Panic Attacks At Night

[sonickel77]

Greetings
I've been waking up in the middle of the night panicking for some years now. Lately it's getting worse. Even when drugged up on benzos I am still waking up at 3am panicking, muscles knotted to the point of agony, with splitting headaches. I don't remember any dreams or nightmares.
How do I get over this? Do I just increase the dosage and soldier on?

 

[dharmaBum]

Have you tried acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal medicinal treatments (from a licensed provider)? These treatments saved my life. I was getting devastatingly exhausted from night time distress. I did try trazadone briefly, melatonin, homeopathic sleep and stress aides.

I didn't get relief until I started working with an acupuncturist and licensed Chinese Medical doctor aggressively and directly on the night time issues. I even had take-home treatments of "earballs" stimulating special points for sleeping, anxiety, and tranquility. They were adhered to my skin and I would gently press them them for a few seconds before going to sleep.

Now (about 6 months major symptom free on night time troubles) I rarely see the acupuncturist and don't usually take any treatments, prescription, herbal, or otherwise to help sleep. Very occasionally I take a low dose of Ambien (doctor prescribed) I do still wake up a few hours early frequently and can't get back to sleep. My counselor notes that that is a symptom of depression...

 

[Tess_Durbeyfield]

I used to get woken up with terrible panic attacks in the middle of the night. Zoloft and Xanax kicked it right away. Hope it gets better for you.

 

[Michel]

I could use an answer to this one too - not exactly the same, but when I am extremely anxious, xanax won't stop me from waking in the middle of the night, sometimes I am up for the day at 3:00 or 4:00. Thanks, sonickel77, for asking.

 

[seraphimfelldown]

Something that helped more than the drugs is guided meditation before you go to bed. Get a cd with a voice to guide what you're doing or pretty relaxing music right before you go to sleep. I've also left favourite songs on repeat overnight just softly enough to hear so that my brain is still kinda connected to the outside.