
What Causes Strange Sensation Under Breastbone While Waking Up?

I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for asking on HCM!
I went through your question carefully and understand your concern.
Your symptoms seem to be related to sensory hallucinations, related to awakening, also called hypnopompic hallucinations.
It is not the beginning of Parkinson's disease. so relax! You don't have to worry about it.
This is a commons sleep disorder, which does not need to be treated, as long as it doesn't disturb the quality of your sleep.
These episodes may also be triggered by Zyrtec intake.
I would not recommend taking Zyrtec and alcohol as it may increase sedation and these sleeping phenomena.
I recommend you to discuss with your doctor on the above mentioned issues.
Hope to have been helpful!
Feel free to ask any other questions, whenever you need!
Best regards!
Dr. Iliri


Thank you very much for your answer. I had already heard about the phenomenum you talk about but I am sure this is not what it is. I know I am awake, and is has nothing to do with seeing images, or not knowing where I am. It is always the same, never another hallucination, although a lot less severe as when it started and I am fully awake, in fact the fluttering awakens me. I am already quite used to it and know that it will stop when I change position , which I do immmediately each time it occurs. I am awake and fully rational. I always check my pulse in my neck to make sure it indeed is not my heart ( which always pumps perfectly). I have asked my husband to feel the fluttering under my skin and indeed he does! So it is there, it is not in my mind! When it first occurred 4 years ago, it was way stronger and I could place something on my breastbone and it would flutter with the tremor...so it is truly there. I thought , could it be my diaphragm, or a nervous system problem or a veins problem as I can feel it under my skin with my hand over all my body, extremities as well... that only occurs when I am at rest, at night so. It is a severe trembling, not visible on the outside, strangely enough. So it is not muscle tissue to my idea. And when it stops, it is very abruptly, as said as if something brakes inside my body, while I am lying down. My ears 'hear' this stop for some reason. It never occurs when I am upright. I cannot imagine this to be a hallucination, as I can converse with my husband and have asked him to feel it and he does feel it too, each time when I ask. He finds it very strange and a bit frightening too. So, I hope as it gradually gets less over the years it will eventually disappear altogether, but being as this age, I would not want to bury my head in the sand if I could have done something about this as it might be a sign of something going wrong or deteriorating... I know this is a strange descripton, unusual, have not been able to find anything online, and I am very proficient online...:-) but I still hope someone recognizes this and can put my mind at rest. The Parkinson threat still not fully away I am sorry to say..but again, thank you for at least taking me seriously. Best to you and yours, XXXXXXX
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Dear Julia!
Thank you for the additional so detailed information on your complains.
I would exclude a possible Parkinson's disease because of the following reasons:
-The symptoms occur only at times, during sleep and are modified with body movements.
-You have no other signs as slow movements or tremor of other parts of the body.
-The tremor in Parkinsons disease is mainly in the hands, unilateral and pill rolling type, which has nothing to do with your symptomatology.
-Parkinson has other symptoms like unilateral shoulder pain, slow thinking, resting tremor during all the time, etc.
So now you can be sure that it is not your case.
Regarding your symptomatology I would recommend consulting with a neurologist and performing an EEG, which is also helpful in the diagnosis of myoclonus and also in sleep disorders.
In the neurological consult, you will be able to totally exclude the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, as you should know that the neurological examination is fundamental for this diagnosis.
Besides, I would also recommend checking your thyroid hormone levels as a thyroid dysfunction could also be the cause of such clinical situation.
Hope to have been helpful!
Best wishes!
Dr. Iliri

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