I have been trying to get a diagnosis for a very severe sleep problem I have had for years. I am 49 and finally went to a neurologist . Was always told by GP's that it was nerves. I wanted to explain to the sleep specialist/neuro what exactly I do when falling asleep but he gave me a fast touch your nose with your finger exam and didn't really care much what my symptoms were. He said lets get a eeg and then a sleep study and we'll find out. Well I had a very young kid for the tech who said he really wanted to be a cop do the test. It was freezing in the room but he said must keep it cold so I don't sweat and electrodes fall off. In the short time I did sleep he said he has on camera my arousals. He said "maybe you have sleep walking".

Went to neuro for results. He said no sleep apnea and heres some Klonopin and cymbalta. No explaination at all. He then said you have some type of parasomnyn. I said I know I do not sleepwalk so Dr. maybe nocturnal panic attacks. He said no because you have it all night. I had to pull words out of him. I said is it possible that it is nocturnal seizures. he said no because your awake eeg was normal and seizures last much longer . So I walked out to the car and started to cry. I did not take the klonopin because I do not want to take a medication when I don't even know what I'm taking it for. I called him back 2 weeks later because I was getting no sleep. He was nasty on the phone and said I don't know what you have but I told you to take the klonopin. You do not have sleep apnea and I cannot make something up. I thought the whole idea is to at least try to tell me why I'm taking the klonopin.

I fall asleep okay and then within about 20 minutes I jolt up, feel it coming on, grasp all the covers tight so I don't fly out of bed and everything starts tensing in my muscles. Then I let out a big exhale and it's over till another couple of minutes and it starts again. Over and over all night long. I don't know if Im tensing my legs and arms on purpose so I don't end up on the floor or it's involuntary. I also sometimes kick the furniture. I am aware of whats going on. the feeling usually starts in my stomachlike a tension and then it all comes on me.

I looked up nocturnal panic attacks and it mostly said it happens once a night. I have this over and over and over all night long. Should I see another neuro. It seems that the sleep study was only geared to check sleep apnea and he never even considered seizures. Thank you all for any advice.
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