[neutrino]

I've had a whole lot of trouble with my sleep lately. About two months ago, I had an episode of insomnia that rendered me unable to sleep for 68 hours. Ended up at the emergency room where they gave me some medication and I'm now taking medication to be able to sleep. Anyway, I was so sleep deprived that I hallucinated for several hours. Some of those hallucinations (patterns moving quickly and changing into other patterns) still show up when I've got my eyes closed and I'm about to drift off to sleep.

The patterns scare me. However, they are not the things I'm the most afraid of when going to bed. What's making me afraid is this new weird fear of my heart stopping. You see, right when I'm about to fall asleep, it feels like I either stop breathing or my heart stops beating, which then gives me a surge of anxiety and I jolt awake. Sometimes that's followed by a panic attack where I'm afraid of dying.

I'm tired but I'm afraid of going to bed. My sleeping pills haven't really helped that much the past couple of days but I don't know if that's because I just started with SSRI treatment (Sertraline) a couple of days ago or because I'm just too afraid to sleep.

I did manage to sleep a decent amount of hours last night but it took a long time to fall asleep and I woke up at 3:30am (and the day before that I woke up at 12:30am) unable to go back to sleep after that. It's almost 9pm right now and I'm getting more and more worried about going to bed. I'm really anxious right now. I don't want to die.

Any advice? Can anyone relate to what I'm feeling? I feel like I'm all alone in this.

[LucyG]

I'm sorry you're going through this.

Do you have or have you had heart issues in the past?

I suspect you have some sort of strange sleep disorder causing this. I just googled 'sleep disorder, heart feels like it stops beating' and came up with a bunch of forum discussions and the like on the subject so whatever you're got, you're not alone. Here's a link to that google page:

https://www.google.com/search?as_q=s...pe=&as_rights=

I have a crazy sleep disorder where I start flopping and twitching as I doze off, or when I get really sleepy. I know it has something to do with low magnesium so I am very diligent to make sure I get enough, but it also seems to be triggered by stress. I've had this for years now, and it has made my life very stressful as it's kept me up all night at times so I feel for you.

[childofchaos831]

I wonder if maybe there is something medical going on, as well... I have sleep apnea, and that jolting awake feeling resonates with me. Could you ask your doctor about maybe doing a sleep study? Even if it's not sleep apnea, they have you hooked to an EEG, so they might find something in your brain waves right before you fall asleep or while you are asleep that could give an answer...

Good luck.

[neutrino]

Sometimes I worry about sleep apnea but the feeling of my heart stopping or whatever has started the past few days. I've been doing very bad lately (depression and anxiety) and I hope it's "just" my anxiety acting up. But I'm scared. I'm really scared. On the verge of panicking right now.

[neutrino]

Also, I'm not in bed right now but (sitting in the sofa watching tv series) but I'm having similar fears and "sensations" now too.

[childofchaos831]

I hope it gets better and you can start to relax...

[*Laurie*]

I am not a medical professional, but from the experience I've had with anxiety disorders, what you've described sounds typical of panic or anxiety.

[neutrino]

Originally Posted by LauraBeth

I am not a medical professional, but from the experience I've had with anxiety disorders, what you've described sounds typical of panic or anxiety.

That would be my guess too. The anxiety/fear of dying and the whole I-feel-like-I-stopped-breathing thing get worse as the night progresses. However, my brain keeps telling me that it's not "just" anxiety but that there's something wrong with me and that I'm going to die. Right now I'm so anxious about it that I haven't taken my sleeping pills because that means I have to go to sleep, which might kill me (according to my brain).

I kind of feel like this might be caused by the Sertraline (I've been on them for 4 days). I don't know for sure though but I don't really recognise the way I feel. I don't really recognise this anxiety. I'm a very anxious person but this is different somehow.

[handheart]

Well if you feel afraind that your heart will stop or your breathing stop you give these instructions to your subconstient mind and subconstient its your body .Befor you sleep speak to your subconstient and say .I am free of this problems i am totaly normal halt and i dont have any problems .I sleep easy as a baby and i am perfect .You must do this everyday

[Misssy2]

neurt....I was on an SSRI and had the same problem
Then I had the same problem when I was withdrawing from the SSRI.

I have been suffering with this problem for the last year..and the last 2 months I have suffered like you..up at all the wee hours...and for me I remain wide awake all day...and extremely agitated...

SO..now I'm not on any SSRI....and the last couple of weeks. I have been taking Magnesium Citrate..very relaxing (I take this during the day).

I also have been taking Melatonin at night and a gummy bear Melatonin that has Chaomile, Lemon Extract, Passion Flower and L-theanine.

I have actually been sleeping a couple of hours longer..and BETTER.
I also thought NOTHING in the world was going to work for me..and it has been.
The name brand of the sleep gummies is "OLLY".

I was willing to try anything.
Maybe you will want to try this?
Melatonin 5mg..and a Melatonin gummy.

[Leyla]

i would talk to your doctor about the SSRI instead of helping it could make the anxiety worse... as for sleeping, try listening to some relaxing music before bed to calm your mind and your body.

also misssy said is good too... natural stuff like a to help you sleep at night.

good luck insomnia sucks !!

[eliz214]

I'm so sorry you're going through this! Sleep is super important and it's the worst thing when you're unable to get a restful night. I had a similar problem with sleep when I had constant panic for 3 weeks. SSRIs are usually good for anxiety so hopefully that will help after they start taking effect. Good luck!

[pvols1979]

Originally Posted by neutrino

I've had a whole lot of trouble with my sleep lately. About two months ago, I had an episode of insomnia that rendered me unable to sleep for 68 hours. Ended up at the emergency room where they gave me some medication and I'm now taking medication to be able to sleep. Anyway, I was so sleep deprived that I hallucinated for several hours. Some of those hallucinations (patterns moving quickly and changing into other patterns) still show up when I've got my eyes closed and I'm about to drift off to sleep.

The patterns scare me. However, they are not the things I'm the most afraid of when going to bed. What's making me afraid is this new weird fear of my heart stopping. You see, right when I'm about to fall asleep, it feels like I either stop breathing or my heart stops beating, which then gives me a surge of anxiety and I jolt awake. Sometimes that's followed by a panic attack where I'm afraid of dying.

I'm tired but I'm afraid of going to bed. My sleeping pills haven't really helped that much the past couple of days but I don't know if that's because I just started with SSRI treatment (Sertraline) a couple of days ago or because I'm just too afraid to sleep.

I did manage to sleep a decent amount of hours last night but it took a long time to fall asleep and I woke up at 3:30am (and the day before that I woke up at 12:30am) unable to go back to sleep after that. It's almost 9pm right now and I'm getting more and more worried about going to bed. I'm really anxious right now. I don't want to die.

Any advice? Can anyone relate to what I'm feeling? I feel like I'm all alone in this.

I have the same or a similar feeling when falling asleep some nights. Now, I do have sleep apnea, but this happens even when falling asleep on my CPAP machine. It has become really scary. I am afraid I might be having central apneas which I think can be caused by major medical issues, but also I think from anxiety.