Night anxiety

[valleymist]

I find this a really weird situation, and I'm not sure if any of you
experience it or not. For the last year and a half, I've been waking up
every night with a sudden urge to v*

I'll just be sleeping normally, then I just jolt out of bed really quick with
this urge and I have a water bottle by my side that I drink from the
second I wake up with this, sometimes it will come back a few more times
before falling back asleep, in which case I will sit up and read until I
literally fall asleep while reading. It's become routine now.

It's almost like my own nightmare every single night, only I don't
remember any dream, I just wake up suddenly feeling this way. I get
anxiety after waking up from it because I'm afraid to actually get sick. I'm
guessing my subconcious is just thinking about it or something, I'm not
sure, but it's really strange. I suppose there is nothing I can do to stop it
from happening every night, but can anyone help me cope with it? I need
some way to stay more calm when it happens, especially because after a
year and half of this urge and not actually v* I should know it's not going
to happen, but I still freak out.

[trickyvicky]

Hey i used to get this all the time,jolt up in bed and feel so sick,get down stairs as my bathroom is downstairs and go straight in and brush my teeth,i used to find brushing my teeth took away not just the N* but my mind off how i felt.....this went on for yrs until i started these tabs i am on for aniexty and depression,since then i don't get them at all,actually i don't even wake up in the nite,i'm out solid as soon as my head hits the pillow...i used to get it aswell when i was dropping off to sleep . like someone had shocked me,and i'd get a urge,i'd pannic and have a coughing fit....trying to get my breath....i think its the sub-consiuous mind kicking in,even though our bodies are relaxed are brains are working overtime,and it sounds like V* is probably on your mind through the day quite a bit and of course that why u have got these sudden breaks in your sleep,as well as u have programmed your body to wake up ever nite...


Don't know if this helps..


take care vicky x

[samara's on tv]

That used to happen to me all the time when I was living with my parents. I would just get up and go downstairs and watch TV until the urge subsided. I don't know what caused it, I think it might have just been stress or anxiety. I haven't had the problem since I moved out...Knock On Wood...I don't know what to tell you. Maybe you should try some kind of sleeping pill or something that would knock you out through the whole night? I'm on trazadone (Taken when needed) maybe you should ask your doctor about that?


~Monica

[tcsarah]

I get this problem every so often, and I think I've discovered the cause. I've found it's when I'm fast asleep and for whatever reason saliva goes down my throat and makes me splutter and choke. This then wakes me up in a panic as I feel like I'm going to v*. It is a horrible feeling, my heart is always pounding so hard when it happens. Does this sound anything like you are experiencing?


Try altering how many pillow you rest your head on at night, see if that helps.


Tracey

[valleymist]

Everything you all said made sense. I'm just kind of relieved that I'm not the
only one with this night time problem.

Don't these medications for anxiety have annoying side effects though? I
would love to just get rid of this problem.

[crystalmom]

Some meds do have side effects, but only for a short time. They are my best friend.


I also had the night time problem, but it seems that it's better now. Maybe it was the meds. But, I do know my anxiety, if present, is always worse at night. I think it is b/c I feel the whole world is sleeping, and there is noone there to help me. Kinda funny really, since if I have a bad panic attack, I want to be alone anyway.


Talk to your doc, maybe meds might help alliviate your anxiety.


Crystal

[suzy.o]

I can wake up in the middle of the night with a swallowing prob, I cant control it and it panics me that I stay awake and put the telly on, by daybreak im so tired but wont go back to sleep cos I dare not go through it all again so im shattered.

[panik kills]

man that happened to me last night too.


i kept feeling a lump in my throat and it completely freaked me out.


i couldnt fall asleep fo 3 hours. i just try to find a wayto calm myself down. butis kinda sad that it takes freaking 3 hours to do so, but on the upside i found this forum from the sleepless night

[valleymist]

The only thing I find that helps me with this problem is gravol - only on my
really bad nights, because it takes care of the nausea and puts me to
sleep so I usually don't wake up with that strong urge to v*

I wouldn't say it's a lump in my throat or anything like that as I'm just
sleeping and it happens so suddenly. At first my doctor thought it had
something to do with my ear and balance (had an ear infection previously)
because it happened when I was laying down sleeping and he thought of a
few other things (not knowing I'm emetophobia.. I only learned about the
name recently) so now I've come to the conclusion myself, that it must be
because it's my worst fear and it's on my subconcious mind when I'm
sleeping.

[carri]

They say it takes 3 nights to make a habit and 3 nights to break one!!!


I'm not entirely convinced BUT...if you could just find a way to get 3 clear nights then maybe you would be free of that horrible experience! Whether you use medication or some other alternative it may change things.


I hope you do sort this out, because it sounds like a right pain in the neck!!


You need a break from that. GOOD LUCK!!! Go tosleep listening to some affirmations or relaxing music or words...have a nice bath with lavender just before bed! Or try some ginger ale to sip on. If the doctor is right then you could take a travel sick pill!!!


I will be thinking of you...hang in there!

[valleymist]

Thank you for your help

I had my first night without this feeling, only because I took gravol as I was
n* but still, it was a really nice sleep lol. I guess we'll see if I can do three
nights without the v* urge. I had a horrible dream about v*ing last night, but
even then I didn't wake up with that feeling.

It is a real pain to go through this every night as I'm sure most of you know.
It gets so frustrating because I am actually sleepy, and I CAN fall asleep, it's
just when I do, it happens.

[crystalmom]

Valleymist....whereabouts do you live in Canada?

[valleymist]

crystal mom, I live in Northern Ontario. You?

[crystalmom]

I'm in good 'ol Alberta. Yup, redneck country...lol! Though I'm pretty far from a redneck, although I LOVE steak!


Crystal

[valleymist]

lol I'm so envious of you! Two of my brothers live out there, one is an
appliance technician and he hired my other brother. (They live in
Edmonton). I hear the winters are so much more milder out there. My
brother always laughs at me when I tell him we have -40 degrees celcius
here on some days (with wind chill). It's crazy.

[sage]

Valley,


I think you're onto something with your subconscious mind thing. Now it's almost as if you've "trained your brain" to expect to wake up with this feeling. Because it makes you anxious, you're in a "feedback loop". Something needs to break the loop. Normally, self-talk [with the help of a therapist] would do the trick. Since you've never vomited YET when you wake up thinking you will, then obviously this feeling is NOT indicative of impending vomit.


You may also try what people with nightmares can do...tell themselves logically and calmly before going to sleep that they will NOT wake up feeling this way (NOT having a bad dream...) Sometimes this can have a reverse effect, and add to anxiety, however.


If the Gravol helps you sleep, you may try taking it every night for a week, even though you're not nauseous. Then take 3/4 for another week, then 1/2, then 1/4. After a month you should be ok without it. The side-effect is dehydration, so be sure to hydrate yourself. It is not addictive. (Just a sort of "self-help" idea)


Good luck!

[valleymist]

Thanks Sage, I will definitely try your ideas... anything to get rid of this
sleeping problem. About a year ago, I took gravol every night, and I just
loved how I slept so good, I almost couldn't get off it lol but when I did,
the feeling came back. I'm sure it will be different this time as now I'm
more aware and informed of this phobia, and I have all of you.

How can telling yourself that "I am not going to wake up feeling this
way.." have a reverse effect though? Just wondering.

Another thing I find helps is listening to harp music just before going to
sleep, with the headphones of course, so I don't wake up other people.
It's just I always end up strangling myself with the headphones after lol

But again, thanks, I will try them.