Heart attack like symptoms when falling asleep after taking Seroquel

[Guest concerned_citizen]

So I'm on 200mg of Seroquel at night and the last few days I've been experiencing something possibly crazier than I am. When I begin to fall asleep I feel like my heart is stopping or my lungs are collapsing not sure which it is but I can't breathe and I panic as if I am going to die. The feeling is a sudden rush that instantly wakes me up, my heart begins to beat fast and my stomach sinks in and I can't breath. This only happens when I am lying on my back and I have to sit up or turn on my side to make it stop. Does anyone know what is going on? I've been on this drug for about 5 months and this is the first time I've ever experienced any problems like this. The only other drug I take is lamictal 100mg x2 a day, and I've been on that for over a year.

[SashaSue]

That sounds more panic attack-y than anything else to me, but you should definitely talk to your pdoc about it.

I know some AAP's can cause cardiac symptoms, but I don't think seroquel is one of them.

[The Emperor]

I've never been on Seroquel, and I DO agree that you need to call your GP here, but thishas happened to me before.

I have really bad health related anxiety(always afraid I'm going to die suddenlyy, pretty much) and somtimes, at night, when my heart slows and I start to feel myself relax and drift off to sleep, I will startle and awaken immediately, assuming that the "slowing down" and relaxing feeling was actually the first signs of heart failure. Sometimes this happens 20 times a night, sometimes not at all, but that sounded familiar. And I agree itsounds like a panic thing.

Good luck, call your GP, make an appointment, whatever you need to do to feel better about this.

[AirMarshall]

Two words: SLEEP APNEA.

Many of our meds can exacerbate sleep apnea becaused they make our muscles relax (bless them). But that is bad for sleep apnea. Sudden awakening during the night with a feeling of panic, breathlessness and racing heart is a class symptom of sleep apnea. You need to talk to your GP about a referral to a sleep specialist MD for a full night sleep study. there they will do simultaneous EEG, EKG, nasal & oral airflow and videotape recording of your sleep. From that they can check for such things as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, organic brain damage, congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and others.

Git 'er done. It helped save my life. a.m.

[mudpuppy]

So I'm on 200mg of Seroquel at night and the last few days I've been experiencing something possibly crazier than I am. When I begin to fall asleep I feel like my heart is stopping or my lungs are collapsing not sure which it is but I can't breathe and I panic as if I am going to die. The feeling is a sudden rush that instantly wakes me up, my heart begins to beat fast and my stomach sinks in and I can't breath. This only happens when I am lying on my back and I have to sit up or turn on my side to make it stop. Does anyone know what is going on? I've been on this drug for about 5 months and this is the first time I've ever experienced any problems like this. The only other drug I take is lamictal 100mg x2 a day, and I've been on that for over a year.

With the "when I begin to fall asleep", it sounds like myoclonic jerks. Otherwise, it sounds like sleep apnea.

Either way, a sleep study would help.

[buddha443556]

Heart attack is usually accompanied by some significant crushing chest pain and you would probably have trouble even rolling over. I over did amitriptyline once and that put me out for three days except when I woke gasping for air. I do have a problem with sleep apnea even a mild sedative will set it off.

[Guest concerned_citizen]

Two words: SLEEP APNEA.

Many of our meds can exacerbate sleep apnea becaused they make our muscles relax (bless them). But that is bad for sleep apnea. Sudden awakening during the night with a feeling of panic, breathlessness and racing heart is a class symptom of sleep apnea. You need to talk to your GP about a referral to a sleep specialist MD for a full night sleep study. there they will do simultaneous EEG, EKG, nasal & oral airflow and videotape recording of your sleep. From that they can check for such things as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, organic brain damage, congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and others.

Git 'er done. It helped save my life. a.m.

I don't have sleep apnea, I don't even snore. But I will tell the psych thanks for the replies.

[tryp]

Stuff like this happens to me periodically on Seroquel. Every so often, I wake up in the middle of the night feeling like something is sitting on my chest and like I can't breathe and am going to die. It doesn't happen much anymore, but it's happened on at least three separate occasions. In my case, it turned out to be nothing. But yeah, def get it checked out.

[Pamito]

Yes Yes Yes, I am a long term seroquel user and I have the same symptoms, sometimes that you are experiencing. I know how horrible it can be. The thing is, it only happens to me if I take MORE than 700mg at bedtime. So you may have an extra problem, because 200mg should not be doing this. I lowered my nighttime dose, and I do not get the deathly symptoms anymore.

My heart thumps in my chest, and I can't breathe, I wake up gasping, I think I am going to die. The way I deal with it, is not take more than 700mg at a time. So you may need to stop it or speak to your doctor. My Pdoc thinks it is caused by the fact that Seroquel lowers your blood pressure, but I KNOW how frightening and uncomfortable this reaction can be.

I think you should either split your dose to 100mg at a time, or speak to your pdoc.

Hope this ole Seroqueller has been of some help.

[AirMarshall]

Citizen:

How do you KNOW you don't have sleep apnea?

If people could confidently know they didn't have sleep apnea, the sleep labs wouldn't be popping up like mushrooms. Also note that I listed about six other related possibilities. *shrug*.

a.m. p.s. there are two types of sleep apnea. Snoring is not a definitive symptom for ruling in or out.

[recoverymouse]

nobody here can diagnose the symptoms. we can just share what we've experienced.

[steves]

i was on haldol 3 times a day and 200mg seroquel at bedtime. I had the same symptoms when falling asleep "only when lying on back". Felt like i was being crushed couldn't breath. I had to use my wifes inhaler a few times. i do snore though quite loudly and also was a 2 pack a day smoker for 15 years. I just went up to 300mg xr morning and night and no problems yet.

[Guest matt s]

Me2! Same symptoms. I have to take a bunch of xanax to keep me alive it seems like.

[Guest RDH722]

I've bveen taking Seroquel at night for almost four years and I can tell you that SOMETIMES my heart feels like it's beating crazy fast and it can be scary. What I do is try not to think about it because it only makes it worse. Sometimes i feel I can't breath. So try calming yourself down. It's a strong drug that knocks you out so naturally there's a lot going on in your body (including your heart). Hope this helps. I just wish it didn't make me so hungry!!

[tim-e]

I take 200mg Seroquel for sleep, and get similar effects, albeit not as intense. I feel panicky when on my back, I feel like I must lie on my side. I have OSA (proven by sleep study this year) and when I wake suddenly in the night I also get panicky.