pounding heartbeat and anxiety only when I wake up. Morning or nap.

[only_wheniwakeuph]

I wake up every single morning with a pounding heartbeat and anxiety. This happens every morning and whenever I wake up from a nap. This feeling of anxiety and heart pounding, "not racing", disappears as the day goes on. As soon as it calms down, it isn't till then, I regain the desire to do things. By the time late afternoon and early evening arrive, my symptoms have disappeared like I never had them to begin with. Then I go to bed and the cycle begins again the next morning. I take Lamotrigine, Lorazepam, and Buspar and I think it takes the edge off, but there is still that discomfort in my chest. I have had every test known which includes a check on Thyroid, Cortisol, Potassium, all hormone levels and they came back normal, I have had numerous EKGs, Blood tests etc for cardiac problems and they as well come back normal. The meds I'm taking only work while I'm taking them, so, therefore, there is nothing in the morning when I wake up. I had a ruptured brain aneurysm back in 2013 in which stopped my life saving "Lamotrigine" from working like a charm. I haven't seemed to be able to give up this med., with hopes that it will kick back in as my brain heals. It's been over 5 years and still, they are useless. I have decided to wean myself off of them without the blessing of my nurse practitioner because I'm so desperate for answers, I thought if a brain aneurysm declared them useless, maybe they are just making my symptoms worse. I'm playing doctor with myself and I'm trying to wean off everything to see what happens. If I feel no different or better than I guess the Lamotrigine is useless so why should I keep taking something that isn't helping. One less chemical in my system. Next, I'm gonna try to wean off of the Lorazepam. Same thing. If I feel no different than why bother. After that, the Buspar is left. I will again try the same with that. If I still feel the same and no better, maybe I need to try something else. I keep telling my doctor I need something in my system that stays there 24/7 because I think most of my anxiety is caused by the irritating pounding heartbeat and the thought that I will have to live with this for the rest of my life. I have had depression and panic attacks, and this is not what it is. I spent an entire summer after my son threatened suicide and hit a tree.. so I know what a panic attack is. Haven't found the need to go to the hospital for what I'm feeling now. I would be out of control with those attacks and I'm pretty calm. I'm sorry for the long post but I just wanted to know if anyone has gone through the same systems and has ruled out every test I mentioned. I can't take this anymore. My anxieties are most like;y triggered by the fear that this is the rest of my life and no one will ever have an answer to this mystery. None of my doctor's, "neurologist, Intervention radiologist," my brain surgeon", primary, therapists, etc. have no idea. That makes it more frustrating. Thank you for reading.

[Gidget1]

Hi,

I don't take naps anymore because it was so horrific waking up.

I told my doctor about it-this dark, scary, overwhelming feeling that happens whenever I wake up. He looked blank. He asked me why I thought it was happening and I said "reality". "Coming to" is not something I enjoy AT ALL. I've told many doctors that the only time I'm at peace is when I'm sleeping. My days are frightening and I'm anxiety ridden for no reason. Xanax helps but the amount I need to stop the anxiety causes me to be so sleepy, and I don't want to go there again! It's hell. And, it's been happening for decades so I don't expect it to get better..

However, knowing someone else is suffering from "awakemare" (opposite of nightmare 😗) helps. Tomorrow morning when I wake up, I'll think about you and anyone else who's going through it.

I have found that the best thing to do is get moving right away ...like literally shake it off.

Best wishes

🛏 our bed should not be scary.

[Indigojoe]

If you are in the US, think about contacting Dr Amen's clinics and ask them to review your records and have them weigh in.

[Agora1]

Hi only_wheniwakeuph, I've had exactly what you are experiencing. I've given up

naps myself because it's not worth going through the shaky, scared feeling twice in

a day. I feel great in the evenings, so much so that I can actually fool myself into

thinking that I can do anything. Then comes the morning and the anxiety hits hard

with these symptoms. Immediately upon awakening, I start my meditation and deep breathing. For the most part, that helps lower and keep my fears under control.

But I wonder, why I can't wake up like the average person w/o feeling like the world is coming to an end.

This has definitely now become a learned behavior. We expect it and so it happens.

Because I'm under a lot of stress right now, my mental state is taking advantage of

that fact. Like you, I hate to take a medication just for that morning wake up period

when as the day goes on, the symptoms disappear. If left on medication, the grogginess

and lethargy would continue and not allow me to do as much as I do right now. Plus I like

the feeling of being clear headed and energetic. xx

[Indigojoe in reply to Agora1]

That description is helpful to me because I experience something similar and have never been able to put it into words. It does me a world of good to know that I am not alone and that those of us with these unusual physical symptoms can accept them, be ok actually and get on with our day.

I SO GET IT, when you say, in the evening you think you can do anything..........IF only the dentist were open after dinner.......LOL

[Agora1 in reply to Indigojoe]

Oh my gosh Indigo. You don't know how many times I've thought that regarding

the dentist. I would be able to literally walk in without crying and shaking.

Birds of a feather lol xx

[AnnRay]

Yes dear girl, there was a time when I would wake up and it was overwhelming. Everything hits, then and there, all in a second, when your defenses are down and you are the most vulnerable. Buspar never helped with anything, I was on it for about a month and got so fed up with it, I just threw it in the trash. Lorazepam is still good after 35 years, where I take about 1 to 1.5 mgs. a day. It just helps smooth things out, but it is short lived, whereas some other benzos last longer. What really helped is an old drug that's been around through the ages. It's generic name is Trazodone, and there have been no side effects for me and it is non addicting. Look it up and read about it. On the 3rd or 4th morning I woke up and things were different for me...better, and I built from that. That was in 1990 and I still take 75 mgs. a night. God bless you, and best of luck. Jan