Rush of adrenaline while drifting off to sleep

I've had GAD for over 20 years but recently started having these horrible rushes of adrenaline in my head and sometimes in my chest when I'm drifting off to sleep. It only last a few seconds but it makes me feel like something horrible is about to happen, like it's a stroke, heart attack, and death. I normally can convince myself I'm ok when I have panic and anxiety attacks but I can't when that happens. It happens a lot in one setting, robs me if sleep, and I'm sore the next day from the body tension.
My dr put me on clonidine .2 mg and now it's worse. I'm also taking Ativan 1mg 1 X daily, abilify 2.5 mg daily, and 50 mg lamictal(increasing to 100 mgs next Monday.
Any advice, experiences, or suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you

In general, whenever things got worse after a doctor put me on a med, I would stop the med. I remember when a doctor put me on duloxetine (brand Cymbalta). I started getting this weird trembling in my throat, which only increased my anxiety. Went off the medicine and it stopped. I also remember a tie when I was finding it difficult to sleep, so the doctor had me try zolpidem (brand Ambien). I woke up at 2:00 a.m. with my lower lip swollen to twice its normal size. Needless to say, I didn't try that again. At an earlier time in my illness, I tried taking diphenhydramine to sleep, and it wired me up instead. I have not had a good track record with many medications.

Regarding what might have triggered all of this, consider your nightly routine. Did you change anything prior to these bedtime adrenaline rushes starting? TV watching? Food eating? Web surfing? Family arguing? Anything that could change the way you stimulate your brain at night? Has anything changed in your general outlook on life? Relationship changes? Job changes? Standard of living changes?

Im having this very feeling right now. Its horrible. All I can do is lie in my bed and breathe properly.

Happens to me too! And usually right before I drift off to sleep... It's like bam!! My heart races and my breathing becomes irratic. And sometimes I get a jerky movement in one of my limbs and that jolts me awake. Fun times.

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Originally Posted by vonnhelsing

Im having this very feeling right now. Its horrible. All I can do is lie in my bed and breathe properly.

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I get this not while falling asleep but waking me up from a dead sleep and then i shake and tremble... Ive been off of Celexa for two years and im considering going back on due to this and obsessive thoughts causing panic attacks..
Its a truly awful feeling and my heart goes out to you! Hope this symptom passes soon for you.. I have a whack of physical symptoms so i know exactly how you feel!
Sorry i didn't have an answer but just know you're not alone :)

Its all a matter of time and a strong will to get better. Many a time I just wanted to give up and just collapse on the floor so someone might just drop me off to hospital where I can stay and not be afraid all the time. I just feel extremely vulnerable. Hope we all get over this soon :)

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Originally Posted by vonnhelsing

Its all a matter of time and a strong will to get better. Many a time I just wanted to give up and just collapse on the floor so someone might just drop me off to hospital where I can stay and not be afraid all the time. I just feel extremely vulnerable. Hope we all get over this soon :)

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I woke up with that feeling this morning :(
I feel the same way you do..
Hope we all get over this soon as well! :)