Nocturnal fainting

[ecogirl]

For over 10 years I have been having occasional to frequent what I have come to call “brain attacks”. The symptoms typically occur within an hour or so of when I fall asleep, although I have had a few similar experiences during the day. Even though I am asleep, I begin sensing that I am fainting and I think that I am dying. I wake up in a complete panic, my heart is pounding very rapidly and I am desperately fighting not to go “there”. Some of these attacks last only a few minutes and then I feel like it is safe to go back to sleep. Some of them have been so intense that I will do things like fling open the window to get cold air, turn on all the lights, and not lie down for hours. If I lie down or turn out the lights, I immediately begin to experience these weird symptoms. I am beginning to be concerned that I have some organic problem rather than this just being panic attacks.

As an aside, I had a pretty bad bike accident 14 years ago where I went over the handle bars and landed on my neck. I have had weird neurological symptoms such as weakness on my right side and occasional tremors and pain ever since then. I had two MRIs, many x-rays, and have been to several doctors – none of whom could quite figure out what was going on. I do have a bulging disk and signs of arthritis in my neck. One doctor stated that what I had done was like very severe whiplash and that I had soft tissue damage that was affecting the nerves.

Any input or suggestions are welcome.

[harttohart]

Hi,sorry to hear your not feeling well.Have you been to your doctor or neurologist about these symptoms?Some of what you describe are panic attacks,being through a traumatic experience does some times bring on fear or afraid of dying.You need to make an appointment with your doctor or neurologist.Having a pinched nerve in your neck does not cause,these feelings.Or having arthritis in your neck.Make an appointment as possible though.You may need an MRI of your brain,or catscan of your brain.It could be seizures or pin strokes.I can't say for sure I am not a doctor.Take care of your self.Harttohart.

[Caddy B]

Hello ecogirl, I'm sorry I don't have any answers for you but I just wanted you to know that you're not alone. My daughter suffers from the same problem. Even though she's not an anxious person, she does have a stressful job and I think in her case they are panic attacks. Have a browse of this page, it may help. Good luck.

http://tinyurl.com/yfe54p

[ecogirl]

Thanks to you both for your responses.

[lauren7960]

Get your blood pressure checked. Sometimes when you are at rest or relaxing, your blood pressure can drop fast and cause a fainting feeling or heaviness. Especially in people with already low but still normal blood pressure.

[teena148]

I have the exact same feeling...im asleep and its darkness all around and I feel that I try to get up but am unable to itls like i cant move  but only my brain keep telling me to get up...its like im slipping into coma or going to die or something...because of this im scared to go to sleep ... is there some kind of medical help...and yes i do have low pressure

[Kimmy33]

Thank God someone knows what I'm talking about!!!!

Hi. I recently began to feel the symptoms you explained. Fainting in my sleep. Last weekend it happened to me while I was awake and I was taken to the ER. After extensive tests the only thing the doctors could come up with was Magnezium defficiency. I explained the fainting in my sleep to the doctor. It sounded foreign to him.
I read up on Magnezium defficiency - it explained most of my symptoms (panic, shortness of breath, extreme weakness) but it didn't say anything about sleep fainting. The magnezium has helped me a little but I'm sill not quite back to my self. You sould think about magnezium.

[mindo]

I have had the same symptoms...I thought I was going crazy, I have all these weird symptoms that I think my boyfriend doesn't believe me or tries to but can't imagine what I'm talking about. I dread going to sleep because of it. I love sleeping once I'm there but the thought of going to bed is horrible. I don't know if I just let myself go through it without panicking if I would actually die. I've always had a really easy time falling asleep as a child. I remember once when I was in about 10th or 11h grade I woke up and couldn't move I couldn't talk it was like I was paralyzed. I cried for a few minutes then jumped in my little sisters bed for comfort (not exactly my style) to say the least she knew something was up, my only affection towards her before that was to be her worst nightmare (typical big sis ;P) Then I read about something called sleep paralysis and it sounded like what happened to me. This is a definition from wikipedia "Physiologically, it is closely related to the paralysis that occurs as a natural part of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is known as REM atonia. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain awakes from a REM state, but the body paralysis persists. This leaves the person fully conscious, but unable to move."
If I find out any more I will let you know. I hope there is an answer because this is not doing me any good in relation to my job.

[Mr_Mannering]

Although I am pleased to read that I am not alone, I am very sorry you have these symptoms. I too have had this feeling and recently it has been getting more frequent.

The reason I found this was because I typed 'fainting in sleep' into Google after my experience last night.  I am also petrified of going back to my so called slumber after one of the 'attacks'. In fact, for me, it can also happen in a dreamstate. Last night I was asking my wife to call an ambulance for me as I was collapsing to the ground.

That was the worst one to date.

My symptoms seem to be the same as yours "Even though I am asleep, I begin sensing that I am fainting and I think that I am dying. I wake up in a complete panic, my heart is pounding very rapidly and I am desperately fighting not to go �there�."

These could be heart attacks or minor strokes, or as harttohart puts it a neurological issue. Please take his advice (as I will now) and return to your doctor with a view of a  neurologist visit is necessary.

All the best.
xx

[mmaarrccii]

Hi!!!!

I have all the symptoms you have written down, the feeling of dieing and everything, I've had them during dreams, and during just falling asleep... I always scream to get out of them, and wake everybody up... and yesterday I came out of this state but then everything around mi was whirling around, and had the seance I was hallucinating... maybe I was having REM but I was conscious??? but why the death feeling, and why can I get out of it if I scream??? And when I had these I didn't really have a stressful life, so it's not because of that...
Can anyone help???
Has anyone tried to let the feeling go, and "die"???