Anxiety adrenaline waves every AM waking me from sleep.

Thank goodness it was discovered. It seems these type things only get discovered accidentally.
Good luck to you. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks, I will let you know how things turn out; my cardiologist said I’m healthy enough for surgery, I was glad to hear that.

Hi Katie, this is all interesting...... Been having shaking spells again off and on for about a year ....... started out slow like wake up shaking somewhat , not lasting long in the mornings. Now they are coming more often, end up shake for about 2 hours or more........ then they gradually fade away. My lung cancer has flared up so now need treatment. So which dr. would I mention this too?????? I go to so many. I did have a eeg test done when the shakes first started but said nothing showed up. Any information would be appreciated.......

Similar ilc 6 years ago, wake up in distress every an 4am. On meds but they don’t work. Psyc tried me on 20 different meds. My oncologist was not supportive very clinical. Talked me out of chemo then said since I would take the radiation she would give me chemo.
Psyc said I have ocd. So the mornings are difficult. I’d like to on a trip, but worry. Right now trying to get the stomach ace under control then try to bring the stress down.
After my walk or swim I feel a bit better. Stage 1b, 13mm with one .99mm lymph node and 25 clear. Had dmx tried ect, tms, cbt dbt, tm, and I still have anxiety. At night , evening I’m much better. Good luck with your am anxiety, keep me posted. Love and Blessings

I started this thread almost three years ago, and it hasn't gone away.
I'm sure anxiety is involved, but it must be biological, too.
Therapist,psych, endocrinologist haven't helped. I've tried a pysch meds but useless.
I am also a cancer survivor, and that no doubt accounts for a special kind of existential anxiety.

I was given Clonazapam and Paxil for depression and anxiety disorder. Mornings are bad but I’m afraid to use more Clonazapam . I voluntarily cut back from a total of 4 mg to 2 as I feared the idea of the controlled substance. I do feel I am not being treated effectively for my illness and now feel a need to increase the Clonazapam again. Does anyone understand my fears?

I have same concern. I went for morning walk, come back feeling like I’m gonna die from stomachache but they said I’m in remission. I’m afraid it could give me thoughts of suicide, which I occasionally get but fight them. They put me on Luvox 300 and same as you clonapin it makes me sleepy so I am down to a 1/3 of .5mg pill so that’s about .015mg.
I just want to feel better.
I tried 20 different meds none helped. Been trying to go out more but very scared. Trying exposure therapy. Yesterday went out.
Are you on any other meds? Thanks

Are you sure you were on 2-4 mg of clonazepam (Klonopin)? That is a huge dose! The usual starting dose for clonazepam is 0.25 mg. twice a day.
Clonazepam is in a drug category called “benzodiazepines,” which includes Valium, Ativan, Xanax and many others. These drugs can be very helpful in the treatment of anxiety. Anxious people, IMHO, tend to be “control freaks” which is not necessarily a bad thing. Yes, benzodiazepines can be mildly addictive, but from what I’ve observed, anxious people find the dose that works for them (usually a low dose) and stay on that dose that helps them. Oddly, from a chemical standpoint, anxious people don’t seem to reach tolerance on benzos. Tolerance is where a person takes a given dose, but in a short time, the drug is no longer effective and the dosage must be increased in order to get the same effect. Tolerance develops quickly with narcotics (=opiates).
An anxious person might need to be on a “their” dose of a benzo for years. If it is a reasonable and effective dose, I don’t see that as a problem.
With the help of a psychiatrist, find the dose that completely relieves the anxiety. Stay on that dose for 3-4 months (or forever if you like). Then start to taper slowly w/ the help of your psychiatrist. With say, Ativan, an anti-anxiety dose might be 1 mg three times a day. Once you’ve taken that for 3-4 months, begin a slow taper (about 0.25 mg a month) until you reach the dose at which the anxiety recurs. Increase the dose by 0.25 mg. That is “your” dose and you can stay on it indefinitely. A great deal of paranoia has developed about benzodiazepines. It is true that IN COMBINATION with other drugs, respiratory depression can occur. Even death might occur but chances are that it is caused by an opiate that was prescribed with a benzo.
On their own, benzos are among the safest of drugs. It is extremely hard to overdose on them and most cause virtually no side effects.
If you have had cancer (or some other major traumatic event) and believe that you are anxious about a recurrence, find a dr. that will work with you on this. During crises, you may find yourself needing to go back up a milligram or two, but when the crisis abates, taper (w/ a dr.) yourself back down to the minimal dose that works for you.
Gabapentin and Lyrica are drugs that can also be used for some types of anxiety.
But some of the substitutions for benzos that I’ve seen cause more trouble than they are worth—far more trouble than sticking with a low dose benzo might.
Some have been prescribing atypical anti-psychotics for anxiety and sleep. These drugs can help, but they can also cause EPS (extrapyramidal symptoms) which are disconcerting muscle movements that can be treated with Cogentin quickly and easily. Less pleasant side effects are tardive dyskinesia, which are involuntary muscle movements—like tapping a finger, twisting a hand, facial grimaces and tongue protrusion. Akathisia, which is involuntary foot tapping, may also occur. These can be helped somewhat with propranolol. Tardive dyskinesia is permanent though. I think few patients are told about the risks of using these drugs for any length of time, even as they are being excessively cautioned about benzos.
If you are anxious and/or depressed, individual psychotherapy can help. Group therapy and support can also be very helpful especially if you are taking the appropriate medication.

katiedid
I’m wondering if you had surgery and how you’re doing.

I had a scan (mri) of the abdomen back on 4/26, and I have to have another one of the pelvis, which takes 30 minutes. Since I didn’t hear anything as far as findings are concerned with regard to the first scan, I have to presume that this tumor is not on either of my adrenals, or anywhere else in my abdomen, or that, possibly , the gadolinium contrast just failed to demonstrate, and that would mean I might have to have a more sensitive test, like an MIBG scan. My BP is great, but these “Pheo” spells occur randomly, and they cause these “feelings of doom”, where I can wake up suddenly and experience a sense of doom. These bother me worse than the BP issues, so I have to get to the bottom of this, because it is seriously affecting my quality of life. Thank you for reaching out to me, I appreciate it.