I dread night times now.....

[lesleya]

Im finding it really hard to cope with night times for the last couple of weeks.
When im starting to feel tired i can be just sitting up in bed using my lap top then all of a sudden i get like a jolt feeling...like im dropping off to sleep but im not, and i feel like ive stopped breathing..its just for a split second and its really spooking me...no terrifying me. So now im starting to dread bed times because its stressing me out so much worrying in case it might happen again ..and then im feeling guilty in case im keeping my husband awake as he has to get up early for work and i cant relax in case me moving in the bed will wake him as hes such a light sleeper. I do have the tv on without the sound..its just for the light really and the comfort as i dont like the room in darkness....Omg arent i a big baby!!...
Its pointless going to the doctors (ive spent more time there than the mice in the last few months) as he never has any anwers for me!! so i end up leaving the surgery feeling like ive wasted my breath...my time...and his time.
He did prescribe me citalopram about 6 weeks ago as im in peri-menopause and ive got an ongoing 'bullying/harassment' grievance complaint against a woman at work hanging over me until its sorted out...but im still wary of taking them because of the side affects ive read about..and i dont want to feel any worse than i am right now. I came off nardil at the beginning of the year and i wish i hadnt (i was sick of being nagged by hubby for being on them) but the doctor said they dont prescribe them much these days so they wont give me them back.
Im trying so hard to get through this without meds because at the end of the day i am going to have to come off them at some point and i couldnt bear to think i might have to go through all this again a few yrs down the line. Im living from day to day with the hope and memory that i have gotten through this before and recovered and 'i can do it again'.
I thank god this site is here because i dont know how id cope to he honest without it for some support...

[cwoz82]

Hi,
I have experienced these night jolts, exactly as you described and like you they left me scared to go to sleep. I have experienced them as side effects from my Citalopram, but luckily they have worn off, as did the other side effects. You may like to look into Brain Zaps, apparently they are very common when coming off of Anti Depressants, and i think the symptoms are very similar to these night jolts.
Rest assured you are not alone in these terrifying experiences.

[Reggie]

I've had these jolts too, they can feel very unpleasant. As a suggestion, maybe the old favourites of trying to wind down before bed might be an idea, a warm bath, no tv or computer in bed. It might just help you relax a little?

Please don't think I'm bashing your husband, but the only person who should be the judge of whether you need your medication or not is you, no one else can make that call.

Also, regarding the doctors, you're not wasting his time at all, if he gives you the impression that you are, maybe you should see another doctor.

Hope you get a good nights sleep tonight.

[lesleya]

Thanks Reggie...I totally agree with you. The only thing was though i was so sick of him going on and on at me that i thought at least if i stop them it will give him no reason to nag and stop any arguements we had over them. But its my own fault i shoudnt have let him pressure me. You see he's the type of bloke you know who would never take anything and who will soldier on regardless...because its not 'manly' to do otherwise...silly man.
I went downstairs last night and spent most of the night in chat, then when he got up for work i came back to bed.....and you know what i fell off to sleep 'no jolts'
So is it that im stressing myself to much over him getting enough sleep and trying not to annoy him that its maybe causing me to have sleep panics...if there is such a thing?
I suggested doing out our spare room that he stores all his books etc in and having seperate beds and he did his nut saying that he didnt marry me to sleep in a different room and different bed etc etc...and was i doing this because i just didnt want to sleep with him....aagghh, so what do i do?

[Reggie]

Lesley,

I feel for you with this one. I wouldn't worry too much about him not getting enough sleep, it's not something you can help, if he does moan about I'd calmly tell him that you can't help this jolting and that it drives you nuts as well as him. You've suggested moving into a different bed whilst this is going on and, whilst I understand him not being too keen on that, you wouldn't be waking him up then would you?

Fingers crossed it'll stop soon, it does sound like an effect of you coming off your tablets and I'm sure it'll dissipate soon and you can get some decent sleep.

[David Gamage]

i used to have this jolts to the only way i got rid of them was not to pay any attention to them as i knew they were to do with panic attack i was told they cant hurt me i know they are frighting but once i learn not to notice them i became better at dealing with it hope this helps take care dave

[Dahlia]

The jolts sound like they could be a side effect of the medication. I get them when I am trying to fall asleep, but only since Ive been on Effexor. Once my body is relaxed, I get this jolt, which makes me giggle as it's quite bizarre (!). They freaked me out at first but they've become part of my 'winding down to sleep' time now.

Can you try seeing the jolts in a different way? Rather than as something that is 'wrong', more something that is signifying your body is relaxing? Or at least as something that just passes by e.g. 'oops there I go jolting again!'.

The reason you feel like you have stopped breathing is probably cos you are terrified of the jolts. A bit like when we hear a noise outside when it's dark, our breath catches in our throats.

Dahlia x

[lesleya]

Thanks Reggie, David and Dahlia.
I would have thought by now i shouldnt be getting any more effects of stopping the nardil as its nearly a year since i stopped taking them, but i suppose it might be, as i was on them for about 15 years or more.
Im really grateful for all your kind replies as it does help to know im not the only person who gets these horrible things, and i just wish there was a quick fix cure or answer for everyone here to feel better too, but unfortunately there isnt so i suppose its just a case of getting through it as best we can.
xxxx

[miss_worry]

Hi Lesley

You don't know how glad I am that you have posted this and everyone else who has replied!!! I thought I was the only who experiences this!!! I get exactly the same feeling that you get. Like nodding off and then jumping up because of a jolt and then the stopping of breathing and then that sets me off to have a panic attack. I have had this for a long time now and I dread bed time. I have kept my husband awake many nights with my anxiety but most of the time he just sleeps through it, I don't mind though because I know I can handle the panic on my own. I just need to stop worrying over them I guess, it is so hard though and so frustrating and tiring.

"The reason you feel like you have stopped breathing is probably cos you are terrified of the jolts. A bit like when we hear a noise outside when it's dark, our breath catches in our throats." - thank you Dahlia! What you say there is totally true and I have been wondering why the heck I stopped breathing for a moment or two but its not surprising when you jolt in a half asleep state is it?!

Thank you everyone for your posts. It has helped me a great deal. Hopefully a better night for all of us eh?

Vxxx

[HeatherMc]

I have had this jolt going off to sleep lots of times even before I was ill, it didn't worry me then, I have also had the sensation of falling down into a deep space then jumping awake, it is normal.

As for the head zaps my sister took Citalopram years ago and when I was prescribed them this year she
asked if I had them as she said that she got them if she forgot a dose (she is still alive and kicking and has passed her driving test and gone from motorway to motorway in her car so thats inspiration for someone!)

Hope this helps someone

Heather