Anxiety Attacks and Weird Feeling

[She Cat]

I have very few symptoms anymore, and sleep hasn't been an issue for awhile. Things have been going relatively well, until about the past month.

I am still sleeping but it's a broken sleep with anxiety attacks waking me up. Well actually it's this weird feeling in my stomach that actually wakes me up. Hard to explain this. Years ago when I had this I was told by a Dr that it is part of anxiety and it's the stomach muscles contracting and releasing that is causing this weird sensation.

The only way I can describe the sensation is from my own experience. It's like the feeling of falling from a great height, or being on a roller coaster. Like your stomach just fell out. This is happening now at least 20 times a night, plus the night sweats from menopause...OH JOY!!!!! Sleep is just too broken to feel like I am getting enough sleep.

So my question after this lengthy post...LOL!!! Am I the only one that has this ????

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

[pandora]

I have had this...kind of like you feel like you are falling when you wake up or feel like you want to crawl our of your skin. I also have IBS so this makes my stomach feel not well at all......can't say I have the menopause symptoms...LOL...SORRY! ha ha.....I am sure my time will soon come. I don't know if this is the same but similiar.....I haven't had more than 3 hours without waking up in longer than I can remember and that is with meds. Take Care.

[nathan]

i actually have the opposite problem. i have that gut wrenching, about to go over the first free fall of the worlds tallest roller coaster, sensation all day while im awake. sleep is usually my only refuge, but even then i have anxiety, its just alot less. lately though its been getting alot better. i hope you feel better soon.

take care,
nate

[She Cat]

Thanks guys for the input. You both seem to understand and have the same. Just started about a month ago. The last time I went through this was over 20 yrs ago, and my anxiety was out of control back then.. I hope this isn't a warning of more to come....

Thanks

[pandora]

I hope for your sake it doesn't stay that long!!!!! What did you do to stop it 20 years ago....can you do that again?

[grace5555]

She Cat - I have that same exact feeling in the pit of my stomach. My T calls it terror as it is what happened when I heard him coming. That is one of the main reasons I can only doze, not really sleep and I come out of that dozing state with my stomach dropping. Yep - I do understand it and I haven't had any luck stopping or preventing it and it always starts a whole new round of PTSD hell. But hey - maybe someday there will be a cure for us, huh?

Grace

[She Cat]

What stopped it 20 years ago????? Well, I had the feeling for several years. At the time I was a basket case. Could barely function, attempted suicide several times, was hospitalized twice,on massive meds, and in therapy. I really felt like a crazy person that was out of control, and I had no diagnosis. I never told anyone what I had gone through as a child.

I guess I would have to say that just getting myself back into control, and lowering anxiety levels worked to stop it.

Slept better last night so I am hopeful that it will just go away. LOL!!!!!

Grace...Yup that's the feeling. It's awful, and I do hope it isn't going to start a new round of PTSD symptoms for me. UGH!!!!!

[vera]

it used to be my first feeling in the morning. now it's gone... it only happens during stressful periods. i'm sorry you're feeling it, it's awful.

[pandora]

So.......try to get back to feeling somewhat in control and keep your anxiety levels down. I know.....easier said than done.

I wish I could wave a magic wand and make all the hurt that we have all experienced and make it go away.........if only it were that easy. Again, I am sorry you are having such a terrible time. I'll be thinking about you....and I will say a little prayer.

[Snowshine2020]

I've had problems with anxiety for years. Always wake up with that feeling in the pit of my stomach and have rushes of it during the day.

I went to a hypnotherapist (because I was trying not to go on meds) and he gave me a helpful system that uses the acronym A.W.A.R.E.
A = Accept the anxiety; just go with the feeling. don't try to run away by watching TV or eating. It works for me just letting it flow out of my stomach and through my body.
W = Watch the anxiety. Observe it characterizing it as good or bad, just as a sensation.
A = Act normal. Try to keep doing what you were doing, breathe normally. If you're in an uncomfortable situation, stay in the situation and don't run from so you can start desensitizing yourself. (This step doesn't apply to me - my anxiety just comes on, even if I'm home on the computer.)
R = Repeat the above steps and keep going til your anxiety decreases.
E = Expect the best. What you're anxious about may not happen.

I hope this works for you. It does for me, although it usually takes me a few minutes to remember to just let the sensation flow!

[She Cat]

Snow,

Thanks....I had forgotten that my T had actually taught me that.....Thanks for bringing it up again.....

[baileysemt]

Oh, hello, menopause!!!

She Cat, I don't have menopause myself, but I am very sensitive to hormonal fluctuations (throughout my cycle) and I also remember quite clearly when my Mom went through menopause... the hormone changes are notorious for triggering flare-ups on ongoing medical conditions, and literally making you feel like you are going crazy. I remember my Mom saying that she literally felt like a stranger, her body and her mind were NOT hers... she felt like she was someone else.

Menopause sucks. Get yourself a good book or two on it... I think it will help to explain, and validate, much of what you are feeling and why. (And there will be suggested coping strategies, too)

I am so glad that you are reaching out and talking about your symptoms. Whether they are triggered by menopause or not, it is so reassuring to hear of other gals who are struggling to juggle this odd and constantly changing armful of PTSD + hormones!!

:) Bailey

[She Cat]

Hi Bailey,

Although I am actually post menopausal, I do agree that menopause screws with everything and flairs up the PTSD. 3 yrs ago I was a crazy woman. Ok, so probably just crazier than normal.!!!!! It was bad. I still have hot flashes, night sweats, and some mood swings. The mood swings are hard to tell if PTSD related, or menopause.

I just love being a woman at times..NOT!!!!!! They can take this menopause and plant it where the sun don't shine as far as I am concerned!!!!!

[She Cat]

Saw my Dr today and explained the weird feelings to her. They have intensifyed to the point that they are almost painful. I only have them at night while I am sleeping, and they wake me up. So now I have to time them with a watch, and take my pulse during them. EVERY TIME I have them for the next week.

Great I have broken sleep as it is, and now I get to turn on lights, time the stupid things, and take my pulse.

Seems as though there is a very rare disorder of the Adrenal glands that they get screwed up and put out huge burst of adrenaline....Couldn't pronounce or spell it if I wanted to. But this is the first step to finding out what is causing this to happen.

So that's my update on my weird feelings......

[Don]

Saw my Dr today ............ So now I have to time them with a watch, and take my pulse during them. EVERY TIME I have them for the next week.

Great I have broken sleep as it is, and now I get to turn on lights, time the stupid things, and take my pulse.
Do you have some red cellophane? (hobby shops may stock this) Or perhaps might find some broken plastic brake light cover?

White light interrupts our sleep mode, but with some luck, red tinted light if it's not really bright may not.

Using a flashlight covered with red plastic, just might be a way for you to observe your watch while taking your pulse, record the result, then fall back to sleep without becoming thoroughly awake.

Don

ps. It's a tip I picked up when dealing with anxiety related sleep issues and needed a way of jotting down what I was thinking about so I could go back to sleep.

[anthony]

Excellent advice Don.... love to read level headed approaches, commonsense type stuff.... most would not know about red light unless military or the like, being it is harder to see from the naked eye, much less distracting, etc. Really excellent point... never though about that one myself.

[She Cat]

Thanks for the tip with the cellophane. I actually found a low light flashlight and will try that tonight.

[veiled]

Hee hee, I used red lights on my chickens so they did not act wonky as babes... Sorry to be silly at you Wendy but figured it would make you smile.

I know exactly what you speak of. I thought I was such a "special nut" for a while since that panic could wake me too but not many felt it. It has been a while but it happens still. I think from what I know maybe your rounds with docs and being unwell may be pulling you back to old symptoms (being sick can do it). And as pointed out and you saying "oh yeah", you are forgetting some basics you were taught and boy can I relate! We do get so used to exercising it we forget to once we feel well.

I know I have it happen now when awake lately as I do a lot of exposure now. I will be sitting calm and it is more like someone physically hit me suddenly right between the breasts but a couple inches lower. My heart jumps/skips. I loose my wind. Rooms spins. The "drop" is not as prominent but it seems to have morphed into this. But before it was much like you described.

I think snow gave great advice as you already know how to do these things they described. You just have to go back to them, hope you feel better soon.

[She Cat]

Veiled,

I honestly feel that it is nothing more than anxiety too. It's just weird that I don't have it during the day, just while sleeping. Even funnier....I got everything set up last night befor bed. Paper, pen, flashlight, watch.. Went to sleep and had minor ones all night. Couldn't even time them, they were over befor I could turn the flashlight on. NOT one of the intense ones that have me rolling into fetal position to sooth my tummy.

Also she had to put my on Detrol LA yesterday. Seems as though since I had the UTI 2 weeks ago.....My bladder has been working overtime. Found myself in the potty room more than I was out of it. God I just love getting old....NOT, NO WAY!!!!!!!!!

[fluffybunny]

Hi I am a new member - have struggled with anxiety for years. Currently am feeling hellish (I have ME plus early menopause) - the biggest problem though is needing to
eat all the time. Why I mention it here is it starts with this awful feeing in the pit of my stomach and develops into the shakes, severe agitation, feeling faint and I have
this desperate urge to eat. I thought it was low blood sugar but clinically it is not showing up low, but sugar does restore the desperate feeling. However I wonder if it
is severe anxiety all along? Any ideas? I am truly struggling to survive.