Yesterday night when I sleeping, suddenly I awake from strong earthquake shaking feeling and my heartbeat very fast. I thought earthquake but not. This is not first time, I think this happen to me more than 5 times for this half year.. Anyone know what happen? Thanks~
Go to your doctor, I had attacks for years like yours, I,m now diagnosed with svt. They frightened me also, I did not know why this was happening, I was afraid to go to sleep at night, they were worse when I was very tired.
I see I see... tomorrow I will go ask my doctor bout this sick.. hope nth serious... Thanks Ann for replying me ^^
Hi Selphie, it might be a form of sleep paralysis. I've had sleep paralysis for 50 years, and it does sometimes take the form of waking paralysed into a feeling of violent shaking or vibration, which is very scary and causes my heart to beat rapidly. If it turns out to be this, there's nothing to worry about. It won't stop happening but it won't harm you.
However, Ann is right. You do need to see a doctor and get yourself checked for supraventricular tachycardia before you assume it's sleep paralysis. If it's SVT you'll be given medication to control it. You'll need to take this medication for the rest of your life. It may cause side-effects, but there are several different meds you can take for this condition, so you'll need to stay in touch with your doctor. If it does turn out to be SVT you don't need to worry, but you will need to stay on medication of some sort.
If it turns out to be just a manifestation of sleep paralysis you may be offered antidepressants, which depress REM sleep - the phase of sleep from which sleep paralysis arises. In this case, I'd advise refusing the medications. They aren't essential. Sleep paralysis is perfectly easy to live with once you know what it is.
But please get your heart checked first, so you know exactly what you're dealing with.
For years I thought they were night frights, my heart would race for 10 minutes, I felt weak, dizzy and could not move in case I collapsed. I did go to hospital a couple of times where they monitored me until my heart slowed down. February I was admitted to hospital and given adenisone then put on a beta blocker. I,ve had palpitations for many years and experienced the racing heart
I'm glad you got the help you needed, Ann. In your case, SVT was clearly the correct diagnosis, and that might be the case for Selphie.
My episodes, however, are definitely down to sleep paralysis, as I get various other manifestations as well. Also, the attacks of pounding heart only last a few seconds - until I'm able to pull myself together and realise I was just having another hallucination.