omg the worst feeling ever!!! woken up from a sound sleep and....

I was fast asleep and woke up ..the very first feeling when I opened my eyes was "Wow It's super hot in here"..I was sweating like crazy on my head/face

in that instant my legs began squirming a little, I didnt think anything of it. I rolled over to get up and turn the fan on..then I realized It was on and blowing right on me..all in the same instant I got this feeling like I couldnt sit still...I literally wanted to jump outta my skin/yell/kick/thrash around  all in one.  it's so hard to describe..I couldnt have laid still If you gave me a million dollars and told me to lay still and I could keep it.  It was THAT BAD.  

 

Then I felt very claustorphobic and almost like I was smothering.  at this time I was up, and walking down the hallway.  I went out side to grab a cig.

 

So here I am on my back deck smoking a cig at 12:15am.. the neighboorhood dead quiet, my mind is FREAKING out.  I still cant be still..I still have the smothering/clasutorphobic  feeling. So I begin to walk laps around the pool.  A 36 year old man walking laps on his backyard at midnite! WTH...

At this time My tinnitus began to SCREAM and I was sweating again.  So I hurried inside , frantically searching through the freezer for an ice pack.  I sat in the chair and wiped the ice pack all over my face/neck/chest  trying to cool off...I then put it under my armpit (I read that will help a panic attack).

 

At this time, it hit me again, I CANT SIT STILL...so back outside I go this time with an ice pack under my arm.  I am walking around in the grass because the grass feels cool on my feet.  I sit down on the deck after a few more minutes.  I start to calm down...I start to notice HOW COLD the ice pack is under my arm, but it still feels good.  Heart is still racing.

 

So I come in and here I am...

 

There as a lot more to it, but this is the general description of what it felt like.

 

Words just cant convey the sense of dread/panic/fear/uncomfortableness that was present during this.  This attack lasted, roughly 20 minutes.

 

Does this sounds like anyone else's panic attacks?   the smothering/claustrophobic/ cant be still feeling gets me EVERYTIME!!!

 

the whole time my breathing was FAST, heart rate was FAST, and mid was racing.

It caught me sooo off-guard because I was dead asleep, and woke up to this.  I was thinking the panic attacks were going away because after a really bad 2 or 3 weeks with back to back ones I hadn't had one in a week or two.

Yeah that was classic panic attack for me.

 

Happened late at night...just like you. All the sx, just as you described. The sweat was rolling down my face and my clothes were all wet. My youngest sister had to walk with me...so here I am at about 1 in the morning, walking up and down the street trying to stay calm. Couldn't catch my breath. GI was out of wack. Another sister brought out some neocitran...said it would help. My stomach did a high dive, my heart was pumping like crazy, and I was ready to race down the street. It was horrible. The next day was even worse...couldn't sit still for the life of me. I was trying to read and I would just jump out of the chair...ready to run. The smallest noise would put me into fight or flight mode...always on high alert. Not fun.

Mark, me too. Awoke at 1:45 am. Arms burning, anxious, agitated. Had to get up. Have a big day coming but am thinking now I'm going to be a no-show. I'm just too sick.

Mark, I've woke up drenched in sweat and in full panic a lot of times, but not lately. I think that was when I was bouncing my Xanax doses all over the place. I have heard benzos get your hormones out of whack (that's not just females, lol)...and hormone up and downs will make you sweat.

 

I see you just became benzo free at the beginning of June. Yay! That's great.

 

Do you think that your glands are now trying to adjust and reach homostasis? Maybe that is it? I'm really sorry for what you're going through, it's really hard to feel like that. Sometimes when I've had attacks like that I try to concentrate/focus really hard on something to preoccupy my mind to ease it. I hope that helps you too. It's not easy to get your sleep disturbed either. Have you asked your doctor to do blood tests to see if your thyroid and adrenal functions are in normal range?

 

Just some thoughts because I'm not sleeping either right now.

thank you guys!! you guys are awesome, responding so fast at this hour!! I sooo appreciate it

Im starting to feel tired and worn out again now..so Im gonna try the sleep thing again...but wow that SUCKED.

 

Nicolette. I have my thyroid levels checked every 6 months when I get my check up. They found a nodule on it about 2 years ago, and have since kept a close eye on it.  I started having these attacks about 4 or 5 days after I jumped. I never had them at all before that.  how about you? did you have them before benzos?

 

Yram- I'm sooo sorry you are dealing with it tonight also. Its horrible isn't it.  I found the ice pack under the arm did help bring me down. If it is still going strong for you, try it!  keep it there for a good 5 or 10 mins...switch sides if it gets too cold. we WILL get through this. We WILL

 

Travuz-  Thanks man. did you have them before benzo's  or only since you began tapering?

Mark, this has only happened to me since getting off. It's the stage doctors don't seem to think exists.

The stage the doctors don't seem to acknowledge---yep. I have had panic attacks before benzos and high anxiety.  When I read that you all have not had them at all before jumping, it helps me- after three yrs on benzos, ups and downs, tries to get off etc- I can no longer remember my baseline- but what Im feeling as I get really low seems worse than before.

The good thing is that if you didnt experience this before, then at some point you will heal and no longer be dealing with this.

I experienced this when getting off alcohol, after having been a very heavy daily drinker, but it only happened during the acute withdrawal phase in my case.