day. I usualy feel OK at night, nightfrights get to me sometimes, but I find night peaceful & serene.

[boundndetermined]

That is very interesting Cpt. Stunning. I am the opposite! Funny how this thing we all have in common can have so many variations.

[Pug60647]

I do. I used to have them 3 or 4 times a night...wake up gasping for air & covered in sweat every time like Vietnam vets in those 80s movies. Now it happens once or twice a night.

[Rae Rae]

There have been times where I would suddenly wake up in the middle of the night & literally my body would bounce up off my bed! I was grasp for air & my heart would pound.. eventually after it happened at times for awhile I knew I was fine & when it happens now, I just ignore it & go back to sleep.

[Sugarpeeps]

Rae Rae, you described exactly how I wake up some nights (first one ever happened when I was napping on the couch a few days after an unpleasant surgery, I woke up in an instant panic, heart pounding, couldn't breathe, frantic and jumped off that couch and ran like wildfire upstairs and into the backyard) and I also am able to let it go and fall right back to sleep.  I also get hynopompic hallucinations occasionally which contribute to some anxiety. 

BTW, I always get chills when a panic attack tries to start up.

[markidee]

I had another one in the night last night. Woke up out of a deep dreaming sleep to pee, got out of bed and had bad chills (I think because I went to bed with wet hair and the windows open) hurried to the bathroom and back to bed so I could cover up. Got back in bed and bam...full blown panic attack. I got out of bed and took a xanax - last attack I had at night wasn't this bad and I didn't need the xanax. I also did deep breathing, got a drink of water, paced a little, and journaled the attack. And it went away and I went back to bed and back to sleep. I guess I think that it is the same thing as usual...a physical symptom and then the attack, and that I am dealing fine during the day but at night they catch me off guard and happen before I know it. And this one was pretty bad...I thought the Celexa numbed the last one, but this one was not numbed at all! Any thoughts? <sigh> It can be so discouraging...I am doing so much better, but I hate these night time attacks. My very first attack was a night time one that ened up with my going to the ER by ambulance.

Here's the link to a poem by ST Coleridge, entitled "Pains of Sleep" (I think you'll find fellowship with the second stanza). Rumors say he was so affected by "night terrors" (probably PAs) that he refused to sleep. Made for some good poetry, anyhow.http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/pains-of-sleep-the/

I take a small dose of Seroquel CR, and it slows my thoughts and helps me sleep in a normal pattern. Have you asked your doctor about this one? It makes me groggy in the morning, but it beats night terror.

Try to remember that your mind is in shock--not unlike being sloppy drunk, feverish, seizuring anything else from the nuero-unconscious. Reason doesn't help one out of a seizure--nor can it help one out of a night tremor. I try (and often fail) to ride these like choppy, ugly waves. This reduces the "emotional hangover" in the morning.

Best,

[jmc981]

Mine are usually after I have gotten up. Like I will wake up in the middle of the night and then once I sit up I feel dizzy or some strange feelings then it happens. Every once in a while it is already farther along when I first wake up but it is usually like I said before. Lately I have been taking my meds every night before be and that keeps me from having them at night but if I don't take it and have one I will listen to a relaxation tape and take my med to get through it and back to sleep.

[Beligirl]

Yup, that's mainly mine. Odd story: I was in China for a business trip and they're 12 hours ahead. So it was in the early afternoon, around 2pm there which is 2am at home. I had a full bore panic attack out of no where. The VP was speaking and I was surrounded with about 100 of my coworkers, in the dark during a powerpoint presentation. I was so stunned about the attack. I pulled myself out of it through distraction; I wrote down every word of the VP's speech.

I'm on my 4th week of zoloft with mixed results. I'm going to try really hard to give it 2 months to see if it works for me.

[Rae Rae]

Beligirl,

What do you mean by having "mixed results" w/ the Zoloft?! I am also on Zoloft & have been for almost two months.. I am only on the lowest dose 50 mlg right now, though.

[Beligirl]

Hi Rae Rae,

By "mixed results" I meant that my panic attacks stopped but my general anxiety was high.
I'm now on week 5 and it seems it's all settled out. Nausea is gone and my general anxiety is low. No panic attacks either. Overall, I fell pretty good!

I was pretty discouraged leading up to week 4 but am really glad I kept at it.

Dr. prescribed 50mg sertraline. I took one pill and was so sick, a friend whose also on it and has been for years recommended I take half, so that's what I did. I'm still on half and don't feel I need to go up but have that option.

[kris123]

its weird i will dream about a panic attack in my sleep and wake up feeling drained like i slept through it..very odd