Theinterest, fear and bewilderment over this disorder continues. Here are a few of the letters I have received in my forum:
"I have been having something very odd happening every so often when I sleep. I will wake up with a ringing in my ears, and it will grow louder and louder until it turns into a more physical sensation and spreads through out my body. At this point I can not speak, or move. I've been frightened by this, and have tried to call out to someone, but there's barely a whisper. I can feel my lips moving, but there's no sound. Then I can't move. It all ends when I finally manage to move a leg or an arm, and then it's over instantly. Like flipping an off switch." KAERWOLF
"I recall falling asleep and dreaming about something related to cars... I woke up suddenly. My eyes felt wide open and I felt awake but I could not move. I was soaked in sweat and had heart palpitations ... I was terrified if I move something was behind me or could not get the energy to move any part of my body ... I remember looking around my room and seeing my computer on and everything seemed normal but then I still felt like I was asleep ... my dream was continuing even though I was awake ... all of a sudden out of the blue this tremendous pounding of my heart and a feeling like I was falling and there was this incredible amount of pressure being applied to my head as if it were going to explode then I heard this loud siren or buzzing extremely loud in my ear I thought I would loose contact with reality and becoming crazy but it lasted 15-30 seconds and poof gone .." SACHINDH
"despite my knowing the physiological explanation behind the episodes, each one was as terrifying as the first; I was shrouded in an overwhelming feeling of dread -- and often feared I would die out of sheer terror. I wish you well in finding some way to either eradicate or mentally conquer these terrifying experiences."NAPMEISTER
"- I can only open my eyelids half way and no further. When they are partially open I can see clearly as day. I'm able recognize exactly where I'm at and I can usually read like the time on the clock and so forth. - Unable to move, my wife has been laying right next to me asleep. I know I need to wake her up but I can not move any part of my body to do so. - I hear a loud noise. The sound is similar to closing your eyes and pushing air out through your ear. That sound is what I hear."MOTTSTER2
"I would wake in the middle of the night, be totally conscious of my surroundings including sounds, but totally unable to move any of my limbs, breathing was even difficult due to the extreme pressure felt on my chest and I was also totally unable to talk or shout for help. Scary!"HELENK5
