I am a 50 year old women. When I was a child I would have frequent awakening where my mom said I would jump up and gasp. I went to an neuro recently and had a sleep study done. My husband says I jump up like I have been stabbed and my body stiffens. I know this is happening. I sleep on the couch now because I have fallen or somehow fell on the floor and hurt myself. The feeling starts in my stomach and it clenches and then my body stiffens . It lasts a couple of seconds and I go back to sleep for maybe 10 minutes and it starts all over, all night long. The neuro was not so helpful because sleep study showed NO Apnea but I had 96 arousals in less then 2 hours. I asked neuro if it could be nocturnal panic attacks and he said he does not know what I have but gave me Klonopin. My husband gave me xanax one night and it did nothing so I never took the klonopin.
I have an appt. with another neuro .
During the day I have "episodes". I could be sitting talking with my kids and get "the feeling". It starts in my stomach again like a clenching maybe. My heart beats faster and I feel very, very spacy. I would not be able to walk a straight line and get clumsy. I can talk but I know I'm trying very hard to sound normal. I just want to stare or go in a room and hide until it passes. My mom who is in her 70's always notices and asks me if I am okay when I get this. She says my eyes look funny and I get very quite. Does this have anything to do with the night time episodes? Is it all anxiety?
I have gotten panic attacks before. Like when my son just started driving and I heard sirens down the block. My heart started racing, I ran to drink water, I was sweating and shaking and couldn't sit still if I tried. Xanax always helped . But these "episodes" I just become very still and want to sit and not talk or move.
I just want this new neuro to listen so I feel confident that it's all anxiety and not some form of seizures. Thank you