Woken up not being able to breathe

[ShorttFox]

Hello

This is my first post I have ever done. I'm not one to ask for help and this is quite hard to do for me. I love being able to help others and have commented on many other posts. I have suffered anxiety for almost 5 years. There is so much to my story I won't bother you all with but I would like to seek advice on something that happened to me last night for the first time ever. I would like to note that I am currently suffering a terrible bout of health anxiety, I had a baby 4 months ago, traumatic birth and suffer physical symptoms every day that I worry about.

I believe I had just been asleep only briefly and I woke up not being able to breathe. It felt like I hadn't been breathing for a while therefore I was extremely dizzy and physically shaking all over. I was trying very hard to just take a breath and it felt like I couldn't. It felt like my throat had closed up. I managed to rush into the room my partner was asleep in and wake him up. My breathing obviously came right and I was left uncontrollably shaking.

Has anyone ever experienced this?

Many thanks for reading

[Emest86]

This used to happen to me a lot in the early years of my anxiety. I would bolt up out of bed thinking something must be terribly wrong and then it would ease. It isn't nice, I did find it happened more if I'd had a very stressful day. That didn't help much though as I'd then be waiting for it if I'd had a bad day. Once my head found something else to focus on it got better and now if I get woken up it's generally because I feel like I've stopped breathing but once I do a big breath I'm OK. I guess that's because it doesn't worry me as much as it did. Health anxiety is a real pain hun. I find Dr Claire weekes self help books on audible are good for me. Sending hugs xx

[ShorttFox in reply to Emest86]

Thanks so much for your reply. Yes I have her book and am reading it again for the third time

[Cat33]

Oh dear that must have been very frightening for you I'm so glad you are ok

You have been through a lot and it's not surprising that this happened

If you have been checked out by your GP and all ok as Im sure it is then I totally agree with Emest86 Dr Claire Weekes books are amazing Also lots of lovely relaxation videos on YouTube My favourite on there are the Michael Sealey ones Also Mindfulness is wonderful

All the very best and congratulations on the birth of your baby I hope you start to feel so much better and can really enjoy being a mum 😊

[ShorttFox in reply to Cat33]

Many thanks I will check out those videos for sure 😊

[Cat33 in reply to ShorttFox]

Hope they help x

[NM13]

I have had lots of these symptoms over the last year especially, it sounds like a panic attack they are so scary! I also get health anxiety.

I hope you go and see your doc and get some advice to put your mind at rest

[ShorttFox in reply to NM13]

Thanks so much, yes I will go to the doc to get it checked, along with all my other horrid symptoms 😊

[NM13 in reply to ShorttFox]

There's lots of symptoms and they are scary

I always think I'm going to have a stroke or heart attack when I get panicked, talk them through with anyone ,it helped ne to know it's not just me that gets these panic symptoms and thoughts .