Afraid to sleep, PCS new symptom?
I usually post in the TBI/PCS forum but thought maybe I should ask this here.
Lately, many nights, I fall asleep and wake gasping for air like my heart has stopped and I need to revive it, or something. I feel my heartbeat in my ears and neck and head, at all times. But when "sleeping" it is deafening.
The waking happens about once an hour. It's worse if medicated in any way so I'm not taking anything that causes drowsiness. I took Gravol a few nights because of the dizziness/nausea that accompanies PCS, and that's when this "waking in terror" was the worst. It really feels like I am forgetting to breathe. I wake with this huge breath, like I've been drowning. It's terrifying.
Is that sleep apnea? What does one do for this? I'm not getting the rest I need to heal my brain, but its like its fighting me. Any help greatly appreciated.
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About it: October 26, 2012 I fell backward on an icy parking lot. My PCS at 6 months: variable head and neck pain, occasional mild dizziness, fullness in the head, ears, and sinuses, convergence insufficiency, diminishing light and noise sensitivity, sequencing struggles, short term memory struggles, verbal processing delays. CT neg, MRI neg. Therapies: prism glasses, acupuncture, icing neck, resting, supplementing, Elavil 20mg at bedtime. NEW: Beginning intense 4 hour physical therapy DAILY (for Return to Work plan) for 10 weeks!
About me:I'm off work on workers comp coverage, from my career as marketing manager. I am a mom, and wife to a heart attack survivor.
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