Understanding Morning Anxiety

[[jo...]]

Hi Joaskren!

I, too have this adrenaline surge about 3 to 4 hours each and every day It's particularly bad during the weekdays as I have to get up at 5:30 to drive to work. Have not found a solution yet. Am so relieved when it wears off and then the joint pain begins. You're already benzo free aren't you? I'm still tapering   You're just like me--going back to bed does not help and those toxic naps Keeping the Faith..........T2

Yes I am off it, it has been 9 months.  I don't know how people do it who have to work. I am lucky I am a homemaker and can  take off work when I feel bad.

Jo

[[Lo...]]

Today I am having a lot of trouble reading through this thread!

for 18 months I have been withdrawing after a C/T from a large Clonazepam dose for years.  I was psychotic withing two days. Then put on what I felt was a huge does of valium (30mg.) which I was told would stop the sx.  It helped but didn't stop it.

some people mentioned the physiological part of waking up in a really bad way.  That is what I experience still.  I am woken (often from deep sleep) at 4 or 5 am, sometimes feeling ok for a few minutes and denying that I am awake, sometimes with the full-blown sx.  I KNOW it is physical because it is waves and waves of adrenaline rushing through me, full on 'fight or flight'.  It is so hard to go to bed at night knowing that I will have hours of hard work doing everything that people suggest to 'calm down', ease the sx.  Today I cut 1mg. (down below 10!!! single digits!!). Same ole' waking at 4am.. working at it and waiting for the 7 am first dose.  That is the one I cut.  I have to move faster than the docs would like because my side effect is paradoxical reaction.  When I take the Valium, 18 minutes exactly later I get pins and needles, wave after wave of panic...nasty...This time there was less of that.  but the rest was the same, worse actually.  I am so weary of the hard work every morning.  Thank God for this place! The people who talk about cortisol and adrenaline and low blood sugar help a lot for me because then I don't feel like some kind of failure because I can't 'get it under control' by thinking happy thoughts. I do everything that anyone has ever suggested here to deal with what I go through every morning. 

I have to say that the sx that I associate with Valium or any benzo ARE getting better over time.  With me it has to do with cutting the 4 am dose a year ago.  The doc told me to make sure that I stuck to the 4 hour schedule. Then I didn't have the 'morning horrors' nearly as bad.  But there was no one to advise me, so I got tired of waking up at 4 and just cut that one.  That is when this started.  The thing with me is that it isn't just the benzos:  I am also addicted to codeine because of severe dental/bone problems which they can't get under control. Like the advice here, the doc told me that I musn't try to get off two drugs at once. so I feel really stuck taking the codeine which I am now habituated to.  I KNOW that lots of the morning stuff is because of the 12 hour gap between doses of codeine.  On top of that I live in a house (trying hard to get out) that is full of toxic mold.  We get hit by waves of the stuff several times a day, including the early morning.  so even though I am really discouraged about the morning horrors, I know that it is not all the benzos.  I hang on to the thought that 'this shall pass'.  I think though that for those of us who are woken by that adrenaline blast, just thinking good thoughts isn't going to do it.... I am afraid that there will be people reading those replies who will feel like failures when they can't make positive thinking work... It helps!  it just doesn't make it go away.  I wish there was a way to stop the adrenaline.  I am working on that one! 

[Guest [ma...]]

Today I am having a lot of trouble reading through this thread!

for 18 months I have been withdrawing after a C/T from a large Clonazepam dose for years.  I was psychotic withing two days. Then put on what I felt was a huge does of valium (30mg.) which I was told would stop the sx.  It helped but didn't stop it.

some people mentioned the physiological part of waking up in a really bad way.  That is what I experience still.  I am woken (often from deep sleep) at 4 or 5 am, sometimes feeling ok for a few minutes and denying that I am awake, sometimes with the full-blown sx.  I KNOW it is physical because it is waves and waves of adrenaline rushing through me, full on 'fight or flight'.  It is so hard to go to bed at night knowing that I will have hours of hard work doing everything that people suggest to 'calm down', ease the sx.  Today I cut 1mg. (down below 10!!! single digits!!). Same ole' waking at 4am.. working at it and waiting for the 7 am first dose.  That is the one I cut.  I have to move faster than the docs would like because my side effect is paradoxical reaction.  When I take the Valium, 18 minutes exactly later I get pins and needles, wave after wave of panic...nasty...This time there was less of that.  but the rest was the same, worse actually.  I am so weary of the hard work every morning.  Thank God for this place! The people who talk about cortisol and adrenaline and low blood sugar help a lot for me because then I don't feel like some kind of failure because I can't 'get it under control' by thinking happy thoughts. I do everything that anyone has ever suggested here to deal with what I go through every morning. 

I have to say that the sx that I associate with Valium or any benzo ARE getting better over time.  With me it has to do with cutting the 4 am dose a year ago.  The doc told me to make sure that I stuck to the 4 hour schedule. Then I didn't have the 'morning horrors' nearly as bad.  But there was no one to advise me, so I got tired of waking up at 4 and just cut that one.  That is when this started.  The thing with me is that it isn't just the benzos:  I am also addicted to codeine because of severe dental/bone problems which they can't get under control. Like the advice here, the doc told me that I musn't try to get off two drugs at once. so I feel really stuck taking the codeine which I am now habituated to.  I KNOW that lots of the morning stuff is because of the 12 hour gap between doses of codeine.  On top of that I live in a house (trying hard to get out) that is full of toxic mold.  We get hit by waves of the stuff several times a day, including the early morning.  so even though I am really discouraged about the morning horrors, I know that it is not all the benzos.  I hang on to the thought that 'this shall pass'.  I think though that for those of us who are woken by that adrenaline blast, just thinking good thoughts isn't going to do it.... I am afraid that there will be people reading those replies who will feel like failures when they can't make positive thinking work... It helps!  it just doesn't make it go away.  I wish there was a way to stop the adrenaline.  I am working on that one!

 

Hi lostmefindingme,

 

Sorry you are going through such a terrible time with the waking up! I too went through that in a terrible way for almost 4 months. I had a paradoxical reaction to Valium and wont get into all the specifics but I would wake about 2 hrs post dose every night, then about 2 hrs later and then always at 430am. During the awakenings the physical symptoms, the adrenaline etc and the anxiety would keep increasing. It got to the point where I felt afraid to go to bed and then when i did, hated waking up b/c of what i would have to go through after that.

 

I felt tortured at times but realized that i had to try and take control of the situation. I started doing tapping using the EFT. You can check it out on youtube. This did help and then over several months the severity of the symptoms lessened.

 

I also feel that low blood sugar did play a part of this especially due to the stress on our body when we are supposed to be relaxing. So I now keep some almonds by my bed and eat a few of those if i wake around 430.

 

HTH a bit and so sorry for your long battle. mandala 

[[nc...]]

Hey Mandala,

 

I have a question for you since I struggle with this constant state of waking up feeling the sx revved up.  After having an unsuccessful taper 1st time around, I discovered this website.  I had to updose and just started back with my taper 4 days ago and had not been asleep long when "BAM" I'm awake with heart racing calling someone on a helpline.  I feel much calmer now but decided to get on the site and read some.

 

You mentioned keeping almonds by your bedside for when you wake up.  Is there a reason for the choice of almonds other than the fact of it being a healthier choice?  I eat both sunflower seeds and almonds daily as a snack.  Sunflower seeds have tryptophan which is a precursor to serotonin which the brain needs because of the anxiety which can be caused from low seratonin levels.  I also know it is due to the tapering but I still keep eating them for a snack.  I know almonds are good for keeping cholesterol down and I believe BP too.  Anyway was just wondering.  I keep crackers by my bedside but just wondering if it would be better to have almonds instead.

 

Donna

 

[[Ba...]]

I dread waking up. The intense anxiety that centers in my stomach and is painful is there immediatly upon waking and at times it wakes me up. It is constant and at the same time will come in very intense waves, making me short of breath, heart palps, shakes, tremors and sound sensitive. The waves feel like being on a rollar coaster when it dips and your stomach feels like it is coming up in a rush. if I get up too fast, move too much, bend over, it makes it worse. I knew about the adrenaline, but didn't know it soars during the night. That makes sense, even after a nap I wake up with it.

 

Some days it lasts all day, sometimes up to 7 hours after waking, sometimes less. Always seems to be right there just waiting to pop out.Feel like this will never end.

Josephine

 

I cut and pasted the above in 'cause it is how I feel....every morning...after interrupted sleep most of the night.  I am now taking Seriphos, Nardova, Natura/Tranquility prescribed by an md/integrative doctor..have not seen any improvement yet (ten days)..plus I take two benedryl when I am still awake after midnight...but still, only 2hours max sleep at a time..awake in that awful lava-like creeping panic..exhausted most of the day (I do not work in the world..). 

I am very discouraged!!  .have been benzo free for five months today..

[Guest [ma...]]

Hey Mandala,

 

I have a question for you since I struggle with this constant state of waking up feeling the sx revved up.  After having an unsuccessful taper 1st time around, I discovered this website.  I had to updose and just started back with my taper 4 days ago and had not been asleep long when "BAM" I'm awake with heart racing calling someone on a helpline.  I feel much calmer now but decided to get on the site and read some.

 

You mentioned keeping almonds by your bedside for when you wake up.  Is there a reason for the choice of almonds other than the fact of it being a healthier choice?  I eat both sunflower seeds and almonds daily as a snack.  Sunflower seeds have tryptophan which is a precursor to serotonin which the brain needs because of the anxiety which can be caused from low seratonin levels.  I also know it is due to the tapering but I still keep eating them for a snack.  I know almonds are good for keeping cholesterol down and I believe BP too.  Anyway was just wondering.  I keep crackers by my bedside but just wondering if it would be better to have almonds instead.

 

Donna

 

Hi Donna, Im sorry I missed your question in May. Hopefully you will check and see this.

 

Regarding almonds, well I tried raw unsalted sunflower seeds first since thats what I have in the morning with my cereal and the first time I ate them after waking up startled I didnt sit up and darn near choked on them and then had to turn the light on to find them!    It was only a teaspoon but they go everywhere......So I just decided that a few almonds were easier to grab in the dark and eat. How are you doing anyway? 

[[nc...]]

Hey Mandala,

 

I have a question for you since I struggle with this constant state of waking up feeling the sx revved up.  After having an unsuccessful taper 1st time around, I discovered this website.  I had to updose and just started back with my taper 4 days ago and had not been asleep long when "BAM" I'm awake with heart racing calling someone on a helpline.  I feel much calmer now but decided to get on the site and read some.

 

You mentioned keeping almonds by your bedside for when you wake up.  Is there a reason for the choice of almonds other than the fact of it being a healthier choice?  I eat both sunflower seeds and almonds daily as a snack.  Sunflower seeds have tryptophan which is a precursor to serotonin which the brain needs because of the anxiety which can be caused from low seratonin levels.  I also know it is due to the tapering but I still keep eating them for a snack.  I know almonds are good for keeping cholesterol down and I believe BP too.  Anyway was just wondering.  I keep crackers by my bedside but just wondering if it would be better to have almonds instead.

 

Donna

 

Hi Donna, Im sorry I missed your question in May. Hopefully you will check and see this.

 

Regarding almonds, well I tried raw unsalted sunflower seeds first since thats what I have in the morning with my cereal and the first time I ate them after waking up startled I didnt sit up and darn near choked on them and then had to turn the light on to find them!    It was only a teaspoon but they go everywhere......So I just decided that a few almonds were easier to grab in the dark and eat. How are you doing anyway? 

 

 

Hey Mandala,

 

No problems with the delay.  There are so many posts to keep up with.  I eat both sunflower seeds and raw unsalted almonds since I read both have Tryptophan, which is a precursor to Seratonin (low levels of Seratonin can cause anxiey).  Yes, trying to eat the sunflower seeds while in bed could be messy.  I tend to drop a few seeds even when I'm standing up eating them from the bag.  The almonds are a better choice.  I started eating the raw almonds last year after reading that they help with lowering cholesterol since I have borderline high cholesterol.  I also keep crackers by me bed.  had pretty bad morning madness early thie morning, and remembering the postings on cortisol levels being high in morning and blood sugar levels can be low, reached over and ate a coupla crackers.  It did seem to help me get by until my 7 a.m. dose of my Klonopin.  Waiting to see how I stabilize to see if this cut will need to be a full 2 week or if I can do it in 10 days and onto next cut.  But, I already know I have to listen to my body rather than my head.  I want off this junk so bad but know I can't rush it.  Can't afford a 4th trip to the ER this year.

 

So how have you been doing?

 

Donna

 

[Guest [ma...]]

So how have you been doing?

 

Donna

 

Hi again Donna, you are doing really well with your taper. Congrats to you! 

 

All in all Im doing pretty well. So many of the bad psychological and physiological symptoms have gone in the past 3 months. The worst of my problems since Jan has been the repeated startled awakenings during the night. About 3 weeks ago things had calmed down to the point where I would just wake up abruptly with maybe mild anxiety but was able to get back to sleep. But then about 2 weeks ago it changed back to the severe adrenaline jolts like electricity.

 

The pattern has been waking up about 30 min after falling asleep, then 2 hrs later and then 2 hrs later and the strength of the startle builds during that time. I am usually awake for the day between 3am and 5am. I had read a lot about the cortisol etc but to be honest this is really wearing me down. Its been over 6 months but it was 5000 times worse when on the Valium. So I guess I have to remember that.

 

Im eating really well and decided today to cut out all sugar even fruit. I was eating 2 or 3 pears a day. I have read if your cortisol is out of whack you can crave sugar and even though I dont eat anything but fruit for my sugar maybe its too much right now for my body.

 

Anyway thats it for here. Hope things are going well with you and that your symptoms aren't really really bad. I look forward to having the PM up and running again.......will see you around on the forum and check in with how you are doing 

[[so...]]

After experimenting with the timing of my Valium taper I find that taking part of my daily dosage at 3-4am is helpful in reducing morning anxiety.  It doesn't completely eliminate the "morning dread", but it helps. Very sympathetic to all who are struggling.

[[fr...]]

I am looking forward to using this tomorrow morning 

[[Ca...]]

I find the rushes in the morning from cortisol and adrenaline are happening less and less frequently, as time goes on.  It seems that I am healing better now.   

 

Following the rushes, sometimes then fearful thoughts pop up, which exacerbates the adrenaline/cortisol response.  "Parker" wrote some research on how benzos affect the various areas of the brain, which produce these responses, including fears just coming up.

 

    http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=66397.0

 

During these moments, it is important to pause...take a moment...and remind yourself that you are healing, and much of this is the meds.

[[ac...]]

I've also heard that cortisol levels rapidly drop right before you wake up and during the day, which could also bring on the anxiety.  When I was in the hospital for my severe depression

my symptoms would come every day at the same time, and at night around the same time is when I would calm down, when the aniety went away.  One night I just felt a real soothing calm just come over me, out of the blue, then something clicked, maybe this could be my cortisol or GABA levels waxing and waning with the moon. The full moon has a lot to do with homeostasis of the enternal environment of the human body, especially when it is out of balance.  I used to feel it every time there was a full moon.  Makes some people act positive and some negative.

[[ac...]]

Oh by the way, I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome also , and my hormones were out of wack before I went on benzos, even worse now. But brighter days are ahead, I hope soon.

[[tn...]]

There have been three nights in the last seven nights that the benzo drug gods have given me a taste of what normal is.  I heard loud and clear from the many who have posted that to change my cognitive behavior or I will expect different results.  I keep detailed log and have gone back and looked at every hour of those three days and nothing was different in diet or supplements or stressors or lack of but I felt calm and peaceful going to sleep and also felt that same calm and for three mornings in a row once again I enjoyed the morning glow of being warmed under several quilts and feeling that YES this nightmare may have  an end one day.  After dangling the bait it was taken away on the third night and again I needed to get up and sleep in another room because every movement of my wife would wake me startled.  Rest of the night was fitful in and out sleep.  Wake up in the morning with panic on the brain.  I do practice what I have read and that is to not fight anxiety and panic but to get up and have a cup of ginger tea and find some trivial things to organize to distract my mind from the current movie that if not stopped will continue on auto loop becoming more exaggerated.  I think like other here that to not become obsessed with these symptoms and to not look too far ahead in what life will be like as I progress in my taper or even when I have finished but to focus on today and find something positive to rally around.  A Jeff Foxworthy book of things that will make me laugh or I allow myself to laugh outloud.  I live in a very remote area so nobody can hear me hollar.  I learned this in China.  They sometimes scream or hollar to release this storm inside.  Try it when you are safe from neighbors sending the padded wagon to pick you up. HA!  Sometimes the only thing that makes sense with this benzo withdrawal is that nothing is logical or makes sense.  I just keep telling myself it is the drugs rebelling from being excommunicated from their church, my body.  Like everyone I am looking for the quick fix just as I was when I introduced them to my diet.  Do others have a few days of what used to be the good life, then only to sink back into the routine of just getting thru each day?  Is this the waxing and waning I read about? I watched a documentary last night on the honey bees being desimated by the residual effects of neurotoxins used to kill bugs building up in the soil over many years.  I think one day we will find a correlation to this phenomena and reasons we first began taking these neurotoxins called benzo's.  Yesterday grocery could hardly find products produced in US.  Good clean food is getting more expensive and more difficult to find even with the emergence of the Fresh Markets industry. I can take the pain of detox but the long term effects of sleep deprevation exacerbates all symptoms.  Anyone with new ideas please post.

[[ro...]]

Help, I don't know if I should increase my Valium dosage a little more before I start my Taper. I have now been taking Valium since march 5 and about everysymptom that is in my signature has been taken care off and is really not bothering me. The only thing that has been happening is that in the morning when I wake up I feel anxiety coming on . I fee jittery and nervous and I have fearful thoughts coming up. I tried taking L Theanne and Kava but it does not stop this feeling. I could probably increase my dose of Valium up to 20mg but I hate to increase my dosage since it will then take me longer to taper off the Valium. I will see my Doctor again on April 8.

He wanted me to find the dosage where I am symptom free before I start my Taper. I am at that dose except for this anxiety that is coming up. Maybe I should eliminate my morning cup of coffee and avoid all sugar.

Would it be a big mistake if I were to go up to 20mg of Valium instead of 17.5mg. If I could just find some way to stop this anxiety that I feel coming on in the morning I would be Okay. I have even slept Okay and it still happens

[[Ho...]]

Help, I don't know if I should increase my Valium dosage a little more before I start my Taper. I have now been taking Valium since march 5 and about everysymptom that is in my signature has been taken care off and is really not bothering me. The only thing that has been happening is that in the morning when I wake up I feel anxiety coming on . I fee jittery and nervous and I have fearful thoughts coming up. I tried taking L Theanne and Kava but it does not stop this feeling. I could probably increase my dose of Valium up to 20mg but I hate to increase my dosage since it will then take me longer to taper off the Valium. I will see my Doctor again on April 8.

He wanted me to find the dosage where I am symptom free before I start my Taper. I am at that dose except for this anxiety that is coming up. Maybe I should eliminate my morning cup of coffee and avoid all sugar.

Would it be a big mistake if I were to go up to 20mg of Valium instead of 17.5mg. If I could just find some way to stop this anxiety that I feel coming on in the morning I would be Okay. I have even slept Okay and it still happens

 

Hi rob,

 

Your more likely to get a response of you post a new thread on the Withdrawal and Recovery support board.

Here's a link: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=55.0  You'll get a much better response.

 

This thread is more informational regarding how to deal with morning anxiety. 

 

 

[[LM...]]

I thought this article to be encouraging and am going to try the suggestions. I don't wake up with an alarm clock. But, I wake up with anxiety. If I feed the thoughts it gets worse. If I try to stay positive it lessens. I am definitely going to keep a snack by my bed and also add healthy snacks during the day. Thank you

[[12...]]

Problem with this article, is that there is no alarm clock, it is not the waking up that triggers the flight-or-fight response, it happens during sleep and you wake up already in that state. In benzo w/d, it's physiological, not psychological. Excess cortisol made during the night would explain this. In fact, if I'm awakened by an alarm clock or some outside influence that isn't my body getting screwy, it actually avoids this whole mess as I am awake before the excess cortisol or whatever it is is produced. JMO and my experience.

 

I agree with your morning symptoms and love your Avatar.

[[be...]]

This IS all great advice - if one has the time.........the problem with me is, is that my "feelings" (symptoms) occur so much faster than I'm able to engage ALL these thought processes!

 

Who (any "normal" person) in the world can really stop a human blush, much less stop anxiety symptoms of flushing adrenaline and surging cortisol which, to me, causes instant burning and tingling all over my body, but especially my face and feet. It's like an alien force quickly wraps me in a cocoon of electrical wires!

 

I DO APPRECITE these articles, but until I experience some REAL windows, my brain (mind) is almost untrainable. (I was 12 years on many meds - benzos and a/d. I'm 6 months clean with no relief.)

[[...]]

Hi granny,

I'm a granny too.

Sorry to hear life is bearing down on you. Two months ago I was a pretty happy person. Good life great job wonderful family and all of a sudden all hell breaks loose! I started having a few panic attacks and usual anxieties so took an ativan i'd kept for emergencies. I use to take them ever  so often for sleep but not more than .05. Last month I stated getting GERD and started taking them every day for anxiety. BAD MISTAKE! Now my anxiety is off the charts and i'm trying to taper off without any other drugs but don't think I can do it. When I feel the panic coming on my ears feel plugged and that gives me more anxiety. Are you tapering off? What do you plan do do?

[[me...]]

Hi granny,

I'm a granny too.

Sorry to hear life is bearing down on you. Two months ago I was a pretty happy person. Good life great job wonderful family and all of a sudden all hell breaks loose! I started having a few panic attacks and usual anxieties so took an ativan i'd kept for emergencies. I use to take them ever  so often for sleep but not more than .05. Last month I stated getting GERD and started taking them every day for anxiety. BAD MISTAKE! Now my anxiety is off the charts and i'm trying to taper off without any other drugs but don't think I can do it. When I feel the panic coming on my ears feel plugged and that gives me more anxiety. Are you tapering off? What do you plan do do?

 

Hi Atir,

 

I see that you're a new member.  Welcome to BB! 

 

Just to clarify, this is a "stickied post", and the posts here are not generally read by most of the membership.  It's best to post questions/requests for support on the main forum boards--for example, this is the Anxiety Board where you can start a topic of your own and post your question.

 

Megan

[[Be...]]

I'm new to BenzoBuddies but have been delighted to find out that there are other people out there who understand what I'm going through. My most troubling withdrawal symptom is morning anxiety. I have woken up every morning since going off all meds at 5:00. I normally would sleep until 8:00 so this is an unusual thing for me.

 

Not sure what or why 5:00 am seems to trigger morning anxiety? I've tried taking 1 pill of unisome (50mg) and a 7.5 tab of Buspar. This seems to help a little. I dread going to bed at night as the morning anxiety happens most every morning.

 

Has anyone had positive results taking Buspar to help with withdrawal symptoms? I've read that it can be of "little to no help..."

[[an...]]

I might be having something different i wake up at 6 every day with tingling arms and hands so i get out of bed seems like i just cant wake up like i am in a dream or a trance some days are better than others is this normal for withdraw in the morning

[[la...]]

Problem with this article, is that there is no alarm clock, it is not the waking up that triggers the flight-or-fight response, it happens during sleep and you wake up already in that state. In benzo w/d, it's physiological, not psychological. Excess cortisol made during the night would explain this. In fact, if I'm awakened by an alarm clock or some outside influence that isn't my body getting screwy, it actually avoids this whole mess as I am awake before the excess cortisol or whatever it is is produced. JMO and my experience.

 

 

I second this opinion

[[jo...]]

Ooohh I used to hate the morning dread when I was in benzo withdrawal.

I would wake up with a jerk, sometimes I would hear a loud noise in my head which would wake me up.

I would be sweating and my heart would be pounding.

It would take until about 7-9pm before I started feeling normal, then I would go to bed somewhat more relaxed, but wake up a totally different person, a nervous wreck.

I hope that all of you who are still suffering morning anxiety or any anxiety from benzos heals really soon.

I am in peri-menopause, and I feel some morning anxiety but not every morning, and although it is unpleasant, it is a small fraction as bad as benzo induced morning anxiety.