Panic Attacks or Sleep Disorder? - Sleep Disorders Message Board

CRJ · 06-09-2002, 03:15 PM

I'm wondering if what I've been assuming are panic attacks are actually something else? My attacks have always occured at night after waking up. Upon waking I'm confused/disoriented, don't know where I am, can't remember things like my address/social-security-number, all of which contributes to an escalating sense of panic, a feeling/thought that I've died or am about to, followed by a rapid/pounding heart beat. After 30-sec to a minute my wits are restored and my heart settles down. Sometines, not always, I need to releive my bowels. The good news is I'm getting pretty good at letting things run their course w/o getting too excited about it.

I'm wondering if I'm experiencing true panic attacks or something else. I'm second guessing because these episodes never occur during the day, or without waking from sleep, and they are almost always preceded by the sense of amnesia that I described above.

Would love to hear folks input on this.

Thanks,

Charlie

mel333 · 06-14-2002, 08:43 AM

Sound like a sleep disorder. I am not a dr but there is a sleep wake disorder followed by amnesia and panic that you describe like night terrors and sleep walking when you awake frozen and it's called sleep paraylsis. The muscular paralysis of REM sleep persists for moments post awakening leaving the person immobile and confused. Maybe look into this with your dr and have a sleep study done. I hope this leads you to finding out more, good luck.
Mel

lelalo · 07-03-2002, 10:38 PM

I also wake feeling shaky and my heart pounding. Whether it be from a nap or a night of sleep. I went to my Dr. who then sent me to a cardiologist who determined that I have sinus tachycardia (resting heart rate of 110) and orthostatic low blood pressure. I immediately take my pulse and bp when I wake up and it never fails - my bp is low and my pulse is over 100. You may want to talk to your Dr. about it - there could be something medical going on. Goodluck.

JessieJo · 08-03-2002, 01:41 AM

The same thing was happening to me earlier in the year. I was on Estrogen patches. Since stopping the patches it hasn't happened. Touch wood.
I always felt as though my BP dropped when this happened but have no way of testing it, my heart would pound and I would go into a panic because it was so scary. I also had to go to the toilet. Last week I had a Holter Monitor on for 24 hours and am still awaiting the results.

Ragamuffin · 08-04-2002, 08:22 PM

Sounds like sleep paralysis with confusion. TRy reducing all stimulants: caffeine, nicotine, carbonated drinks. If you hear water sounds in your ears, you are toxic on something. Possibly allergic toxicity. As for the person who mentioned tachycardia and hypotension, sounds like you are definitely toxic on something, possibly caffeine. Hypotension and tachycardia signify physical disorders, probably combined with an increase of sympathetic nervous system, whcih would induce the sleep disorders, also.
God bless.