Lived Experience Forum

[Flower88]

Hi does anyone with suffers from anxiety have issues when it comes to sleeping? I don't get much sleep and I'm on some natural anxiety tablets which have been helping a lot. But I still have been having trouble at night when I go to bed and feel like my head is having tremors and pulsing but no pain and I have been feeling really anxious but that's only been happening at night. This happened before taking the herbal tablets. Last night was quite bad my head was pulsing and I felt like I was panicking 😥 Is this normal for anxiety? Anyone else experience this?

[pip]

Hi Flower88. Were you taking AD's previously? If you are withdrawing from AD's or prescription sleeping pills, adjusting takes time. I was prescribed AD's, plus sleeping pills over 20 years ago, which were abruptly halted 3 years ago. It's taken me this long to readjust. Unfortunately, there's no, 'one solution fits all', for sleep problems. Perhaps staying up later, reading a book, watching t.v (something really boring) may be of some assistance. If you have a lot on your mind it makes it harder to relax. Some people advise warm milk with a pinch of cinnamon (liking cinnamon helps, there). Are you working, studying, sometimes anxiety over these issues keeps you awake. I would just try staying up later, sleep wherever you happen to be, (as long as you're home). Maybe try some light exercises before bed.

[Former-Member]

@Flower88, oh that's not good, sounds like a drug interaction. Doctors are not good with this stuff, especially with herbs. Might I suggest taking a list of everything you take to the chemist & see if you can plz talk to the pharmacist. Alternatively, natural medicine companies, like Blackmore's, have a number you can call, ask to speak with their naturopath or someone about your concern.
How's your nutrition?

[Flower88]

Hi sorry forgot to mention this had been happening before my herbal tablets . The ones I'm taking are quite good and hey are from naturopath. 🙂 my diet could be better. I find having the dizziness and anxiety makes it hard to want to cook but I am making an effort. This head pulsing only happens at night when I am lying down.

[Former-Member]

Hi @Flower88.  Sounds similar to what I experience.  Do you get a hot flush with it, heart palpatations?  

It used to be much worse for me, but I have done alot of research over the years, as I wasn't able to sleep much at all.  Was waking often with the symptoms.

When we are under alot of stress for a long time, it can affect our gut, causing things like IBS and gut inflammation.  I finally realized that perhaps the gut inflammation was causing the hot flush (it's not hormonal for me), which then caused the heart palpatations and the unusual feeling in my head (similar to what you described).

It took me ages to figure out what foods were causing all this.  I have found that when I don't eat certain foods, the symptoms go or lessen.  They are foods that I can't tolerate, such as nuts, oats and the list is long.  We are all different, so it could be other foods for you.  

It sounds strange that gut inflammation can cause these symptoms, but through trial and error, eliminating the foods has helped me alot.  When I eat the foods that I shouldn't and eat them often, I go back to not sleeping, because of all the awful symptoms.  It's amazing really.  

I can't be sure that this is the case with you, @Flower88.  It could be something different, but I just thought I'd mention my experience.  I look back at how bad I used to feel with it all, at night time especially and I am so grateful that I figured out what the real problem was.  (After asking several doctors).  Thankfully, I didn't take the meds they recommended for it, as they would not have helped me.

I hope that this helps you @Flower88.

I look forward to hearing if you have the other symptoms as well.  

I understand how awful it is to experience this at night time, as you feel so alone.  But good you have this forum to chat to people.  Hope it helps.  

[Former-Member]

I still struggle with anxiety @Flower88
But, like I said, symptoms were ALOT worse when I ate certain foods. 😯💜

[Flower88]

Hi Bridget I was thinking that might be an issue as I do get bloating, I have been contemplating removing gluten or seeing a nutritionist or taking to my naturopath. I actually had pasta the last few nights and thoes are the nights it was bad. So I'm having something different tonight so I'll see how that feels 😊 The symptoms are horrible it feels like a lot of activity going on in my brain and I feel panicky as well, so thinking it may be my central nervous system. Food is a big contributer too. Thanks for that advice 🙂

[Former-Member]

@Flower88  Sounds similar to me.  I've seen naturopaths etcetera, but ended up having to sort out the food thing for myself.  Borrowed books from the library about the gut (inflammation etc), but often what they recommended was good to eat, was bad for me.  So it's really different for everyone.  Dairy, nuts, oats, corn, chicken, tomatoes  and a whole lot of other foods make my symptoms worse.  Took a while to figure it all out, but noticed over a period of time, what was bothering me the most.

Anxiety is horrible to live with, I understand.

I hope you are able to sort it.  

[Flower88]

Thanks @Former-Member for the advice 😀

[Butterfly2016]

Yes I get head pulsing when I'm laying on my back! And I'm the same with cooking- I don't want to cook because if the dizziness! @Flower88 I wrote on your other post also, don't mean to look weird following you but I can't help but notice how similar we are with the symptoms