Are these nocturnal panic attacks?? Opinions please!

[Usagold]

Almost every night for a month now, I wake up feeling weird (tightness in chest, mild nausea, uncomfortable) then I notice my heart racing, at 1st it's 100-110 bpm, I think "ok, must be anxiety, I can handle this, it's not so bad, take some deep breaths," but then it gets worse! Way worse! My heart starts skipping beats, like 10 PVCs/minute & my heart shoots up to 140-150 bpm and my BP goes up about 30 points to 135/89 (on cuff last night). At this point my head feels like it's going to explode from pressure, I feel extremely nervous and hot. I take deep breaths, they don't help. Heart races away. At this point I can no longer stay calm and accept this. I can't float (Claire Weekes). I think I am going to die, either from the erratic fast heart, which I fear might not slow down this time or from a stroke from the sheer overwhelming stress. I feel like I can't breathe, my palms are sweaty, my legs tremble... Then after about 15 mins of this pure hell, my BP slowly returns to 99/65 and my heart rate back into the 70s.

What you need to know- I'm 51 (hormonal?) had anxiety off/on for years, I have a great life, 3 awesome kids, but not a very understanding husband, I was doing well & almost recovered from 2 years of bad anxiety, then my mom died. A few weeks later, I started getting these awful attacks only at night (not always linked to bad dreams). They do not feel like panic attacks, but I'm also having nervous stomach and tightness in my chest in the daytime. Cardiologist said my heart was fine. My iron is good 13.9, ferritin a little low, 25. Thyroid normal. Other numbers good. I did have a strange virus a few years ago where my glands swole, had fever, & was hospitilized. I had metal fillings removed few years ago.

I just feel like these attacks happen before I panic. They are only in the night and feel so out of my control. Do you think these are a kind of panic attack or something else?

[TheResilientOne]

First and foremost I’m very sorry on your mom’s passing ! This is probably the major trigger of your panic attacks. The reason why I say that is because although I didn’t lose my identical twin to death , I lost her to healthy boundaries I had to create because my sisters boyfriend sexually exposed him self to my daughter and I pressed charges and some other horrible things came of this horrid event . Long story short my twin took his side and did the most evil things towards me to get revenge . And I didn’t know how to grieve her so I just pushed it to the back of my mind and paid attention to the situation at hand ... which was getting over the court date ... and the DAY he was charged and found guilty that night I was resting and I woke up in panic and I stayed in that panic for a week!!! And when I was coming down from the panic I was having the same nightly anxiety and it got worse at night I was afraid to sleep in my own bed! I want to reassure you that you are okay! And that you are very normal ! i want you to know that your body is exhausted and wore out ... and your amygdala is over stimulated and you now have to teach it how to be calm and reassure that little gland ( or what ever it is) that you are safe ( I said that to My self quite a bit) “you are safe “ “this too shall pass “

Here are some helpful tips ... to get a Himalayan salt rock to put in your room at night ... it regulates the air ...also get a heating pad ... put it over your chest at night out the setting in low .... belly breath .... and DO NOT be afraid of your symptoms !!! They are truly scientific issues trying to correct its self! Panic is just like a car accident .... you don’t experience the pain until days later... I see that you are a science teacher .... this should help relieve your worry’s on “am I crazy “ “what is going on with me”. It’s honestly very simple and you are going to have to retrain your self to recognize when you are in safe situations. I private messaged you .... please reach other to me no matter the time I will heLp guide you through this!! I’m praying for you ! And beautiful family !!! ❤️

[Agora1]

Hi usagold, first of all I'd like to say what a beautiful family you have. It does sound like Nocturnal Panic Attacks. However, I do feel that hormonal changes can play a big part of the antagonist of your panic. The fact that your cardiologist said your heart was fine, I would proceed to making an appointment with you Gynecologist. He may run some tests and give you some idea if it is hormonal. The daytime symptoms sound more like free floating anxiety which seems to have started with the passing of your mom. I extend my sympathy. Actually when my mom passed 6years ago, I became Agoraphobic for the first time in my life. So there definitely is some connection there to what you are going through now.

I think it might be a good idea to open yourself up to the idea of meditation and deep breathing. Not when the panic is high but start a routine daily. I do morning, afternoon and before bed. In that way if and when anxiety or stress hit me, I am well prepared and it works better in alleviating the problem.

Whatever causes the nighttime panic, work with your doctors or therapist. We must sometimes be our own advocates regarding our physical and mental health My best to you. x

[Aazz]

Def sounds like panic attacks. And could very well be peri menopause or menopause a lot of women get anxiety during that time in their lives. You could asks your doctor for a beta blocker which will help the panic especially high heart rate.

[RaeSato]

Hello! I am so sorry for your Mom's passing.

About a year ago I started experiencing the same thing and audibly gasped when I saw this post. In my experience, my symptoms started as I was slipping into sleep or soon after I fell asleep. My heart would feel like it was beating out of control. The first time it happened I stood up and felt dizzy, I mentally checked that the rest of my body felt fine and did some deep breathing which didn't have any immediate affect. My worst experience with it was one night when I felt like it was affecting my breathing. Normally I would be able to fall asleep after what I know see as a panic episode, but this night I would have attack after attack. It was so bad that I was afraid I would stop breathing completely if I truly fell asleep, and was up all night.

I had the whole array of heart tests done: holter monitor, echocardiogram... All was normal to my dismay. I was frustrated and confused until one day my mom called me saying, "Panic attacks!" That same day I talked to a friend about it and he confessed to have had similar experiences that he believed to be panic attacks.

From what I have learned, there isn't really a trigger. Perhaps in your case these panic attacks are caused by built up stress and anxiety that you're experiencing in your everyday life, which are exacerbated by recent events.

I know it's been two months since you've posted this and I hope things have improved but would still like to recommend something that has helped me a great deal and gets me through the night without an attack (and gives me a better night's sleep overall). My solution is...yoga! I know I know everyone says to do this but what I do isn't even real yoga. I find a "bedtime yoga" on youtube that mostly consists of sitting stretches, deep breathing, "you time" to clear your mind, and generally ends with laying down in a deep state of relaxation.

Maybe give it a try? I think it really could help and I hope that it does.

Best of luck to you!

[Usagold in reply to RaeSato]

Thank you so much for that. I will give it a try. I will look one up and start tomorrow night. I am doing better, not having the major attacks any more, but I still wake up most nights just feeling nervous for no reason or I wake up with adrenaline rushes or bad dreams that work my nerves. I'm thinking my nighttime nerves are healing and it's a slow and gradual process.