Every night I fall asleep pretty much very tired and wake up several times in the night. No problem. The last time I wake up which is around two AM I go back to sleep and then wake up just before morning, like around 4 or 5AM. I feel as if I've woke up in part of my deep sleep or dream cycle. I feel startled to be awake. I do this stretching thing automatically and my heart starts pounding. I feel as if my blood is being forced through my upper body really fast and my heart is going gang busters. Usually I lay there until this uncomfortable feeling passes and the heart returns to normal. THis AM I panicked and sat up, my heart began pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. It was just racing and pounding and of course, with the panic I then had chest pain I could feel right through my back. It was like a megaworkout! I tried walking around in that state and it just kept pounding and beating really fast. I thought I was gonna die. I had my husband hold me and rub me until I felt calmer and then went into the shakes. I get the shakes when I've panicked - afterwards. I just cannot figure out why this is happening and worry its gonna kill me.

My daughter told me some months ago when she was undergoing heart testing that waking up is the hardest thing your heart does. I think it set into my mind somewhere and created this fear or something. But this just started a few days ago. I am becoming afraid to go to sleep anymore for fear I will wake up like this. I take a bit of xanax before bed and I wonder if its wearing off and I wake up in panic the next time I go back to sleep. I dunno.

I hate the symptom of the month, day, week... I hate this phase. I hate going through it. Years ago I had something like this happen during a bad nerve spell. I would wake up too quickly and lay very still while my stomach went into a knot and began pounding. Next thing I knew I was running for the toidy where everything blew out in a big hurry. So you know, I am not waking up too hot or in the sweats as far as I know. Just waking up wierdly the last phase of the nights sleep. If anyone has had this experience, please let me know!!! After I get up and move around (if I don't panic) I feel fine or as fine as you feel in this part of your life.

((((FrozenTundra)))

We can all write about our experience of episodes like yours but if you're experiencing chest pain it's always advisable to get it checked out. I dont think anyone shoud be complacent about chest pain. I'm not saying you are, of course I'm not sure how long you've been taking Xanax and at what dose? If you're taking it on a regular basis, you could be having dependancy problems which could also explain your symptoms. Anyway, I wanted to stop by to give you some ((hugs)) and to say thank you for your wonderful contribution here at PS. I just love your posts.

Feel better very soon!

Have you taken your pulse when this happens? If your heart is really racing, you should call the doctor's office and see if they think you should come in. My guess is that they will want to check you out.

It sounds like you're waking with a panic attack. The strange thing about Xanax is that it calms people down to start out with, but if it's used for a long period of time it can actually cause panic attacks.

All this has to be sorted out with a doctor - I wouldn't put it in the "just another meno problem" category.

i'm with the other girls... get it checked out and be aggressive about the tests you want. don't let them just dismiss this without any testing. too many symptoms are put into the 'it's just stress or anxiety' category (and maybe that's all it is) without taking it seriously. i don't want to alarm you or get you worked up, but speaking from experience (right now, i've got a holter monitor on and scheduled for more testing next week after a quad bypass 8 weeks ago) sometimes those symptoms are not just hormones.

hugs,
gyz

Hi ladies

thanks for your loving concerns. I went right in per your advice to urgent care and was kept three hours because my blood pressure and pulse were so high. EKG - normal, heart enzymes - normal, thyroid - normal, all bloodwork, normal. They didn't even bother to redo the blood pressure just sent me home with a diazapam prescription. He says I am taking too small amount of xanax and it is wearing out by middle of the night and I force myself back to sleep tense, tossing and turning and wake up in a panic. He said I need fulltime nerve medication to calm my nervous system down and a stronger med at night to help me sleep in peace.

He said equivocally IT IS NOT YOUR HEART. HEART IS FINE.

Any other perspective here?

OOPS, meant unequivocally....


its been a megastress day. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR LOVING PRAYERS for this problem to quiclkly resolve and me to get a GRIP on my anxiety with HELP.

THANKS

well, there ya go... if you're ok with his diagnosis, then go with it. it very well may be hormones, but always good to get it checked out. you don't want to be sitting where i am right now... got a long road of recovery ahead of me from the damage and congestive heart failure.

just something for you to think about... if symptoms persist or new ones develop (mine began with a sore throat, another lady had painful THUMBS, was dismissed and shortly after, went into cardiac arrest) it might be worth your while seeing a cardiologist.

keep us posted and we do wish you well!!
gyz

Hi

did you wake up in the morning feeling ok but startled to be awake and then SUDDENLY move or stretch and have your heart start pounding? What were your symptoms that led to your diagnosis? I forgot to mention I also woke up three to four times BEFORE THAT every night without this happening. IT happened WHEN the xanax WORE OUT.

Hi

did you wake up in the morning feeling ok but startled to be awake and then SUDDENLY move or stretch and have your heart start pounding? What were your symptoms that led to your diagnosis? I forgot to mention I also woke up three to four times BEFORE THAT every night without this happening. IT happened WHEN the xanax WORE OUT.

Also, do you smoke or drink regularly? Did you have a history of heart issues prior? Did you have high anxiety throughout your entire life? How was your cholesterol level? What was your excercise regime like in your life? Do you have a family history of relatives with heart disease or problems? What sort of job did or do you do?

That should give you a slight clue Increase the Xanax for a few days and then go back to your original dose, see what happens. Glad you got checked out .....


(((hugs)))

Dear 'frozentundra'
Am so pleased that physically everything checked out well but emotionally I know it is very hard.
Our nervous systems are so delicately balanced that anything can throw us into anxiety or panic attack mode.
Last night ,after remembering some highly charged emotional moments that I have been through in my past.,I ended up in the bathroom with severe stomach pains plus the runs-sorry to be so graphic.
I knew it was my anxiety making my heart pound and my tummy rumble so I did take an extra dose of Xanax and everything calmed down.
As long as you and your Doctor are in full agreement then there is no reason to suffer.Many people need Meds. for a lifetime and that is ok. because you deserve peace and a life without constant tension.
So my perspective is that if something helps you to feel better and more in control of your life and emotions then so be it.
I have been on Prozac for many years and when I tried slow weaning it was awful.I stuck it out for about a year then I had to ask myself if I feel this bad maybe I should have stayed on my Med.The Psychiatrist agreed and so am back on the 20mgs.It took about another three months to feel right again .
Wish you all the Best,my friend
Warm Hugs
Elizabeth

Thought I would share some interesting quotes I found on another web forum - just might help anyone who has this problem I have been dealing with:

"Weird Adrenalin Rushes"


I'm brand new to this wonderful forum, and wondering if anyone can address this problem -- or rather symptoms.
Am in menopause and last period was about 15 mos. ago. Have decided to do this "cold turkey," so I'm not on HRT. For about the last 6 months, I will often awaken in the middle of the night with an "adrenalin rush" kind of feeling -- sort of like the feeling one might get standing at the top of the Empire State Building and looking over the edge. These are not anxiety attacks -- I had those many years ago with mitral valve prolapse and no longer have the anxiety attacks. This is different, and they only happen at night.

Am wondering if these adrenalin rushes are a result of menopause? I've done some research, but haven't found any answers.

Thank you !!

Robbie

Follow-Up Postings:

o
RE: Weird Adrenalin Rushes



Hi Robbie,
I'm not sure if this is what you're having, but when I was going through perimenopause, I would have similar feelings at night. I would wake up, and feel sort of a pressure in my chest, that would then rush outward through my body. It would feel like all of a sudden, my blood vessels would open up and blood would surge through them.
It finally went away after a few rough years. I'm wondering if maybe you're not completely through with menopause yet?
If you have other symptoms, be sure to see your doctor. I'd hate for you to assume it was nothing. Are you sort of asleep when these happen? Is it possible it's part of a dream?



This is EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS TO ME. When I went to the ER yesterday they gave me a stronger drug to take at night. So I took some when I woke up (I always wake up fine every time at night except just before AM.) And I woke up and HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF THE DRUG but there is one CRUCIAL difference. I WAS NOT AFRAID. I knew it could not HURT ME this time. ALL that scary nonsense about heart problems I was put through was just ANXIETY. But the anxiety is being triggered by ADRENALINE. Why do they call this place POWER SURGE? ITs about the ADRENALINE RUSHES that give you hot flashes and anxiety and all the other crap you get from your hormones being unbalanced.

This woman went on to post that her type of menopause is like mine. She went through a period of just feeling warm all the time. I have had that frequently but no hot flashes to speak of. Then she would get COLD FLASHES and freeze to where she could not warm up. I get those also and its TERRIBLE. So her waking with this adrenaline rush makes perfect sense to me. It is the very experience I have had in menopause. The dr. asked me repeatedly if I was ever short on breath, like when waking or when afraid. NO. I am never short on breath. I got up out of that clinic, drugged up with xanax and walked a quarter mile to the library just to get out of there carrying my purse and bag of stuff. No shortness of breath. No nothing. If I exercise hard I breathe hard. I can go up and down steps all day but I have to. I live on a three level. But if I take four or five sets of steps I pant like a dog and my leg muscles freeze up. So yeah, I am probably not in jogging condition. I can touch the floor standing straight with both palms and no bending. I can reach my fingers together behind my back. I have pretty doggone good flexibility because I have stretched and done moderate program exercise with Paul Gaudino most of my adult life.

I found another article which I would post here if I could about how low ferritin creates exercise intolerance even when your hemoglobin is NORMAL. ITs fascinating. I have had this inability to PUSH PAST with exercise since my ferritin went subnormal ten years ago. I think I am doing pretty DOGGONE for a lady who nearly died in a thyroid storm with undiagnosed graves disease at 29, celiac disease diagnosed at 40 and managed to have two kids and a bad tempered husband with about twelve household moves in that timeframe. Yeah, I think I am alot tougher than I let myself enjoy believing and God really has watched out for me. Even when it feels like I am alone, I KNOW HE IS THERE. When He chooses to be silent, I need to listen HARDER and look DEEPER than I did before.

I read a bit more about adrenaline and menopause and it has to do with the adrenals, cortisol and all that. The progesterone drop may lead to overproduction by the adrenals which can then burn out. That leads to chronic fatigue, etc. You may NOT be able to get the hormones in proper balance for YEARS until this roller coaster stops rolling and lets you off. So dealing with the POWER SURGES of adrenaline is another story. Its YOUR story. The scary ups and dreadful downs and those few flat places in between where you feel "safe" for the moment.

Accepting this process is critical. I was MORTIFIED to go into the ER room yesterday and sit there for hours with my heart pounding out of my chest for fear it was a heart problem. (IF it was that shoulda done something to me.) BUT I WENT ANYWAY. Some of you would have rushed in anxious to find out what it was. I AM NOT THAT WAY. I would rather die quietly at home of whatever it is than be terrified out of my skin by medical jargon and medical treatments. But I got a very caring, understanding Dr and gentle nurse who pulled four tubes out of my arm in about one minute. I am NOT squeamish and have given ENOUGH blood over the years to fill a tank. It just took tremendous COURAGE for me to even GO. I go into Dr about once or twice a year as absolutely necessary to refill prescriptions, etc. I deal with white coat hypertension and so it takes courage to sit there and deal with the awful nervous anxiety I feel. I spent SO MUCH of my early life in clinics, hospitals, etc. I know I suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, medically speaking. I need to be healed of those memories that trigger the health anxiety.

So what am I gonna do besides keep seeking answers and learn to ACCEPT all of this? PRAY. For those of you dealing with heart issues, remember, your outlook is totally affected by what you are going through and your suggestions which are primarily fear based MAY NOT apply to anyone except YOU. Whatever you are going through, remember that not every woman on this board has the same thing you do. Its comforting to be in the same boat but the truth is that we all have our own little boats heading down the SAME RIVER of this aging process.

i'm convinced that over the last few years i've had a variety of symptoms that i thought were hormone-related, but am now convinced otherwise. i have had the anxiety/heart pounding, etc. as a matter of fact, i'm havng a bit of trouble with that right now, which is why they had me wear the monitor for the last 24 hours. i only began taking xanax about a year and a half ago, besides the fact that i'm only taking 1 mg, i don't have any suggestions there. i will say that it has helped me to relax, calm down and has given me somewhat of a normal life again.

i WAS a smoker. quit when the heart attack happened and haven't touched them since. don't drink, ever. have never had any KNOWN heart issues prior to the heart attack, just very high blood pressure for years. i have dealt with anxiety all my adult life and had first panic attack about 6 years ago. i'm 44 years old, about 35 lbs overweight at the time of the heart attack, inactive lifestyle for the most part. cholesterol was only 13 points above normal, which really threw the docs. yes, there is family history of heart disease in my family, but after all the testing done, you can imagine how surprised i was when the first cardiac incident happened. later, i found out from my cardiologist that it's difficult to see blockage with most tests. an angio is probably the best way to see blockage and then it's difficult if it's on the back side of the heart, which is where mine was. as for my job, i am a photographer. not an extremely high stress job... one i absolutely loved, however, feeling so poorly, i became unable to continue to take appointments regularly so i'm on hiatus at the moment, but plan to get back to it asap.

i hope this has helped put you at ease and answered any questions you had. this subject is so sensitive and important with me. like i said, you don't want to go through what i did! you know your body better than anyone else... listen to it and pay attention to the symptoms, no matter how big or small.

hugs,
gyz

ps - you can read the details of my story on the 'heart issues' board here at PS.

It appears I became chronically low on melatonin. I take both xanax and zantac at night before bed. They both inhibit melatonin production. I live in the upper midwest where light hours are low all winter (half the calendar year.) I deal with SAD every year which is a result of low melatonin and the symptoms of low melatonin are sleeplessness, waking throughout the night and anxiety. It effects estrogen levels in the body, etc. I took a quarter of a 3mg melatonin pill and felt an immediate (within 1/2 hour) sense of warmth spreading over my body and then deep relaxation. I was able to sleep all night but woke regularly but without the anxiety I have been waking with and no startled sensations. I did not need any further xanax that night. I will continue to use this and report further results later.

Other Forms _ BASIC MELATONIN INFO

"Melatonin is available as tablets, capsules, and sublingual tablets.

How to Take It

There is no official dosage range for melatonin supplements. Different people will be more sensitive or less sensitive to melatonin. For those especially sensitive to it, lower dosages may work as effectively as the standard amount, while taking the standard amount or higher dosage could cause anxiety and irritability.

To treat insomnia, one dose of 3 mg an hour before bedtime is usually effective, although dosages as low as 0.1 to 0.3 mg may improve sleep for some people. If 3 mg a night is not effective after three days, try 6 mg one hour before bedtime. An individually effective dose should produce restful sleep with no daytime irritability or fatigue. For treatment of jet lag, take 5 mg of melatonin one hour before bedtime upon arrival at your destination, and take it for the first five days. Dosages for anticancer treatment may be much higher (10 to 50 mg per day). Do not take melatonin supplements long term without consulting your health care provider.

Precautions

There are no known serious side effects to supervised melatonin use. Lack of sleep and insufficient exposure to darkness may suppress your body's natural production of melatonin. Some people may experience vivid dreams or nightmares when they take melatonin. Overuse or incorrect use of melatonin could disrupt circadian rhythms. Melatonin can cause drowsiness if taken during the day. If you experience morning drowsiness after taking melatonin at night, take less of it. (never take it during the day unless you sleep during the day)

It may not be good for you to take melatonin if you have an autoimmune disorder, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, or an immune system cancer, such as lymphoma or leukemia. If you are taking melatonin for depression, make sure you do so under your health care provider's care and advice. In some cases, melatonin can actually worsen the symptoms of depression instead of making them better.

If you take corticosteroids for anti-inflammatory or immune suppressive purposes (for example, you have had a transplant), use melatonin cautiously, and always under the supervision of your health care provider. Melatonin could interfere with fertility. Do not take it if you are pregnant or nursing.

Possible Interactions

Vitamin B12 changes the level of production of melatonin. If you have low levels of melatonin, you will often have low vitamin B12 levels as well. Taking vitamin B12 (1.5 mg of methylcobalamin per day) can help sleeping disorders because it increases melatonin production. Protein, vitamin B6, niacinamide, and acetyl carnitine all help your body produce melatonin. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen, reduce melatonin production levels in the body, so it is best not to take these right before bedtime. Beta blockers also keep melatonin levels from rising naturally at night. Some antidepressants increase the levels of brain melatonin. Benzodiazepines, like Xanax and Valium, interfere with melatonin production. Alcohol and caffeine can also interfere with melatonin production, as can diuretics and calcium channel blockers.

This document contains information relating to general principles of medical care that should not in any event be construed as specific instructions for individual patients. The reader is advised to check product information (including package inserts) for changes and new information regarding dosage, precautions, and contraindications before administering any drug. No claim or endorsements are made for any drug or compound currently in investigative use. No responsibility is assumed by the publisher for any injury and/or damage to any person or property as a matter of product liability, negligence, or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in any material herein.

Dietary supplements are not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness, and the information regarding these products has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

p.s. please note low melatonin is also associated with heart attack, cancer and alzheimers! Melatonin helps control the menstrual cycle and is associated with its irregularities.

You also might want to consider having you blood level of Vitamin D tested also. Those of us in the northern areas tend to be very deficient in the important vitamin. Taking and otc of Vitamin D3 can affect many body systems. Did you have a test for melatonin? Not familiar with that one. Regards, JZZ

Good idea, my daughter is always low D3.

Just got back my test results and they are kinda off the wall,

T4 HIGH
T3 NORMAL ( 1.59)
low potassium
borderline high blood sugar

I think this suggests my thyroid is too high because too much T4 can drop your potassium, right? Also, I read that this can interfere with melatonin production.

Comin' apart at the seams it seems! I was running late for my Dr appt. Got in my car and headed out, strange feeling, like the vehicle was shaking apart. Needs a tuneup methinks? Stop two blocks away, totally flat tire. Call husband in desperation and pull into local police/fire station. No one comes to help. Hubby shows up and tries to get police attention so we can leave vehicle and take me to Dr appt. No RESPONSE. I had to drive flat tire car to the nearest park and hubby rushed me to Dr. Got to appt and its only a TEN MINUTE appt. Supposed to be a physical!!!! I said to the nurse, "DON'T TAKE MY BLOOD PRESSURE, it will be SKY HIGH because I AM TOTALLY STRESSED OUT!" She took it anyway. She said, you aren't as stressed as you think, only 131/78. Thats actually normal for me.

Okay, I go back in three months to redo entire thyroid panel, check ferritin and cholesterol, maybe I can ask for D testing then also. She said I am okay to use the melatonin as long as it works. I PRAY IT DOES. It did better than the xanax for me last night.

JZZ
Could you elaborate a bit more on the above please? Are you saying it's not good to take otc Vit.D3?


Thanks!!

I think we have a winner!

As per my previous endocrinologist, I went off the thyroid entirely to let it burn out of my system. I stay off it until I begin to feel fatigue, then bring the dose up gradually. I start the new dose today so I hope this will resolve the issue. Since going off the thyroid I have NOT had nonstop anxiety, muscle aches, cramping, headaches, constant urination and have begun sleeping 2-3 hours undisturbed in cycles throughout the night. I think I've woke up just once with heart pounding from a dream. Its hard to break that habit of waking with a start once it begins but I feel more relaxed each night and much much better level of non anxious energy all day. On the other hand, constipation has occurred...

As per my doctor now, I am taking in lots of potassium foods each day including bananas, potatoes, juices (the V8 is too hard on my gut) etc. I am beginning to feel more like my old self so really HOPING the new thyroid dose is going to be appropriate.

Evidently, what happened is that over the course of the past two years - when things went to heck in a handbasket for my nerves, my thyroid was climbing. It showed up on the blood spot tests I ordered from a private lab but they went out of business so I was forced to use the present vein draw test for TSH. This is not as finely tuned. From what I've read lately, the TSH can appear to be normal range but it is disguising low level hyperthyroidism. As the estrogen drops the thyroid climbs because estrogen opposes or holds thyroid in check. Progesterone helps it convert. So if you have an estrogen drop and are taking or using natural or other progesterone, guess what? You may be overconverting thyroid. You may end up with a high T4 rating like I did. It could be so minimal the dr won't even acknowledge it because they feel safe looking at that NORMAL TSH rating!

But even subclinical hyperthyroidism will cause ANXIETY, SLEEPLESSNESS, DRYNESS you cannot resolve, constant URINATION which leads to - of course, LOW POTASSIUM. LOW POTASSIUM results in heart palpitations, muscle cramping and easy muscle fatigue. This can PUSH your blood sugar to the edge. If you are having these symptoms, I urge you to have your POTASSIUM run.

I often surmise that people with functioning thyroids won't have this happen, because the pituitary will act to control the thyroid amount you need and readjust it. In theory this sounds correct but in reality it may not work that way. Both my sisters who are a year younger than me and gone menopausal have had their thyroid levels go up into the very high and/or hyperthyroid zone (TSH.) NEITHER is on any thyroid med. Theoretically, the pit should have compensated to drop the TSH production but it did not. So I have to wonder if something does not go awry elsewhere! Then again, one of them was on premarin for ten years and the other uses progesterone cream and has alternately used estrogen patches.

Interesting at any rate...will keep you posted of the new thyroid dosage and results.