Does anyone else get jolted awake daily by a panic attack. this has been going on for several months. I wake up with a jerk like someone kicked me. I immediately experience anxiety, hot sweats, pins and needles in my arms and chest and shortness of breath. I've tried deep breathing and relaxation techniques but the only thing that seems to help is 1/2 ativan as soon as I wake up. This happens at 7 am every day and I don't feel like myself until at least noon and sometimes later. I'm finally "normal "in the evening and them it starts all over the next morning. I dread mornings. I have had random anxiety atttacks for the the past 3 years since peri hit, but this is awful. I get depressed every evening thinking about going to bed because I know whats coming the next morning. I know it's hormones and has to pass, but sometimes I feel like I can't stand one more day. thanks for listening, sometimes I feel so alone my friends seem to be sailing through menopause and each day is a struggle for me.

I get the morning jolt if my estrogen is down. I use bio's and if I do not use enough cream or I am about to start my period. I wake up in a panic after the lightning bolt hits me.... I can so relate. In my case I stay panicky if my hormones are off....


Hugs Kim
You are totally like the rest of us... Normal for peri!

Magnesium helps me,take 500mg at bedtime,and another 500mg at waking-keep them by the bed and when you wake up take them.Hope it helps.GOD-bless

Hi,
I have the same problem, but in reverse. My attacks hit at night as soon as I close my eyes. I get so anxious and nervous that I can't sleep. You're right - it is awful. I wish I had a solution, but the only thing I can offer is this: You are not alone! Hope you feel better soon.

Oh my God lulu, its as if I couldve written your post myself is its also driving me crazy. I am only 39 and my hormone bloodwork and all other tests cam back normal, but every morning, I was waking up out of my sleep in a panic with extreme pins and needles in my arms and legs. Then the rest of the day, I would have subtle tingling in my left foot and right arm. On the days when it wasnt waking me in a panic, I would wake up normally and when I tried to fall back asleep, it would start with the tingling/burning in my arms/legs. What we really are similar in is that as the day goes on, I feel almost like my old self, only to go to sleep dreading it and waking up the same way. I started on Lexapro b/c I have read a ton of people with anxiety with tingling extremities, and am on it almost two months (not counting the weaning up slowly that I did), and it was helping very slowly, but then last week I get my period and the adrenaline surge started again the whole week and hasnt stopped. If I take Xanax it helps, but thats why I went on the AD, I didnt want to take Xanax every day, whcih is addictive. So I just asked my dr if next month if I can start bcp hoping this will regulate me. He said it wont hurt. I am at a loss, but just wanted you to know that you are not alone and I have these symptoms and am on an AD. Thats what makes me feel hopeless b/c if the AD arent working, I dont want to live like this. But I am having faith in God that he cant want us to live like this.

And I am not even sure I am in peri yet! I dont know your age or your other symptoms, but it really stinks. I have to constantly brainwash myself to just let the tingles happen (like Dr. Claire Weekes says in her books) and that helps a little, but its a CONSTANT STRUGGLE.

Good luck and write me any time you want to vent and if anyone has the same experience or opinions or insight that may help, please post b/c we can sure use it. Thanks, Maria

I used to have this happen to me .. and occassionally still do... last night was the racing mind until 2am. Unfortunately for me I never knew what was wrong with me.. and now I barely get them,, back then I altered some of the things I was doing ,, ie. cut out diet coke ( I was drinking 4 - 7 a day ,,really bad habit),, reduced alchohol intake and started swimming/water aerobics 3 - 4 times a week ,, took vitamins, that seemed to really cut them down and I didnt even know what they were.. hope some of these suggestions help.

I have been having anxiety attacks in the middle of the night, but didn't realize that it was anxiety. I would wake up like I was drowning and had to gasp for air. I would then feel like my arms and legs were "falling asleep" I have also had muscle twitches, hot inside my body, burning in my arms, back, legs, stomach.... etc. I had myself convinced that I was dying of a disease. I have to assume the anxiety was brought on by the symptoms, not to mention I have Hypothyroidism and didn't know what the issue was. My doctor thinks it's peri and I started a AD last night and only slept for 2 hrs. Today, I feel like rain mans sister. Can someone please tell me this will get better as I go along on the AD??????

Any words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated!!! I have been dealing with this for only a few weeks and it came on all of a sudden out of the blue, so this couldn't be some disease, RIGHT?

I too have been going through this for the last 5 months, the doctor I saw didn't even think of menopause he went straight to the scary stuff, heart, liver, brain etc. This is where it all started because I was feeling so bad and he had no idea. My daughter suffers from acute anxiety and she noticed the signs both mental and physical,like everyone it came out of the blue, I wake up every night the same time with pins and needles in the limbs, butterflys in the stomach etc. I feel like crying my eyes out when it happens as I have had enough.
I started taking Zoloft but my new dr said that I wont need them I have been on HRT for 1 month now and I am waiting to see the results.
I think we all need a big hug and a cry shame we cant do that online
Take Care

Christine, I am sorry youre going through that. It also happened fro me out of the blue, so dont feel bad. And im sure, like me, you would give anything to just feel "normal" again. But it was probably a build up that you didnt realize as stress can slowly accumulate over time. The AD's will definitely help, as they do so many others, but the problem is that you have to expect the start up period to be worse at first until you get through the side efefcts. If you go to remedyfind.com, there are so many reviews on the meds and everyone says their anxiety increases at first, but then it is so worth it. I am only telling you so you know what to expect and dont freak out if you feel yourself feeling a little worse before getting better. The other alternative is an anti anxiety med like xanax or valium, but it alone wont cure the root of the problem- it will only help the symptoms. That is why most drs give people an AD and let them take the xanax/valium during the start up period to offset some of the side effects. I am two months into it and really need a xanax today (I think b/c I just got over my period) but always try to fight it and that makes my anxiety worse. Good luck and write if you have more questions. Remember, God is with us all.

Take care, Maria

When I started having these I thought it was an allergic reaction to something I ate. My chiro seemed to think I had a wheat allergy so I kept a food diary for a number of months and I could see a correlation to my worst symptoms--msg was a big culprit too. So I stopped eating wheat and gluten..not easy but you get used to it. It has helped, but by no means is this peri thing an easy ride.