Reaching out to anyone that has or had nocturnal anxiety attacks or has had them from PTSD. My meds have stopped the night terrors but I continue to wake up every morning from nocturnal panic attacks, trembling, sweating with high anxiety. Since they happen when I am asleep I feel helpless to control them. They are frustrating and start my day off with apprehension. Any suggestions or feedback is appreciated.
Nocturnal Anxiety Attacks?
- Asked
- 5 Feb 2016 by janiebme
- Updated
- 6 February 2016
- Topics
- post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, panic disorder, night terrors
Details:
Responses (1)
lady2882
6 Feb 2016
Hi janiebme
Yes I understand what you mean my meds stopped my night terrors as well but was still waking with anxiety in the morning. I do not know what you are taking and only can tell you what my psychiatrist gave me which is risperidone. It works on the night terrors and has stopped the waking up with anxiety. I take it at night because it does make me a bit sleepy but I do not wake with any anxiety or panic and any that develops over the day is completely manageable.
I think you should talk to your doctor and make sure your doctor is aware that you are still having these morning anxieties. There are meds and therapy that can help with this.
Do you have a therapist or support group you can talk to? I have just finished 18 months of steady intense therapy and that has also helped with anxiety and given me some coping skills when it does act up especially with my flashbacks.
I hope you can find some relief for your morning anxiety as I know it is not a good way to start your day.
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Hi lady-
Thank you for your response. I am currently on Amitriptyline 25 mg and Guanficine 1 mg. I take both at night. I take Buspar 10 mg 2 times a day for anxiety, it takes the edge off the anxiety. I have been avoiding any antipsychotic meds. Have a fear of taking any new meds. Have tried Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft, Effexor and Wellbutrin.Some of these meds made very sick and or feel like I was going to loose to mentally. The Wellbutrin worked in the past but now increases my anxiety too much. I was on Lexapro for a while it helped but made me very drowsy during the day and if I took it at night, kept me up, kind of crazy.
I went through intense therapy plus (EMDR) for my PTSD. Since the therapy I have not had any flashback. I was doing well for 2 years, then the PTSD came back in full force. I am back in therapy. I have not found a support group in my area, but have found support on this site from good people like you and others.
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I have a primary care doc and currently looking for a psychiatric doctor. My primary care doc wants me to try Lexapro again. I have the script but too afraid to start it. I am depressed and need better sleep.
May I ask what other meds you take?
I tried Cymbalta 60mg but it made me so depressed that I was suicidal and it really messed up my head. Then I tried Buspar for anxiety but it did nothing for me. Nexted I tried a low dose of Zoloft 10mg and although it did help with the anxiety it made me aggressive.
I take Divalproex Sodium 375mg 3 times a day due to what Cymbalta did to my head. I take Amitriptyline 75mg at night and Risperidone 0.5mg at night for my PTSD. It took a bit of gradually increasing the Amitriptyline to find a dose that helped me with the depression. It was frustrating with each increase of Amitriptyline waiting to find out if the dose was going to work enough but now that I am at 75mg it seems to be working without making me too sleepy in the daytime.
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The 25mg dose of Amitriptyline that you are taking is a very low dose and normally it is gradually increased like it was for me. The nice thing about the Risperidone is that it takes such a small amount and it lasts so long that I only have to take it once at bedtime and I am good to go for 22 hours. By the time it is wearing off I am safe at home. I will be gradually decreasing it soon to see if I still need it.
I do not know if any of that helps you but I do hope that you can see a psychiatrist soon as they have a much better understanding of how these meds work together than a primary care doctor does. I hope you find a good one like I did.
Take care of you
Nancy