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Posted 1/16/2011 9:09 AM (GMT 0)
Now this is down right unfair. I woke up last night a few hours before I usually get up and I felt real anxious. It felt like my heart skipped a beat and I had the jitters. It didn't last too long, I got tired and fell back asleep inside of 30 min or so. Has this happened to anyone else? I might have had a bad dream or something, I'm not sure. I feel as if I have my health anxiety managed for the most part. Sometimes I get a weird feeling or a physical symptom out of the blue and I have to will myself to deal with it. It's like my body automaticlly jumps to the worst conclusion and I have to remind it that all is well. Just wondering if there are others who feel or have felt like this. Thanks.
Posted 1/16/2011 2:28 PM (GMT 0)
You are so far from being alone on ANY of the things you mentioned in this, its just not funny!! Its not funny anyway but you get my drift.

I did the exact same thing you are talking about this morning and yesterday morning. I've been doing it 3 or 4 times a week actually. Just waking up so jittery!! I'll still be in dream mode alot of the time. I have nightmares alot.

This morning for example, I woke up from a nightmare at about 4:30am. My heart was racing, I felt jittery. I even had a strange pain up under my left rib cage. Now usually I would freak completely out about all of this!!! My heart racing... something HAS to be wrong with me. Goodness knows, it couldnt just be the nightmare I was having that caused it which it probably was. And the pain under my ribs had to be some kind of heart problem or something serious like that! Something I should have really tuned into and worried myself silly over! It just couldnt possibly be the fact that I had woke up in a strang position and that did it. Which I bet it was!

When we are in these feelings, having these feelings, us as catostrophic thinkers, we think the worst. Everything has to be serious.

This was the first time I forced myself to think more rationally. I told myself that this happens alot of mornings and I'm ok then, I'll be ok now. I thought about all the more realistic things that could be wrong and didnt allow myself to think about the silly thoughts. My heart was fine. I was fine. This could have happened to anyone.

Then I went back to sleep. I have to keep trying this!

You are not alone by far!!!!!

(((hugs)))
Posted 1/16/2011 3:28 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the input. Are there days in a row where you just can't get right? I have had the catastrophic thinking and it is a constant fight to shoot down all the unrealistic thoughts all the time. Then I get an ache or pain and I jump to conclusions again. The worst for me is the dull ache in the chest. Some times its my sternum. Others it's a pin point pain somewhere on/in my rib muscles. And of course once I think about it forget getting it to go away. On a good note, I haven't had palps for a while and my heart doesn't race. I clock about 60-70 bmp at rest. The doctor says thats awsome. I had a calcium score of 0 om my heart CT. They said that was awsome. Long and short of it I was told it would be guarentee a less than 5% chance anything would happen to me with my heart in the next 3-5 years. Wich is the starndard thing the say when all your heart tests come back normal. I truely think it is because I am SUPER bord that my mind wants to wander.
Posted 1/16/2011 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning,

I am sorry to read you woke up but glad to read you did get back to sleep.  It feels to me like you have a bit of nocturnal anxiety.

Anxiety attacks that take place while sleeping, also called nocturnal panic attacks, occur less often than do panic attacks during the daytime, but affect about 40%-70% of those who suffer from daytime panic attacks. Nocturnal panic attacks tend to cause sufferers to wake suddenly from sleep in a state of sudden anxiety for no apparent reason and can have all the other symptoms of a panic attack. The duration of nocturnal panic attacks tends to be less than 10 minutes, but it can take much longer to fully calm down for those who experience them.

I would really like to encourage you from overthinking your anxiety and just keep on working your CBT.  Also keep busy, make yourself do something to keep from thinking about the anxiety - read a good book,  take a walk, call a friend to see how they are doing.

Kindly,

Kitt
Posted 1/17/2011 3:23 AM (GMT 0)
I wake up a couple times a night with severe anxiety and every morning at 7 or 8 am I wake up with anxiety and have to go smoke a cigarette.  Then I go lay down, listen to my heart race for a while and go back to sleep for a couple more hours.

It isn't fair at all.

Posted 1/17/2011 5:02 AM (GMT 0)
Hey twg. misery loves company. I got a decent nights sleep last night. It's a start.
Posted 1/17/2011 5:39 AM (GMT 0)
I take alprazolam it works great but the doctors nurse treats me like I'm a drug addict. A 30 day scrip last me about 3 months.
Posted 1/17/2011 9:19 AM (GMT 0)
I have the same sleep issues as well, Except gettin to sleep is my problem and when i do i only sleep for about a few hours then wake up with panic and the burning sensations and tingling, at themoment the Dr has me on Temazepam to letme sleep right through the night, only been on them for 3 nights so far and i sleeplike a baby but there only a very short term cure 1-2 weeks maximum, I see your on sertraline and one of the side effects of sertraline is insomnia or broken sleep ( i was on sertraline years ago and found it disrupted my sleep pattern big time was prescribedit again last week and had a massive reaction to it so they took me off it straight away) Maybe if you go to your GP and find out if you can take something before bed to help you sleep not necessarily sleeping tablets but just a very mild muscle relaxant or very mild sedative to help regulate your sleeping pattern? Of course more medication isnt always the answer but it seems that you need something to help you geta full nights rest!! We always feel a little better after gettin a full nights sleep.

But on the upside you were able to conrol the panic and get back to sleep so major Kudos to you, its a sure sign your on your way to controlling your anxiety!!!

Good Luck and i hope it all gets better soon for you

Kitty xx
Posted 1/17/2011 11:18 AM (GMT 0)
It is a start, thx. I still function. I d eveythngandno one really knowstt I'm anxious. It's just my thoughts trying to get the better of  me. It's a constant struggle. All day today I tought I was just going to drop dead. I did my normal ruteen(sic) without skipping a beat. Wasn't easy, it sucked actually but I did it. I hate the constant battle with myself.  

Posted 1/17/2011 2:08 PM (GMT 0)
Again huge Kudos to you for gettin through the day, Sometimes its a struggle juust to get out of bed and deal with our everyday tasks, but the fact you did it says a lot, its one step closer to controlling your anxiety issues!! Just remeber as everyone always says the you have the anxiety, the anciety doesn't have you!!

Also again with the questions from me lol (i dont know when to shut up sometimes) Are you finding the CBT to be working for you? and if you don't mind me asking how many sessions have you been to and how often?

Relaxing vibes

Kitty
Posted 1/17/2011 2:56 PM (GMT 0)
I like answer questions. Reinforces what I have ben taught.

The CBT is AWSOME!

I have ben going once a week for 7 weeks. It helps alot to clue you in to your triggers. It does help you think differently. It takes some work though to really get into. You need to trust the person on the other end of the desk otherwise it might not work. My doc has given me advice for recognizing negative thoughts and calling them out. I don't really get to the freakout stage anymore. I have a consant worry though. I have been calling out my neg thoughts and it bounces back between a few minutes/hours/days of normal. Then my body acts weird and a couple days of trying to get right again.

Thats the worst for me. The trying to get right part. I know there is nothing physically wrong with me. But being anxious give physical symptoms and then I key on those. It is a steady back and forth to stay level.

Let me know if this helps.

Posted 1/17/2011 3:13 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning and congratulations on how far you have come.  I admire your stamina. 

Try not to get caught up in black-and-white thinking. In this form of self torture, everything is either black or white, good or bad.  You will always have some "gray" days and just except them without analyzing them to much.

You posted " Thats the worst for me. The trying to get right part. I know there is nothing physically wrong with me. But being anxious give physical symptoms and then I key on those. It is a steady back and forth to stay level. "

The word "should" is perhaps one best left out of your life. It is mainly used to criticize yourself and serves no real useful purpose. "Trying to get it right" can be turned around to I am getting it right and I am doing the best I can.

Please know I am here for you and keep on talking with all of us here in the forum.

Kindly,

Kitt

Posted 1/17/2011 3:42 PM (GMT 0)
thx, That is good advive. I need to remember that.
Posted 1/17/2011 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Las vegas

I so glad its had a positive effect on you and i am really looking forward to seeing what my councellor/psychologist is going to do but i really think i'm going to ask about CBT and try and push it through :=D I had a CPN before who used to visit me at my house when my problems started 9yrs ago and it helped , but, It wasnt therapy as such more just to make sure i wasnt harming myself of others (ludicrous if you as me because self harm etc wasnt my issue) I;ve had councelling and therapy for PTSD and it worked but its completely different to any other therapy for anxiety or depression, so, fingers crossed i get the CBT or something similar because i have a lot of faith in it :=D

Kitty x
Posted 1/25/2011 6:24 AM (GMT 0)
   I just wanna throw this out there for anyone who may fit this description.  I also had, emphasize had anxiety disorders for about 6 months.  Couldn't watch the news, go to the park with my children because of catastrophic thinking.  Full on anxiety attacks where I would go to the hospital and the root cause was lyme disease.  It may be worth it to read up on Lyme and I cannot emphasize enough that you would need to see a lyme literate doctor for diagnosis.  Tests give false positives, especially the longer you've had it.  Only a lyme doctor knows the proper testing and treatment.  Just a thought, I don't want anyone to suffer like I have.  I found out but only by the grace of God.

I also spoke with a Natropath on proper breathing and did biofeedback and that was so helpful.  Instantly calming effect.  My natropath said that the brain stirs itself up and causes anxiety in an effort to get more blood to its tissues and keep it active.  Once I started breathing properly and deeply, not chest breathing but belly breathing and slowly, I have so far been able to thwart all anxiety.

My best-

Posted 1/25/2011 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
I too have the same symptoms you spoke of. I too get up in the middle of the night, and I would feel breathless. And scared. I hope you would be able to get through this.
Posted 1/25/2011 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks D.P. for the information. There are certainly different reasons and origins of anxiety, and it's good to explore it all, and seek the best possible treatment.

I am glad that you found the answers for you, and the relief that you needed!

Post anytime with questions, or sharing:)
Scaredy Cat
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