Anyone wake suddenly fr sleep choking/coughing, hands shaking, which sends u into PA?

[mom1982]

I was almost sleeping (or asleep) & suddenly woke up coughing & felt like i was choking so i got up and went to drink some water. i saw my hands shaking/trembling and my heart started racing and i felt lightheaded and started to panic that something was wrong with me.

I drank more water & went to lie down back in bed (its 330am) and felt like i was trembling and started to panic again. Im really scared, dont think i ever experienced trembling before?

Is this part of anxiety? Anyone had this or know an explanation for this happening?

[breanna]

Im actually experiencing the same thing, did u just start a new med? when i get anxiety my hands tremble really bad and my legs feel like noodles. I even get really bad muscle twitches in my arms and legs! I literally feel like i have drank 20 cups of coffee in 10 min! I'm not sure why this happens im curious!

[mom1982]

no meds, did not start anything new but i had a stressful few weeks. After many months of doing good, my heath anx was triggered 2 weeks ago by my dad having 2 blackouts. he's fine now, nothing wrong with him. my 1 yr old was crying for 30mins in her cot before i went to bed and hubby kept telling me to leave her be(cause she had a late nap and didnt wanna sleep at night) and i was getting very upset from all the crying. i eventually got up & carried her for 30 mins til she slept. then i think i dozed in and out til i was almost asleep, and then suddenly woke up coughing and choking. so scared now to sleep.

:(

[breanna]

Oh yes,its anxiety you had a rough night and when so many things build up it can just hit ya! All your nerves and being overwhelmed! Is your husband accepting of your anxiety? does he understand and supportive?

[mom1982]

he does not know how to help. and he supports me when its convenient. he wont do anything if its in the middle of the night or he's busy. whenever i tell him whats wrong, he will say "you're fine". he doesnt know what to say and he's over it. cause ive had this health anx since 2008. explained many times to him but he still says "you're fine" and nothing more when i ask him for help. he doesnt have any anx so he doesnt know how to help.

[Baster9]

I was almost sleeping (or asleep) & suddenly woke up coughing & felt like i was choking so i got up and went to drink some water. i saw my hands shaking/trembling and my heart started racing and i felt lightheaded and started to panic that something was wrong with me.

I drank more water & went to lie down back in bed (its 330am) and felt like i was trembling and started to panic again. Im really scared, dont think i ever experienced trembling before?

Is this part of anxiety? Anyone had this or know an explanation for this happening?

Yeah it's anxiety symptom 100%, don't feel worried how you're going to sleep or that anything will happen to you because anxiety is a thing that need to be cure by accepting the symptoms (very important) and then realizing by yourself that all your worries are about something that will not likely going to happen. Remember, anxiety can't hurt you in any way, that's the important thing to understand, when you will wake up in a middle of the night shaking and panicking remember that nothing can't happen other than that, also accept the fact that you'll have to live with this for like 1-2 weeks but what the hell... what's so wrong about shaking and feeling like you're chocking when you won't, right? Just accept any kind of symptom and don't pay attention to it, live with it and most important thing - don't fight it, it will gets only worse if you do, so just let it be what it is for a while. Don't think that something other than anxiety is wrong with you because believe me it's not!

Baster


EIDT: Didn't look at the dat...

[Sezit]

I am the same. I go to bed and am asleep then wake up thinking I have swallowed something, so I am coughing and feel like I am choking on something my heart is racing then a few seconds (maybe 10-15) pass and I realise I am ok and have not swallowed anything at all its weird.

[RLR]

The sensation of choking while in the hypnogogic period between wake and sleep is most commonly due to a sleep apnea event. There is often confusion and the sensation that swallowing is difficult, or alternatively suffocation. A startle effect usually follows and panic sets in because of concern that something is going terribly wrong. Many persons quickly proceed to get water or something to drink, mainly to convince themselves that nothing is actually blocking their airway and that the swallow response is actually functioning properly. After several minutes, self-resolution typically reduces fear and a return to normal status is experienced.

The mild tremor in the hands or arms is an entirely normal response to such an event and is merely a byproduct of the fear response and an epinephrine (adrenalin) spike.

These events are most common in persons susceptible to sleep apnea who predominantly sleep on their back, even moreso when multiple pillows are used to prop the head in a more forward direction while lying down. Even so, the events do occur in persons sleeping on their side, more rarely lying on the stomach.

You'll be fine. If the symptoms increase in frequency, you can speak to your primary care physician about a formal sleep study.

Best regards,

Rutheford Rane, MD (ret.)