Waking up in Terror/Panic attack

@sears, @krhpetaja1222, @scraggles5 and all...I've been having PTSD terrors and nightmares this year more terrific and frequently. Always waking me up in the early morning, usually 3-5 a.m., in full-blown fear, running in terror, fighting, crawling in a swamp with ??? and such...It's horrid. When they began getting this bad months ago, I finally mentioned it to my psychiatrist. So glad! He prescribed 1mg of Prazosin, a blood pressure medication that is used off-label for PTSD nightmares. Then, after I had some improvement, he prescribed 2 mg and the nightmares almost stopped. They lessened in severity and frequency.

I take Metoprolol for BP control so had to coordinate with that medication to keep my BP from dropping too much. While in the hospital a couple of weeks ago, my BP did drop, so he put me back to 1mg and I ck 'd my BP and HR 2X nightly, recorded, and sent him the numbers via the Mayo portal.

Today, I'm going back to 2 mg since the nightmares were increasing. Dropped taking the Metoprolol for now, but sending him BP/HR numbers daily for a few days. I love this doc. He's on top of the latest and listens/hears what I say.

When I mentioned the tremors that now come every morning with the dreams, and sometimes stay with me for days, we discussed the need to do this med change gradually, see how it goes, then we will see if we can get off Xanax and/or Cymbalta, which I absolutely love. Cymbalta has helped me so much with fibromyalgia and neuropathy. But, his thinking is we remove or change one thing at a time. See how it goes, then another change. If it doesn't work well, back on it. This we do over months and gradually with a lot of care and thought. I'm off all the heavy pain meds I was on for years. He did that for me.

So, perhaps the Xanax or Cymbalta contribute to the tremors or perhaps it's Parkinson's raising its head. We'll see as we go. I'm so blessed to have this doctor who is gifted and helping me more than anyone in my entire life. Thank you, God and Mayo, for this knowledgeable, kind man who's really helping me address issues swept under the rug for all years past.

I'm 75 and getting help. Be careful to very gradually reduce your meds, very gradually. With doc oversight and a positive outlook expecting good things. My life quality is greatly improved. May you have the same blessings as you go through this journey of terror and panic. There is real hope.
Elizabeth

Do your rushes go through your stomach? When I wake up already into an attack and if I’m able to go back to sleep I get a rush that jolts me and won’t let me go back to sleep. Is that the same for you?

I'm sorry you're dealing with this.
I still am. The adrenaline waves wash over my whole body. I doze off and it happens again until I just give up and get out of bed. Have started on propanolol which does nothing except make me feel spacey during the day.

Life is on Pain-Pleasure Spectrum.
Pain and pleasure are bound together. That means if I've too much pain then BEFORE I look for External (medications, therapies, scans...) I need to WHAT could be missing from from my daily life Pleasures.

Yes I did have an anxiety attack a while ago when I woke up because I could,t breathe. A few seconds latter I threw up some phlegm and started breathing. Saw doctor, who said Anxiety Attack! Me, anxiety No Way! I said, I'm Retired!
Suggested some meds if I Really am scared of losing breath, And CBT help. I said CBT I can do myself, we ALL can do Conitive Beavioral Work. She said, it's not always possible. I said I'll do Myself First. We thought what's STRESSING me was the realization that my four fulltime years of writing a book seems Doomed as No Agent showed interest. I had to accept that in Life sometimes years of work can yield not what u wanted. But I gained a lot of understanding about Living LIFE WELL.

What helps me i believe Wholesome-and-Deicious Plant based Food, Enough Physical but Playful (and Mental) Exertion, using time for what I still believe is Most Important -- Meaningful -- if I died Next Week or in a Year. And most importantly, still looking for a few Friends to laugh and talk on tough questions on life.

My body gets cold water First after getting up. Thank goodness, No Meds, Tests, surgeries, (avoided Colon screening even when reminded repeatedly) I think the More we rely outside-of-ourselves Resources, the Less we become to rely on What-We-Can-Do Ourselves.

Good luck friends.

Maybe try burning a candle. Keep
The room dark. Turning lights on diffuses the intensity of the candle light. Focus all your attention on the candle. Let the candle burn up
your bad dreams and terror. It may take time to transfer your fears and pain away from yourself. Drugs may actually interfere. Have candle in safe and secure holder away from flammables.

My therapist says this is common. Have something to eat such as biscuits to eat immediately and a drink.

I have the exact syndrome and so far I am able to have refills. As I read, we have had extreme stress, trauma or a post traumatic disorder in our past. These attacks occur after waking up in the morning, every morning and after a nap during the day.
I’m in the midst of looking for a psychiatrist who will be able to analyze and continue my Klonopin and also an antidepressant that works with the Klonopin. If I do not have this Klonopin, I shake, shiver, have sweats snd am frozen wrapped in a blanket still shaking inside the whole day. This is persistent now for years. Doctors will not prescribe anything as they fear addition. I guess they look at us say —deal with it!

There could be a physiological response here. Our bodies tend to start producing cortisol & other catecholemines in the early AM hours in order to prepare us for waking. I have had some pretty bad morning anxiety at times, but not consistently. I would think that even a dream could increase these stress hormones, but so could other things like…low blood sugar, low oxygen, sleep apnea, & elevated carbon dioxide, peri menopause, thyroid conditions. The body sees these things as a stressor. I would get these things checked out. Next…I would keep your medication at bedside w/a bottle of water. Wish you the best.

Hi- I’m sorry you’re going through this, I am too. I have a long history of depression and anxiety, but the terror attacks are new. I wake blot upright at all hours. I was trying my klonopin for it, sometimes worked. My Dr just started me on prazosin about a month ago, it seems to help.
Hope you feel better, I’m thinking once I leave my toxic job I will cut way down on these.

Wrong Med for you. I went thru two horribly described anti psychotic rx’s in place of Klonopin and I was in bed for a week. Learn to be your own advocate gif yourself and please don’t judge what works gif others. It’s not addictive.