Docs or not that is the question

[trinn]

For the last 10 years or so I have been suffering with sleep paralysis, to say this is terrifying is an understatement, what normally happens is I go to sleep then wake up to find my self paralysed and have the sense of someone, something evil either next to the bed or sat on the bed, I lie there unable to scream, blink or move anything, I know exactly what is going on as in I have woken up to fast and my subconscious brain is still in charge, whilst laid there I try and move my foot then a finger but can't as you can imagine it is a truly terrifying experience, then after what feels to me an eternity in reality a second if not less I can then move again. It then takes ages for me to calm down and pluck up the courage to go back to sleep.

The result of this is that I now have a nightcap to help me sleep, which in effect is me self medicating, I was telling my mother in law about this and she said to go to the doctors I can't really see that as being any help as I have never heard of any medications for this at all.

So go the docs or not?

should add these episodes make me very tired and irritable, it's also making me very anxious about going to sleep so I tend to stay awake for as long as possible.

Sounds like a panic attach due to lack of oxygen -maybe sleep apnoea? Worth taking an online test about it and going to talk to doctor about a sleep test.

I had night paralysis when I was 18, but only for 3 consecutive nights, and never had them since.
The first time it happened I was terrified as knew I was awake but all I could see was like a fog, and couldn't move. Don't think I tried to shout out, was so long ago. I did not have that feeling that something evil was sitting on my bed, though. I managed to come out of it by wiggling my tongue, which was the only part of my body I could move, then slowly every other part came back to life. My room- mate who was 26 and older and wiser than me, had heard of it with night nurses. The body does this when over tired/ tensed out.
But you having them for 10 years - how often?

Also had panic attacks awake and asleep, when stressed, but they are quite different.

I have them on average a few times a week, I know I'm awake which is terrifying, I have done some research online and apparently they are very common many people report one of the symptoms being they either hear a loud ringing in their ears, they feel like they are being pulled out of bed or as in my case see something, in all cases they are hallucinating.

I don't know whether or not to see the doc's, I know in some cases the sufferer is put on a mild short acting sedative, but surely this would make it worse?

just done a sleep apnea test and it said I'm not effected, my DH on the other hand he is forever stopping breathing at night.

I've experienced apnoea, panic and (not many times thank goodness) sleep paralysis. The experience of apnoea and panic can overlap but paralysis is different. I don't think it's the sort of thing that GPs are likely to know much about, I think your best bet would be to do some research first and then go along prepared to "guide" your GP if necessary. Of course, if there really isn't much that can be done anyway... but I'm sure there must be something out there.

you would think so, I was watching freaky sleepers the other night and more sleep disorders are coming to light like sleep texting, sleep sex (or sexomnia as they are calling it) and more often night terrors in adults one bloke chucked himself out of a window and fell 30 feet, in all cases they give a mild short acting sedative and nothing so far has worked.

I would so dearly love to go to bed and fall asleep and stay asleep without all the anxiety of am I going to wake up and have that thing again. Would the GP laugh at me if I went, I did try to explain it once to a locum and he said I as I was over 30 I had tired all the time syndrome and go to bed earlier.

That's the sort of response I'd go in fearing! If you have a good relationship with your GP in general then I imagine they'd make more sympathetic noises but I really doubt many GPs would have much in-depth knowledge. I suppose, regarding the sedative approach you could give it a go? I imagine the thinking is that it'll knock you out on all levels so that you can't come half to consciousness but with your motor abilities still shut down (which I believe is the simplified explanation of sleep paralysis). If it doesn't work at least you can say you've tried it and maybe get passed along for the next level of help.

with a sedative it basically as you say shuts down all your motor abilities same with sleep paralysis as the body floods itself with a hormone that does the same thing so we don't act out our dreams, by going with that thought wouldn't it make the paralysis worse by shutting down the motor abilities or suppressing them for longer hence making the paralysis last longer than it normally would.

Think I will make an appointment in the morning, had enough of being scared to go to sleep, bloody ridiculous at my age

I just had a quick look at t'internet (NHS Choices) and it says they might use tricyclic anti-ds to alter sleep cycle/ REM state things... Sounds very vague the way I put it ;) But yeah, it's to stop the consciousness and motor abilities being out of sync. I hope you can get something to help, sounds truly horrible!

cheers 4nomore will make an appointment in the morning hopefully will be able to see me

will go in and ask them not to laugh, this is getting beyond a joke tired all day, scared to sleep at night, self medicating not a good position to be in

Good luck

ta just working the courage up to actually go to bed, sounds silly writing it down or actually saying it but I am genuinely scared to go to bed andsleep

Doctors