Adrenaline rush when trying to fall asleep

Hi, my partner has been having terrible trouble falling asleep, he complains of feeling a huge surge of adrenaline just as he is about to drift to sleep, this can continue for quite a while until he is so exhausted his body has no choice but to sleep.(this feeling is not associated with any physical twitching or jerking of muscles or limbs)
He has fairly recently stopped taking citalopram which was prescribed to alleviate anxiety which he was diagnosed with many years ago.
Could this problem he is experiencing when trying to sleep be SSRI discontinuation syndrome? If so, is there anything you could recommend to relieve this unpleasant symptom?

[JSGeare]

The answer is, "could be," and I'll be darned if I know what might bridge the gap into a normal sleep pattern. If the cessation was not with medical advice, I think it would be a great idea to get a medical opinion, which may well include what can help restore a comfortable sleep experience. Just remember, all the opinions you get here are ...just that ... opinions. So get a medical one.

[waspman1]

i've just came across your problem as i have been searching this symptom myself, i have anxiety but do not take medication, i have this feeling also, i would describe it as an adrenaline rush or the feeling that my body is seizing up, this does not happen every night but does happen quite frequently, i have just attributed it to anxiety, although i have not mentioned it to the doctor, but every other crazy symptom i have had has been attributed to anxiety

[Jennifer375]

That sounds REALLY uncomfortable. I have to agree with JSG,,, if his withdrawl (withdrawal) from the medicine wasnt with a doctors advice and or was done abruptly without tapering... I would press him to immediatly go see his doctor. Its possible he has thrown some brain chemicals into 'shock' if you will (a sudden stopping makes this likely) and the symptoms he is now experincing should be checked out along with possibly some blood work just for precaution sake. *Best wishes and please do update!*

[Jennifer375]

just re-read my post and wanted to say , by "immediatly' I dont mean rush to an ER of course,, just that he really should get into see his doctor as soon as possible. Im sure if he cant sleep for any lenght of time he will decide to anyways, but just restarting the medicine may not help and seeing a professional is important in this situation.

[MomonElm]

I am up at a really late hour because of this very thing - trying to find out why this happens.  However, I don't take, and never have taken any medication beyond simple antibiotics.  Additionally, I don't have anxiety in the slightest.  I'm a very laidback person.  One thing I can add to this is that this happens right as I'm drifting off to sleep and I have the feeling like I'm physically falling and while I'm obviously not, my body reacts as if I am.  Also - it's never a part of any dream - I'm not dreaming yet.  It's right as I'm falling asleep.  The adrenaline rush is very real - and very lasting though.

[Pat1958]

It happened to me too and I have called my doctor for an answer.  I will let you know what he said.  I also have felt along with the adrenaline rush, almost like I can hear my blood rushing through my veins.  It was scary.
Pat

[ichthus]

I've had these types of symptoms on-and-off for 30 years.  Mine occur both as I'm lying down to sleep, and also when I awake, mid- or early morning.  Benadryl works well to get me to sleep without the surges, but I haven't found anything that helps at 3:00-6:00 in the morning yet...   They occur out of the blue - without my thinking or worrying about anything (other than the next surge), and usually don't stop on their own.  Two types of rushes:  (1) fluttering inside my head, then a warm flush over my head, (2.) adrenaline zap at the top of my sternum that radiates throughout my chest, upper arms, throat, jaw, head...  burning for 20-30 seconds, then dissipating to a mild discomfort.  Slight increase in heart rate...   Neither of these are heart related - - doctors think anxiety...  Been prescribed Paxil and various benzo's - - as well as Ambien...  The latter two leave me shaky, antsy, sleepy the next day....

[doeeyes]

Hello Posters,
I've felt much the same thing only mine tends to occur after exercise.  I avoid exercise for this very reason.  It's as if my adrenaline kicks in after exercise and doesn't wane until bedtime (sometimes late into the morning).  Often it feels like I might have a seizure at any moment (though I've never had one). I'm thinking of taking xanax for this.  This has been going on for a year now. It began after a 5 month stint of a heavy exercise regimen (which I never do) which I did to get over the depression I was having over a failed relationship. It usually (always?) happens at night. Can last for up to 2 hours after which I usually crash. Doctors have been unable to help thus far..it's absolute hell

[dmbfan07cb]

I don't get the adrenaline thing, I just feel like im dying, like i'm alipping away and I jerk myself awake.  i hate that.

[NightRush]

I have the same thing, repeatedly until I finially crash from complete exhaustion. I have had anxiety attacks years ago but I am not sure if this is related.  This started happening about 4 months ago and has been getting worse day by day.  I have started taking xanax to help fall asleep and it does give some relief from the symptoms by making them a lot milder and I seem to be able to fall asleep faster but it does not stop them completely.   Plus  I just hate having to take something on a nightly basis to fall asleep.  

I am really trying to link this to some cause other then anxiety, it just isn't the same.  I'm not thinking about anything when it happens and it is just as I am about to fall asleep.  I am thinking about getting my thyroid checked agian (my mother had hypothyroid) and this may be a symptom of the early stages... not sure though...  If anyone has any ideas please let me know..

[NightRush]

Any one else have these symptoms and take statins?

[RayRay8816]

Hey NightRush i have been experiencing the same symptoms..it started in the beginning of may.i actually was doing fine off my medication for 7 months and i was teaching myself to live off the medicine and go out for walks and enjoy life..but i noticed when i went to stores or was but under pressure or told to do so many things like go to the grocery store, i would get kinda lightheadness and dizzy but i thought nothing of it i was overwhelmed.

anyways, in the middle of march i had been taking diet pills...and it increased the rush of adrenaline, and i would just run around and do stuff constantly and feel good..but one day i awaoke and i noticed i feel anxiety and pressure and my heart was beating fast..i thought nothing of it but as the day went on and night time came my arms started going numbe my heart was pounding and i felt sick and i wasnt even thinking about anything that would prone me to an attack...it scared me it felt like i was having a stroke. ever since then my heart has been pounding and feel like a panic attack waiting to happen. i went to the dentist and i had a horrific experience and had to have my friend and the dental assistants talk me through numbing my gums "i hate big needels and that thing looked huge"!,but that was before my heart pounding and adrenaline rushes which i think caused it to happen like this cuz when i came out the dentist i must have been in such a tramatic situation cuz my heart was hurting.


i went to the doctor and he had check my thryoid,blood,urine,and even a ekg on my heart. everything came back good and NORMAL!  he prescribed me xanax which i have been taking and i felt so dizzy and light headed on it and i would even sometimes forget my place in a conversation and feel delayed. i stopped taking it for 2 days cuz i hated the feeling of feeling slow and plus my mom said it was a killer to come off and when u did it would feel like ur body couldnt function and u would start trembling...i know cause my mom was taking to the emergency room  after coming off of xanax.but on the 2nd night before i went to sleep my heart started pounding and i t felt like someone was choking me and i couldnt breath...all xanax does is calm ur nerves i wish  he would have given me a anxiety medication which he didnt and i found strange cuz that was my main purpose for visitng the doctor...i contuine to take xanax and feel a lil better but i feel so laggy and delayed. i hate it!..i heard that you could take a beta blocker which stop adrenaline rushes but i personally dont know.

IF ANYONE IS READIN THIS AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING DONT PASS THIS POST  PLEASE RESPOND IF YOU HAVE OVERCAME THE SAME ISSUE...and to all you other people who are experiencing this same situation i am deeply sorry cause this is just horrible i cant even freaking function!..

[stacey555]

I had this for almost a year and noone understood what I was talking about. When I try to describe it to my doctors they act like Im crazy.  I do think it is an adreniline rush, but  I think it has something to do with your cortisol dropping to low and your adrenals compensating.   It is really scary and if anyone knows what is happening and you could pass the info along that would be great.

[treeman]

Hi .    I don't know if this is the same as I was getting but when it happens I feel it my stomach area like a strong electrical charge that keeps me from falling asleep.

[stacey555]

Yes almost like when your on a rollercoaster??

[urdacrazy1]

I can tell you that I just experienced what you've described just last night. It was horrible. I was sitting just fine and suddenly I felt a surge of pressure or something go through my arms up into like the back of my head. As it decreased, it almost felt like my energy was going away with it. It only lasted a few seconds but it left me kind of dizzy and scared.
Then when I went to bed I felt it again. Like, a surge, pressure and like you said almost like someone was choking me. My heart started racing and I felt like I could scream. When it finally subsided I was left extremely shakey (shaky). Like my whole body would tighten up and I would literally tremble every few second. If I tried to relax my muscles I wouldn't tremble but if I tense them up I would. CRAZIEST feeling. I think I've experienced it before. Well to answer your beta blocker question, I take them when I'm having bad anxiety. I took it last night and after about an hour I was back to "normal" and able to fall asleep. Can anybody else tell me if they've experienced what I or should I say WE have? It was so scarey. So is that what they call an adrenaline rush?

[urdacrazy1]

By the way, I'm not on any other medication.

[femalesnoo]

I have gad this on and off for years. Just a t the point of sleep I feel a surge starting in my chest and it runs right up through my head, sometimes into my arms and my eyes roll up in my head. It really does feel like I'm about to die, but I haven't yet so will just have to live with it!
by femalesnoo

[arnoldzoo5]

It's 1:10am and I'm still up.  Just got through having another attack.  About six months ago I had a hysterectomy.  I've not been the same sense!  It has sent my body realing.  I've had terrible panic attacks, ER visists, bad reactions to almost all medications and every test known to man.  Everything has come back Anxiety.  I was put on Zoloft and Ativan.  At first these attacks were the heart racing, dizziness, take an Ativan then fall asleep...then in a couple minutes my body would be pulled out of sleep grasping for breath.  Then I experienced migraine headaches, muscle cramping.  Put on Lexapro and came off Zoloft.  Then had visual disturbance, dizziness, depression and more migraines.  Now I am off Lexapro and only on Ativan.  I tried to come off Ativan slowly over 5 weeks and my body is freaking out.  I have pain in the atteries/veins in my neck and ankles.  I have heart flutters and strong vein beating/popping.  I hate it.  I'm scared all the time because I just know there is something more goin on.  Is is my thyroid?  Test keep coming back okay.  Is it my hormones? Hormone levels are just slightly low.  Is it my heart?  Heart doctor says NO.  What is it and how do I get rid of it so that I can go back to feeling like my old self again? HELP!!!
Nancy

[LaneyJane]

I have been suffering from anxiety and depression for over 20 years.  This "surge" thing always happens to me when I go for long periods of time during the day without food.  If I am busy and forget to eat for most of the day and even have a large supper, I will still have these "surges" of adrenaline.  It is one the main reasons I have so much trouble dieting.  I would suggest that if you have just one attack, to get up and eat a snack.  That almost always helps me.  I really believe it has something to do with your calorie intake for the day, or if you are dieting, maybe you are not getting enough calories each and every day.

[JM71]

I have this too!

Right as I'm about to fall asleep, I get an adrenaline surge that makes me feel suddenly really wide awake. Then I try and relax and start to fall asleep again and suddenly WHAM it happens again. It feels like it happens at the very moment I am drifting off to sleep. To the point where I have half lost consciousness and my body sort of 'freaks out' and wakes me up. Like it is afraid to sleep. I stay very relaxed, and try to not let it bother me.

The best way that I can describe it is like the feeling of being embarrased. My face feels warm, and my head and chest tingles. It lasts for about 20-30 seconds and then subsides. Sometimes my heart beats a little fast, but only if it scares me. I have gotten to the point where it happens to me and I just take it in stride. I don't panic or get worried. It is really frustrating though, and will happen over and over so that I don't get good sleep. I have stayed up a full 24 hours because of it before.

It doesn't happen every night, it usually comes in episodes where it will happen for one night, or sometimes a number of nights in a row.

I personally think it is a nervous system imbalance. For some reason my body mistakes that moment of sleep as if it were stressful.

Lots of things can cause your nervous system to get out of balance. If you have problems with anxiety, panic attacks, fatigue, or other symptoms, it could be your nervous system.

Things you can do to help keep your nervous system balanced:

1. Exercise regularly.
2. Eat well balanced meals. Don't eat too much sugar.
3. Stay away from caffeine, nicotine, and other stimulants.
4. Drink plenty of water.

I can't say for sure that this is our problem. If anyone else has any ideas, please do share.

[kyval]

i experienced this about 6 months ago, way before my anxiety kicked in, i was drinking alot of caffeine, same as always but alot, so i stopped, and those episodes stopped as well, i wish i had an answer that easy for my anxiety..
best wishes..

[KirstinMc]

The sudden jolt you experience whilst going to sleep sounds very much like anxiety and then when your body starts to relax you get a jolt. I get this alot and completely understand. Also you might try getting a warm (not hot) bath and have a cup of camomille tea 30 mins before bed.

[beenalongtime4me]

you are the only person i have found that has discribed the fluttering inside your head. i get this nearly every night just as i am on the verge of falling asleep. i also get like fluttering in my chest and it rises up my throat into my ears. it is the feel you get when somebody winds down only one window in the car while you are driving. i also have a feeling as though there is something stuck in my throat and pressure there, sometimes i feel i cant get oxygen into my lungs.

[cnote]

I get like this too when I have anxiety. If I start to fall asleep, I all of a sudden jerk awake right before REM sleep. It also feels like I'm moving too sometimes, like motion sickness. It's weird. If you suffer from anxiety here and there, it could be from that. Don't know though. Just an opinion.

[p0larb0y1111]

~~~~Part 1~~~~


PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME TO READ THIS~


Yahoo: Jack_Da_stranglerxxx***@****
MSN : P0larb0y_1111***@****
AIM: p0larb0y_1111***@****

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Kirstin I've had this problem for a couple years
now, I'll explain my sleeping problems first but I
want to tell everyone basically what anxiety has been
like since I've had it. The worse thing for anyone
with Anxiety is to have no one that can understand
things you feel and have similar problems. I Will
probably post this same post in a more suitable thread
over time, sorry for being a little off topic on this
one but Anxiety is Anxiety.

----ABOUT ME-------

Before I Explain my anxiety problems I want you guys

to know I am only 16, I am a male.

(PLEASE DO NOT SKIP THIS BECAUSE I'M 16, I KNOW WHAT
ANXIETY FEELS LIKE AND JUST BECAUSE IM YOUNG DOESN'T
MEAN I DON'T KNOW WHAT STRESS FEELS LIKE, I"VE BEEN
THROUGH VERY ROUGH TIMES  (I'll be 17 in january)
years old.

-----> I weigh probably about 140 and I'm 5"4 or 5"5
and I've had anxiety problems ever since I was 14 or
15. My parents have always called me a hypochondriac
because I worry about the littlest things and they're
right, I have been worrying about dieing ever since I
was 7, (OR YOUNGER!) I remember when I was really
little id always ask my mom every night if i was going
to die because it would always make me feel better, i
liked it when she laughed about it too because it made
me feel like i was worrying about nothing. But I never
had anxiety problems than I was just scared.

[p0larb0y1111]

~~~~PART 2~~~~

----------------SLEEPING PROBLEMS-------------------  
  
   Well for my sleeping issues this is probably the
biggest problems anxiety has ever gave me. I have a
hard time sleeping at night, I CAN'T sleep without
sleeping pills every night. If I don't take my
medicine(I've tried a few times) I get jerking
feelings too, it feels that the closer I am to just
dozing off the closer I am to just having to jump up
really quick, I always described it as it felt like my
heart twitched or something, and I also kind of have a
feeling it has to do with adrenaline. Usually when I
get these its not just in my chest, It usually shoots
down my leg most of the time, or sometimes through my
hole chest. I also get rapid heart beats that last for
like 5-10 seconds than just beat like normal, This
also happens after I yawn a lot of times too, but it
does happen randomly a lot too. And when this happens
I do not have to be thinking about anything that's
making me nervous(it is really bad when this starts to
happen). I've been feeling something new for the last
few weeks too, It seems like during night time when I
just relax and play on the computer and stuff I get
like random beats in my chest, and its not always in
my heart area a lot of the time its in my right side.
When I sleep I ALWAYS have to sleep on my right side
because when I sleep on my left side i always get
pains in my chest, and if i would happen to fall
asleep on my left side(after doing this a few times i
realized laying this way was causing the pain so i
never do that anymore) I would wake up with horrible
pain in my arms, chest, stomach it felt like it was
numb kind of but dull pain at the same time.
When I first started to have anxiety problems I
couldn't sleep for 2 days, on the 3rd day I finally
passed out(Thank god) but woke up less than 5 hours
later so I couldn't handle it anymore, I had went to
the docter a couple days ago before this and he gave
me "Buspar" for my anxiety, he said it would help me,
and it does, it just doesn't help me sleep. When I
went he could tell I looked horrible and needed sleep
so he gave me 1 prescription of xanxex until my buspar
started to work because it takes time for long term
meds like that to start working.
Right now I am doing better than I used to for sure
though, I am currently taking 2 Clonidines and 10 MG
of buspar right before i go to bed, I am trying to cut
down on my medicine becuase I dont want to take it for
the rest of my life. I asked him if he'd cut my 15 MG
to 10MG and hes going to go along with it for me.
After I take my medicine I usually HAVE to try and
sleep after about 15 minutes because once my medicine
kicks in and im not trying to relax it sometimes
doesn't kick in or sometimes it does but im trying to
do something and after it wears off after about 30
mins if I try to sleep I won't be able to and I end up
just staying up for the rest of the night.
I know most of you probably don't want to know this
but I'm sure someone out there knows what I mean.
Usually when I'm trying to sleep or something I put
one of my hands down my pants or something(MOST GUYS
DO THIS) And with these rush's I get now, The Rush
goes straight to my private area. If anyone else has
experienced this let me know please.

[p0larb0y1111]

~~~~~PART 3~~~~~

==================================================
-WHAT I THINK MAY HAVE CAUSED MY ANXIETY PROBLEMS-
--------------------------------------------------

I'm going to be straight out honest on this post, I
know a lot of you guys wouldn't say a lot of stuff
like this but Its all true and if you can relate to
ANY of this please contact me(I have messenger screen
names at the top)

1. I'm not really sure about this one but my counseler
seems to be pretty conserned about this But I think I
was -NEGLECTED- a lot when I was a little kid (my
grandma told him I was), I don't really remember a lot
of it but it may have happened. Even if I don't
remember it there are probably memories somewhere in
my mind that keeps reminding me. My docter seems to
think that as well.

2. When I was about 13 or 14 I started to -SMOKE WEED-
all the time, I was basically high every day all day
for like 2 years straight. Fun times. But now not so
fun times. My first panic attack was right after I
smoked weed, But I had smoked weed for like 2 years
before that day and been fine, before my major panic
attack I did kind of get chest pains and stuff for a
while though so I kind of had an idea. Ever since that
first attack I never touched weed for atleast 6
months, My chest pounded so hard on that attack I
thought it was going to explode, than it was really
sore and had lots of dull and sharp pains for a few
weeks!

3.Another major thing was that I never talked to a lot
of people. I had very few friends, and -BARELY EVER-
TALKED in school. Before I went in 7th grade I used to
be kind of popular, stronger than just about everyone
and pretty outgoing. I got in trouble though and it is
really embarassing(This is the only thing I don't
really want to mention) But anyways when I got in
trouble they took it very seriously, & I got expelled
for the year, but they let me in within 3 months
because they kind of knew im not a very violent
person, I try to be nice to everyone. But ever since
that happened I was the center of attention and that
botherd me. Than after that I never really knew what
would happen when I went to school & I would worry
about it.
4.Probably should put this was 3 but Its kind of
diffrent but another big thing i messed up doing was
just wasteing life. I didn't want to talk to anyone, I
was constantly worried about what people thought of
me, So I basically just said screw the world and I
played on the computer 24/7 EVERYDAY for about 3
years, and yes I mean litterly everyday, I would wake
up get on PC  Eat and go to bed and do the same thing
everyday, hardely ever went outside unless I was going
to school.
EFFECT OF THIS I THINK = I didn't really talk to
anyone for a long time(i talked to people but just
when somebody asked me something in school or
something, and ofcourse i talk to my parents) So after
3 years of not talking I kind of forgot how to
communicate with people normally. Whenever I try to
just make a decent conversation I stutter nearly every
time unless its someone im close to and am used to
talking to. I get nervous about what I say to people
because I dont want to say the wrong things.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
~~~~~~THE WEIRD STUFF I FEAR OR CONVINCE MYSELF~~~~~
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

#1.Sometimes I convince myself that I think my heart
is just going to stop beating for no reason.
#2.I worry about taking my medicne too because If I
have to take it for the rest of my life It will probly
eat up my liver eventually but If I don't take it I
feel uncompleted and wont be able to sleep
#3. I constantly think I have something wrong with my
heart because of the weird feelings I get in my chest

area.
#4. If something hurts on my body I think about it a
lot and I think of the worse things it could be.
#5. Scared to get cancer
#6. I worry about what people think about me or how
people judge me even if they are just thinking about
you in their minds.
#7. A lot of attention, I cannot stand a lot of
attention, when a lot of eyeballs are looking at me my
nerves go crazy because I cant stop thinking about
what they might be saying to themselves.
#8. People saying negitive stuff to their friends
about me.
#9.My fast heart rate
#10. SPIDERS@!
#11 sometimes I think I'm the only person in the world
who feels the things I do

[p0larb0y1111]

~~~~PART 4~~~~


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
@@@@@@@@@-DEALING WITH MY ANXIETY-@@@@@@@@
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


~Things I do(or used to) to help myself(THESE ARE

THINGS I DO OR USED TO DO TO DEAL WITH MY ANXIETY


#1. Avoid talking to people
#2. Avoid loud people who might yell my name or

something
#3.Use any kind of opiate related drug before I have

to read a speech or something to the class
#4. Do not ask questions in most classes
#5 Rely on my medicine

--SUPPOSE TO DO(Or I want to do)---
#1. ""IMPORTANT"" - TALK TO PEOPLE WHO CAN RELATE
#2. Join a group of people with anxiety problems
#3. Try alternative methods to get rid of Anxiety

before taking pills
#4 Try to focus on something fun or something that

keeps you from thinking a lot about bad thoughts.
#5 See a docter
#6 Exercise can help too

++++EXTRA THOUGHTS+++++

Hospital ********:
If you have something like what I have and you have

psysical pain from it and you are pretty sure it is

from stress and you go to the hospital, they might

just tell you to stop worrying so much, THIS PISSES ME

OFF EVERYTIME I THINK ABOUT IT.

My thoughts: GO SEE SOMEBODY ELSE, If a docter tells

you this, He doesn't understand what your dealing

with. Only people with Anxiety problems or people who

have had it before can truely understand how you feel.

My psychiatrist understands me pretty good because He

had really bad anxiety problems as well when he was

younger. Anxiety is real he tells me that all the time

and its true ANXIETY IS REAL.



======================================================
================PANIC ATTACKS=====================
======================================================

Everyones panick attacks are diffrent, Some people

cant breathe, some people have bad chest pain, Some

people cant sit still, and some people just go crazy

and start freaking out.

When I have a panic attack it was very painful, I dont

have trouble breatheing(Im talking about Major Panic

Attacks, Minor Panic attacks are not very bad compared

to these)But my chest hurts very bad. My first panic

attack started off with my heart beating really

hard,and fast, Than it was a heart beat I never felt

before, It was beating hard, but it felt like i could

feel every muscle move that was in my heart, it felt

like a stick was going in and out of my heart,

litterly. I was sweating really bad and my hands and

feet were going numb and I felt a sharp pain shooting

from my heart to my leg. After that attack(it lasted

about 2 hours and it was torture i seriously didnt

know if i was going to live after that day and

thinking about that just made it last even longer, and

when you try not to think about it, you think even

more about it, its an everlasting cycle, it is probly

pretty much the same thing as a heart attack pain

wise) my chest hurted for almost 3 weeks after that

probably because of how hard my heart worked during

that time.


If you read all of this thank you for taking your time

to do so this is basically my life of anxiety.


#####################################################
PLEASE IF YOU CAN RELATE TO THIS OR RELATE TO ME FEEL

FREE TO ADD MY YAHOO MSN OR MY AIM(SCREEN NAMES LISTED

AT THE TOP), IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO TALK TO SOMEONE WHO

UNDERSTANDS HOW YOU FEEL.
####################################################

[stamper1]

The adrenaline rush feeling might actually be...well adrenaline. Many times your adrenal glands work incorrectly releasing too much adrenaline as a result of daily stressors in addition it could also be your thyroid causing your sleeplessness, typically the thryoid releases more hormone at night if your thyroid is out of wack, or you have developed low or high thyroid function it often causes this feeling. Get both your thyroid and your adrenal glands checked. Both are fairly simple tests. IN addition when you feel the surge try feeling your pulse. If you feel like your heart is skipping beats you may have an arrythmia or PVC's which should also be checked by a doctor.

[JM71]

Just wanted to check back in.

It's been weeks now since this has happened to me. I like to come back and let people know that if this does happen to you, that you shouldn't worry too much right away. It always goes away for me.

Maybe it lasts one night, maybe a week. But it will go away. Let that bring you some comfort. Get up, drink something warm, and relax for a little while. Fighting it will only stress you out more. If you feel that you should see a doctor, then plan on making an appointment. But again, don't let it stress you out too much.

All the best.

[dubcek]

I thought I was alone on this. It is a very difficult thing to describe but adrenaline rush is close. I eat right, get exercise, don't smoke, etc. I do feel stress in my job but not any more than anyone else. I get about 6 hours of sleep a night and can't really sleep much more but I've always been like that. The rush usually comes just before I fall asleep and almost always when I'm on my back in bed. It doesn't keep from ultimately falling asleep though. I just change positions to my right or left side and go to sleep. I usually don't have problems going to sleep but every once in a while I do have difficulty. The rush also seems to come irregularly. I might experience 2 - 6 times a week for a couple of weeks and then go for a month without it happening. It is very strange. I first noticed it in spring-summer 2008 but I think I have had it before but just didn't pay attention to it. I've not asked my doctor what it is and from I gather on this site, those of you who have asked have gotten an inconclusive answer. Obviously, if it has been happening to some of you for 20 - 30 years, it can't be serious. It must have something to do with going to sleep because it never happens during the rest of the day even when I'm relaxing. If anyone has a definitive answer, i would sure like to know what it is out of curiosity.

[danielaa]

I get this too on and off.  I'm just about to drift when bang I'm awake by this rush.  It could happen 10 times in less than an hour.  It really scares me alot.  I can have it for a few nights in a row and sometimes it stops for months.  Do any of you have the medical name for it.
This really stressed me as I already suffer from anxiety and panic attacks.

Thank you.

[Gator77]

I get similiar symptoms as well. Recently, my doctor ordered a sleep study (based on other symptoms) to see if I have sleep apnea. I haven't gone yet.

As I understand it, sleep apnea happens when a person stops breathing during sleep and the body, as a result, kicks into panic mode. I would think this might result in the release of adrenaline or atleast a similiar feeling. I wonder if this could be the cause of the adrenaline feeling when drifting off?

[bensonl]

PROBLEM SOLVED!

******************************************************

Finally the doctors have worked out what i have, and it's curable!

Unfortunately it is a tumor, and requires surgery, but has a 95% survival rate if caught early enough.

It's called Pheochromocytoma, which in english means a growth on your adrenal gland.

This growth interferes with the adrenaline gland, releasing adrenaline for no reason, usually during various stages of sleep when muscles relax and the nervous system is in "standby mode"

[bensonl]

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jan 02 - Measurement of urinary free metanephrines (fMN) is superior to other laboratory tests for diagnosing pheochromocytoma in adults, according to a report in the December issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Though pheochromocytoma is conventionally detected by identifying elevated urine levels of catecholamines, the authors explain, there have been several case reports in which such results were not abnormal.

Dr. James G. Boyle from University of Glasgow, UK and colleagues assessed the diagnostic efficacy of urinary fMN for the detection of pheochromocytoma and compared it with that of urinary free catecholamines, vanillyl mandelic acid (VMA), and plasma catecholamines in a retrospective study of 159 patients, 25 of whom were subsequently proven to have pheochromocytoma.

The sensitivity of urinary fMN for diagnosing pheochromocytoma was 100%, the authors report, compared with 84% for urinary catecholamines, 72% for urinary VMA, and 76% for plasma catecholamines.

The specificity of urinary fMN was 94%, compared with 99% for urinary catecholamines, 96% for urinary VMA, and 88% for plasma catecholamines.

"This study demonstrates that urinary fMN were superior to urinary VMA, urinary catecholamines, and plasma catecholamines and can provide a valuable test for diagnosis of pheochromocytoma in adults," the investigators conclude. "

[James123456777]

Well I guess there are more of us than we think,I have the same problem when I try to go to sleep the only thing that is different with me is when it stops I start sweating real bad!!!!

[AmandaPanda80]

I too suffer from this anxiety. It only happens once in awhile, but when it happens it's really bad. As I'm typing this I'm suffering now....1am and feeling like I should go jogging or something, but my body is so tired that it can't do it. Does anyone suffer any aches or pain? My joints seem to hurt pretty bad when this occurs. I do have other health problems...Pure Red Cell Aplasia and I'm diabetic. I'm going to ask my doctor about that tumor thing. Thanks to all! :-)

[DrEricLarson]

An adrenal tumor is an EXTREMELY RARE cause of this somewhat common condition.  It is called hypnagogia, or inability to lose consciousness.  I have had the condition for some time and tested negative for pheochromocytoma.

The underlying cause is LONG-TERM ANXIETY, but the anxiety leads to HYPNAGOGIA, which causes the "rush" sensation.  Certain parts of your brain are trying to enter REM sleep but the hippocampus refuses.  This can be a frightening experience and I know where you are coming from.

Exercise, diet, medication, blah blah blah. You know what you need to do.

[nora006]

Thank you Dr E. Larson for explaining this. I've always known it was due to excess adrenaline, but not that hippocampus was the part that refused to enter the REM-mode, always thought the amygdala was the culprit.

Nora

[Rynnifer]

Ok so my name is Rynn i am 23.This same feeling happened to me last night i have wondered in the past when it happened to me what it was.I remember having it when i was a little kid like about 6 or 7 years old i remember being asleep in my moms cars and she woke me up and i was trying to explane to her what was happening but didnt know how to explane it.Now i can explane it more because it happenes very often.Like every week a few times a week.It is very scary last night it lasted for like 10 mins or more.This is what it feels like to me feels like every thing is moving in really fast motion even when i open my eyes and i cant slow it down and my fingers feels huge dont know why.I just got off the phone with my mom and explaned it to her and she asked my Aunt witch is a nurse she said ANXIETY or drinking to much cafine before you go to bed but i have not drank alot of cafine in weeks.So it is prolly just anxiety.Dont know what about not strassed about anything i have no idea.

[Grrrowl]

This has been happening to me on and off for the last 3months - After about a 2 year depression, followed by a 3 month anxiety attack.  I feel I've overcome my depression, and have managed to reduce my anxity to what may be "normal", but now I just want to be able to go to sleep like a normal person!  

I spent 6 hours last night staring at hypnogogic images (Those dream like scenes you experience right before you fall asleep) and every time i was about to shut down and fall asleep - BAM, my body reacts as if someone has just shot of a gun in my room, or im about to be in a car accident.  This is Bull S#!t...

I have been told by two psychs that I have an anxiety disorder, but I have been very successful in dealing with it without medication (to the complete surprise of both of them, who try persistantly to convise me I will never be ok without drugs)-  But this... I don't know what to do about this.  I can get over the "surge" pretty quickly by ignoring it/ knowing that i am not at risk of anything and just relaxing, but as soon as im about to fall asleep again - BAM- some kind of fear response is triggered in my head.

To me, it is obvious this is an anxiety issue.  Also, It happens much more frequently on saturdays / sundays when I haven't done anything all day and I'm not really tired when I try to go to bed.  I hasn't happened all week, and then last night it was over and over and over.  Someone here mentioned they think exercising triggers it- I did go running yesterday afternoon, which I haven't done in over a week...  I really hope that isn't a contributing facotor...

[twicrazy]

i have this too, i guessed it was adrenaline rush in the middle of the night but i just want to know,.. what's the cause of the sudden axiety? some say it's stress related. Is that true?

[r9c]

Most of the time its caused by stress.i still remember how my 1st panic attack starts,i was so worried about my job,financial etc..then the next few days boom..my 1st full blown panic attack.When ur mind is overloaded with stress and tension..it let off all those stress by giving u panic attacks,all those symptoms.

[middlekid]

Call it weird or not, but for years I’ve had the same problem but I’ll be more detail but crossing my fingers I’m not the only one. I didn’t have these rushes often but I get them may 3 times a year and now that I’m a little older. It really got me thinking and wondering if I get them more and more, after reading everybody experience. But for me when I almost in a deep sleep, I get this adrenaline rush and the same thing like my hands get fat and its almost feeling numb and I don’t know if this makes any sense but it’s a fast adrenaline that I have to move something or put something in a small area, where clearly its not going to fit. Example the last one I had a couple of weeks ago, was when I was put by a boulder and no matter what I had to move it. And it was a rush I had to do just using my hands when feeling numb and fat. I could never explain it that’s why I don’t say much about it to family and friends but reading this and everybody’s input make me kind of tell what I went threw. Well please tell me there is somebody out there, that is in some what of the same boat.

[M4Y0U]

Try melatonin that you can buy at your local food supplement store.

''Melatonin, also known chemically as N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, is a naturally occurring compound found in animals ( including humans ), plants, and microbes. In animals, circulating levels of melatonin vary in a daily cycle, thereby regulating the circadian rhythms of several biological functions. Many biological effects of melatonin are produced through activation of melatonin receptors, while others are due to its role as a pervasive and powerful antioxidant, with a particular role in the protection of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA.''

''In humans, melatonin is produced by the pineal gland, a gland about the size of a pea, located in the center of the brain but outside of the blood-brain barrier. The melatonin signal forms part of the system that regulates the sleep-wake cycle by chemically causing drowsiness and lowering the body temperature, but it is the central nervous system (more specifically, the suprachiasmatic nuclei, SCN) that controls the daily cycle in most components of the paracrine and endocrine systems rather than the melatonin signal''

It's also a powerful antioxidant.

''Besides its function as synchronizer of the biological clock, melatonin also exerts a powerful antioxidant activity. The discovery of melatonin as an antioxidant was made in 1993. In many lower life forms, it serves only this purpose. Melatonin is an antioxidant that can easily cross cell membranes and the blood-brain barrier. Unlike other antioxidants, melatonin does not undergo redox cycling, the ability of a molecule to undergo reduction and oxidation repeatedly. Redox cycling may allow other antioxidants (such as vitamin C) to regain their antioxidant properties. Melatonin, on the other hand, once oxidized, cannot be reduced to its former state because it forms several stable end-products upon reacting with free radicals. Therefore, it has been referred to as a terminal (or suicidal) antioxidant.''

It is also known to boost your immune system and increase vivid dreaming at higher dose.

Please consider that I'm not a doctor and you should take to your doctor if you take any medications before trying melatonin.

Best regards,
M4

[scotsman799]

had 3 or 4 of these panic attacks (adrenaline rushes) this year just about as I am drifting away to sleep, it is if I have to fight my way out it, then I am scared to go back to sleep, usually pass out with exhaustion like a few people have already mentioned, I really do think it is to do with irregular sleep patterns and day to day stresses as this happens at the same time of the year usually, this forum has eased my worrying slightly, thank you all for your insights...

[gcguy]

I AM SO GLAD I'M NOT ALONE!

[mistabowjangles]

Thanks DrEricLarson for what was a clear and educated response to a rather difficult to explain problem.

Inevitably, everybody posting here with their own experiances will be for sure, suffering from clinical anxiety.  It is clear from my own experiances that this manifestation, may seem like a missed heartbeat or breath which  seems to generate what feels like a shock like symptom that ultimately accelerates me from a sleepy semi-concious state into an extremely alert one, yet however my own logic told me after several of these attacks that it was just that devilish anxiety in a different disguise riding the adrenaline wave around my body.  I mean, I've had at least 20+ of these little buggers and if it was anything more serious I'm sure other symptoms would be apparant, like death or a stroke and paralysis.

The causes:  guys you already have an over sensitive adrenal system anything that stimulates that will add to your woes, stay off coffee and caffine after lunch time,  no rigourous exercise late at night (take that as you may!!!).  Perhaps more important destress your life and learn to relax, recognise when you are tense - a clenched jaw and tight shoulders are massive giveaways, also regulay giving the bird to other road users is an equally big giveaway.
 
My short term advise, treat it as you would a standard panic attack, control your breathing and relax.  You may get repeating episodes (I had four one after another, until my basic of basic insticts took over and I fell asleep) just continue to control your breathing maybe start to read, it will sod off.  
Anxiety really dosn't like to be ignored, it is a big childish bully, but does get bored eventually

[Lori_1]

I'm so glad I've took it upon myself to research what's wrong with me and come across this thread.  I've been suffering this since I had my first panic attack last year.  It happened on and off and while I havent had any panic attacks in months the adrenalin rushes at night have got worse.  It's the same thing where I'm about to sleep and can feel my blood almost buzzing, pulsing round my body then I get these adrenalin rush waves up and down my body then I'm as I'm at borderline sleep I get woken up with a massive rush that feels like it's bursting in my head and I wake up as if a bombs gone off, almost screaming!  It's the most horrible thing ever!  I've been to my doctor and he just keeps prescribing me meds like betablockers or diazepam.  Have tried both but I don't want to depend on medication.  I try them then when I go off them it's the same thing.  I'm not even stressed now and lead a pretty healthy life.  It makes going to sleep quite literally a nightmare.  I'm just glad now that I'm not alone as I've felt very scared and alone with this for quite some time : (

[grahamburg]

i too have recently started to have these adrenaline rushes nightly at or near the wake sleep boundary while on  holiday in South Africa and unstressed. Seems strange there is no bacterial, viral, trigger.

My tension point (where they seem to start from) seem to be in the stomach.

My body seems able to avoid them for the first 3 hour sleep cycle at least if a hot shower or bath has been taken just prior to laying down  - sleep follows reasonably quickly.

Any other techniques that seem to work?

[ICare2]

I'M 45 YEARS YOUNG... LOTS OF EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE about NIGHTTIME ADRENALINE / INSOMNIA.  SUFFERED SINCE VERY EARLY 20'S.  MY GRANDMOTHER SUFFERED ENTIRE ADULT LIFE; PASSED IT ON TO MY SON.  HERE'S WHAT I KNOW FROM COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF STUDY & LIFE-TIME EXPERIENCE...  the FOLLOWING COMBINATION ACTUALLY WORKS. YOU CAN GET DEEP RESTORATIVE SLEEP EVERY NIGHT, and STOP ADRENALINE RUSHES, SO YOU STAY ASLEEP, TOO. JUST KNOW YOU HAVE A SENSITIVE METABOLIC SYSTEM, AND IT'S LIKELY NO DOCTOR, OR NO ONE MEDICATION IS GOING TO HELP YOU ~ UNTIL MORE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE CAUSE. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION MOST LIKELY WILL BE THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOURSELF.

(See everyone's list of symptoms in this thread ~ exaggerated alertness, sudden wakefulness after falling asleep, rapid and / or pounding heart beat, awake ALL NIGHT, cold sweats, or just sweating, muscle twitching / spasms, can't relax, eyelids won't "stay closed", electrical-like zapping in all muscles, wanting to scream, racing thoughts, etc., etc.) I'VE HAD IT ALL... and HERE IS HOW I'VE LEARNED TO GET TO SLEEP & STAY ASLEEP!


1) #1 CULPRIT ~ MEAT PROTEIN INDUCED CORTISOL RELEASE (TRIGGERS ADRENALINE RESPONSE, WHICH CAN LAST FOR HOURS @ NIGHT PREVENTING SLEEP.

2) DON'T EAT AFTER 4 PM @ LATEST - NOTHING AFTER 3 TO 4 PM.  Deal with the hunger!  Drink decaffeinated green tea or the like.  You'll adjust.  I CAN EAT A TABLESPOON OF PEANUT BUTTER HALF-HOUR or HOUR BEFORE SLEEP if I want to. One nice "side-effect" of not eating after 3 p.m. is that you'll lose weight!

3)  IMPORTANT:  GET ADEQUATE CALORIES DURING THE DAY UP until 3 TO 4 PM.

4)  GET ADEQUATE PROTEIN DURING DAY (80 - 100 GRAMS IF POSSIBLE).  REMEMBER ~ NO MEAT AFTER 3 P.M.; 4 PM @ VERY LATEST!!

5)  NO ALCOHOL!   ALCOHOL INDUCES ADRENALINE IN MOST PEOPLE LIKE US. EVEN IF TAKEN EARLY IN DAY & the ADRENALINE AFFECT CAN LAST UP TO 18 HOURS.

6)  NO STIMULANTS AFTER NOON!

7)  EXERCISE IS GOOD ~ WHATEVER TICKLES YUR PICKLE (!!) YOGA, RUNNING, HIKING, BIKING, DANCING, WHATEVER ~ JUST MOVE YOUR BODY AT LEAST EVERY OTHER DAY 30 OR MORE MINUTES, FOR STRESS-RELIEF & OTHER OBVIOUS BENEFITS.

8)  I USE A PRESCRIBED SLEEPING MEDICATION  TO INDUCE SLEEPINESS.  HAVE USED THE SAME ONE & SAME AMOUNT EACH NIGHT FOR 8 YRS.  IT ONLY WORKS, THOUGH, IF I FOLLOW #1 through #6. OTHERWISE THE SLEEPING MEDICATION MIGHT AS WELL BE A DUD.

9)  FINALLY, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET ADEQUATE HEALTHY CALORIC INTAKE DURING THE DAY. KEEP SUGAR LEVEL TO MINIMUM!  SUGAR STIMULATES PANCREAS TO PRODUCE INSULIN WHICH STIMULATES ADRENALINE!  BESIDES, ITS BAD FOR YOUR TEETH, TOO.

GIVE THIS COMBINATION A TRY & LET US ALL KNOW HOW IT WORKS FOR YOU.  I'D LOVE TO KNOW THAT IT HELPS YOU & OTHERS GET THE SLEEP THAT IS SO VERY VITAL TO ALL ASPECTS OF OUR WELL-BEING.  SLEEP WELL!!  ZZZZZZZZZ :)

[AM70]

hello friends...I have this feeling too in my head  when I try to fall asleep...I shake my head and I try to get rid of this surge.  I'm very scared of it..my doctor has given me SERC 16 16 mg........thrice a day...it has helped me, but it has not cured me.  SERC is its brand name.

[zzZachary]

I have had this for soooooo long now it seems like.. I used to drink a lot but have been sober for almost 3 years.. when i drank sometimes i would take naps when not drinking and i would feel like i was completely paralyzed but was conscious of everything around me. It seemed like it lasted forever and was super scary and all of the sudden i would be able to force myself out of this state somehow.  Now sober have been treated for anxiety and take Pristiq 50mg once daily.  The reason I believe I started drinking so heavily in the first place was coping with these anxiety adrenaline rushes or whatever you wanna call them.  It was so hard for a while because nobody understood what I was going through not even the doctors really.  Anyways most all of the day symptoms have gone away however at night when going to bed I still get this adrenaline rush or anxiety attack right when Im just tired enough to fall asleep and it jolts me awake.  I try to relax as much as possible and get to sleep but sometimes it takes a long time and is very nerve wrecking.  I was up till 6 am this morning dealing with multiple awakenings and had taking a benadryl the night before as well.  I do believe that caffeine has played a role the past 2 nights though as I have had a 5 hour energy late in the day both days and had not drank caffeine on a regular basis for a little bit.  But here I sit at 3:33 A.M awoken from the notorious attacker wondering when I try to got to sleep if it will happen again. I wish there was an absolute treatment for this exact feeling because it really does play a major factor on your productiveness the next day!

Concerned in Ohio

[Nezza]

Hello. Does anyone else feel a strange squashing sensation in their brain on the right hand side after their chest/head surges?  I am early days with my symptoms (although have had lots of tests that have been clear) so have yet to be convinced that it's anxiety and am so frightened about having a stroke.  Thank you.

[Sunsetnan]

I have suffered with these adrenaline- like surges for several months now.  I was checked for thyroid and adrenal problems, cardiac, and gastrointestinal problems (even for a carcinoid tumor) and everything was normal.  At one time the endocrinologist was sure I had pheochromocytoma (an adrenal gland tumor) and put me on an alpha blocker to go with the beta blocker I was taking.  I would have high blood pressure spikes with each surge of adrenaline.   The doctors have all but given up on finding the problem.  Tried to do a sleep study for sleep apnea, but I couldn't sleep with all the wires and the strange environment.  Quit the study an hour early.  

I have seen a common thread in several of the earlier posts.  I was taking an SSRI (Lexapro) for mood swings when I was taking some high doses of Prednisone and for a bout of Fibromyalgia.  After I had tapered off of the prednisone, and the fibromyalgia had resolved, I started having more mood swings, suspecting perimenopause symptoms and felt the Lexapro was not working.  My doctor had me double my dosage of Lexapro.  That did not work, so I chose to taper off the Lexapro.  I had withdrawal symptoms (moodiness got worse) and my family nearly had an intervention to have me start back on the medicine.  I finally got over much of the rebound moodiness and thought I was doing fine.  

Then, it started slowly.  I would have these adrenaline surges, usually after a late meal right before I would go to bed.  I would have the heart palpitations, shakiness, adrenaline- like surge over my body, anxiety, and the need to evacuate my bowels.  Usually after I went to the bathroom, the symptoms would go away.  (Maybe a vagal response)  Then, it got worse.  Each episode would last longer and be more frequent until they occurred almost constantly.  I was already on a beta blocker for migraines and occ. heart palpitations I thought were due to a mitral valve prolapse.  The doctor increased it when they thought it was a thyroid problem and it helped at first.  

I remember having a similar episode while I was in the hospital after I had my hysterectomy and ovarian cyst removal.  Might have been hormonally induced.  It lasted several hours and went away.  Also had an episode when I had taken antibiotics for a dental procedure, and after I had a bout of diarrhea, it went away.  I don't know if these episodes were related in any way, but they had very similar symptoms.

My problem is that I have these episodes both day and night.  The medication has helped, but I have not been able to eat.  The adrenaline in my system has diminished my appetite to nothing.  I have been drinking nutrition drinks to keep weight on but have lost 22 lbs. so far.  I have to force myself to drink, and it is getting worse.  Last night I was even having problems swallowing my own spit.  

The beta blocker has decreased the intensity of the night surges, but I still wake every hour or two.  If the surge isn't too bad, I can usually fall back asleep not long afterward.  Sometimes I must get up and walk around the house until the adrenaline gets out of my system, and then go back to sleep.  Sometimes I will wake up chilling and my whole body shakes.  That's usually when my blood pressure has gone up with a particularly large surge.  When my blood pressure goes back down from a big surge, then I begin to sweat.  The beta blocker also makes me cold.  I am taking blankets on and off through the night.  Other nights are better with no chilling.  I take sweaters off and on through the day.  

I'm afraid I will have to go to the hospital to be hooked up to an IV if I don't start eating or drinking better.  The alpha and beta blockers make me very tired and hard to function.  I don't work, but couldn't if I did.  The medicines also make it harder to breathe and my muscles are weak.  My husband got a housekeeper to help me with laundry and cleaning.  I don't know how long I can hold on.  The doctors are taking about sending me to a tertiary care center that is four hours away from my home and family.  My husband has all but used up his sick and vacation time taking me to doctor visits.  

My thoughts on possible causes that are similar to other posts:  Withdrawal of SSRI (anti-depressant), menopause- related lack of hormones, decreased calories through day?  Anybody else have the loss of appetite?  I have always loved to eat and would eat when anxious, so this is strange.    
Any thoughts on solutions?                

[Shelly475]

I just wanted to add a post to let everyone know that i am suffering from the same thing. I am so glad I am not alone in this. I have been on Citilopram (generic for Celexa) for 5 years and 2 weeks ago i decided to quit cold turkey. I know now that was a horrible mistake. At first i had the typical "brain jolts" which were uncomfortable but i could deal with them. A few days ago i started having very restless nights and then 3 days ago i started having the adrenaline rushes right before i got into a good sleep. My heart would start pounding, i had this crawling skin feeling on my back and down both arms. This is HORRENDOUS! I have never been so uncomfortable in my life! I started taking my meds again asap after 2 trips to the Urgent Care. I am hoping the meds will be back in my system soon so that I don't have to deal with this anymore. I know its hard but you just have to keep telling yourself "this too shall pass" because eventually it will. My episodes usually last a few hours.

[dj_boy]

I thought I was the only person this happened to, with me, when I try to go to sleep it fills like I'm falling into death and I jerk awake with rapid heart beat and confusion. it last for a while, I'm really dizzy when it happens like I have brain damage. once I try to calm down it slowly goes away, what is this someone please help with a answer.

[StuR]

i've had this for about 2 years and it's getting worse.
last night i was awake until around 6.30am and suffered probably more than 20 'ZAPS' varying in size/power. i can only describe it as an electric shock to the heart which sometimes makes me bolt upright in bed, feeling disorientated and anxious, heartrate increased... sometimes i even hallucinate just before coming to my senses after a big zap. the muscles around my heart/chest are fatigued the following day from all the involuntary tensing.

i used to get them in the side of my head/temples which felt like i was having an anuerism or being punched in the head but they seem to have changed into this.

i'm so tired! i've noticed that i don't tend get them on friday or saturday when i've most likely had a wee social drink or 2... then sunday night - WALLOP!! i can get them every night of the week, multiple times before exhaustion eventually kicks in.

i don't feel stressed or anxious in my life at all... i never have that i can recall, never taken meds.

[MASTIFF2012]

Iv had all your symptoms for 10 years and it can be a curse !!!

BUT im a thinking person and may have a few answers.

No1 - I havnt cryed for 18 years !!! Have you ???  Zero Release.

No2 - I worrie a lot about stupid stuff - ie Health - Depression.

No3 - I have an enormas sence of conshasness - Im so alive.

No - 4 I have a lot of hatred inside me that i keep locked away !!! Do You ????

I know all to well What causes my symptoms - But to change the above would meen changing ME --- An i ant ready to be a atomaton robot and do the worlds bidding just yet...........

I belive in most of these situations WE ALL KNOW WHAT CAUSES OUR SYMPTOMS ------- IF YOU WANA BE WELL !!!! MAKE THE DAM SACRIFICESS........

Deep down you know ------- share with use !!! a problem shared is a problem halfed.

Names wayne astill from nottingham - Maybe i speek sence OR maybe my symptoms have finaly driven me crazy.......

Get well soon peeps

[ashxlen]

I have the same feeling. I feel like there is something funky going on in my head when falling asleep and it scares me to death. It always happens right before I fall asleep and then I jolt myself awake because I feel like I'm going to die if I don't wake up. I am 26 and have just started having these symptoms that started 6 months ago. I have never experienced anything like it before. I am pretty sure it is anxiety related. I think it all started with me by the amount of health problems my family members were going through in the past year. I have since become sort of a hypochondriac with every little ache or pain. My brother who is 32 had a blood clot in his heart and brain which caused him to have a stroke and heart attack all in just a year and my mom had a stroke. All these traumatic experiences have given me anxiety. My mom and brother are fine and fully recovered with no problems. My brother had a "fluke". The doctor's don't know why he had these blood clots. Which I think has caused me the most stress and I start asking myself "Can this happen to me?" "What if I have this?"

I don't know what to do about this situation. I feel like I am focusing on this more every day. I am almost afraid to go to sleep. I used to sleep like a baby and be out after only laying in my bed for 5 minutes. I don't want to get on anxiety medication. I feel like I can beat this if I really try. I just need to stop focusing on it so much.

Well its almost 4am...better try to sleep. If anyone would like to chat with me about their symptoms please email me at ***@****. It would be nice to have someone to relate to.


Thanks!

[metalcrate]

I'll try to write about my experience with this problem. I have had it for three days in a row - I could only sleep a couple of hours per night. If I was very tired I would sleep for an 1/2 hour or an hour but I would be awaken by another adrenaline rush. It all revolves around the chest area for me.. an energy burst around the chest and above it.

In the fourth day I was really tired and what I did to be able to sleep is
First and foremost be sure it's right time to sleep - you're tired enough and calm enough.
Make sure there will be no distractions so  you won't be worried or concerned about the phone ringing or someone bothering you while sleeping.
Then, if you're calmed down,you can lie on your back in a comfortable position and do not think that you have to sleep, or don't TRY to sleep, the goal is just to relax as much as possible, if an adrenaline rush comes, it won't bother you because you'll only be "consciously resting" and no trying to sleep. So you dont' have to fear them. I've had a couple while "resting" but they were mild and I managed to sleep soon afterward.
So just lie on your back and relax as much as possible, and the goal is just to rest and not to sleep. Of course you'll probably be worried about having an adrenaline rush but it won't bother you, even if it will come. I have slept well for three days in a row using this method, sometimes I would sleep for 6-7 hours and wake up for 15 minutes and go back to sleep for another 2 hours. So I was looking forward to sleeping as opposed to avoiding it for fear that I'll have the rushes again.

Hope this works for someone else too.

[LowerClassBrat7782]

THIS IS NOT ANXIETY!!!! I have been experiencing the same symptoms for the past year.i seen the doctor like literally 20 times this year and everytime they always say its anxiety.And i knew this was not anxiety and i always complained to my relatives that something else was wrong and they never believed me. im going to describe every symptom i have and that ive been having for the past year.. the one i hate the most is  Blurred vision almost a feeling of unreality.rapid heart beat,high blood pressure, difficulty thinking and remembering, extremely confused.so i went to a new doctor and explained to him what i have and he agreed this was not anxiety..so what he did was he checked my adrenal glands and they came back negative for any tumors,so now im still being tested and they are checking all my hormones because this can most likely be a hormone issue. because my doctor said my adrenaline levels are out of this world!!..if it is not, my doctor says it can be me stressing my self to the point were i create so much adrenaline that it makes my blood pressure go up and makes me have adrenaline rushes..and i do not believe that, i think i have another problem that they have not found and maybe you guys should get that checked out..because it F*****g *****!!!...DO NOT ALWAYS RELATE EVERYTHING TO ANXIETY!!! i did for a year and its not...also doctors are not always as smart as you think...get second opinions!

if anyone can relate to these symptoms  please let me know,,its good to know im not the only one..especially the feeling of unreality,,it makes life suck..oh yeah im a 19 yr old male..

[John1865]

I get this too, right when i fall asleep , i wake up super fast , i lift my body up as if i was having a bad dream, but im not having a dream cause i aint even had time to fall into a good sleep... i think all this is stress related.. it has to be, because i know im stressed about alot of stuff even the littlest things, i read where one person said they had a fear of dieing, thats one of my fears too and i think that , in ur head u put death and sleep in the same boat. so when ur falling asleep ur still kinda woke and ur brain wakes u up really fast because ur thinkin ur dieing, i dont know maybe im trippin but thats one of the reasons i came up with... i also i asthma and allergies...i had strep throat for the first time like 8 months ago, i had to get a shot of penicillin.. just throwin  some stuff out there that we all might be able to see if there are any connections to why this is happening

[John1865]

I get this too, right when i fall asleep , i wake up super fast , i lift my body up as if i was having a bad dream, but im not having a dream cause i aint even had time to fall into a good sleep... i think all this is stress related.. it has to be, because i know im stressed about alot of stuff even the littlest things, i read where one person said they had a fear of dieing, thats one of my fears too and i think that , in ur head u put death and sleep in the same boat. so when ur falling asleep ur still kinda woke and ur brain wakes u up really fast because ur thinkin ur dieing, i dont know maybe im trippin but thats one of the reasons i came up with... i also i asthma and allergies...i had strep throat for the first time like 8 months ago, i had to get a shot of penicillin.. just throwin  some stuff out there that we all might be able to see if there are any connections to why this is happening

[brandy35414]

didnt realize anxiety was so commom dont seem to be getting any joy with doc waiting on tests doin my nut in
i had an ectopic a few years ago tube removed had another one recently they gave me an injection to kill the hormones so i lost the baby sowly well to say the least it was frightning. whilst being off work i started looking into causes  look out the whole thing has just gone bonkas. i look up every symptom go back and fore the docs theyve had enough of me take no notice of what im saying for a year now ive had tingling crawling in my head and face been on and off depressants i dont know if they are makeing me worse,just recently im having it everywhere and i mean everywhere also body rushes from head to toe light headed spells aching around nose the more symptoms i get the more i look the more anxious i get    my partner just dimisses everything he is fed up of me asking him to check me over he dreds to see me going in the bath cause he knows im checking myself been swobbed for all the usual all came back normal i dont know if my anxiety is causing all my symptoms or not the more you search your symptoms the more you convince yourself youve got something bad hiv and ms come up all the time im petrified

[skorpio550]

I'm not sure if there are different forms of this condition, but half of you seem to be describing pretty much exactly what I'm going through, and half of you seem to be describing something a bit different...

I'm a 23-year-old male, and I've been experiencing these weird night time, just-as-I'm-falling-asleep adrenaline(?) bursts for two or three years now.  It started out as a lot of you are describing; just about to fall asleep, but then this wave of adrenaline comes over, I feel like my heart's racing/pounding/shaking (oddly enough, when checking my pulse, it seems to be normal or slow... it just feels like there's some other pounding pulse in me), and I feel like I have to sit up in bed to make it go away.  I go through periods where this happens multiple nights in a row, then doesn't for a little while.  Lately it's been less serious, and I've gotten used to riding it through and letting it pass; usually now it's just a mild rush, or a pounding sensation without the rush... but I'm also now sometimes getting jerked awake by a random neck or jaw spasm; it happens at the same time the rush would normally happen, just as I'm falling asleep, but instead of the pounding or the rush, either my head jerks back really quick or my jaw snaps closed, and this wakes me up.  Granted, this is less unpleasant, but still a little weird and annoying.

Like some other submitter said, I've also had issues with mild depression, and have pretty much always had some issues making friends and talking in social situations; I've seen some counselors about it, but never taken any medication for it.  I don't feel it's an anxiety issue, but I guess I don't know what else to call it.

Also like some other submitter said, I sometimes have fluttering sensations in my ear, as if driving with the window open, but this happens while I'm awake.  I also sometimes get a random disorienting ear-ringing all-of-a-sudden that gradually goes away over the course of about five-ten seconds.

Other medical issues that may or may not have relevance:
I've been diagnosed with Gastroesophageal Reflux and recently came off a medication that was supposed to "fix" it for good; it didn't, and I get the feeling it's a symptom of something else, because I also have random stomach and chest pains/spasms in random spots on a daily basis, ranging pretty much everywhere on my torso, from the upper chest to the groin.
I also have less-frequent random head pains, occasional back-of-the-neck headaches, and a frequent sensation like sinus pressure, especially when going to sleep, even when I don't have a cold.  I also, from time to time, get this rash on my arm, which I've been told is a wheal rash, which is supposedly an allergic reaction to something ingested, though I've never been able to figure out what.

I think that's about it... For some reason I'm having a particularly bad night tonight, and have been woken up by two neck-jerks, a head-rush, a pounding pulse, and the whole adrenaline rush/pounding pulse thing twice, though it might be more; it's easy to lose track.  It's really really frustrating, but it's good to know I'm not alone.  You'd think with so many people suffering from this, someone would've come up with a definite well-documented cause by now... Maybe it's just a growing result of our fast-paced culture?  I dunno... I guess I'll just go deal with it some more.  

[bobfromOz]

I wanted to add my version of this as it differs slightly from others.  It's probably similar to JM71's.

I've had stress/anxiety problems on and off for the last 2 years.  I thought it had all settled down and I'm not on any medication for it.  About 2 weeks ago I all of a sudden began getting numbness in my left foot. Next day I had it in my hands, day after on the side of my face and now in patches all over - although only mildly - but it's still annoying and concerning.

I've had an MRI and blood tests so it's nothing serious, so it looks again like its stress-related.  Anyway, after 2 weeks of this with some raised blood pressure also, I started finding my sleep patterns being disturbed.  Now for the last 3 days just as I'm about to fall asleep, I wake up with a mild jolt but its only mild - its like something inside me is saying - no you can't sleep.  I usually have to take a few deep breaths afterwards its as if my oxygen intake has been reduced as I'm falling asleep.  I'm wonding if my breathing is reducing to an extent where its shallow and I'm not getting enough oxygen ?  I don't know but this happens all night, and while i go to bed feeling relaxed, as it progresses, I wake up more stressed, until by about 3am with this happening about 10 or 20 times, i'm feeling very stressed and my heart rate and blood pressure is up, and adrenalyn is high too. It's painful in that all I want to do is desperately sleep as I'm so tired but my body won't let me.

I'm having some more blood tests done but it seems after reading about anxiety problems in most of the comments on here, that anxiety is an all to common problem.

I'm just hoping that as JM71 said, it goes away after a few days, as I don't know what else to do to get some decent sleep.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[firegirl5858]

I know exactly how you feel. I wake up right as I feel I am falling asleep with a rush in my chest, almost like your going down a hill on roller coaster, feel like I need to catch my breath and panic over my heartrate.It happens over and over again.

[msg125]

I had this same problem for a couple weeks and got rid of it about a month ago. My problem was caused by anxiety and things I couldnt get off my mind. I looked all over the web and found alot of people with the same problem but nobody had a real solution. They all talked about going to a psychiatrist and getting meds. I went to the doctor and got sleeping pills that would knock me out but I would wake up about 1-2 hours later with cold sweat. The only way I was finally able to get a peacefull nights sleep was after I returned and strengthened my faith in Jesus. Ever since I started putting all my faith in Him and started seving Him instead of myself I have slept like a baby and have never felt better. It did not happen over night though. He doesnt work by making you feel better right away because he doesnt want you to live by feelings. You have to live by faith and keep asking Him for you want and He will give it to you. I was up for over a week straight with at most 2 hours of sleep a night and 0 most nights. I even started getting delirious and couldnt think straight. I never went to a psychaitrist and only took sleeping pills for two nights that didnt really help me sleep. I am convinced that it is the devil that causes things like this and the only way to fight him is through the Lord. A good book that can help (other than the Bible) is Power Thoughts by Joyce Meyer. I hope this will help someone who is going through the same problem to finally get over it and be able to sleep in heavenly peace.

[DKHikes]

I'm a 26 year old male who for the last year has been expiriencing many changes in thought process as well as symptoms such as described here. to give you the whole picture i was very irresponsible in my youth(18-24) neglecting my body. (over weight, habitual marijuana smoker, recreational drug user, smoked a pack a day) a few years ago i began hiking (alot) Since, I've been kicking one bad habit at a time. I initially lost 65 Ilbs and had all the energy in the world. I loved life. Then.....a year ago (dec '09) I lost my energy. i gained 30 Ilbs back. 6 months ago (june '10) not only did i have a lack of energy but would become fatigued and found myself taking naps when i got home from work (I never have been a nap taker). also an enlargement of what i now know to be my thyroid gland in my neck. 3 months ago (sept '10) i had awoken at my friends house (after a rare night of drinking) to find myself unable to breathe for 20 to 30 seconds. it was very scary. since then i have found myself "short of breathe" almost always (severity differs) it always gets worse as my day progresses. usually happens when i hike. I've noticed my heart rate recently (random palpitations) and my blood pressure is up significantly before avg. 118/70 now avg. 135/85. I have just gone to the doctor in the past month. I got blood work done. my hormones are in the "norm" (normal range) good cholesterol is a little low, bad cholesterol is a little high. he wasn't worried about and told me like everyone else on this forum seems to hear. that it is anxiety.......

[DKHikes]

.....It has been the past two weeks I began having this adrenaline rush as i fall asleep.

My two cents: What everyone on this forum is going through maybe Anxiety. I don't think all are self-inflicted. I've never been an anxious person nor have I allowed stress to build up into a debilatating anxiety. So, I believe something has gone awry in my endocrine system. For everyone on this forum that has expirienced this adrenaline rush before falling asleep, I urge you to be familiar with your endocrine system. Until now i have not been aware of its function and I'm just beginning to learn of its purpose. Its job is to send signals through the body via hormones and is responsible for the "fight or flight" response. If the glands are not functioning properly it can give you what i consider to be "hormone imbalance anxiety" and all the nasty symptoms that come along with it. for some it may be a benign tumor attached to their adrenal gland. for others something far less dramatic. I would not be surprised if my symptoms weren't brought to me by my sudden change in lifestyle (or previous unhealthy lifestyle). i went from being someone who was constantly pumping THC, nicotine, caffeine, cocaine, mdma, and amphetamines into my body to someone who cut all of those nasty habits from my lifestyle in a two year time period. These feelings of insomnia are no fun but hold faith that they will subside and ALWAYS maintain a positive attitude for you control your fate. We are all either busy living or we are busy dying. I hope you all live your life to the fullest. Don't spend the next forty years on these forums worrying if you will die soon. Cause you might just wake up forty years from now to find out you spent soo much time worrying about dying that you forgot to live. best of luck. Love to all.

[stealthyboy]

I have had the same probem for a few years now. Last night I had another episode and didnt get to sleep until 5am. And, like many of you here, it doesnt happen all the time. This would suggest to me that it is lifestyle related.

I got a massive jar of fizzy sweets (my fav) for Christams and have been eating a fair few over the past couple of days, I am not saying that this is the cause, but i do think it may have had an affect. So tonight I will be leaving them in the cupbaord.

I am on Thyroxine, which again has been mentioned a few times above, I have an underactive Thyroid galnd and take 150MG per day of Thyroxine. The list of side effects include heart palputations and irregualr heart beats, and my dose has recently been increased and since then I have had a few more episodes than normal.

I usually have at least 1 unit of alchaol a day, but recently, with it being Christams, this has increased and so, like with the sweets, I will be leaving the drinks in the fridge.

I drink a lot of coffee and often have a cup not long before bed, again, I am not going to have any coffee after midday.

I also suffer from anxiety attacks, I think I may even have Demophobia- Fear of crowds, I have had to try and calm myself down when watching a comedian or musical and also on the underground, genrally when I am surrounded by people.

And like another person mention earlier I also suffer from Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, which I am sure is made worse by alcahol (alcohol), coffee and fizzy sweets!

I used to exercise and play sport but now hardly do anything.

I believe all the above are contributing factors the sleep rushes etc and after reading all the posts above I will definalty be making changes to my lifestyle in the hope that this will improve my wellbeing and ultimitley solve the night rushes problem.  

I will report back on what happens and if there is or isn't any improvement. Cross your fingers, speak to you soon.

[peanutcrunch]

I have this same problem!  Knowing that this many other people have it actually relaxes me quite a bit!

Here are things that help me:

1) Start sleep upright.
2) listen to very soft, soothing music; Brian Eno's Ambient music works GREAT
3) DO not exercise in the evening!
4) Drink lots of water before 6pm
5) If you drink coffee, only in the morning.
6) Enjoy life.  Be glad when you wake up ;)

[Rupert_Pupkin]

I am getting this problem too. I have had it off and on for about 6 years (since college) but it rarely occurred until a few months ago.

Symptoms are a flood of adrenaline is released when you enter stage 2 sleep (the stage that occurs after you are semi conscious and struggling to keep your eyes open), jolting you awake combined with racing, irrational thoughts and the thought that you need the jolting or else you are going to die (ie, the idea is put forth inside my head that I need the adrenaline rush as a last ditch effort to save my life). But seeing how so many people have it and survive, I'm guessing it is just the anxiety talking.

My biggest triggers are diet and exercise. I learned about a form of dieting called 'shangri-la' which uses flavor free calorie dense foods to manipulate the bodyweight set point. Doing that I was able to eat 2000 or more calories below maintenance. But doing so really triggered my sleep anxiety to the point where I realized being fatter and heavier was far more important than not sleeping and putting up with scary panic attacks.

Another trigger is moderate exercise. I can do mild exercise, but if my pulse goes over 75% of my MHR I get insomnia for about 3 full days afterwards. If I keep my pulse at 70%, nothing happens. If I am at 80%, I get severe insomnia for several days. It doesn't matter what time of day I exercise (I prefer morning/afternoon), evenso if it did it doesn't explain why the insomnia is 3 days long.

*****, I can't lose weight and I can't exercise since they trigger my sleep anxiety.

I have had these in college, but they only happened a couple times a year. I found taking 20mg of propranolol would stop the surges and let me sleep, but I still woke up the next morning drained. I'm guessing they'd work now too since all they do is block adrenaline.

I've had a lot of life changing events happen in the last 2 years. They just keep compounding. I wonder if my body just has a reserve of how much stress (good and bad) it can take, and there isn't much left. So even minor stressors push me over into sleep anxiety territory. I don't know.

[lucky681]

last year my husband rushed me to ready-care because myheart was pounding, not beating fast mind you, but pounding all over my body. They ran an EKG and gave me meds that knocked  me out til I could see my regular Dr. He put me on blood pressure meds and anxiety meds. During the course of the months that followed i ended up in the ER a couple of times and finally got myself straightened out. My daughter was getting married so I had been dealing with wedding things when my husbands grandmother passed away. She lived with us for a while and this was heartbreaking. She passed two weeks before my daughter was married. So we had a funeral and a wedding in the same month. Shortly after all that I weaned myself off the anxiety meds and was doing great. We started to go on vacation and found a house we liked and purchased a new house and my husbands mother died. This time the attacks started again. I have been dealing with them since July of last year. They had tried me on two different anxiety meds both of which made me super ill while I was taking them so I quit. I also developed acid reflux during this time which intensified the attacks. Now I am dealing with the breathlessness or the feeling that I am not getting enough oxygen and have just had a catscan on my lungs and thyroid both of which turned out good. I was seriously thinking it could be my thyroid because I feel like my adrenaline valve is wide open. I was worried about adrenal exhaustion. After reading all this I realize its all on me. All this mess is something I am going to have to deal with that there is apparently no underlying medical reason for it that the Dr. hasn't caught. This so *****. I truly have never felt so small in my life at this point. I always had considered myself to be a strong person emotionally and I guess I surpassed  my breaking point. These stories have been an eye opener. I wish a few more MD's would post on here to put people at ease.

[lucky681]

Oh and I can sit on my couch and watch something on tv and my pulse rate will shoot up to 100 and my bp will go to 150/100 for no reason... Anxiety can mess you up bad. any suggestions or insights?

[ghostrat]

Well I have "this"- A surge of adrenaline through your body that makes you jolt up into a sitting position in bed scared by the thought of what it is.
And ive had it on and off for about . . . 7... years i think-.
They havent gotten any easier. They scare my ******** every time. But while they do, ive kinda excepted that they are harmless since im still around.
But hell like many i see in here, i also have anxiety, so still hard to handle overall.
But lately ive been focusing on finding the answers.
So ill share what ive figured out and maybe someone can add their input.

So correct me if im wrong about something. I wanna learn as much as anyone else.

First off, it is to my understanding that a normal persons heart beat "among other things" slows down during sleep and is actually a good sign of a healthy heart. (actually from what ive read, people who dont have drops in heart rate during sleep have a higher chance of "the D word" before the person who has the drop.
(not saying those who reported high bpm where in that curve, but they might just be having a regular anxiety reaction. So should be fine)

And I would imagine if we where awake to feel that change. . .
Lets say from 60bpm too about 40-30 bpm. . . we might feel a physical change.

So thats the question.... Can we actually be awake while the body is falling asleep. . .
Yes we can.
Someone mentioned hypnagogia- Also known as Sleep Paralysis.
SP short is that your body enters sleep mode, while your brain (consciousness) stays in wake mode.
Of course SP is mostly explained as you not being able to move while awake. . .

But what if....... What if our minds simply didnt make it to sleep mode before our body started to go into sleep mode?
So you where aware and could feel every stage of the body falling asleep?

Cause what happens when you feel that rush? You quickly enter a non sleep position and it goes away. (the body woke up?). -

Again this is by no means "FACT"- But simply me trying to build up some theories. And will gladly take any correction or comment to heart, as i too really want to learn what it is.-
Sure I can trust I know im right, but always helps to get data confirmed.
That way, maybe i myself could get better at handling it when it arrives.

And just to get some things straight about SP (since thats what im building this on)
People often dismiss SP as something unreal. Something a crazy person has made up.
Sure im crazy.... Anxiety for 7 years. But ive had it for longer.
There are two major parts to SP-
1 :
You wake up (rare cases when you fall asleep) and cant move your body, but can still open your eyes and look around. You cant speak, and are left frozen. This normally lasts for seconds to a few minutes.

2 : (the part people have the hardest time believing.)
Hallucinations. While in that state you might see, hear or feel something thats not there.
You might wake up, and be "certain" that there is someone standing/sitting beside you, right outside your line of sight.
You might see a figure standing in your room.
You might hear sounds, that are actually not there.
This is creepy beyond imagination. But is a result of a waking dream.

And just for the fun of it ill share3 of my episodes.
First was waking up and blinking fast to get the "sleep" out of my eyes, since everything was blurry, While doing so i noticed a shadow standing in the other end of the room. As soon as i got my eyes cleared and could focus on it, I saw a shadowy man, with a baseball bat looking object in his hand. After a few seconds he ran towards me with the bat raised as he was about to hit me. At the same time i got the ability to move and covered my face, as soon as i looked up it was gone.

Other was waking to a "humming" noise. Open my eyes and see a "alien" by the door- (yeah the thin gray, big black eyes classic!)-
For a few minutes it went in and out of focus, and I could feel how my body was trying to react by giving it the middle finger. (heh yeah messed up, but that was my first thought apparently.) Of course I could not, but felt how the body tried to send the signal to my arm to raise it. After a while it faded and there was nothing.

The last one... while the others where creepy as hell. . . . The last was worst.
I woke up.... Feeling.... Well like said in the first post.... A vibration in my body. then i felt like i was slowly elevating just inches of my bed. Then a loud sound and then like a force of strong wind pushing my body towards the wall beside my bed.
Now the part that scared me was, when I woke and felt that vibration it was kinda like I felt I was having a heart attack. And I was okay with it for a few seconds. But quickly shifted to hell no, i dont wanna die.

Think the last easily can be explained as those who claim they have been abducted and then returned back in their bed,

So yeah a little lecture on Sp. Its real. And Ive had them enough to know.
And think that the symptoms we have and listed above easily could be linked to a branch of SP.-

Thats it for now. Please throw some response.

[ghostrat]

also read this.

"Transition to and from sleep may be attended by a wide variety of 'sensory experiences'. These can occur in any modality, individually or combined, and range from the vague and barely perceptible to vivid hallucinations."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnagogia

sensory experiences-might be a fancier way to say adrenalin rush feeling.

[sabeli]

I know how you feel it happens to me too  I really thought i was the only person that would suffer these symptoms but i guess not I really feel sad becouse i try to explain to my friends and relatives my symptoms but they only tell me to stop that im going to be ok but they dont know what it feels like sometimes i feel like when im asleep something just wakes me up and my heart is pound but also im thinking omg! am I having like a brain damage or something i dont know how to explain it and then i wake up sweating i dont really know and the more i think about it the more i think omg! i panic more and i dont know what to do and also i feel like my legs are weak and i just dont know i just try to sleep very late so that way i can sleep

[Rupert_Pupkin]

FWIW, I just had a doctor put me on atenolol (a beta blocker) for my blood pressure and it isn't stopping the surges. So so much for that idea.

For me the big trigger seems to be exercise and heart rate still. I had tons of anxiety a few days ago and my pulse jumped to 150, and I knew I'd have this problem again due to it and yup. I didn't sleep at all last night, and tonight I can already feel will have problems. If history is any guide, I should be fine in a couple days though.

[gilly123]

I realise this thread was started a while ago but I think my situation is relevant and want to share my insights here if they might be of use to anyone.
I started having these adrenaline rushes throughout the day and inevitably as I was about to fall asleep every night. If I was lucky enough to fall asleep I would wake up to use the toilet and the adrenaline would keep me up for many hours until I would fall asleep from sheer exhaustion.
These rushes began when I was going through a particularly bad bout of anxiety. I sought help to sleep but medication only resulted in a dependency and eventual encomfortable withdrawal.
I began to address my anxiety through counselling and saw a naturopath who gave me a powerful concoction of herbs to address my problems. It eventually got better and I began to relax and sleep better. I allowed myself to relax during the day, did things I enjoyed, etc. I also don't consume caffeine at all anymore as this just complicates things.
I have recently gone off the herbs and have been through another bad anxiety period due to stress in my life and I am experiencing the same adrenaline rushes at night right as I am nodding off.
When our brains relax as we are about to nod off lots of thoughts run through our heads (called hynagogia), subconsciously. These can cause that adrenaline response, as they do with me. If I am already anxious from the day's events, I am more likley to have unpleasant thoughts as I fall asleep.
Needless to say, I believe that the common thread in all of our cases is anxiety, and if the anxiety can be relieved then sleep will follow. Herbs really do help and should not be dismissed if an alternative to conventional medications is sought. Having a warm bath before bed and telling yourself that everything is ok, really feeling the bed beneath you and the warmth of your sheets around you, focusing on happy moments can go a long way to help fall asleep. These take practice and require patience, and knowing that it won't last forever can be comforting.

[sleepsleep]

Just came back to this topic due to helping a other with the same issue- so ill post my respond here also, just in case someone finds it helpfull, or has something to add. After all im not doc so might have it all wrong. But see if you find logic in it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
get the same feeling too, and actually last night also- I also suffer from PVC/extrasystoles, but also anxiety- And seams many with anxiety get this.
You say it feels like your heart stops and you get a jolt.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Anxiety/Adrenaline-rush-when-trying-to-fall-asleep/show/415706
look here.

But with my anxiety this bugs me as well when it happens.
Do you have anxiety about your heart?

Ill share my situation and you can see if it makes sense.
I worry allot about my heart for the reason that I have a hard time believing the extra-systoles are not threatening.
Mostly when they come during workouts or similar.

So i think this "rush" is a part of that fear.

Ive read that when you sleep your heart rate might fall beyond the "resting" heart rate you measure when waking up.
A part of the process where the body doesnt need to pump that much oxygen to the rest of the body.

Also i have had one night where this happened about 10 times in a row with about 3-5 minutes in between, and logical question then would be : did my heart stop 10 times?
Scary thought, but i think no. Why would it stop 10 times and recover 10 times?
If so its a great ability.

Also, some places it has been linked to Sleep paralysis. (which mostly is waking up/falling asleep paralyses. ) - But ive read once that one of the side effects might be exactly this.
and i do have sleep paralysis from time to time.


Now, since im of course still scared ******** about the heart and all due to anxiety, im not gonna say "there is no need to see the doctor".
I have no idea how your medical history looks like. So go see him if needed. If not just to see if he might be able to give you a more "medical" answer than i could ever get from my doctor.

But looking at the thread/Link i posted youll see where are many with this issue.

Also, i consider myself you still. To young to have gotten a serious heart condition.
Im 24 and had extra systoles since i was about 18.
Ive had sleep paralysis happen from time to time since that age too.
And this adrenalin rush awakening ive had many times too the last 2 years or so.

so yeah.- All that i have written here is stuff i try and keep myself calm with and might be of use for you.

And if someone would be able to go back in this section and look at my biggest issue id be happy.
But hope for the best for you.
Also about sleep paralysis, if you want to know more there, i read allot about it. Not making me an expert, but here where im from people are oblivious to that state. So i know a thing or two both from books and from experience.
And the reason i pull out sleep paralysis is this.
(cut from wiki)
****When it occurs upon falling asleep, the person remains aware while the body shuts down for REM sleep, and it is called hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis.****
So your actually awake while you are falling asleep in one sense. . . . That should be scare and might likely send a rush of fear through your body.
Also the word  hypnagogic *** is the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep***

***When it occurs upon awakening, the person becomes aware before the REM cycle is complete, and it is called hypnopompic or postdormita****

So its not all about being paralyses and seeing weird stuff as many think.
It all happens because of a "harmless" anomaly in the brain, that makes it shut down for sleep while you are still aware.
So instead of feeling tired. . .. Closing your eyes... then waking up in the morning. . . .
Your experiencing a part of what comes between closing your eyes and waking up.
Your experiencing how the body sleeps, which most people are unaware off.

So yeah i leave you with that.
Of course again, i am by no means a doctor or expert, but just seams that world wide "and here mostly" no one gives a damn about learning what sleep paralysis is.
when i asked my doc about the same situation you asked about, his answer was this :" oh its just cause you feel like your falling then you wake up".
And you then hearing that answer would say :" yeah right! its nothing like that. . . i havent even fallen asleep yet. "


So yeah let me know what you think. If not for my curiosity. But also to strengthen myself against my own anxiety.

(also i refereed you as one having anxiety. While you might not. - Otherwise make sure to look at your feelings too- Mostly to catch the anxiety if there is one as quick as possible. )
Mine was first discovered about 4 years after it appeared, so doesnt make it easier to battle now-

[deedles77]

i get the same thing,its like a rush feeling thru my chest and head.my heart beat i can hear in my head,but it gets loud,it is booming  loud,also my heart beat sometimes skips a beat or pounds really hard and fast,sometimes like a horse galloping.it is the worst feeling i have ever known,besides labor pains,but this is just as bad.it is so strong and uncomfortable that it actually hurts if u can understand that.i read it is possible to mold poisoning and or mercury or other  heavy metal poisoning,all can be my case.i am very sensitive to all chemicals ,i get migraines from bleach,and i have 2 broken mercury fillings :(..people sensitive can react badly to just the silver fillings..also our home has mold in it,so i am going to get tested for it,also anxiety and depression among alot of other symptoms are causes of these things too,look it up online,i was told these rushes were called mylar flushes and when u type that in u will find the places i read all about the mold .u can do your own research on mercury.i hope this helps,also please try not to freak out until u know what u have or dont,theres no point in worrying about things u may not have,i have anxiety as well,so i know what u are feeling,but just try to keep it under control for now...good luck :)

[53406]

How many of you also have famiily history of: migraines, irritable bowel disorder, GERD...they usually go hand in hand i.e. if you've got one you probaby have all three or will develop all three as you age.  What also comes along with that is family tendency to be a depressive  and family members who tried to escape all this by using alcohol or abuse other kinds of drugs.  We have a sensitive system that is over activated by stress. . . especially long term stress.  It can be a problem that you won't face or something you can't change.  Maybe your parent(s) had this problem also and were so focused on themselves that their children didn't get the attention they needed.  Then when menopause hits it is exacerbated to the point of needing to go on an anti-depressant (I use Celexa).  I couldn't handle it anymore.  The general practitioner tried to get me on HRT but because of the type of migraines* I got my neurologist said I should never use hormones. * In my mid thirties, while jogging I got a quick dizzy spell followed by nausea and felt extremely tired.  I took a nap.  When I woke up the left side of my body felt semi  numb.  They ran numerous tests  eliminating stroke and said it must be hemi-***migraine.  It took 3 days for the numbness to wear off.  Neurologist said it could become permanent if I take hormones.  I had a grandmother who had migraines & agoraphobia, and two cousins who were got into alcohol and drugs and eventually committed suicide.  All of my uncles and a few aunts were alcoholics.  So in my case there was definitely a familial tendency...and the way I was raised just added to it.  I've had the sleep disorders mentioned above including the one where your mind is awake but the body is paralyzed for a few minutes.  And if some little thing is bothering me I just do not sleep.  I'm 63 now and have had this all 63 years, beginning in infancy when I had extreme colic (I'm lactose intolerant).  Meditation is important in my life and de-stressing with mild exercise (anything vigorous brings on migraines and anxiety).  I stay away from caffeine and alcohol as they both accelerate my heart rate.  Facing problems as they come up and taking ACTION before it becomes 'long-term stress".  Spacing out low calorie low sugar no caffeine meals throughout the day making sure I get protein at every meal.  Seeing friends frequently and getting out and doing things.  If I start not wanting to go out and have start having trouble not sleeping I know I'm slipping into a depressive mood.  Many years I thought I was the only one experiencing these problems...you peeps are lucky now with the internet...you can talk to each other!

[davidhugmiller]

been waking up in middle of night and when trying to get back to sleep i ge this strange feeling rushing through my body like its going crazy, weird thing is i got the same feeling going through me while im typing this out lol anyone care to explain lol

[Teesierra]

I, too, was feeling adreneline rushes quite frequently.  I am a 45 year old woman and told my primary care phys. that I felt it was due to peri-menopause.  She put me on Paxil which was a BIG HUGE mistake.  I didn't know what I was getting myself into.  I was on Paxil for 3 weeks and then all HELL broke loose.  I started having severe anxiety, creepy feelings across my back and arms, numbness, a feeling that my face was being pulled on, etc.  I finally switched doctors and now see a D.O. - she is WONDERFUL.   Finally, I am starting to feel like myself.  Here is what we did - She started me on a progesterone cream that is made through a compounding pharmacy (so it is much stronger than what you can buy in a health food store) - she also told me the compouding pharmacist carried a supplement called Adroset (by Metagenics) - it calms your adrenals.  I am also on a B complex supplement for fatigue due to lack of sleep (it is a sublingual formula).  All this together is helping quite a bit - it's only been 2 months and there has been some changes.  I am expecting that it might take a bit longer to be fully recovered from all the stuff I went through.  As I understand it, your adrenals release cortisol and the cortisol starts to work in your body in bad ways.  For me, I lost 20 lbs in 2 months (not a good thing for me) - I also started losing my hair and had severe muscle aches and pain throughout my body.  The cortisol also breaks down your connective tissues.  There is a great book by Dr. Lee ("What your Dr. Won't tell you about Peri-Menopause") it explains all this stuff in full detail.  I hope it helps you.

[ch2525]

I have the same problems as most, it happens right when i lay down to try to go to sleep, it happens almost everynight unless i drink a couple of beers then i drift right off to sleep with no problem when i say couple i mean about 2 or 3. It is worse every other night mainly due to lack of sleep as in i may only finally get two hours sleep one night then the next night it is a little easier to go to sleep and i will get about six or seven hours. Had a ekg everything was fine, i was put on heart burn meds,knowing it wasnt heart burns and i just cant seam to find any answers. I drink a lot of water but i do have high cholestroll that im working on lowering

[Karuna28]

Hi everyone.  I can relate completely to everyone here.  I have not slept for three days and well its hard but you just have to keep your head up people... what is working for me is to accept and surrender yourself and your emotions and the suffering to the universe.  Even just saying out load to yourself, "I accept this moment and everything that it offers" and you do feel better... practice doing that every moment and you'll start to feel better... I do.  What is difficult for me to grasp is the reason why... I do not suffer from anxiety or depression, rather the opposite so you can imagine what its like for me not being like this.  I am going to go to the doctor and ask to be prescribed some anti anxiety pills for sleep.  But I want you all to know that you're not alone and that everything you're feeling, all the worry and the projecting is just a thought and you're creating it.  Much love and good luck to each and every one of you.

[lukasito]

Hello everyone. I have read this and all similar threads (and it's OH SO MANY MESSAGES!!) in hope to find an answer and cure to this madness. I have just joined the group last night .. I have a pneumonia and am taking antibiotics (moxifloxacin) .. took the first pill yesterday noon and when I lied down in the night for my well deserved sleep (was a particularly tiring day) I discovered that when I close my eyes I have crazy visions that totally distract me from sleeping .. after fighting these and focusing on sleeping I encountered the adrenaline attack you are describing! It was a shock. This went on all night and today all day. Some occasions it is not adrenaline shock but a seizure of cough that wakes me (immediately after falling asleep = not sleeping for a second). This is the second day/night I am going without sleep while having pneumonia (where people would normally sleep most of the time). I have super fast heartbeat all the time and I am afraid about my heart big time.

Will go to the emergency in the morning to ask for a sleep pill or something as I don't think I'd last much longer.

KARUNA28 .. thanx so much for mentioning being awake 3 nights in a row .. I was wondering if that is even possible. Am a bit less afraid now.

ANYBODY FIGURED THIS THING OUT YET? Are doctors even working on this? Never heard about it but looking at the forums this seems bloody widespread!

Good luck to all!

[cheriekvolante]

I finally am looking this up - certain there would be NOTHING on here to match my symptoms, because I must be crazy or am just gona wake up dead ... if I ever can even sleep. :)
am 45, past history of abuse, diagnosed w/clinical, chronic depression, fm, ibs, anxiety/panic, ptsd etcetcetc. past history of drug/alcohol abuse, also have tried numerous antidepressants, sleeping, pain, etc prescription pills (for years now the strongest thing i take is aspirin)
2 years ago i REALLLLLY commited to giving up cigarettes - & this 'thing' started.
i dont even get a chance to get into rem sleep - i think as soon as my body relaxes enough for sleep is when the 'thing' starts.
my heart pounds soooooo hard i feel like its gona burst, i can feel the blood coursing/pounding through my entire body. i try to not panic & try to deep breathe. i sit up gasping & shaking everywhere. my pulse feels all thready. i used a neighbors wrist band bp thing? it was up & down & all over in only seconds: 90/80, would beep up to 180/150, back down 95/90, etc weird (the neighbor brought it to her dr to see if it was broke - she'd never heard of - let alone witnessed - anything like it b4 & i think i freaked her out) sometimes theres a buzzing or humming in my ears, like a persitent ring but more agitating. sometimes i have drenching sweats w/it, but keep hoping thats menopause & maybe i'll stop having periods ?!? lol
i havent been 'true' to quitting the cigs: i go days or even wks w/out a cig, but i do breakdown & puff a few sometimes. as strange as it sounds, 'this' doesnt happen on the day of having a cig, nor for a few days later (its been a wk since no slip of a cig - & 'this' has prevented me from sleeping like 2 days now. & it just seems to be soooo much worse than when it started a couple yrs ago ... now it lasts many minutes, not just 70 seconds or so.
i just realized the cig connection while reading all these posts.
it sounds to me like many of us may have a similar past or situations & also current and/or past physical diagnoses?
the adreneline rush makes sense - that must be what i feel thrumming thru my body.
i agree that anxiety must play some role in all 'this' ??? (i want to call the horrifying experience a beast, but i dont want to give it that much power over me LOL)
i also agree that withdrawel of some type/any type could be a culprit, too ???
i wonder if i'm gona have a heart attack, stroke, seizure; i can understand how if this happened to people in the past they could be led to believe in 'possession'. or aliens. sheeeez
i try various sleep positions - even sitting up; sound machine or tv background noise; reading; chammomile tea etc relaxing things i can think of - even a bit of food (an egg or a dinner roll) or a cup of broth OR the opposite & do a fast - i havent found anything that works. man, am soooo tired right now i just wana bawl! ;)
melatonin seems like a good thing to try? i looked it up b4 for natural sleep & i keep forgetting to get some.
this 'thing' has interrupted my life: am so tired most of the time i cant even see straight & have actually gone thru stop signs & even turnt left on a red lite once ... its scarier than driving drunk or on drugs of some sort. i end up holing up inside my apt - which certainly cant help!
well, am glad i'm not alone - tho i wish none of us were experiencing this 'thing'. i hope we can each figure out what on earth is causing it & can deal w/it & make it stop. good luck. :)   ~Cherie

[addy979]

I had the same problem but i refused to take any medication. but through prayer i have been able to overcome this problem. keep your faith in God and you will receive your healing.

[finder689]

Do a google search for "OBE" and "vibrations" and you will find all of your answers. You are not hallucinating. I've had the same things happen.

[Smileylins21]

Hi. I been having so many of these symptoms you all have been having. I'm normally an anxious person. My mind tends to wander alot. My symptoms usually last 1.5 weeks or so. It's starts with an increase in worrying, about health or family. Than I get panicky and anxious. I usually don't go to doctors unless its an emergency. The usually just will prescribe pills, which I refuse to go on long term. I get hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, loss of appetite, painful joints, heart palpitations, I can go without sleeping for 5 nights. If I start to dose I jolt awake than I usually stay awake the whole night. Symptoms of nervousness carry throughout the following days. Maybe perimenopause? Really thinking anxiety plays a big roll in what i'm experiencing. I feel my hormones are out of whack. I know stress can do that too. I felt good for a week, slept, and now experiencing my unfortunate symptoms again. I have to get a hold of myself, this is difficuly, I know it will get better, I just fret when it will happen again. God can get us through these rough times.

[Smileylins21]

Im 30 years old and a female

[catD1960]

Odd how few medications get mentioned here. Everyone on this list has anxiety, so let me say that klonopin (clonazepam) has been a lifesaver for me, lasting much longer than xanax did and keeping me clearheaded. I also had to eliminate all caffeine and found that something like a donut sugary, greasy donut could also give me episodes.

I hope the person who had a squashy feeling on one side of his head immediately sought medical attention. My own symptoms come from a hospital-stay induced anxiety - which may relate to an adverse reaction to vicodin. I also later had terrible experiences with the steroid prednisone during nonhodgkins cancer. Which may have been the result of the stress I caused myself lying in a chair for a month with my head burning with adrenaline at all times, focusing on keeping my stomach from clenching, all because I had become convinced that I needed to be off the klonopin. I no longer try to get off it. I'm doing well - I feel I have a buffer now, so that yes, I may experience anxiety, but I don't expect it to descend into panic (and if it did, I would up my dose temporarily, so that my brain wouldn't make new pathways to access panic). Some people might like to look into propanalol - a beta blocker that is also commonly used for anxiety.  

[Landowski]

Hello all, i'm a brazilian guy, then, first of all, sorry for my poor english. I've had those symptons. I always was a skinny person, too anxious and overthinking about all. I never slept too well, but over my 27 or 28's my sleep simply started to crash, like the owner's post.
When i was starting to sleep, suddenly i woke up with a "rush" of adrenaline, a tipe of inside stroke in my chest, with that burning sensation and felling too anxious, it was like a person pressing my neck, a little heart pumping, sometimes my wife told me that my head jumped off the pillow and my shoulders left off the bed due to the "violence" of the "attack".
Then it repeated until 4 (i started at 22 or 23), and, after several hours of "fighting" to sleep, my body in exhaustion sleeps (too little until work).
I never took medicine, and the ONLY way that definitively i found to treat this was when i started the paleo diet and intermittent fast.
Now i eat only on a "8 hour window a day", usually 3 meals a day (lunch, breaksfast and dinner), most meat, eggs, veggies and fruit, some dairy, and cut off 90% sugar and gluten, and exercise 3 times a week.
Without know, this way affected my sleep, i don't have the "rush" for about a year, and wake up like i slept 10 hours sleeping only 6-7 hours. No more that felling that a truck hit me on the morning, waking up like crap.
I will never back to 6 meals a day and processed foods, because with way i gained muscle mass, loose that gut from "skinny-fat" syndrome and i feel too energic and "free".

[Landowski]

I forgot to said, the anxiety come from hormonal imbalance, and the only way that i found to correct that was the Paleo Diet, combined with one or two "carb days" per week. That "diet" (because its not a diet per se, i eat big steaks on lunch and dinner and 18 raw eggs a day, and olive oil and fish oil shots; now 29 years, 193cm, 86kg; before, 27-28 years, 193cm, 77kg).
Like some people said above, it's important to balance your hormones to prevent anxiety and consequently cortisol and adrenalin (that causes the symptons of "rushing sleep"). The only way, like i said, FOR ME, was the Paleo Diet and intermittent fasting.

[Landowski]

"I get hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, loss of appetite, painful joints, heart palpitations, I can go without sleeping for 5 nights. If I start to dose I jolt awake than I usually stay awake the whole night."

I had it ALL, exactly. The adrenaline rush, then the hot flash, and then sweat sweat an sweat + burning sensation. My wife complains that i turn on the fan every night, even if the night was not so hot or even cold.

"Symptoms of nervousness carry throughout the following days. Maybe perimenopause? Really thinking anxiety plays a big roll in what i'm experiencing. I feel my hormones are out of whack. I know stress can do that too. I felt good for a week, slept, and now experiencing my unfortunate symptoms again."

I'm male and i have it too. Then, one more time, like i said above, yes, it's our hormones screaming inside our body that our endocrine system have something wrong.

[Smileylins21]

I'll have to check out the Paleo diet. Looking for anything that may help :)

[EmbraceChange]

I have the same thing after suffering from Lyme disease for over a year.  The ONLY good answer I got was from a Kinesiologist (spelling?) who basically said to me.  From being sick for so long my Adrenal Glands were under stress, so as soon as I was about to fall asleep, my adrenal glands, which had been working over time during the day (and were over worked) would react in only the way they knew.....work hard and release adrenaline / cortisol.  So it's really just your adrenal glands being out of balance or out of whack.

The vast majority of Americans have adrenal stress from work loads, life stress, relationships, disease, over exercising etc etc. and are not even aware of it. There are natural supplements that you can take.  Stay off caffeine and give your body time to rebalance itself.  It does suck and sort of ruins your sleep.  My chiropractor recently took my blood pressure when I was sitting on the table and then again as I stood up.  IT dropped 11 points just by standing up - which is the opposite of the way it should be.  Your blood pressure should rise, but if your adrenals are out of whack or stressed or fatigued, it takes time as your body has to work harder to does basic things.

I am young, healthy, not on any prescriptions drugs, don't drink caffeine, like to think I am pretty fit / ripped (sorry just trying to get folks to understand), don't drink alcohol, don't party blah blah blah. Why am I telling you that - because it can affect ALL, not just unhealthy overweight, depressed anxious people.

For me it happened, if I exercised to much (after I had been sick), if I went to bed to late or had stressful day at work.  Even if you think you are a laid back person and calm (which I think I am) your adrenals are still working hard.  It also used to happen to me, if for example I fell asleep on the sofa while watching TV and then I got up and did the regular night time cleaning up prior to jumping into bed for proper.  As I got into bed it would start.  Meaning my body would rest whilst I fell asleep on sofa and then I would get up (adrenaline starts working again to walk around etc), then 20 minutes later I am trying to sleep again and adrenals are still in over drive.

So what I have been told is it is simply your adrenals being out of whack and just used to working at 110% and not knowing how to shut off.  Regular doctors won't know jack about it.  Speak to any of them about adrenals and the look at you like you are a nut job.  Go see a Kinesiologist, Alternative Chiropractor or such.  Adrenal glands are one of the things they work on.  My wife is a reflexologist and that helps too. Try meditating too or anything that calms your body down before going to bed. My condition did dissipate over time though as my body returned to balance.

Ironically, I would suggest not reading too many forums (first time I have every commented on one).  Go speak to Kinesiologist, Chiro or such.  They understand and know adrenals and how they work...

[anxiouslyawake]

well...i need to write this out so I can see how "crazy" i am.  I have experienced anxiety attacks for the first time this summer (like a rush comes over your head and settles into your chest and tightens up)  SCARY!! 1rst e.r. visit .  Ok son, your fine.  no heart attack. Second time...er visit.  Oh Son your good.  no heart attack   Well...both of these events came around me worrying about a lump under my arm (1st attack - nothing big in the end) and second attack came on by worrying about being constipated (and an overactive imagination)   So the er dr. orders me to get a echo stress test on my heart..and I did this week.  YAY!  everything is perfect with my heart.  Did I meantion that Im 37 male who smoked for 15 yrs (before) and is on Simvystatin for high cholesterol.  Anyways , you would think that I would be happy now, but no!  I guess a few things attached to me through all this.  I am worried that I have every illness known to man (today I convinced myself that i have menongitus because my neck hurts)  Crazy is my new name..  I worry over everything - have strange chest sensations/ and do not sleep very well.  Just as I am about to fall asleep I get a shock-like form of adrenaline shoot from my brain into my chest.  It is horrifying because it wont relent.  Everytime i almost fall asleep then BOOM.  I need to sleep..what should I do?  Just started to take Lorazepam..but during this jolt my heart races like crazy and scares me.

Rob

[DiDaw]

I also have had similar symptoms on/off for a long time.
For me, it feels like I'm having a heart attack just as I drift off, which of course sparks the anxiety and one feeds the other.
Some things that have worked for me in the past (beyond the usual things that most of know)
1.  Medical Hypnosis (& breathing).  Medical Hypnosis is basically meditation, but regular meditation made my anxiety work.  Medical hypnosis is much better (for me) because you are guided (via another person's voice) through the whole session.  I found it much easier to let my mind calm down this way.  When doing regular meditation, my mind just went all over the place and I actually got worse.
2.  I use standard prescription sleep meds every night for at least a month when symptoms appear.  They don't prevent that bizarre sensation right before sleep, but when I do fall asleep, I stay asleep for at least 6 hours and I can function.
3. Someone mentioned not eating with 4 hours of falling asleep.  This also makes a huge difference for me.  If I eat a lot or eat late the symptoms are much worse.
4.  Melatonin, ironically, doesn't work for me.  I get horrible nightmares.  Just my personal experience
5.  Try an anxiety-relief program (lots of them out there).  I don't know how much good they'll do if you have a bad case of anxiety, but if all you have is that night-time/falling asleep attack, doing one of these programs (online/CDs/workbooks or whatever) might help

[DiDaw]

I meant to say that regular meditation made my anxiety "worse" not "work"

[Nightterror]

Hey guys I have had this problem for a few years now it started when I was diagnosed wit stomach ulcers was told it was to do with this I find if I eat a slice of dry bread and hot coffee it stops your right it does feel like your going to die and is bloody scary

[mauirayne]

Hello everyone.  I too am going through the same thing.  Last night I broke down crying...terrified at what is wrong with me.  My symptoms started about 6 months ago.  First time it happened, I was just about to fall asleep when BAM...a very strong pulse like feeling radiated from the area of my chest.  This went on for about a month and just got worse and worse.  One day I came home early from work because I wasn't feeling well...I layed down to take a nap...and BAM...the same feeling...this time my arms, legs and lips felt numb as well....I went into a full blown panic attack.  I ended up at the ER...they kept me over night...EKG..treadmill stress test...and wore a heart monitor all night.  Dr. came in and said I was fine and to follow up with my Dr.  So I did that and she told me GERD....put me on prilosec....seemed to help a little...but now a few months later my symptoms are back but a little different...now, just as I am about to fall asleep, I feel a wave like feeling that goes from my chest,neck and up into my head.  Feels like a buzzing wave. Very similar to when you put on a blood pressure cuff and you can feel the pressure in your arm and then when you take the cuff off you can feel the blood rush back in your arm...that is kinda what it feels like in my chest neck and head. I  also notice that when it happens I sometime skip heartbeats...so it almost feels like my heart is compensating for the missed heartbeat by sending a stronger pump of blood. I have also found that it feels like a contraction in my neck, face and head..if you can imagine that...but without pain.  Sometimes I think it is a seizure.   It is scary and I don't know how much more I can take.  Dr. does not have a clue and looks at me like I am nuts.....I just want to scream at her to listen to me...that I am scared and this is making my life a nightmare.  I am a single mom with 2 jobs...I have never had anxiety before...but now I know that I do.  I find myself panicking when I am in the car...I just want to get to where I am going and get back home.  The strange thing is that I am fine at work....for the most part....but anytime  I am about to fall asleep (day or night)......my heart starts beating fast....I have to take deep breaths....and then the attacks come...cant fall asleep for hours...feels like I am going to die in my sleep... I am so scared.  Please if anyone has figured out what this is...please help.  My heart goes out to all of you who are having to live with this.....it is a nightmare.  Also..I am not on any anxiety meds...I am too scared to take medicine because I have to function and care for my kids and elderly disabled mother.  I don't want to be doped up.

[mauirayne]

sorry for all the run-on sentences.  I was in a rush to write this before going to work.  (shakes head)  Even my writing sounds anxious.. :(

[mauirayne]

I know how you feel... :(

[DiDaw]

First, you almost certainly have a heart arrhythmia.  Don't worry, a lot of people do, including my self.  But, you should go back to your doctor & he should test you again to find out what kind of arrhythmia it is.
Second, you should get a prescription for a sleep med - talk to you doctor about the options.  The new ones don't leave you feel groggy or doped up at all.
You can try melatonin too but it made my dreams/nightmares worse

[mauirayne]

Thank you for the reply.  I will make another appointment. The only thing is when ever I go to the Dr., I leave feeling discouraged, without any any answers and out 20 bucks.  My sister is an RN. She is flying here for Thanksgiving. I am going to try to make an appointment for when she is here so that she can come with me to the appointment, and maybe help me to explain my symptoms to the Dr. and get her to order some more tests. I had another small episode this morning.  I sometimes wonder if it has something to do with pinched nerves or bad circulation.  I was lying in bed in a bad position.  My arms started to go a little numb as if my circulation was being cut off...and I was just about to change positions...and then came the pause (like my heart stopped) followed by a rush feeling going up my neck into my head....I got scared and stood up.  I was dizzy and off balance for about 5 minutes, then I felt better.  I am tired of being scared.

[marykate93]

Very recently, I got extremely stressed out and anxious that I could be pregnant, even before my missed period. And this stress and anxiety has caused me not to get it. I took a pregnancy which came out negative. Yet I am still feeling very very anxious with the same adrenaline rush in my chest, stomach and elsewhere. It is extremely uncomfortable. I don't know what to do, I just wanna cry. Right at this moment I am typing this because I cannot fall asleep due to it. I need help! Are there any medications that can help that are not addictive??

[DiDaw]

If your sister is a nurse, she would be very helpful when seeing your Dr.
It's also very likely that your anxiety is making your symptoms.
I have atrial fibrillation, which is a heart arrhythmia that has symptoms very similar to yours.
The only thing that controls those 'skipped' beats for me is
1.  No caffeine (other than occasional green tea)
2.  Reduce stress and anxiety as much as possible (not easy to do I know)
If I am able to stay low-stress and no caffeine, my arrhythmia goes away.
You will have to figure out what works for you though.
I've tried two of the newer prescription sleep meds (talk to your Dr. about them).  
The good news is that they definitely help you sleep
and there are very few side effects & not addictive.
I have no problems with them at all.
The bad news is that if you are in a very anxious state or super worried, they are not as effective.  It's like your adrenaline overrides it
But once you do get to sleep, they keep you sound asleep for at least 4 hours  and sometimes 6 or more.  All this is just my experience obviously

[hecroy]

Well, what I am about to say, might surprise you, like it surprised my  wife and I.
My wife had a sleeping problem: when she about just about to fall asleep, she would get a rush of adrenaline, heart palpitations, etc. No doctors could exactly pinpoint the cause... until she met this woman doctor of 34 years of experience... and she immediately told her that it was caused by her NECK. But my wife had no sore neck. The doctor told her to buy an orthopedic pillow and to sleep on her back with a pillow under her knees.
WELL IT WORKS!!  That cured my wife problems! No more anxiety and sleeping pills!
I hope this will help some of you! If it does, let me know.

[decodoll]

This is a symptom of extreme anxiety.
I suffered from this every time I tried to fall asleep for MONTHS due to SSRI withdrawal. You need to reduce your anxiety, and then this will go away. For me it meant regular yoga (I signed up at myyoga.com and stream classes), finding a therapist that specializes in anxiety disorders, and adding stress reducing nutritional supplements to my diet which I found out about from ***********.org. The supplement company they recommend makes 'Body Calm' and 'Body Calm Supreme' herbal blends to calm your body and are not addictive.
I also started seeing an acupuncturist for stress relief and detox/withdrawal. If you can find a place that does 'community acupuncture' it is usually cheaper and more welcoming.
The hardest part is to stop focusing on the symptom and making yourself more worked up!

[Wuuzey]

I get sudden rushes out of nowhere like I'm gonna pass out but don't.  Feel some tingling down thru my body core and do feel like adrenalin happens to spurt out a second after this rush. Also feel like dehydrated when this happens. Had blood tests, MRI, CT SCAN. 48 hour CT SCAN 30 day heart monitor, ENT. Nothing wrong so far. But something is

[joker_za]

Reading the many comments and suggestions on here have been very comforting thanks people. I have developed this exact same complication and my quality of life has taken a turn for the worse. If you read on you'll see my lifestyle ticks all the right boxes and yet I am in the same boat as you lot :( whats up with that?

I'm a 34 yr old white male bodybuilder 6ft roughly 112kg. I gym 5 times a week with plenty cardio. I eat a very good balanced diet and do not touch alchohol or tabacco products at ALL. No coke, energy drinks and NO history of anxiety, panic attacks or sleep issues of ANY kind.

I am a happily married man with 3 healthy kids. My parents, brother and sisters are all alive and in good health and we are all very close. Even my wife and my mother get along!!

Work is ok so is life...aside from a little financial debt I really have no reason to be stressed or depressed. My wife is attractive and the sex life is great.

WHY THE HELL DO I THEN SUFFER THIS SHYTE?

Furthermore I do not touch drugs of any kind not even painkillers. My nutritional / vitamin intake is great so I am clearly not suffering a lack of or withdrawals.

Just over a week ago my hell started. Out of the blue I suffered 55 (not a typo) panic/anxiety attacks at the point of falling asleep throughout the night. I woke up with cramps all over my body and lay there in a pool of sweat. I was like WTF was that all about? Was exhausted the next day, couldn't wait till bed time. Counted 42 such attacks before I couldn't take it any longer and jumped in a hot bath. Went back to bed same condition applied every time I was about to dose off boom spike of whatever it is.

Went to the doctor explained the situation was told I need to lay off the steroids, WTF? Explained to her I don't do em I don't think she believed me. Went back to her a few days later as things had gotten really bad and she prescribed me Propranolol. That night I experienced hallucinations like never before. I had 2 voices telling me all night I am going to die.

Went back to her told her all I want is something for the sleep since clearly she isn't interested in helping. The past 2 nights I have been able to sleep right through without incident by taking 2 tablets of Benzodiazepine before bed. Great right? not really....

I now have no appettite, I feel anxiety all through the day. I am depressed, not interested in training or sex (which for me is like being dead anyway).

Decided to educate myself and figure this thing out since doctors don't seem to be able to help at this stage.

Anyone made any progress with this yet? My life is circling the crapper and I am worried I'll get addicted to these tablets soon. I have also experimented with trying to get some day sleep without the tablets, boom same thing.

PLEASE someone HELP!!!

[Smileylins21]

Hi
I was going through alot of what you're going through. Never had anxiety/panic attacks before, I think they started in my sleep freeking me out. Than I would be scared to sleep, than when i tried to sleep my body wouldnt let me to sleep. So 10 days with no sleep pretty much really was terrible. Lots of crazy symptom. Unfortunately your body needs time to regulate itself again. Your brain senses a threat. Try to minimize your anxiety and worry even if its not much. Try relaxation techniques and natural sleep aids, stick to a routine. The adrenaline rushes will subside. I tried 1 benzo, because i got desperate, will never do that again. Its been 2.5 months of hell, last 2 weeks its been getting better. Lot of hormones go out of whack. Body needs to regulate self. Good luck. Doctors just want to give out pills, u figured that one out already :) BTW depression is normal when u r not getting good sleep and because of anxiety/worry.

[joker_za]

Thanks for your comments my friend. The thing I don't understand is I dont suffer anxiety/panic attacks at all during the day. I go to bed relaxed and calm with my heart beating soft and slow. As I dose off boom, pounding heart and I feel like crap. Many of the people commenting on here suffer anxiety in some form or the other, I have never had it nor do I have it during the day.

Just seems very strange its just popped into my life out of nowhere. Nothing has changed or happened to bring it on. Something aint right....  :(

[Smileylins21]

Same thing happened to me. It got me at night. Our subconscious mind must be at work. Never had anxiety/panic during the day. It's scary waking up not knowing what the heck is happening to our bodies. I started to get panicky throughout the days because I worried myself that something was seriously wrong. I'm functioning alot better now. Hope things get better.

[paraglider]

I feel with you people, i have exactly the same thing.
I think it's a symptom on a conflict between the conscious and the subconscious mind. Stress/anxiety that has been building up, maybe because i dont live my life as i should or deal with my problems the right way.
At least i hope so cause then i might be able to beat it once.
For me it's still hard to believe that it has nothing to do with my heart even though i had my heart checked with an EKG.

My background:
I've been on ssri for depression for many years .
My insomnia started 6-7 years ago when i suddenly, after exercising, was unable to sleep for 6 days straight.The feeling i got when i tried to sleep was excactly this "adrenalin rush" that made it impossible to get any sleep no matter how tired i would get.  
The last two years i've had chronic insomnia and all kinds of sleep paralysis stuff happening when im trying to sleep, all this mind awake-body asleep stuff. Im eating healthy and try to exercise often but some times the exercising triggers my insomnia(probably because the nervous-system gets too stressed) and i have to skip it.

Right now im on mirtazapine, it helps me sleep. When it's not enough i also take some valium(diazepam). Sometimes im still not able to sleep though but the mirtazapin/diazepam combo is by far the best i've tried because they dont seem to affect my mood the next days.Diazepam without mirtazapin doesn't work though.
I will not recommend pills like zolpidem and imovane, they put me to sleep but increased my anxiety and after 2 weeks they didn't do the job anymore(my doctor didn't believe me though but that's ok cause i dont believe in doctors much)
Melatonin doesn't help me at all, it makes me tired but doesn't put me to sleep, same goes for weed.
Im not trying to get anyone hooked on my medicine though, i hate drugs but i just have to take it for now.

I wish all of you some healthy sleep in the future.

[Ryegb]

After reading this thread I feel like I'm getting closer to finding solutions, I know that this is all attributed to anxiety. I won't repeat what many have already said but will list my experiences if only to help others know that they are not alone with these problems.

Personal Bio.
Male. 36 years. 5'11. 175lb. No medical history. Parental history of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Depression, Irritable Bowel, Candida.

Symptoms from Summer 2008 to Present:

Weight loss & gain.
Palpitations.
Rapid Heart Beat.
Bloating.
Diarrhea.
Constant internal tremors.
Mild twitches.
Adrenaline like surges at point of sleep.
Constant and vague sensation from heart to throat (Like trapped air)
Slushy noise in left ear in time with heart rate.
Bipolar personality. Happy to angry in an instant. Bad thoughts, suicidal.

June 2008. Sudden stomach problems followed by weight loss.

February 2009. First episode of rapid heart beat late evening at work during stressful work period. Ambulance called and taken to ER.

February 2009. Doctors visit, had all manner of heart tests, blood work etc. Nothing detected.

May 2009. Second rapid heart beat attack, ER visit.

May 2009. Prescribed METOPROLOL for anti anxiety. Had a halter monitor fitted with no negative results?

July 2009. No rapid heart beat experiences but minor heart palpations commence. Would suffer singular incidences for 2-3 days and then nothing for months.
Stopped taking medication, tried to decrease caffeine and alcohol consumption. Succeeded in reducing caffeine but sugar intake is the same.

July 2009-December 2009. Constant feelings of fatigue and internal vibrations. Slushy (Like trapped air) noise in left ear in time with heart beat.

January 2010. Fatigue continues as dome periodic and mid palpitations. Revisit doctor but they only advise I see a psychiatrist (Didn't do as told).

February 2011. Gained about 20 pounds of weight. Fatigue continues but have two to three months of feeling very well.

Summer 2010. Suddenly awakened as I just drifted off to sleep with a funny sensation like a tight knot in my chest suddenly sprung open and air rushed out of my mouth, as I stand I feel very unstable on my feet and my heart is absolutely pounding). This episode was followed by the same episodes everyone else is describing and the worst part of my life to date. Every night as I fall asleep I'm awakened by a "sensation" so hard to describe. I feel like a stationary car with the engine running full blast. My heart feels a little unsettled but not pounding nor rapid. Only after the episode has passed can I sleep well. I do sleep well and the episode doesn’t reoccur. In the morning without fail I have to defecate immediately, always the same, mild diarrhea as if my body is releasing poison.

Summer 2010 to the present. I may have a month of feeling well followed by a month of mild palpitations, morning bloating, diarrhea and this constant "adrenaline" rush as I try to get to sleep. During the day at work when my mind is occupied I'm fine, only when dusk comes and I go home does my anxiety take hold. I get very irritable and moody quickly; get into constant road rage incidents (Even driving head on towards a semi truck to only swerve away at the last second) and speed recklessly and constantly like I'm challenging death, which ultimately instigate minor panic attacks. For the past 3 weeks I wake up every night after just drifting off to sleep with the adrenaline feelings described, followed by morning diarrhea. Last night I was awoken with the worst heart palpitation ever, it immediately passed but the sensation made me immediately get dressed, grab my car keys and phone and head for the door. It's become so bad I leave clothes and shoes next to my bed ready in anticipation of the next nights event, stupid I know.
As I type my entire body if I stay quiet and still constantly twitches while my chest vibrates like a Diesel Engine train is passing close to the house.

My apologies for rambling. I think like many I have fears of health, death, family, money woes and future uncertainty, some of us can handle it more than others and those that feel like they aren't worrying don't realize how burying anxiety can then physically effect your health like it is affecting me. I've always buried my feelings, I'm not an open person and internally unhappy and very angry (not sure where the anger comes from) and I think that this is my main problem and the instigator to many of my woes.

For the record prior to all of this starting I was a completely different person, creative, happy, mild mannered, energetic, healthy and hard working. In all seriousness I've become a different person overnight and my quality of life has exponentially decreased ever since.

[inde777]

I was about to post the same thing! Had  been struggling with this off and on for years...and my physical therapist said, "it's your c-2" a neck vertabrae that was stuck. People with really stressed out adrenal glands (always in the fight of flight) there body will release adrenaline everytime a joint is stuck. Mine is either my neck or my hip. In fact, I'm not usually in pain, the first indication my neck is out again, is that the rushes start. Once I get my neck adjusted, they go away completely, and I'm super calm and can sleep like a baby. So thankful I found this out, it was the scariest thing I had ever experienced!

[inde777]

I have found the answer for these for myself! I agree with hecroy above....I have been suffering from this off and on for a few years, the scariest thing ever! No doctor could ever tell me what it was, until I went to a physical therapist, and she said point blank..."oh, that's just your c-2) which is one of your neck joints. After she adjusted me, they went away. My muscles twitched for two weeks from finally getting the relaxation they needed, and stopping the adrenaline. She explained that people who have really sensitive systems, are super prone to adrenal fatigue, and you live in the fight of flight response most of the time. When one of your joints is stuck, your body shoots out bursts of adrenaline to try and tell you something is wrong. I can never tell when my neck is stuck, no pain, I just get really anxious and start getting the rushes at night. Now I wake my husband up and have him pull on my neck (lay on back, have someone sit above your head, hold the back lower part of your neck and pull straight up slowly, as if trying to make you taller). I can feel my body relax and my rushes go away immediately. Have your neck mobility checked my a p.t. and go to a naturopath to get your adrenals tested, and start on some supplements to heal them, then your adrenaline will normalize. (best at home test for tired adrenals...go into a dark bathroom with a flashlight, look in the mirror, point the flashlight into one eye, and turn it on. Watch with your other eye to see how your pupil reacts. If it contricts, then dilates, then contricts, kind of bounces, but can't automatically just contrict and stay that way...does that make sense? Then your adrenals are struggling.) It now happens if my hip or neck is a little stuck or tight. Check this out, it solved my problems.

[ONECURE]

I have had this problem also. The adrenaline racing through my body in a shot upon falling asleep. Like the times we fel asleep in class and then suddenly jerk awake...only this is 10x worse.

HERES WHAT HELPED ME-ACTUALLY STOPPED THE ADRENALINE AND I HAVE NOT HAD IT SINCE!

I was just prescribed cortisol from the adrenal glands of new zealand sheep for sluggish adrenale glands. The prescription was from my naturalpath. The problem started about a week after taking them. at about 3 in the morning in desperation I searched the internet and found this thread. One man had been dealing with this for 30 years! He said he found that no animal protien after 3pm, excersise (mild excersice not extreme). I immediatly stopped taking the cortisol, stopped eating meat after three-somedays no meat at all. THE ADRENALINE UPON FALLING ASLEEP QUIT AND HAS NOT RETURNED IN 2 YEARS. NO MEDS EVER...NO SLEEPING PILLS.

I now live and love by DR. YOUNG's book called THE PH MIRACLE DIET!! And I love it! I beg you all to try this. MEAT, MILK, WHEAT, SUGAR AND REFINED CRAP IS KILLING US.

I must say that if you continue to eat unhealthy then you will be what you eat. Please get a cheap juicer, the best supplements- OMEGA 369 OILS, CALCIUM WITH VITAMIN D, ZINC,...AWWWW HECK! PLEASE READ THE BOOK. IT CURED ME. I WANT TO PASS IT ON TO ALL OF YOU BEACAUSE I FEEL FOR YOU ALL! BEST OF LIFE TO YA ALL.  Read the PH MIRACLE DIET. Please.

[Billy_Bowden]

Hi, This is going to sound like a long shot but I too have had this problem, and at it's worst I was at the beginning of my advanced pilots course on the way to becoming a military Pilot. At it's worst I suffered from this for 8 nights in a row, averaging between an hour and two hours of sleep a night. I had thought that I would have to give up my career as it's impossible to fly jets with less than 6 to 7 hours of sleep a night (at least, so I thought).

Anyway I was referred to the psych, and the tips that gave me stopped the problem from occurring in one to two nights and I haven't had it since, as long as I kept the remedy up that is.

Basically I was told to obtain a copy of the 'Silva centering technique' in audio form, and listen and follow along with that, coupled with a breathing regime whilst listening, and whilst trying to get to sleep. The breathing regime was: take a medium to large breath in over the space of 4 to 5 seconds, then hold it in for 4 to 5 seconds, and slowly exhale for 4 to 5 seconds - this breathing regime completely eliminates the severity and affect of the adrenaline rush.

So basically, you just need to make sure you relax your body (make sure your muscles aren't tense), relax your mind (think of a peaceful place), and control your breathing in the manner I explained. If you are anything like me you will just be so ecstatic that you don't experience those ******* adrenaline rushes which came to be so upsetting I was basically having an emotional breakdown every night.

Well, I hope that helps.

[MusicInMotion67]

There have been a few time I too have experienced a loud, painful sound of like an electric surge in my brain just as i'm falling asleep. As a matter of fact it's so loud and painful that I wake up scared. It seems to start out mild but every second I lay there in that dozed state it gets louder and louder until It hurts and i jolt awake. It doesn't happen all the time and during the times it has (it started almost four years ago) I was going through mourning my husbands suicide so I was under severe stress and sleep deprived however it's happened a few times since then but only just as I'm dozing off, but it makes me fearful to yet again attempt sleep. Anyway, upon doing some research on this something I found informatioin on something called "Exploding Head Syndrome" sounds weird but also it sounds like what most of us are experiencing. Hope this helps ya'll, I'm no longer as scared as I was, no longer thinking I have a brain tumor or something lol.

http://www.sleepassociation.org/index.php?p=explodingheadsyndrome

[AGross7]

To: RayRay9916. I experienced the exact same thing, especially the same way yours progressed.  It was horrible, the late night wake ups with my heart pumping, to a full blown panic attack.  And like you it got so bad to where in the day i would feel like i was anticipating another attack and sure enough i would have one.  I would start to have triggers, like if someone brought up a topic about death (or things i normally fear, that i normally just let it go).  I finally went to the doctor and was prescribed Lexapro, after 3-4 weeks, I was back to my normal self.  No more panic attacks, no more daily worry or shakiness, heart pounding.  To me I think whether its stress-induced or genetic, I know that mine was stress-induced because this all began as soon as I started vet school out of the country.  But Lexapro has changed my life, along with God.  I seriously recommend you talking to a doctor about some kind of anti-anxiety or depression medication.  Xanax is a temporary relief and it does make you feel sluggish.  With lexapro it literally changes the chemicals in your brain back to a balance.  All in all, I recommend talking to a doctor about an anti-depressant.  Hope this helps, I know exactly how you feel.

[TonyS81]

Hi All,

I have been having the same thing and after seeing a Naturopathic doctor we are getting close to an answer. ADRENAL FATIGUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look it up folks!

Here is how it all started for me. My father passed away which in the following months caused anxiety. I'm a pretty on the edge person as it is, and I exercise A LOT! (half marathons etc. run almost 7 days a week)

What happened to me is a combination of emotional and physical stress that has lead to late stages of ADRENAL FATIGUE. When your body is under stress it produces cortisol, which is usually high in the mornings and starts to decrease as the day goes on. With me, it's always high from me being anxious and all the physical exercise (if you run / exercise hard for more then 45 minutes you raise your cortisol - moderate exercise less then 30 minutes a day will lower it eventually). Anyways, after a while, your body can no longer keep up with the cortisol production from the anxiety/emotional stress and physical stress. (between if you drink coffee, soda, anything that will jolt you up this is a big no-no). So what happens is this, at night, your body makes adrenaline to make up for the lack of coritisol and BOOM we get these issues. The reason why we wake up often during the night is because cortisol controls sugar, low cortisol, blood sugar drops and you awake.

Ask yourself these questions:

1) Do you have a hard time falling asleep at night?
2) Do you wake up frequently during the night?
3) Do you have a hard time waking up in the morning early, or feeling refreshed?
4) Do bright lights bother you more than they should?
5) Do you startle easily due to noise?
6) When standing from sitting or from lying down, do you feel lightheaded or dizzy?
7) Do you take things too seriously, and are easily defensive?
8 ) Do you feel you don’t cope well with certain people or events in your life?

If this issue is mild, some people find success with licorice root (capsules, not the candy). Ashwagandha and Rhodiola are also good.

IF your cortisol levels are super low then you need to see a doctor. You may need  Isocort or Adrenal Cortex. What you guys need to do is a do a cortisol saliva test where you take measures of your cortisol throughout the day, morning, mid day, afternoon and night. The lower it is in the morning the worse this is.

Mine started after coming off Lexapro from being on it for 3 days! The damn drug causes a surge in CORTISOL which I was already depleted from. My SNS is on 24/7. It takes time to heal the adreanls but it can be done with patience and ZERO STRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you do exercise, do it in moderation and do it in the morning. Try not eating too late and take a tablespoon of peanut butter before bed to maintain sugar levels while you are sleeping. Go see a Naturapathic doctor, get your stuff checked out! HORMONES folks and its all fixable with some patience!

If you need a good Naturapathic doctor in California, hit me up! She is the bestest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck! I'm still suffering but know that I'm going to get better soon!

[edgyboy]

Well stated and written. Like you, I am a runner and my father passed away a year ago. This has definitly created anxiety and stress in my life.

About a month and a half ago, I started getting anxiety, panic or adrenillin rushes at night while sleeping. I dont know what to call it but it begins in my stomach and flows throughout my body. It is very scary and overwhelming.
by mid month
Back in January, I was running everyday at lunch time. I did over 50 miles of running

[edgyboy]

Sorry I am having problems with my keyboard. i'll continue here.

Ran 50 miles by mid month of january. Sometime late in the month, I woke up in the middle of the night with panic in my stomach. They were beginning to get frequent and anxiety kicked in 24/7.

I had to stop running because of how overwhelmed I felt. I wasnt getting much sleep either. After a few weeks, I started feeling better so I started up running again. After couple of weeks, I started feeling anxiety again and stopped running

I began to get the "surges" at night again. The fear, overwhelming feeling etc. The anxiety thought process doesnt help either. I should mention that I have beeen on a low dose of paxil for the past 16 years. I tried going off of it about 9 years ago. Was off a couple of months before panic came back so I figured it might be worth it to stay on at a lower dose in case I need it.

My question here is, as andrenillin surges, does it come from the stomach and spread out to the arms and legs? Whatever is happenning to

[edgyboy]

Keyboard problems again.

Whatever is happenning, it feels like waves through my nerves. This creates a feeling of unreality around me and is very scary. I drove to work one morning feeling like I was on another planet.

Can andrenillin do all of this? I use to think I was crazy or close to it.

[TonyS81]

Sorry to hear about your father!

Yes, it can! Paxil I believe increase cortisol in your body, so while taking that and exercising (and still worrying) you were only feeding the beast. When you are stressed or put in an uncomfortable situation do you tremble? I do now, its my body basically saying "I can't handle the stress". The adrenaline starts in the stomach for me too, and I feel it in my heart also. Its AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I sleep maybe 2 to 3 hours a night if that for the past 2 and half months.

You need to see a doctor and get all your hormones checked. Thryoid, not just the stupid TSH, the full liplid panel. Also, check your seratonin, GABA etc...do a 24 hour cortisol spit test where they measure how much you have throughout the day. I bet you have low levels in the a.m. that continue to drop as the day goes on, hence the adrenaline rushes at night. Adrenaline is produced when your adrenal glands are just tired. Check your testaterone, get a food allergy test done, check your vitamin levels etc....you need to find a doctor that will work with you to check ALL key hormones and feel good chemicals in your body.

Here are a few things you should try.

1) Breathing. Take deep breaths from the diaphram and make sure they are slow. Breath in....breath out....etc... do this for 5 minutes and do it often. Your SNS and ANS can not work at the same time. Once your SNS is on, you have to switch it off and by feeding your brain oxygen it will say "OK, I'm not in danger....."

2) Positive thinking! I thought i was doing this right, but I wasn't. This is basically training your brain and it takes a crap load of work. Example: You are running late somewhere, you get anxious and everyone on the road pi$$es you off. You are trying to jam, are irritated. you tell yourself "God, had I left 5 minutes earlier I wouldn't be felling like this!" This isn't positive, positive would be "hey, if I'm 5 minutes late no one is going to die." Or "worse case, I'll reschedule, but this isn't life or death"

At first it sounds fake and you won't believe it, but say it enough and it becomes easier and easier and easier. We are complex but yet so simple!

BTW - I'm not a doctor and just sharing what I've been learning with the help of doctor . When one thing is off, there is a whole domino effect that takes place....I find that a Naturopath doctor is the best, my primary care was always "try this and come back in a week..." its a revolving door that needs aggressive treatment so you are treating your body with what helps. I also go to therapy which is part of the tools I'm working with to get this all under control.

[edgyboy]

do you experience derealization with panic attacks? When I get up at night, I am frightened of my surroundings. My bedroom seems "unreal and foreign". I read that panic attacks do this.

After that, my mind takes over and I do a real number on myself with negative thoughts and I make things look even stranger. Then the worry of going crazy or having a breakdown come into play. Then thinking about going outside and panicking.

Its all a big game we play with ourselves I guess. I usually deal with this pretty good but losing my father was a biggie.

[TonyS81]

Yeah, a little. It's usually right when I'm coming off sleep. I get this fear and irrational thoughts. It's the OCD in us. Right now I'm only taking Konoplin (which is longer lasting xanax). My doctor wants me back on Lexapro but I'm not going to take that right now and will wait until my blood work comes back.

Do you see a therapist?

[edgyboy]

I dont see a therapist. I did 32 years ago. Like I said, I usually deal with this stuff and get over it after a month or so. This latest one is hanging around longer.

When I get the attack, I think to myself that I am lost and out of control. I know this is irrational so I do my best to ignore it. I am thinking about seeing a therapist soon.

This is a weird time in my life. The kids are older, my dad is gone and my mother is getting older too. Work is very demanding for someone my age. So, I probably can use theapy to deal with all these changes.

[TonyS81]

"I know this is irrational so I do my best to ignore it"

Ignoring them only feeds them. You have to reverse the thinking by acknowledge that it will happen and be positive.

When I know I'm going to be put into a situation that will stress me out, I prepare myself now. (I just started doing this) I mentally know its going to trigger anxiety, so I script something ahead of time....I still get anxious but it will eventually get better.

Work with your mind young man. As much as you think you can't change your train of thought, you can! You can train yourself. BTW - where do you live? I really think you should work with a doctor to get some blood work done. I'm in California; I see a Naturopah ... they are a little more pricey but I find they are 100000% better then regular doctors.

p.s. I haven't slept more then 2 hours in 2 and half months but now I know what I need to do. It's been a heck of a battle!

[edgyboy]

i am originally from Philadelphia but now live in NJ. Over the past month and a half, I have had trouble sleeping off and on. Some nights I get no more than 2 hours of sleep and others I do a little better.

There was a two week stretch that I almost felt normal again only to get myself back into this hell. The past couple days have been a little better.

Last week was a really bad one. The attacks or rushes at night were overwhelming. it really made my days tough. I thought I was losing my mind for sure. It just so happens that all this occurred on the 1 year anneversary of my Father's death. any significance to that? I think so my friend. By the way, sorry about your lost too. I really lived in denial thinking he would live forever.

[Lordgene]

Hi all

I have been recently diagnosed with hematomacrosis, an overload of iron. Apparently it affects all organs, including the adrenals.  Not saying this is your problem, but could be for some of you. Bloodletting or donating monthly made a huge difference for me.  It reduced my iron levels.  High iron is terrible for you.  Being of  Irish descent is of particular importance with this.  Joint ache and heart palps are associated.

Good luck

[wilsongirl2]

I too have dealt with adrenaline release so severe at night that I am awakened many times with a fast heartbeat and lightheadedness and ringing in my ears. But there IS HOPE! I found a natural product called Corti-Cut PM. It controls the release of adrenaline and cortisol at night so you can sleep. I read some of your posts on anti-anxiety drugs....exactly the reason I sought out help from a natural source. It takes about a week to start seeing the difference, but if you take it faithfully, two caps before bed, you will definitely experence a huge change in your ability to sleep and stay asleep comfortably. During extremely stressful times, you may need the addition of another product called SleepMD to help you fall asleep. But I would try the Corti-Cut PM first, and then see how you do after a couple of weeks. The longer you are consistent with taking the Corti-Cut, the better results you will experience. It has wonderful things in it like Holy Basil and a Phosphatidyl complex that calms the brain. No side effects is the best aspect of this product!!

BUT VERY IMPORTANT to all anxiety sufferers.....NO CAFFEINE, NO SUGAR, NO ALCOHOL. I know its a bummer to have to give up such enjoyable foods, but if you do not, you will not experience true success with any natural program you try. Caffeine, sugar and alcohol undermine every effort you make to stay calm. If you need a boost for work or activity, B12 or a B Complex vitamin will become your best friend. And there are other non-stimulating energy sources. It is also important to try to be asleep by eleven at night. Ten o'clock is better, but if you are a night owl, eleven will be easier to accomplish.

I have lived with this problem for nearly nine years, and the above listed supplements have been a lifesaver for me. Hope it will work well for you if you decide to give it a try!

[johnstuart2012]

1) Exercise regularly before sleep
2) DO NOT EAT BEFORE BED
3) DO NOT HAVE TOO MUCH SLEEP, I know its hard to regulate but try to keep to the 8 hour pattern.
4) If you have any long term stresses such as job/financial worries, change your lifestyle as much as you can to make You feel less stressed.
5) CUT out any alcohol completely until you feel better.

[Megan77]

Hey, all u guys suffering this way, join the club, it is debilitating and completely overwhelmes ur life. First do controlled breathing; breath in slowly counting to 5, hold for 5, slowly out for 5, hold for 5. Repeat  about 10 times about 5 times/day. Get someone to count for u till u get it down pat. Second n very importantly see a psychiatrist. I did and believe I wldnt b here today if I didn't. I was prescribed Lexapro and valium, and also had a 4 week stay in hospital in the mental health ward, followed by 6 mths of outpatient cognitive behavioural therapy. Slowly go off all alcohol and caffeine. This is just what worked for me. I had every possible symptom. This is not medical advice just trying to help u realise u r not alone, this is very real and CAN be helped. It comes under the heading of depression but presents as panic attacks, not the typical lie in bed all day depression. What causes it? Not enough serotonin, what causes that? Who knows n who cares. but probably CFS, post viral syndrome, FM or dysautonomia r just some of the things BUT  I have my life back, good luck, give it a go, what have u got to lose? God Bless

[AnxiouslyWaiting44]

I found Buspar to be a great help for anxiety. Xanax didn't help me and I also hated the grogginess it caused. Buspar works very well and does not cause you to feel groggy or 'high' in any way. Hope you find relief from all this.

[jmarker]

I get bad anxiety where feel like your going crazy and die all at once. pretty scary. I also get the adrenaline rush it make me paste back and forth not knowing what to do with my self. I have it at night also. sometime scared to go to sleep. and I wake up like that in mornings with ponding heart. been to drs. test me for thyroids. came out good. abt to go to counsling soon. to see if that helps.

[jerialice]

i'm thinking about the clonapin- been on low dose xanax for years- love getting off that!
also doing beta blocker, but the sides sound ominous. i'd like to hear more about how you are doing?
thanks!
ja

[Dondddon]

Yeah, i get this electricity jolt/adrenaline rush too. It starts from my heart/chest and it goes right to my brain just as im falling asleep. Ever since my heart started beat unexpectedly fast for a few seconds, and i had this tight feeling in chest and throat and it was difficult to breathe, i always thought that i was going to die and i was afraid. I think i am anxious. It comes and goes, but there is a weird feeling, almost tingly near my chest. So i think its anxiety but im not certain.

[WileyWiggins]

I've experienced the described symptomes about 2 weeks ago for the first time. When it happens it's like drifting into sleep at full consciousness. I get the feeling of something flooding my brain (like some kind of drug) and I get aware of the sleeping paralysis spreading out through my whole body. THAT'S THE MOMENT the choking feeling starts and NOW the adrenaline is flooding and I wake up again.
After the first time happening this to me, I've searched the internets for similar reports and found people describing the same symptomes. Some of them said they had this for many years and it appeared very infrequent. So I understood that it's nothing too serious and the MOST IMPORTANT THING IS NOT TO GET OBSESSED WITH IT.
So every now and then it happens to me and after 2-4 wakeups I guess the adrenaline kicks get weaker and I fall asleep just fine. AND EVEN BETTER: I figured out it can be another DOOR FOR LUCID DREAMING. If you don't know what that is: go research! It can be so much fun! And watch the movie "Waking Life". Good night & sweet dreams!

[Mmm27]

Does anyone get pain un the stomach area and feel like an urge to poop with the adrenaline rush ? I have the same, it's as if I wake up startled just un the nik of time not to die. Only when I drift off to bed. My eyes get heavy and if I let myself fall asleep I get that surge thing. In super scared and am alone with my daughter too. Happens once or twice a month ( past 4 months). I'm anemic taking iron and have gastrititis not sure if it has anything to do with it. I think I have anxiety under control but perhaps not. I stress over a lot of things. Mostly my health

[alamosa]

How long did it take after you started the diet for the attacks to end?

[Terror_Teddy]

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to ask/tell the doctor? It feels like  no one will listen, but not being able to sleep because of this sometimes makes me want to "off myself" (which I wont..).

It's been about 2 months of this for me and I really don't want this to last years. I am starting to avoid sleep all together.

[johnsmith130]

The lucid dreaming idea is why I looked this up. I have no anxiety. This happened to me the first time and it freaked me out, so i jolted myself awake...the second time i just rode with it, and i ended up falling asleep within a minute or so. My theory is that it's like a little DMT or something: http://*****************/question/index?qid=20100124210226AAB9aEQ being released early in your sleep cycle. It's like a massive drug rush, which is exactly what i thought it felt like. Again, i just didn't panic about the feeling and i ended up falling asleep.

[nfehily]

wow, i thought i was the only 1 to experience this, a total cliche but true. i havent had this for ages now but used to suffer every night, i think i was very sensitive to the chemicals that send me to sleep being released into my brain,  i felt that i could literally feel them being released and it caused an electrical kind of rush from my toes right up to the top of my head and it would make me immediately sit bolt upright. sometimes it could happen 4, 5, 6 times per night  and was awful. i have tried citalopram for anxiety attacks that i was suffering from and i stopped abusing alcohol and cocodamol tablets and i havent had this symptom now over a year. Good luck all.

[isa365]

I am so relieved to read your comment because what you have described is exactly what I have been experiencing for 5 years on and off.  I have been put on Affexer (antidressant) and it helps but I hate the side effects so I have been weaning off and the sudden adrenaline surges have returned.  It's as if my body wants me to stay awake, as if I was in some threatening situation.  My body will simply not let go. The only way I can sleep is by taking sleeping pills.  I don't have anxiety issues either, I am also laid back.  I have yet to find a doctor that understands my condition.  They all think I have anxiety.  I wish there was a natural remedy or some way to control it.  I have tried relaxation techniques, hot baths etc, you name it.  It is just beyond my control.

[Cristine3113]

I've been suffering from this horrible ordeal, too.
It is very uncomfortable and I dread 10pm because I fear these symptoms so much. They are painful at times. The rush of adrenaline can be so strong that my chest hurts or my whole body jolts in bed. I am looking for the way out. There must be a solution.

[Cristine3113]

I've been suffering from this horrible ordeal, too.
It is very uncomfortable and I dread 10pm because I fear these symptoms so much. They are painful at times. The rush of adrenaline can be so strong that my chest hurts or my whole body jolts in bed. I am looking for the way out. There must be a solution. Have you found any relief?

[Cristine3113]

Hi,
did you find a solution?
I've been suffering from this horrible ordeal, too.
It is very uncomfortable and I dread 10pm because I fear these symptoms so much. They are painful at times. The rush of adrenaline can be so strong that my chest hurts or my whole body jolts in bed. I am looking for the way out. There must be a solution.

[Cristine3113]

Did you find any solution?
I've been suffering from this horrible ordeal, too.
It is very uncomfortable and I dread 10pm because I fear these symptoms so much. They are painful at times. The rush of adrenaline can be so strong that my chest hurts or my whole body jolts in bed. I am looking for the way out. There must be a solution.

[Cristine3113]

I've been suffering from this horrible ordeal, too.
It is very uncomfortable and I dread 10pm because I fear these symptoms so much. They are painful at times. The rush of adrenaline can be so strong that my chest hurts or my whole body jolts in bed. I am looking for the way out. There must be a solution. Did you find relief?

[Cristine3113]

Did you find relief? I have the same.

[jaredjar77]

Medical solution with a pinch of salt bellow.
Adrenal insomnia combined with racing thoughts since 2000.  
This is fight club type insomnia so no natural or over the counter type product helped me.Doctors did not have a solution so I started to try many different medication myself (sleeping and other)

Only 2 medication worked for me long term.
Tricyclic antidepressants (trazodone) year 2000 to 2003
Low dose anti antipsychotic (seroquel the DEVIL) 25 - 100 mg 2003 to present

My medical profile. Bipolar depression ,racing thoughts, insomnia, mania.

Now the devil is in the detail. All drugs cause rebound insomnia when you stop them. Drugs have many side effects. If you have this condition as bad as me you will gladly die many years earlier as long as you sleep until then.
So let me introduce you to the devils then!


Trazodone worked if I  kept my stress level under control. It is by far a safer option than seroquel. It will also help for depression. Not so good for racing thoughts. Can cause mania. Might mess with your sex life a bit.  Possible to discontinue in the future.

Seroquel
(At dosages lower than 200 it does not work as a antipsychotic. It acts as a completely different drug. More like an antihistamine)

What can i say? This drug saved my life buy also altered it dramatically.
It makes you sleep. It stops racing thoughts. It smooths  out your mood profile (less low less high) It helps for depression. Would I recommend you take this drug? No, not unless your life depends on it. In my case I did not have a choice. I was going to kill myself  if I could not sleep any way so I figured what the hell.

The bad
It has affected my memory slightly. It dulls your emotions a bit. It takes away a bit of creativity.  
It has a hell of a lot of side effect. Google it. The side effect are much less on dosages 100 mg or below.

I would stop this drug if I could but living without the drug is so much worse than living with the drug.