Shown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cecilia on March 11, 2006, at 22:11:21
Are there any meds besides MAOI's that stop you from dreaming? I have such endless unpleasant anxious dreams that make me wake up feeling so exhausted and so much more tired than when I went to bed. Sometimes I dream for hours that I'm lying awake trying to fall asleep. (I often do lie awake for hours trying to fall asleep, but when it was a dream I realize it when I wake up). Cecilia
Posted by rjlockhart on March 11, 2006, at 22:32:26
In reply to Meds to stop dreaming, posted by cecilia on March 11, 2006, at 22:11:21
Ok i know what you are talking about, i have waken up thinking im awake and seeing things, and then i REALLY wake up. I usally wake up around 4:30am and cannot go back to sleep (for real no dreaming)
A very good suggestion for this is Seroquel which is an antipsychotic that is potent and good for sleep, and can block out dreams, through dopamine blockagde. Zyprexa also maybe a good option, but seroquel is more sedating for sleep.
No night terrors... jk.
Matt
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on March 11, 2006, at 23:38:53
In reply to Meds to stop dreaming, posted by cecilia on March 11, 2006, at 22:11:21
Have you used any regular sleep meds? I find that Ambien knocks me out and I don't remember a thing in the morning. It would be a nice simple solution if it works for you.
Best,
EE
Posted by Chairman_MAO on March 12, 2006, at 0:17:10
In reply to Meds to stop dreaming, posted by cecilia on March 11, 2006, at 22:11:21
Barbiturates do this exquisitely, but good luck geting a Nembutal prescription.
Buspirone 15-30mg qhs would be the first thing I'd try. Incedentally, I cannot think of anything else I'd recommend buspirone for as a first-line treatment!
If that doesn't work, titrate moclobemide to effectiveness. It is an MAOI, but reversible. Do keep in mind that you will be hard pressed to find a drug which prevents your nightmares while preserving proper sleep architecture.
Also, may drugs used for PTSD could be effective.
Can you afford a sleep study? This is the first thing I'd pursue before looking for a pharmacological rememdy.
Posted by cecilia on March 12, 2006, at 1:33:09
In reply to Re: Meds to stop dreaming, posted by rjlockhart on March 11, 2006, at 22:32:26
Unfortunately, Ambien or temazepam help me (sometimes) get to sleep but don't stop the dreaming. I wouldn't even bother asking my doctor for barbituates-I can't imagine most doctors willing to prescribe them to a non-hospitalized, depressed patient. ( I can't blame them, they need to cover their assets). I can't remember whether I dreamed more or less on moclobemide, but I vividly remember the horrible way it made me grind my teeth at night, I kept trying unsuccessfully to find a mouth guard I could stand to wear, and the grinding kept up for a long time after I'd stopped the moclomebide. I've taken buspirone in hopes of "augmenting" various AD's without any real effects, perhaps it's something to consider trying on its own after I fail Emsam. (I know, I know, I should think positive). I take clonazepam, but I'm not sure what it does, if anything, it does nothing for insomnia, that's for sure, and I still dream constantly. The problem with a sleep study is, I can't imagine any possibility that I'd be able to sleep during it, and I don't want to waste a lot of money to be told I'm anxious and depressed, unfortunately, I know that already. Anyone who's had a sleep study, if you don't sleep, do you they just have you keep coming back night after night until you do? That could get very expensive very fast. I assume they wouldn't let you take sleep meds, since the point is to get a baseline without them. Xanax helps when I wake up with a nightmare, but usually when I'm not trying some insomnia inducing AD I just stay in this deep sleep with dreams that are unpleasant but not true nightmares and that never seem to end. It's very frustrating. Cecilia
Posted by psychopharmacon on March 12, 2006, at 1:38:18
In reply to Meds to stop dreaming, posted by cecilia on March 11, 2006, at 22:11:21
I often have unpleasant and terrible dreams, which I believe is caused by the antipsychotic I am taking (amisulpride).
Many people say that Provigil (modafinil) makes them sleep better at night (when taken in the morning before). So I tried sdrafinil (modafinil's cousin) and have taken it for some days now. So far the dreams have stopped.
Amphetamines, Ritalin and benzos are REM suppressants, so they should work for this problem.
Tricyclics are also said to suppress REM.
I don't know about Seroquel, but Zyprexa made me have terrible dreams (and made me really, really depressed in the morning).
Posted by psychopharmacon on March 12, 2006, at 3:02:02
In reply to Re: Meds to stop dreaming, posted by cecilia on March 12, 2006, at 1:33:09
My dreams aren't exactly nightmares either. I usually dream about memories I actually want to suppress. Great.
A long time ago when I was doing speed and benzos, after going to sleep, I woke up many hours later without a single dream. It felt like no time had passed at all.
Posted by yxibow on March 12, 2006, at 3:52:48
In reply to Meds to stop dreaming, posted by cecilia on March 11, 2006, at 22:11:21
> Are there any meds besides MAOI's that stop you from dreaming? I have such endless unpleasant anxious dreams that make me wake up feeling so exhausted and so much more tired than when I went to bed. Sometimes I dream for hours that I'm lying awake trying to fall asleep. (I often do lie awake for hours trying to fall asleep, but when it was a dream I realize it when I wake up). Cecilia
I know you're hurting from bad dreams -- but dreams, and the REM process are all a part of life. It sounds like I'm being callous... but in a way, it sounds like my desire to have more medicines to stop feeling my horrible anxiety complex and psychic pain, yet I need to feel life, because life is for living, it just -- well is.Yes, a harsh medicine like chloral hydrate or seconal could knock you out like a log but have you considered the psychodynamics of the dreams you're having and possible psychotherapy about them. I know that sounds Freudian, but there are reasons for them, even in todays psychotherapy.
Just a note. I hope you find a good solution
Tidings
-- Jay
Posted by linkadge on March 12, 2006, at 10:55:09
In reply to Re: Meds to stop dreaming, posted by Emily Elizabeth on March 11, 2006, at 23:38:53
Sometimes meds can actually cause this. Celexa gave bad nightly nighmares.
Linkadge
Posted by Tom Twilight on March 12, 2006, at 14:23:28
In reply to Re: Meds to stop dreaming, posted by linkadge on March 12, 2006, at 10:55:09
I'm no expert, but I'm fairly sure that TCAs would work for dreams
I found that Clomipramine stopped me from dreaming at doses of 100mg and upwards.
It must have worked for dreams at some level because when I discontinued I got horrible nightmares from REM rebound!
Posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2006, at 18:33:22
In reply to Re: Meds to stop dreaming, posted by Tom Twilight on March 12, 2006, at 14:23:28
Depends what's going on in your life they say drearms are the minds way of dealing with stresses in your life. Fondly,Phillipa, ps I do use valium
Posted by cecilia on March 13, 2006, at 1:43:14
In reply to Re: Meds to stop dreaming, posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2006, at 18:33:22
I have plenty of stress in my life, but it sure doesn't feel like the dreams help me deal with it, they just make it worse. It just would be so nice to have some time in my life, day or night, when I'm not in pain.... Cecilia
Posted by yxibow on March 13, 2006, at 3:19:52
In reply to Re: Meds to stop dreaming, posted by cecilia on March 13, 2006, at 1:43:14
> I have plenty of stress in my life, but it sure doesn't feel like the dreams help me deal with it, they just make it worse. It just would be so nice to have some time in my life, day or night, when I'm not in pain.... Cecilia
--------------
I do feel for you... but if you've ever read "Brave New World", sometimes a pill and a theoretical utopian society goes a bit too far... psychotherapy can also deal with this. Although I would love some real Soma for my back. I know this isn't terribly helpful.
For the short term its curious Restoril doesn't stop the dreaming because its an incredibly powerful hypnotic that grogs you through the next day enough to need a load of ibuprofen and caffeine at least for me anyhow -- perhaps the dose isnt high enough, I dont know.
And I can tell you that, because I'm not benzodiazepine naive, i.e. I take already a fairly substantial load of benzodiazepines and the partial contents of a very low dose capsule are instantly sleep inducing -- NOT that I suggest you break capsules unless told so -- DONT -- follow your doctors orders.
But I would seriously consider pursuing other avenues other than medication for this because I think that there are possibly subconscious thoughts that provoke these things beyond the range of medications -- ask your doctor.
Cheers-- Jay
Posted by yxibow on March 13, 2006, at 3:38:40
In reply to Re: Meds to stop dreaming, posted by yxibow on March 13, 2006, at 3:19:52
I should add that if Restoril doesn't do it -- and you really want the medicine route, Dalmane is absolutely scary stuff from what I recall and I'm not a benzophobe, but its even more hypnotic and I would think wipe you out entirely for the night.
But, as I said, there are other methods.
Just an addition.
Tidings
-- Jay
Posted by ed_uk on March 13, 2006, at 13:38:22
In reply to Re: Meds to stop dreaming » yxibow, posted by yxibow on March 13, 2006, at 3:38:40
Hi Yxi
You're already on temazepam in a sense. Temazepam is one of diazepam's active metabolites.
Ed
Posted by yxibow on March 14, 2006, at 2:24:18
In reply to Re: Meds to stop dreaming » yxibow, posted by ed_uk on March 13, 2006, at 13:38:22
> Hi Yxi
>
> You're already on temazepam in a sense. Temazepam is one of diazepam's active metabolites.
>
> EdCorrect... but I still react to Temazepam differently than Valium, and it doesnt take much. That would leave Serax and dimethyldiazepam, a mostly nonexistant drug.
Posted by Enigma on March 14, 2006, at 12:36:05
In reply to Meds to stop dreaming, posted by cecilia on March 11, 2006, at 22:11:21
> Are there any meds besides MAOI's that stop you from dreaming? I have such endless unpleasant anxious dreams that make me wake up feeling so exhausted and so much more tired than when I went to bed. Sometimes I dream for hours that I'm lying awake trying to fall asleep. (I often do lie awake for hours trying to fall asleep, but when it was a dream I realize it when I wake up). Cecilia
Wow, amazing. I thought I was the only one. I have the exact same problem, and never found a cure, to a degree anyway.
Well, I should say, if I take 2 klonopin (forget the doze, but I can find out), it does help eliminate some of the disturbing dreams. Some sleeping pills do help as well. The stronger the pills, the less I dream, thus, better sleep.
I usually have insomnia problems, and don't go to bed until about 3-4 am, when I'm then usually kept up with disturbing dreams, thoughts, etc. I ususally can't get to sleep for another 1-2 hours after going to bed, and of course, wake up the next day (and generally every 30-60 mins, in a state of dread, worry, anxiety, etc, that my vivid dreams help put me in.
Then, I can't shake those thoughts for hours, after waking up. It's almost like a living hell. Sleep *used* to be my excape from my bad thoughts, depression, anxiety, etc, but not anymore.
I would try strong sedatives, doctor recommended of course.
Do no overdose!!!Good luck
Posted by jerrympls on March 16, 2006, at 3:27:34
In reply to Re: Meds to stop dreaming, posted by rjlockhart on March 11, 2006, at 22:32:26
> Ok i know what you are talking about, i have waken up thinking im awake and seeing things, and then i REALLY wake up. I usally wake up around 4:30am and cannot go back to sleep (for real no dreaming)
>
> A very good suggestion for this is Seroquel which is an antipsychotic that is potent and good for sleep, and can block out dreams, through dopamine blockagde. Zyprexa also maybe a good option, but seroquel is more sedating for sleep.
>
> No night terrors... jk.
>
> MattI take Seroquel for insomnia and have terrible nightmares.....
This is the end of the thread.
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