Dreams driving me nuts

[lemonflavor]

I have bad dreams every night. Not usually nightmares but extremely frustrating or just bad dreams with many different themes. Since taking Lamictal they have been intensified and lengthened (or so it seems-I know dreams don't last as long as we think they do). I also increased the Lexapro when I started Lamictal but I don't think that's a factor. When at 100mg of Lamictal it was intolerable. At 75mg they were just a little less intense but still bad. It's been about 2 months now. I also take 1mg Klonopin at night. The Lamictal helps overall-this is really the only side effect other than some hypomania.

I asked my doc if there is anything that decreases dreams. He said well a whole lot of alcohol or barbituates. He knows I'm not addictive so he could joke about that although I'm not sure what barbituates are yet.

Is there anything anyone has experienced that would reduce dreams? Since benzos are hypnotics would they make dreams more intense? Or would the anti-anxiety effect help that. But then I would probably become tolerant of a higher dose.

I also have this strange thing where I'm half asleep but very aware of where my body really is and feel my wife touching me. Then when I fully wake up everything is the same except my wife wasn't touching me.

[brenagirl]

ahhh I wish I could help ya with this one, but I can't. I also take Lamictal (along with seroquel) and between the two of them I have crazy dreams every night. I had one so vivid last night that it took me a few hours this morning to convince myself that it wasn't real. (all kinds of stuff, death, cheating, you name it). I wish there was a way to cure it, and seroquel being a tranquilzer definitely made it worse. But it is better than the other alternative. Walking around chasing my rear end. Sorry I couldn't help, but at least you know you're not alone.

[jacomus]

I wish I could help you, but I cant. I also have some really strange and realistic dreams on my meds. They are feel so real that can no longer tell the difference between them and reality. Sometimes it feels like I dream a month

[lemonflavor]

My pdoc is adding a little bit of Lithium to see if this will help calm things down. We'll see.

[Rabbit37]

I have to echo the previous replies. I too, can't discern reality from dreams. I can't remember if actual conversations occurred or not. And, it's really weird, it's like I'm half awake, and I can just "see" the room, see my daughter lying next to me, see the ceiling fan, see the windows... and then I open my eyes and they're in a different place. It's disturbing in a way. I'm on lamictal, but I've noticed that it worsened with seroquel.

[lemonflavor]

My pdoc is adding a little bit of Lithium to see if this will help calm things down. We'll see.

Didn't work.

[Thomas]

I have weird dreams almost every night, but I don't always remember them, just having had them. I'm on lamictal too.

Tommy

[Guest kikisforcupcakes]

I did a search and found this page because I was getting very concerned about the dreams I was having and their relation to me starting Lamictal. I have only been taking this drug for a little over a week and since I started I have had the most ridiculously vivid dreams. The dreams are so real--it's kind of scary. I'm glad to see that I am not alone in this. Is this a common side effect? I am assuming so, due to the amount of people leaving comments on here. The worst thing about these dreams are after I have them, if I wake up it's almost impossible to go back to sleep. I am an insomniac and I am prescribed Trazadone but haven't been able to take it lately because with the Lamictal it completely knocks me out to the point where I can't get up for work in the morning (ie. I sleep through my alarm, or I am just half asleep through out the morning). So, I don't really know what to do about this. In time, do these dreams start to fade? And everytime I increase the dose, are the dreams going to be intesified?

[crazycatnapper]

The hallucinations about someone touching you, etc. are common to persons with narcolepsy. They suck and the really weird dreams can be a real mind fuck. I never thought about a medication causing these things since I just have them on my own, but is there a way to switch drugs? I cannot imagine any benefit being worth it to put up with what I call my "night demons"; however, I guess there may be times when it would be worth it. Does the drug make your overall sleep quality less? That can end up causing more problems with MI. Sometimes it's like a damned double edged sword.

[r.mcmurphy]

"Since benzos are hypnotics would they make dreams more intense?"

i have no reservations about opinioning on that subject. hypnotics in conjuntion with lamictal at 200 was a living hell.

benzos are not, i believe, considered a hypnotic, thus i have no experience to share regarding them combined with lamictal.

[meg]

I too, can't discern reality from dreams. I can't remember if actual conversations occurred or not. And, it's really weird, it's like I'm half awake, and I can just "see" the room, see my daughter lying next to me, see the ceiling fan, see the windows... and then I open my eyes and they're in a different place.

whew.

I'm so so glad that I'm not the only one. My friends are getting a little more used to me asking if I had a conversation with them about something or if it was a dream. No crazy outlandish dreams here, just mostly the mundane-- I dreamt that I put my darks in the dryer two days ago and realized just today that they were still sitting in the washer (yuck. had to wash again.)-- it's not an excuse for not doing something if I really thought I did it though and didn't have physical proof otherwise, I'd think it was done.

driving me crazy.

I mean, why would I dream that I went to the livingroom and my book wasn't on the table anymore? in the dream I thought "oh, I guess my roommate must have borrowed it" and then in the morning on my way to the kitchen-- there was the book, in the *exact* same position, same page, same remote on top at the same angle. it never moved. I just dreamed it. bleh.

goodluck guys, I wish I had some good advice too.

meg

[YorkshireRose]

It certainly appears ADs and vivid dreams go hand in hand,I too get confused between whats real and whats not!!!

Jeez what a bunch we are!!!

I now start alot of my conversations with......did I dream this or did you.......

Seems to work and Im not as anxious about it anymore knowing others are aware seems to help,dont think Ive heard of any meds to counteract though!!!

[lysergia]

funny but not... my 16 yr. old daughter also does this (can't remember if she dreamed something or it happened) quite often. she isn't mentally ill in any way, nor does she take meds for anything. but still, she's somehow inherited this trait from me... so it is very common in our house for someone to be saying "did i really.... or was i dreaming?". it doesn't bother my daughter, and we kind of laugh about it most of the time.

i hope it doesn't intrude on her life as she gets older the way it does mine, though... things get left behind because i thought i already did them :/

i wonder, if there was a med for this, if she'd choose to take it. i bet not.

[usernametaken]

i concurr about lamictal and dreams. my pdoc said it isn't a side effect. somehow CB gives me a sneaking suspision he is wrong.

[december_brigette]

hi all,

i keep dreaming that im at the last job i had - which was 3 years ago. and i keep getting confused, because in the dream im sitting in my cubicle with the same people around me and im trying to work but i cant - like the computer doesnt know my passwords. then i remember im on ssdi. and i get really confused in my freakin dream.

ive had the same or variations of this dream for the past month. nightly. ugh!!!

db

[mel1]

I, too, have the reality vs. dream problem. It's very confusing when you can't distiguish dreams from reality at times. Sometimes, I go to take a nap and i "wake up" but was not sure if i was asleep. Weird. Mostly it doesn't bother me too much except when i get those bad dreams like DB talked about where i am at work , unable to function, even though i'm not working. I have a lot of rejection dreams that are so realistic i wake up feeling depressed. BTW, I also take lamictal. glad i'm not the only one with weird dreams.

[lysergia]

hi all,

i keep dreaming that im at the last job i had - which was 3 years ago. and i keep getting confused, because in the dream im sitting in my cubicle with the same people around me and im trying to work but i cant - like the computer doesnt know my passwords. then i remember im on ssdi. and i get really confused in my freakin dream.

ive had the same or variations of this dream for the past month. nightly. ugh!!!

db

db, that sounds soooo familiar here. lots of dreams about being in jobs i left, classes/projects abandoned, etc.

i always feel panicky both in the dream and after i wake up. do you? i always consider those dreams to be a product of the level of anxiety i'm having that day. every dream boils down to "i'm supposed to be doing something and i can't figure out how to get it done", over and over. usually about the same damned things.

it happens regardless of whatever meds i'm on, too. so i sympathize.

-lysergia

[december_brigette]

lysergia-

i think you are right!!! Ive had so much "to do" even back to making lists so i dont forget....which has been a while for me.

ugh...& awake...

db

[goldfinch]

I have the same dream problem, but mine is from wellbutrin. Just another side effect I have to put up with.

[r.mcmurphy]

am firmly planted in this world and not yarding pdrugs down my throat anymore yet sometimes, not often, i dream of ex hosebag wife. 'cruel and unusual punishment...'-bet yer azz.

[meg]

i keep dreaming that im at the last job i had - which was 3 years ago. and i keep getting confused

db, that sounds soooo familiar here. lots of dreams about being in jobs i left, classes/projects abandoned, etc.

i always feel panicky both in the dream and after i wake up. do you?

I'm with both of you!

Mine are more school-related than work, but still terrible, especially test-taking dreams.

I suck at test-taking.

Hatehate those little freaking bubbles.

My dreams are usually that I forgot to study for a really important exam.

Or that I blank on everything and only write my name before they collect it.

But usually I didn't study because I didn't know we had a test.

((pannnnnniiiickkkkkk))

Often it involves those little freaking bubbles.

Grades were my LIFE in high school and I was constantly studying for something and inwardly freaking out. Constant stress and "ohmygosh, it's the __ test today! I'm not ready! I need to study more! why can't I concentrate!?!" THEN "ohmygosh, how come I'm blanking on this?! I know this! Oh no, I'm the LAST ONE! don't take it, I'M NOT DONE!! ahh!"

I usually forgot to do something in real life, or are about to, but sometimes I just think my brain just gets a kick from watching me cry as the blank test gets handed back as a F-Minus:

because I EVEN SPELLED MY OWN NAME WRONG.

dreams suck

meg

[Guest kdizzy]

i slowly worked up to 100 mg of lamictal..i had no vivid dreaming on anything lower than the 100mg...about a week being on 100mg i have had the most vivid, abstract, crazy dreams i have ever expierienced in my life...it is actually kind of frightening.

[december_brigette]

hi all:

especially to meg - im sorry i never responded!!

although not much has changed - i still have the work dreams. and i have dreams about how to get my car from college to home. (college was in NC, home is CA...and i didnt have a car in college....i didnt get one until after a full year of full-time work). i dream these 2 things all the time!!!!!!!!

urgh,

db

[Day2Day in the 518]

Just wanted to throw in 2 cents in case this thread picks up again...

I started having vivid dreams going back to when I first started taking ADs. They have been particularly strong when I was previously on Wellbutrin and now with Lamictal. I too fit into a common theme of being at work or back at school, need to get something done and can't figure out how to do it.

Occasionally, I wake up in the morning feeling a little mentally drained, but mostly I just accept the dreaming as a tolerable side effect. I guess if they were real nightmares, then I might feel differently...

[LikeMinded]

I also really don't like those 'complicated' dreams, as we put them. Those kinds where we have a difficult (but patently bizarre and unrealistic and sometimes utterly surreal!) problem to solve, and the problem keeps changing, weaving you in and out of the plot... honestly, it's like trying to troubleshoot a bad Windows XP installation hacked onto a MacBook using Boot Camp beta (been there, done that).

Sometimes in those dreams I wake up *this* close to the solution, and I go back to sleep to complete it. On rare occasions, I actually do get the problem solved.

As far as medications, the two worst culprits in my "deeper" dreams (the ones where I don't sweat and don't too often wake up out of) are/were Strattera and trazodone. I'm on Strattera now (switched from Cymbalta to stop the serotonin action which could be aggravating my fevers), and I've once again returned to getting those weird dreams... my pdoc has told me to experiment with morning/evening dosage regimens (his opinion is that an evening dose will make it harder to fall asleep but will give better sleep, not sure how that is).

Now, Halcion (aka triazolam, unavailable in the UK from what I know because of side effects of "violent behavior") was the worst offender on the sleep list for me. Did NOT get along with my sleep paralysis and REM behavior issues. The three nights I was valiant enough to be on it, I suffered from drenching night sweats, dreams that practically intertwined me in my bedroom in my apartment (paralyzed the whole time of course), and other fun stuff I don't feel like going into detail about.

i have dreams about how to get my car from college to home. (college was in NC, home is CA...and i didnt have a car in college....i didnt get one until after a full year of full-time work).

Use I-40.

Seriously, that's one of the biggest things that's stuck in my head from living in Raleigh (besides the fact that my major depression started when I was living there). When you start on I-40 at Wrightsville Beach, there's a sign telling you how many miles it is to Barstow, California (two thousand something, I forget).

[december_brigette]

hi all:

herrfous - thanks for the answer!!!!!! now maybe hopefully i'll dream something else that is good and full of happiness.

db

[Stasis]

For years,my nightmares,

could have had

Rod Serling awake,

the new and improved ones

from my meds,would

have H.P. Lovecraft

rolling in his tomb.

If they are really your mind

sifting through detritus,

I've been bad,

wake up,dose with klonopin

maybe a little hooch.

wait for sunrise.

WWLD?

Stasis

[Guest matthew Greer]

I found this thread on google. I've never been very good at falling or staying asleep. But now that I am on tegretol I sleep like a rock, I'm out almost immediately and *nothing* can wake me up. And while I am asleep, holy crap do I have the most vivid, real feeling and often creepy dreams. They are insane!

Sometimes the dreams are too much and for most of the next day I just have this creepy, screwed with my head feeling. But overall tegretol is working so great for me, I don't want to stop just because of this.

[lily_]

I too have been having this problem since starting on Prozac over four months ago. But the dreams usually start getting weird and/or vivid a few hours before I wake up. A little disturbing, but thankfully, I forget them after a few days unless something in my daily triggers a memory.

Blaah.

I don't recall having this problem with the bazillion other meds I took in my life, so I don't know if it has to do with the chemistry of me getting a little older, or what.

[tenthdoctor]

I have this on all the ADs I've ever been on. The other night I dreamt I was eating some fried and scrambled eggs, and then a naked boy walked by and he had fried eggs for testicles. Except they were mostly raw, runny, and I started just vomiting up all the eggs I'd eaten, it went on for ages and ages.

Brrr. I'm not eating any more eggs for a loooong time.

[Stickler]

I've been on SSRI's so long I've gotten used to the busy, vivid dreams. There are times when I wake up and feel like I've really worked on myself somehow.

[Guest Rose]

I have just started Lamictal about two or three weeks ago and just recently I have been weird dreams with family members I do not even talk to curiously and some with my fiancee and they are all very realistic dreams

[StepfordWife]

i started Lamictal a few days ago. Just 25mg and i'm already having vivid dreams. The weirdest part is i will actually dream that i'm dreaming, want to wake myself up, dream that i've woken up only to have to wake up again and find out no, i was just having a dream IN MY DREAM!

i don't really mind though. i'm taking it for PTSD and in a way its helping me to not use alcohol as a way to relive experiences. i can just take my Lamictal and go to bed and there's no hangover in the morning and no worry i did something stupid i can't remember. i was having real problems dissociating and writing weird stuff on the internet and telling my husband really strange stuff and crying all the time and then not remembering it the next day. It scared me because it didn't take much alcohol at all either.

Anyway, at least now i'm asleep when i'm crazy. i can say i don't feel as angry but it hasn't been long enough to tell if its helping yet. i certainly hope so as i tried to off myself a few weeks ago after flying into a rage and ended up in the ICU on a ventilator. Hence the lamictal.

i'm not depressed though. Just really mad at the mormons.

[Catnapper]

When I started Lamictal I was on 450mg of Wellbutrin for MDD. The pdoc that prescribed the Lamictal figures I actually have BP II since I've had five episodes of MDD, so he put me on the Lamictal as a mood stabilizer. Shortly after I began (like in the first couple of weeks) I woke up screaming in the night from nightmares, which I haven't done since I was a toddler. I went back to see the pdoc right away and he dialled the Wellbutrin back to 300 mg, and that was the end of my nightmares.

He also put me on 10 mg Ambien shortly after that to help me sleep, and not long after I started the Ambien, my GP added in 600 mg of Gabapentin for night sweats due to the old aging body. With the Ambien and the Gabapentin I sleep through the night every night, and rarely remember my dreams, which is fine with me.

I remember reading somewhere that Wellbutrin could give you bad dreams, but I hadn't seen that about Lamictal, although in my case the WB didn't bother me until I started Lamictal. It's all very confusing and now I'm going to take a handful of pills and go to bed!

[Thomas]

I am on 400 mg. of Lamictal and my dreams are very vivid, but I don't remember them in the morning, just when I wake up during the night. They aren't usually nightmares, but just strange, very realistic dreams.

Tommy

[lavender]

Hi lemon, no you're certainly not alone regarding Lamictal and dreams. I'm bolt upright at the moment (out of a sound sleep) for the same reason. I've had "run of the mill" dreams, and they are definitely more vivid than pre-Lamictal. Also have had some horrendously awful ones like the one I just woke from. In tonight's version I was lying exactly where I was actually sleeping, and was talking out loud to bf (who isn't here tonight) asking him if what was happening in my dream was real, and he said yes. Was tired and my voice wasn't clear, so kept trying to wake up more so I could speak to him clearly, lol...that's when I finally came to realize I was, in fact, dreaming! Am glad to be awake though, life has enough problems without dragging more shit into it during the night! Anyhow, I experience less dreaming if I take the Lamictal in morning- it doesn't make me drowsy like some ppl. Also, wondered if you've tried the Ambien and if so, did it help any? Gonna ask pdoc for some this Wed. Remeron used to take care of my sleep before I was on Lamictal, now it's not working through the night like it always did. Lamictal is a wonderful med otherwise, and will continue on it in spite of this. Also, noticed during titration the dreams would lessen after several days on an increased dose...

[dreamlover]

I just ran across this site and noticed the questions about Lamictal and dreams. I have always had very vivid dreams even before taking any medication. They were nightmares most of the time. I would find myself half awake and half asleep. For years I asked friends, family and doctors if they knew what was happening to me. No one knew and trying to describe one to a person that does not have them is very hard to do and does sound a little "odd." About ten years ago, I finally ran across an article describing a sleep disorder called "sleep paralysis." It may not describe the dreams that any of you are having, but it described mine almost down to the last detail. The Lamictal has made my dreams more intense. However, by reading material about the sleep paralysis and learning how it works, I can now turn the experience into a lucid dream about 9 out of 10 times. It is not easy to do at first, but with a little practice I have managed to turn this horrible condition into one that can be absolutely wonderful! Do not think that you are alone. Almost everyone will experience this at least once in their lifetime, but will not remember it. Having them on a regular basis can be very frustrating and scary. The "dreams" feel very real and I use to wake up worn out more than when I went to bed. Now I actually look forward to them. Hope this helps.

[lavender]

lemonflavor, don't know if you're still having dream issues but, thought I'd add... recently increased my Remeron back up to 30mg. This has helped reduce the vivid Lamictal dreams significantly! Might be something for you and your pdoc to consider....

[Guest michaelb]

I, too, have the reality vs. dream problem...

I myself am on no meds... I have however taken my fair share of mdma in my life time and my problem only occured afterwards. I have been having apocyliptic dreams. last night i held my brother and mother in my arms until they past away. i cant deal with this shit any more im going to a psychiatrist soon oh i know i will go crazy. i feel everything in my dream, from being shot to when the bombs drop miles away. If anyone else had these dreams they'd understand why i have woken up and weapt for the world. cried for the life i still have. It has given me and vast and deep appreciatoin for my life but i am scared that they wont stop.

[Guest suffering]

I had dreams the other night that were so vivid I thought they were real. I was even having dreams within my dreams. I have never heard voices or other psychotic issues, but in my dreams I was hearing voices and scared to death that I had become psychotic. Unfortunately, the dreams were either of me in my bed or walking around the house. When I was looking out the windows, instead of forests, I saw large industrial yards with debris as if something had exploded. I was waking at times and falling back asleep and they would not stop. I was so confused because I have never experienced and dreams this vivid and rarely remember my dreams. Finally, I was dreaming that I was cooking and had a pan in my hand and voices were talking to me. Then I woke up from the dream and the pan was still in my hand in bed and the voices were gone. Then I woke up and the pan was gone. I realized it was a dream within a dream. I got up and looked out and saw the woods and was never so relieved in my life. I called a pschological social worker who said that many of the drugs used for anxiety and depression can cause extremely vivid dreams that are at times difficult to discern if they are reality or not. I am taking three meds: Seroquel, 25 mgs. lamictil, 50 mg. and 1 mg alaopram as needed. The first night i was given seroquel at 50 mg and it caused disturbing dreams but nothing like the other night. The doc reduced the seroquel to 25 mg and all was good until it was time to up the dosage of the lamictil to 60 mg from 25. That night was the vivid frightening dreams. They seemed like what I have heard described as night terrors. The person I spoke to also said that he thought that perhaps I also experienced a panic attack in my sleep which is also a potential side effect. Thankfully, I never heard any voices asleep or awake prior to that event, or since. ;-)

[Guest Rebelyell]

I constantly dream. Every time I sleep I remember my dreams. No matter how bizarre I dream, (ie. Being eaten alive by zombies) I always wake up questioning whether or not its real. I often lose sleep from the scaryness of my dreams, and the questions of did that really happen? I also keep a dream journal and have found that my dreams of anniesm snippets of conversations and places come true, whether it be a day or a year later. I am not on any medication, I do not do drugs; yet I cannot discern my dreams from reality. It has broken up relationships/ friendships because I am convinced that something they did in my dream (?) actually happened. I have even wet the bed because I was so convinced I was on the pot. Am I crazy? Or is this a common condition. P.S. I'm also an artist who has always suffered from over imagination.... Seriously should I be on meds or something?

[crazycatnapper]

Do you have any other sleep issues? If so, I'd recommend getting a sleep study. Regardless, I'd speak to your doctor about it. Many people just have very vivid dreams and they can disrupt sleep. I wouldn't jump to medication as a first line of treatment; maybe go talk to a therapist who has experience in dreams and or sleep problems.

[twistedminds-]

I get Night Terrors, I wake up feeling un-rested and confused. During the night I have violent, insanely realistic dreams. I run, scream, hit, kick, break stuff etc. in my sleep. When i wake up I don't remember anything.