Posted by karenR on April 17, 2001, at 14:48:07
In reply to Re: Night Terrors or Panic Attacks? Medications?, posted by mila on April 17, 2001, at 14:15:51
> Dear Karen,
>
> could you see a sleep specialist? Your description of the night sleep pattern is rather unusal. It makes me wonder whether your sleep stages are abnormal. sleep terrors differ form nocturnal panic in the stages of sleep when they occur. Sleep terrors occur at a stage 4 sleep, and nocturnal panics occur during delta wave or slow wave sleep, which is the deepest stage of sleep, it occurs several hours after we fall asleep.
>
> I also wonder whether remeron might have affected your sleep stages.
>
> As far as the treatment of nocturnal panics concerned, they are effectively treated by intermediate acting benzodiazepines. Behavioral therapy alone works quite well for many, sometimes it is supported by medication for as long as six months to a year to prevent early relapses.
>
> To summarize, consider seeing slep disorders specialist and someone who specializes in panic disorder or at least in anxiety disorders. you should know however, that today not many specialists are trained in the newest therapeutic techniques for treating panic disorders (including nocturnal panics). see someone who has received advanced training in Panic Control Treatment (PCT). It is very effective (80-100% of patients are free of panic after approximately 12 weekly sessions).
>
> I am very sorry you have to go through such an ordeal. Sleep disorders are one of the worst ever to have:(
>
> I am also very glad that you've got such an extraorinarily great husband. Yess!!!
>
> milaMila,
Thanks for the note. I did go to a sleep center 2 years ago for my sleep troubles. Unfortunately, I didn't sleep much (90 min all night!). They said
I had.....insomnia (wow, what a surprise!). I didn't ever get into REM that night, so they really were
inconclusive. I don't think another night would be successful because I was very uncomfortable hooked up to all that stuff.
My husband taped me sleeping last week and I woke four times (I only remember one of them). It was scary seeing myself panic like that.
I am having my awakenings usually within an hour of going to sleep, and then again an hour later and such.I am seeing a therapist that does CBT, but I am not sure if he is certified in PCT. I will look into that. Thanks!
I am wondering, too, if the remeron is hurting my sleep. I took zoloft for 2 years and it really helped my sleep.
Unfortunately, it didn't help the anxiety so I went off that and onto remeron. < shrug >Thanks for your input,
karenR
poster:karenR
thread:60188
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010417/msgs/60203.html