Woken up by panic attacks

[teresasavin]

I started having panic attacks about 6 months ago now but I dont really experience them at all during my normal waking day. The only time I get them is about an hour or so after I have gone to bed and then they wake me up with a vengence. This then leaves me uncomfortable all day and now I wont go to bed unless Im literally falling asleep on my feet because Im too scared.

Does anyone else suffer from them in this way?

I have been given propronolol to take before bed but even they are not working properly anymore and when I take them I start to panic in case they cause me to have heart failure (as in very extreme circumstances they can apparently), I dont know what to do now.

Has anyone got any further ideas?

Thank you

[bunnypop]

Hi,

I have had panic attacks for ten years and g through stages of having them during the day and night. The night ones seem worse for some reason, like you explained. Then when you wake up the next morning, the aftermath makes you feel down. Have you tried reading before bedtime? I have found that this makes me think more about the book I am reading and I actually fall asleep on good thoughts.

I wish you well, Laura x

[leisa]

i have these "night terrors" i call them,i wake up in the middle of a full blown panic-attack,i find im more vunrable 2 them when im worried about things but its a vicious circle cause i worry about bed times,then i go 2 bed tense n dreading falling 2 sleep just incase the "dreaded panic monster" appears,so there 4 its subconsiously on my mind when i do fall 2 sleep,i do try 2 do a puzzle book 2 tire my brain out lol,but relaxation can help u just gotta keep practicing it at bed-time n then when uve done it loads of times ul naturally relax b4 bed ( i hope) its worth a try hope all improves n good luck but remember ur not alone with these feelings,take care xleisax

[Meltdown]

I used to get panic attacks in the night (as well as in the day). I used to end up going downstairs and reading a book and drinking several cups of calming herbal tea (chamomile, tranquility, etc).

It would take me ages to calm down, then I would go back upstairs feeling relaxed, but the moment I walked into the bedroom, I would feel panicky again.

I eventually got over it by following my CBT therapist's advice of trying NOT to go downstairs and give in to the attacks, but to stay in bed and let them ride over me. Very difficult to do, but I think it worked.

Don't worry about the propranolol. Lots of everyday medicines have some serve side-effects in very rare circumstances. I have heard though that propranolol can make it more difficult to get to sleep, so I never take it late in the evening.

[breeze25]

Sorry your experiencing this, I have been there and its horrible. I manage to get off to sleep ok, but then I would wake up after a short time in a cold sweat, I would feel anxious the rest of the night and probably manage about 2 hours later on and feel exhausted the rest of the day.

What helped for me, I got a hypnotheraphy/guided relaxation cd, and I would put it on and listen through headphones, it did the trick and usually I was asleep before the end of the cd. It was the best £4 I had ever spent.

[teresasavin]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I will certianly try some of them out.

[milly jones]

i too used to get these in the night

just answered a very similar post before

i think its really common

im taking citalopram and it allows me to sleep thru the night for the last 2 weeks. hopefully this will help break the cycle.

best wishes

millyx

[goth]

hi my attacks are the same as yours i used to always run to the bathroom and splash water over me. so what i find helps me now is filling a little spray bottle with water' i put it in the fridge and take it to bed with me and when i feel my panic comming i just spray myself with it i think the shook of the cold water helps a bit. hope you find this helpful love lin x:)