I am aware of what hypnic jerks are but I seem to have something more severe. I am unable to sleep without the use of a benzo which affords me 4 or 5hrs maximum. As I'm about to fall asleep, I will get a jolt/shock in the trunk area. Sometimes it happens in my head, neck, shoulders, but mostly in the chest. ocassionally, arms, hands. Also after I've slept about 4hrs(benzo), there seems to be some kind of myoclonus in the throat area- like an involuntary swallowing reflex. I will be drowsy from the med and want to sleep more but the throat jerks keep me awake, completely disabling me from sleeping. I've layed in bed an entire night, and EVERYTIME I start to drift off, I get these jolts and/or throat jerks completely preventing me from sleeping. They are unrelenting but only happen at sleep onset. It doesn't happen if just laying there relaxing and mentally alert. I was diagnosed with OBSA in 2006 and this was confirmed with annual PSGs. However a recent PSG revealed I no longer had OBSA, to the astonishment of the sleep specialist, as I had not lost any weight etc..The difference between this test and all other tests was I had recently come off an SSRI and used lorazepam for the sleep study. Unfortunately the lorazepam masked this other condition that has been getting progressively worse. Do you have any insight into this? I'm thinking it's neurological, as even with the sleep apnea, I was not a typical candidate, fit, athletic,non-smoker/drinker etc...How does apnea just disappear? Why are the jolts persisting?