Has anyone experienced sleep paralysis? My 16 year old daughter with Lyme has been having problems this week. Last winter she had this for a few months but I didn't know what it was. She staretd again this week.
I try to wake her up and she can not respond. After about 20 minutes of trying to wake her she can gently squeeze my hand if I ask her if she can hear me. She will go back to sleep if I let her. It takes about another hour - hour and half for her to respond. SHe is aware of the talking around her but it feels like a dream. She can't move.
She was doing much better before this week. Her brain fog became much worse a few days before this started. Has anyone experienced this? Could it be herx related?
Posted by psano (Member # 7785) on :
Sleep paralysis is a frightening thing. I had it before my treatment started, and haven't had it since. However, I imagine it could be a herx symptom, since they say almost any symptom can recur as a "herx".
In addition to not being able to move, whenever it happened to me, I felt as if I couldn't breathe...like my chest was also slightly paralyzed, and I was unable to inhale adequately.
Very scary, indeed. Thank god it hasn't happened recently.
Good luck to you and your daughter.
Posted by AlisonP (Member # 7771) on :
This used to happen to me all the time and started during adolescence. It still happens on rare occasions.
I wish I knew if I had Lyme back then. My gut tells me that I did, but I odn't know for sure.
The worst thing about it is it can be so terrifying, but other than that it didn't cause me any problems.
The best thing I discovered about a decade too late was to just let it happen and not be scared. The fear makes it worse.
It feels like the brain has a hard time dragging itself out of the unconscious and into the conscious...like wading through molasses. Like part of you ocmes back from dreaming and you just have to wait for the rest of you to catch up.
A.
Posted by psano (Member # 7785) on :
I think the reason it scared me so much at first is because I didn't know what was wrong, and I was afraid that I might be dying.
Once I figured out what was wrong, that death wasn't imminent and that I'd come out of it, I was able to relax a bit.
Posted by lymeHerx001 (Member # 6215) on :
Ive had this lots of times.
It is my belief that this is SPIRITUAL.
I dont want to sound hocus-pocus or disway you from you religeon but I believe is your astral body seperating from your physical.
Ive had paralysis before and couldnt move. Ive had it so many times that when I tried to move I would shake. Then I would get to the point where I could see my feet,
then I got to the point where I would try so hard to get up that I would pop up out of my body. I have actually seen my body laying in the bed and seen under my skin.
No I was not on drugs and no I was not dreaming,, in fact I felt more awake then I am now typing this.
Do some research if you want. Just type it into a search engine.
Sheryl Crow has this alot.
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
I have had two serious bouts of Lyme paralysis, but they were both definitely herx-associated...and both occurred while I was very much awake.
I also think fear made mine worse. In both instances, it lasted about 4.5 - 5 hours. First time, I went to the ER. That did me no good. I actually felt as if I came close to dying.
The second time, I was less afraid and just decided to ride it out.
I have to say it's as scared as I've ever been. I'm really sorry your daughter's going through this. It's gotta be really awful for you.
Oh, one thing that definitely helped me was rubbing my toes and the balls of my feet. I know that sounds weird, but that area in acupressure is connected to the brain. Somehow, I can do that now and keep the paralysis from getting out of hand.
Hope this helps!
Andie
Posted by lymeHerx001 (Member # 6215) on :
5 hours is a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNGGGG time!!!!
WOW the longest mine lasted was 15 minutes probabbly
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
The time factor was weird to me. Obviously, I wasn't keeping track and didn't have any idea if it was day or night. But my SO was keeping a careful eye.
This was also accompanied by unbelievable chills.
Odd too, because I could talk and think but couldn't move any part of my body.
It was my first herx. I'd been told I could possibly herx, but certainly couldn't have expected this. It's when I began to realize this is one helluva disease!
Andie
Posted by lymster (Member # 5964) on :
Sorry to hear about your daughter. I had it at the begining of my Lyme tx along with bell's palsy. It was so SCARY. Last time I had was 6 months into my tx, right now I have been under tx for 15 months and so far no sign of it; the only thing is happening once in a while is numbness on my arms when I wake up but no paralysis.
I am sure your daughter will overcome this; I take a lot of hope on the progress I made.
Take care,
Lymster in WA.
Posted by Areneli (Member # 6740) on :
This phenomenon is very much unknown.
You may possibly prevent it by not allowing her to go into a deeper sleep. It is done successfully in prevention of night terrors. How to do it?
You wake her up slightly after 2.5-4 hours of sleep. After that her sleep shouldn’t be too deep and the problem may be avoided.
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
Arneli, I think your suggestion makes sense.
I just reread my previous posts on this topic and realized I had failed to mention the most important part of it all (to me):
I haven't had this paralysis recur since my second month of tx. Don't know if waking paralysis is different than sleep paralysis.
I really hope your daughter gets beyond this...and have every confidence she will!
Andie
Posted by pab (Member # 904) on :
quote:Originally posted by fatigued15: Has anyone experienced sleep paralysis? My 16 year old daughter with Lyme has been having problems this week. Last winter she had this for a few months but I didn't know what it was. She staretd again this week.
I try to wake her up and she can not respond. After about 20 minutes of trying to wake her she can gently squeeze my hand if I ask her if she can hear me. She will go back to sleep if I let her. It takes about another hour - hour and half for her to respond. SHe is aware of the talking around her but it feels like a dream. She can't move.
She was doing much better before this week. Her brain fog became much worse a few days before this started. Has anyone experienced this? Could it be herx related?
Jordan (age 15) has had sleep paralysis. It was one of the scariest symptoms for him. He would wake up and couldn't move or talk. He realized he could make a clicking sound and then I knew I needed to help him. I would bring him to a sitting position and then he would be OK.
Does your daughter take any sleep meds? Jordan can not take Melatonin because it would happen more often when he did. He now takes Trazodone and it hasn't happened for a long time.
Posted by tidegal (Member # 8262) on :
I have this when I am either herxing or having a lyme flare. I will actually be trying to get out of a dream and feel like I am smothering. I feel like I am dying and can't breathe. I can hear the tv, and noises around me, but I can't open my eyes or move a muscle. When I finally wake up, my whole body is tingling and my ears are ringing. I know I am in for several days in the bed feeling like crap!! I know it's scary, but it is not unusual or dangerous for us lymies. I wish I had the magic answer but I don't. I am hoping it gets better with treatment. Just know that you are not alone.
take care, tidegal
Posted by fatigued15 (Member # 6437) on :
Thank you to everyone for your support. Glad to hear so many have had this happen.
Posted by cantgiveupyet (Member # 8165) on :
Hey everyone, i had this last nite/this morning.
I woke up around 2AM couldnt sleep then went back to bed around 4 AM...well, this morning i tried to wake up....i could hear everything around me, and kept trying to tell my body to move.i tried yelling...and yelling and knew if i could get to the phone i would be ok..it was not working....my eyes were twitching so fast...and i thought well this is how you die, i remembered this post and next thing i knew i was awake, and so happy to be alive!!! I believe i was just so tired and in a deep sleep, and most likel a herx as well. i went back on abx 2 days ago :-(
Im exhausted right now...cant keep eyes open and chest hurts....im hungry too. I feel like i didnt sleep at all.... also the detox gold patches are very dark this morning.
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