Personal monitor/alarm to signal attack?

[Puppy]

Hi everyone

I had a panic attack several years ago. I had no idea what they were, assumed they were just a "mental" thing and was absolutely terrified. I honestly thought I was dying and my husband called an ambulance. I attributed it to being given an asthma inhaler after reading that those medications can trigger hyperventilation and tried very hard to forget it ever happened.

And then, out of the blue, last night I had three attacks sort of in my sleep. I half woke up with an intense feeling of fear, gasping for breath. I tried to call out to my husband but nothing came out. I tried to reach out to him but my arms and hands were in spasm. In the end I tried kicking him but to no avail, I don't know if it was because he was so asleep or if I wasn't kicking very strongly. It happened twice more that night to a lesser degree.

I can't blame it on medication this time and I'm now terrified of it happening again. I think I could cope if I could get hubby to wake up and talk me through it but I don't know if I can reliably do this. So I was wondering if there might be like a heart rate monitor I could wear which would sound an alarm if my heart rate increased, therefore waking hubby up? Has anyone else tried anything similar?

Thanks in advance for any advice x

[Ingenious]

It sounds sleep related like a nightmare, maybe one of those started it off and just worried/stressed you so much it really messed your sleep up possibly leading you to the other episodes that night? Maybe it was something you ate or drank?

The not being able to move is normal if you're aware you are having a bad dream but still under enough that the sleep paralysis has not gone. This is for your own safety, otherwise you'd act out the nightmare. It's not as uncommon as you think, some more reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

Try not to worry about it too much. You should find it's just one of those things that won't happen again.

[Puppy]

Thanks for your responses. It wasn't triggered by a nightmare sadly and I was able to move everything else just not my arms. I don't know how common it is in a panic attack but when I had my first one my arms and hands twisted in towards my body so I couldn't move them. The paramedics said it was something to do with the oxygen levels in my blood. I'm pretty sure I know why it happened (I had two bereavements in six weeks and I've not been dealing with them very well). I am feeling a lot happier now though after some Ignatia and some Kalms and I'm going to do what I've been putting off for a long time and go and get some CBT.

Thanks :)

[celestijenijohn]

A monitored burglar alarm means the alarm is connected via telephone line or radio network or both to a remote central station for the purpose of monitoring the alarm signals from the protected premises 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.Monitored alarms will incur an annual service charge in addition to the installation costs.