Does Your Body Vibrate When Laying Down?

[relentless]

I am in the process of trying to find out what is going on. I was previously told I had heart arrythmias, orthostatic hypotension, TIA's, blood pooling and swelling in legs. I have had gait disturbances, white outs, nausea, presyncope.

What scares me the most is when I am awakened to my whole body vibrating. I tried to do a search on the forum, but I don't know what word to use. The best way I can describe it is, I am awakened suddenly and my whole body feels like it is vibrating very, very fast. Also I am waking up in the morning and both my hands are almost numb. They feel swollen and stiff and my fingers don't bend, but looking at them they are not swollen.

I had similar trouble about 10 yrs ago which resulted in some TIA's and I don't want a repeat (scary). After not going to a doctor for 10 yrs, I am starting the process again with a cardio. I don't have the results of the 24hr holter yet, but I couldn't complete the treadmill stress test this week, because the moving treadmill causes sever gait disturbances. My equilibrium gets all screwed up and I feel like I'm climbing a steep hill on a 10% grade. This happened 10 yrs ago also. My heart rate when from 88 to 122 within 40 secs and they couldn't get a BP in either arm (typical for me when standing) for several minutes. Then it was 122 over 88 and very weak sounding.

They stopped the test and said that I should get a tilt test or a stress test where they inject you with something to increase your heart rate, because I can't complete the treadmill.

Thanks for any insight about the pulsing/vibrating while sleeping or lying down. I'm thankful to have found a forum where others are going through the same things. I've lived my whole life whiteouts on standing, etc and my son seems to have inherited this problem also. Answers would be wonderful, as I am in my 50's now and it getting much worse.

thank you

[MightyMouse]

I haven't had that sensation in a long time, but yes, i've had what I usually call a body buzz or hum. It kind of feels like I'm riding in a car but of course, I'm not. I have no idea why it happens and I can't predict what brings it on or when it will stop. It used to happen LOTS more when I was younger. It hasn't happened to me in about a year or so now?

nina

[jdqm]

What scares me the most is when I am awakened to my whole body vibrating. I tried to do a search on the forum, but I don't know what word to use. The best way I can describe it is, I am awakened suddenly and my whole body feels like it is vibrating very, very fast. Also I am waking up in the morning and both my hands are almost numb. They feel swollen and stiff and my fingers don't bend, but looking at them they are not swollen.

I don?t know what to say to help except that I have the same thing happen too. my fingers and toes feel like that too. And then when it stops it feels like pins and needles.the drs thought it was my pssoriatic arthritis, but i dought it the more i read on this forum. i was tested for rhumatoid arthritism because they were so sure it was that, but i did not have the rh factor. i even did 6 months of injecting myself with an imnuosupressant to see if it helped, but it mad so many other things worse. I hope somebody has an idea.

[Dizzy Dame]

I get the exact same thing, except mine's accompanied by flashing lights (whether or not my eyes are open). I've always been too scared to bring it up to my doctor because I know he won't have any idea what's causing it, and he'll probably think I'm out of my skull.

I've noticed that this sensation usually happens after a night of bad adrenaline surges. In fact, I've come to expect it on my really bad days. On days when I feel healthier, I've never had it happen.

Let us know if you find out what's causing it! I've got to try to remember to ask the neuro I've been seeing at Hopkins, because he might have a better idea than my cardio (who's also my GP because I'm such a weird case).

Good Luck!

[relentless]

thx for the replies. Glad I am not alone.

I wouldn't be afraid to bring it up with your doctor. The biggest problem with mentioning it is 'describing' it. It sounds looney toons, but it is very real. A good word to describe it would help.

Back in the mid-90's when I was seeing a cardio post TIA's, I was able to narrow it down more specifically, but this time it is the vibration only, as far as I can tell. I don't try to get out of bed when it happens. It jerks me awake.

10 yrs ago, It happened as soon as I laid down. One night I got fed up with it and decided to not worry about it. The next morning when I woke up, my body was like ice and STILL vibrating. It had gone on all night long. My husband reached over and he said I felt like a dead body I was so cold.

When I tried to get out of bed, I had such bad whiteouts that I could only raise up inches at a time. It took a good 10 minutes before I was upright sitting on the edge of the bed...

By the time I got to the bathroom the vibrating stopped. When I got back into bed and laid down again, it immediately started again, so the cure that day was to not lay down at all.

I immediately saw my cardio and explained what happened and he said it sounded like my heart was pumping so fast that blood wasn't being pumped into the rest of my body (ice cold). We did a holter then which showed about 5 different arrythmias working against each other and I was put on Procainamide. I felt 20 yrs younger, but developed an allergy within a week and had to stop.

So it is related to the heart and BP. Probably more BP not being regulated when laying down than the actual heart, but I really don't know. The difference this time is my hands are going numb and my body doesn't get ice cold. My lungs feel like they are stuffed to the brim when it happens and my breathing is very shallow. I'm trying to ward off another TIA, which was the result of the body buzzing for about a year before I stated having TIA's 10 yrs ago.

I really hate like H to have to go through this again with doctors. Maybe the tilt test will tell them more than the other cardio tests I've had. I do have MVP with regurgitation (echo) and haven't had a normal EKG in 10 yrs.

[persephone]

I get this very rarely. It was made much worse in hospital after IV cyclizine for nausea- I could feel myheart vibrating so weirdly it really scared me. I'd love to know what causes it= very very strange indeed.

[Jacquie802]

Hi,

When I was @ Beth Israel for a research study it felt as though my head was vibrating....This was one scary night for me, because I had never had it happen before. I didn't bother telling the nurses because I'm sure I would have gotten a crazy look!

Has anyone ever mentioned this to their docs??? Any info about it?

[marnian]

I've felt this in my hands, legs, and face before. This first time it ever happened was when I was in the hospital a few days before being diagnosed with POTS. I was in a lot of pain from something else at the time too though so my nurses/doctors thought it was probably a weird pain/anxiety response. Given the situation, I agreed at the time. Strangely enough though, having to suffer through an EMG the next day (an icky nerve conduction test) made it stop in the limbs they tested! When I told my doctors this they changed their mind about pain/anxiety but didn't have a better idea. For me at least, it's tolerable and rare and I just chalk it up to one more thing that doesn't seem to be quite right. If anyone has ever gotten a good answer though, I'd be quite interested!

[Tanzanite]

I get it too, mostly only when I'm trying to get to sleep and the time is getting near to 12 midnight. I mostly get it in arms and some in my upper body. Occasionally I've had it in the day if I'm having a bad patch.

[relentless]

Strangely enough though, having to suffer through an EMG the next day (an icky nerve conduction test) made it stop in the limbs they tested! When I told my doctors this they changed their mind about pain/anxiety but didn't have a better idea.

Interesting. Don't nerves control BP and heartrate? I've also been told I have a peripheral/polyneuropathy, but they could never find the cause. And I had a severe case of RSD with nerve damage after a wrist fracture. The severe pain of RSD seemed to clear up except for flare ups, although the bone degeneration and atrophy caused by RSD remains.

Seems like the nerves that control blood vessels would be the cause. I haven't a clue what part of the nervous system controls those. I would encourage those with this problem would bring it up to their doctor if it doesn't cause too much stress to tell them. I know how that goes. That's why I've stayed away from doctors for 10 years. Few answers and I didn't appreciate the cost and mental anquish on top of not knowing how to interpret so many abnormal tests.

[Dizzy Dame]

The autonomic nervous system controls blood vessel constriction and dialation. That's why many with autonomic neuropathy have difficulty regulating their blood pressure and develop orthostatic hypotension.

[relentless]

The autonomic nervous system controls blood vessel constriction and dialation. That's why many with autonomic neuropathy have difficulty regulating their blood pressure and develop orthostatic hypotension.

Bummer. Then it's back to neuropathy of unknown origin.

Will a tilt table test be conclusive to rule out the heart or would I have to take a myriad of additional tests?

[Dizzy Dame]

Are you worried about structural problems in your heart? If so, a cardiac ultrasound is the best way to look for those.

[relentless]

Are you worried about structural problems in your heart? If so, a cardiac ultrasound is the best way to look for those.

Not really. I don't think much has changed since my last echo 10 yrs ago. A tilt test would glean far more info I think, as I think the arrythmias are triggered autonomically. I did contact a cardio research study affliliated with my cardio and they said my EKGs are all over the place. Several MI's, etc on the readings. I think my heart just goes nutz and can't find a happy rythm. PITA it is.

Thanks for all your feedback. I'll find out more about the tilt test this week and take it from there.

[Guest Anne L]

Relentless,

I have occasional whole body tremors (kind of like chills) day or night for no apparent reason. It was happening when I was in the ER after a drop attack. I was on a heart monitor but rhythm didn't change. They gave me IV ativan x2. I am infrequently wakened at night with an adrenaline surge and tremors. I've never had a panic attack, but it seems that's what my body is trying to do. Going back to sleep is a real problem.

Anne

[kjdube]

When I was @ Beth Israel for a research study it felt as though my head was vibrating

Yes I have this also, head vibrating, it comes and goes, sometimes have it several nights in a row.

[Guest dionna]

yes i get it too. i keep telling people i was vibrating but they looked at me like i was crazy and would joke at me about it. usually something perverted. that is what i get for being around guys, huh?

dionna

[Clairefmartin]

I get this too, and mentioned it to the UVA neuro I saw, and he said it could be due to being "naturally high strung" like my body was reved up, and that taking florinef could make it worse. I actually have cut my dosage of florinef in half since then, and these sensations have calmed down a little. I am high strung, but I am pretty sure that has nothing to do with it and was a little annoyed at that statement - but oh well I also have tried breathing techniques that seem to help alot...

I am pretty sure this is an adrenaline related thing, and I am used to it now, I just don't like being woken up by it!

If you search "shake awakes" we have discussed the vibration feling before on here.

Good luck!

[Lulu]

i get the "shake awakes" too! awful stuff. i also get palpitations when lying down, generally i'm more aware of them when *trying* to fall asleep.

for the palps, my labetalol was increased at nighttime and for the shakes, if breathing slowly doesn't help i use my PRN ativan (about 1/2 mg). i've had pretty good relief from these.

good luck!!

lulu

[kmpower]

Hi Relentless,

In the beginning, when the only diagnosis I got was anxiety and I was told to take Ativan for whatever felt wrong, I noticed the trembling vibration would occur for a day or two as the Ativan wore off. It took this happening a bunch of times for me to figure it out. Eventually the diagnosis and treatment changed. So maybe your neurotransmitters are affected by something in your system or somehow imbalanced.

The morning stiffness and swelling in your hands is a "classic" B6 deficiency symptom. Sometimes they call it "wedding ring syndrome" because rings are too tight in the morning. This doesn't mean that it necessarily applies to you, but the B vitamins are so very important to the normal function of the nervous system that if you are low, they are cheap and easy to take. Swelling elsewhere in the body is different.

Best wishes. It all sounds miserable. I hope you figure it out soon.

OLL

[relentless]

thanks OLL! I will definitely start taking B vitamins. Years ago I got on a vitamin kick and my body really got out of whack. I've since learned to only take multivitamins to keep them balanced.

The only other part of my body that swells is my feet/ankles.

[LYNDA66]

I have had numerous sx like these and besides silent TIA's they did a sleep study and found that i have several sleep disorders. It is worth checking out. Years ago I would wake up faster than my body and i was still in REM Sleep and i was totally paralyzed, tremors, electrical shock like feeling until i fully woke up.

[sandie]

Hi, hope it's not too late to post on the topic, as it is 2017 now!

i have been getting these vibrations, not only when laying down, but when laying down it is most disturbing because I cannot sleep, or even rest or recover.

I also get a feeling of pressure in my head and its like being tortured.  Has anyone considered that this could be the result of exposure to Infrasound, ie very low frequency sound waves below 20 hertz.  not audible to the human ear but some people feel as vibrations going through the body, nausea, distress etc...?

 

 

[ishaqamina]

I call it an internal tremor and it became really unbearable, like my body was buzzing and vibrating and I was having a seizure on the inside. I spoke to my doc and asked to trial clonazepam 0.5 x2 and it's been a week...... no tremor.... I pray to god it lasts

[LizaTodd]

Ohmygosh! I just spoke to my cardiologist about this last week....i even asked can you have panic attacks in your sleep? It sometimes wakes me up around 3:30 or 4 with racing heart, nervousness,shaking, sweating, ECT. I literally stumbled on this post and jumped for joy (sorry but misery loves company 😊) this happens a lot when I get up in the morning as if I have had a whole pot of coffee ( which I had to give up😣) 

He did say it was my POTS, but he is also having me scheduled for a sleep study. I do not sleep well or obviously get into REM sleep. 

I thought I was losing my mind, glad to know I am not losing my mind!