I too was going to say it's definately the age for some sleep regression. Yours does seem a little excessive but every bub is different. Can you sleep in his room for a little bit, be there if he stirs and hopefully settle him without too much fuss. Maybe it's a seperation thing and if he hears your voice still in a sleepy state he will not completely wake?

Honestly in my experience these 'moments' of bubs going a little hay wire are really quite short lived but in the week or so that you're living though them it seems like it may never end. I don't know how many times i've come out of a complete upheavle by one of my little ones thinking.... if i'd know it'd only last this long i wouldn't have gotten myself so worked up about it Do whatever works to get him to sleep so you get your sleep and then hopefuly he will be back to his 'normal' self soon enough.

Good luck