Anxiety/PTSD

[Si1enzio]

Hello, my recent epidsode has caused my anxiety over sleeping. Bit more detail of the epidsode, i woke up from sleeping choking & I believe I may have sleep anea. I am booked for a sleep study for sleep apnea early November however i believe it has caused an issue which is anxiety. For the past 2-3 weeks I am struggling to get a good night sleep & have only a few hours sleep. My mind is restless & cant control my thoughts as I am trying to sleep. As soon as I lay down my mind races a million miles & cant settle down. I am currently seeing a psycologist however my next session is in 2 weeks & my GP does not recommend me taking sleeping pills due to my sleep apnea. I am so fed up & so helpless & not sure what else I can do. If you have any advice i would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Sophie_M]

Dear Si1enzio
 
Welcome to the Beyond Blue forums we are so glad that you have made you way here and had the bravery to post. We want you to know that this is a safe space to discuss your thoughts, feelings and experiences and receive honest responses and suggestions from fellow forum users.
 
We are sorry to hear that you are going through this right now; although we are also glad to hear that you are engaging with your GP and Psychologist.  We are sure you will receive lots of great advice for others who have experienced similar to you however we have included some links below that you might find helpful in the meantime:

Information on Anxiety 

Information on Managing Stress, Anxiety

Anxiety Management App

If ever you feel like you need to talk this through, we are also here 24/7 on 1300 22 4636 or via our Webchat Click Here .  Our team who answer the phones are ready to have a supportive and non-judgmental chat whenever you need it.
 
We’re sure you will hear from some of our lovely community members here on your thread soon. They’re a really amazing community, and will have understanding, advice and kind words for you.  Thanks again for sharing. It’s a powerful and brave first step towards feeling better.
 
Regards 
 
Sophie M

[Mark Z.]

Hi Si1enzio,

I'm sorry, I can tell it must be very frustrating. 

A friend of mine has similar issue, after seeing her GP and then a specialist, she was diagnosed sleep anea. During sleep, her breathing stops for a few seconds every minute. Fortunately, she realized this problem early, otherwise the consequences would be serious. She was suggested by the specialist to hire a ventilator and use it during night sleep. She did it and her sleep was greatly improved. I believe she was on the right track of treatment. She expects to get rid of the ventilator gradually. 

I'm not sure this is your case or not as I'm not a doctor. However as your physical health issue has caused mental health problem, I'd suggest you to try to change your sleep study to an earlier time, let them know how serious it is for you now.

I think your GP didn't recommend you sleeping pills for a reason, it might be not the right treatment for you. However if you doubt it, you can see another GP for a second opinion.

Mark

[Si1enzio]

Hi Sophie, appreciate your response & fellow links.

[Si1enzio]

Hi Mark, appreciate your response.

unfortunately my appointment in nov is the earliest. 
I did trial the cpap machine & was not a fan. The mask was very confronting & air pressure is very discomforting. But if my sleep study confirms I have sleep apnea I will definitely put more effort into using the machine. 

I am slowly controlling my anxiety during the nights, not taking it too hard on myself & being patient is the key for me. I still find it hard to get to sleep but my behaviour isn’t so erratic as in the past.