Seroquel Nightmares/Vivid Dreams?

[ShotgunEVO]

Hey guys/gals,.....Long time lurker comin out.

Anybody taking Seroquel experience EXTREMLY vivid dreams/nightmares?

Do that ever go away while your being treated with Seroquel?

These dreams are full Technicolor weird shit man!, ..............Scary bigtime!!

Thanks bros/sis's

Shotgun

[kala30]

I know that my mom had realllllly bad nightmares when she took it but I didn't. I think I had vivid dreams though.

[Inspired_Neurosis]

I know precisely what you mean. Vivid, bizarre, extremely emotionally-charged, causing me to wake up in a sweat wondering if my mother just committed suicide, if my friends were shot to death, or if I'd murdered someone. They're horrific, and I'm really intrigued as to what the deal is, given how little is known about dream psychology.

Edited July 11, 2009 by Inspired_Neurosis

[ShotgunEVO]

I know precisely what you mean. Vivid, bizarre, extremely emotionally-charged, causing me to wake up in a sweat wondering if my mother just committed suicide or if my friends were shot to death. They're horrific, and I'm really intrigued as to what the deal is, given how little is known about dream psychology.

Ya know you got a good point there about the dream psychology thing as the majority of these dreams ARE related to things in my past!

Hmmmm, More research.....<g>, Boy it sure is a bitch being "nuts"...

Thanks all!

Shotgun

ps, I SHOULD have used the search button dammit, someone already posted up on "nightmares" already....Sorry!

[Inspired_Neurosis]

This is somewhat difficult to achieve for most people, but I've found that lucid dreaming is a relatively effective way of combating Seroquel nightmares. Try reality checking by looking at a digital watch or clock, looking away, and then looking back. Some other ways to do so include examining the content of books(usually really weird or blank in dreams), or looking in a mirror. I personally don't find the "pinch test" useful, because I seem to be able to feel pain in dreams.

Once you achieve lucidity, you can take control of the situation and manipulate it to be less frightening. It's a trip.

[witchywoman]

I haven't had any nightmares yet, but very vivid dreams.

[eldorado]

I'm currentlly going through a rash of hideous nightmares and night terrors. These are the kind of dreams that wake you up and you have to get out of bed because you're too afraid to lay back down. I've found that what helps (not totally eliminates the trouble) is an hour before bed, stop all mental stimulatioin. That inclludes just about everything on the internet, house work, being on the phone, basically anything more stimulating than an infomercial. I still get the super crazy dreams, but I've learned to live with themk. I've been on seroquel for years at different dosage levels. Getting off of it is really not an option, it is the only drug I've found that in larger doses will stop mania and psychosis cold. Also I'm an insomiac and will not sleep without it. Taken regularly it also seems to stem the onset of hypo-mania.

I personally feel the pdocs way over perscribe this drug (though not in my case). When I've been inpatient i've seen almost everyone who complains of two nights of bad sleep finding this in their med mix the next day. I go to a mixed ward hospital, people with both mental illness and chemical, alcohol dependancy are on the same floor. Alot of these people have no experience with psych meds out side of the typically abused ones, benzo', oppiates and so on. The next morning they all talk about how hard they slep and their messed up dreams.

I know that this drug will help people to sleep, it will put the breaks on anything more intense than a nap and doesnt seem to be habit forming. But I think the side effects (and the effects it used for) are too steep for anyone that isn't pretty far into the mania/psychosis spectrum. When I do get depressed I always cut back on this one because I can just about count on a sling shot straight up.

But the dreams, the only thing I can is that they become a way of life and not that you get used to it, but you forget about any other way.

[Stasis]

Man,I have always had nightmares,

seroquel or not,

I have noticed a heavier

reality in my dreams,

The worst are not

being able to help someone in my life.

my guns won't work,

it is larger than using my

USMC bowie can handle,

I usually lose.

I too wake-up disoriented

and a little shaky.

I'll stay awake rather than

step back in.

got to admit,

some of these are very interesting

and I want to stay there,

sometimes it's a message

I need to puzzle out.

the temptation to stay

in my dreams,dies hard,

how the hell do I know it won't go back to horror?

ummm,Lovecraft has no edge

on my worst dreams,

true,eat you alive type nightmares.

I'd rather go for LSD

and at least know where it came from.

Don't have a connection like that,

what? Approach some HS kid for some

sunshine?Not here,too small towny for

drug deals.

gotta love it,Stasis

[Newtonium]

We should probably have a permanent thread about Seroquel and nightmares! It seems to be fairly common! I had horrific nightmares when I first started taking Sq. Really gruesome stuff, like people eating mummies, coffins opening themselves and spilling out liquified bodies, people being tortured on lathes...well, you get the picture.

HOWEVER, there is good news. At the dose I am on now, the addition of 1 mg Ativan at bedtime eliminates the nightmares entirely. I dream some, but the dreams are never disturbing, and I sleep very well.

If Sq is working well for you otherwise, but you are having problems with bad dreams, it might be worth your while to experiment with adding another med to put you in a better level of sleep.

HTH

[lostinthoughtandjaded]

Not nightmares persay- I used to have them really bad, that I never wanted to sleep alone, but that was before I was all medicated and such.

But seroquel dreams are almost impossible for me to distinguish from reality. Like, work usually finds its way into my dreams so this morning, going to work was kinda tough cause I got in shit in my dreams, a couple specific things fell apart, and I honestly had NO idea this morening if it had actually happened or not. There was NO difference between how the dream residue felt and how an actual recorded memory feels. I just have to let the day play out and see.

Confusing and frustrating... I just try and be as zen as I can and double check reality when I get there.

Think I might watch 'Waking Life' when I get home tonight.....

[carmex]

after my dosage was upped to 500 from 350, ive had some very wicked vivid dreams... they seemed long too, novel-like with plot twists and turns. it was quite disturbing. i woke up and had my morning cigarette and just tried to piece together the dream... are vivid dreams/nightmares in the PI sheet?

[Guest Gothie78]

I can personally say, i feel i live an entirely different life in my dreams. I wake up and feel super exhausted. It seems so real and I sometimes can tell I am asleep but knowing it's a dream isn't enough to stop feeling in it. Sometimes they are so intense i wake up and still feel like crying. sometimes I wake up and still feel like i ran and this whole body and mid dream experience drains me!

[Guest DeEtta]

Thank you for talking about your dreams and seroquel. My dreams have been so terrible so vidid

but I also have been in a differnt kind of stress. I need to watch maby so comedy before bed, relax also.

I have been so thankful lately to wake up and find out they are just dreams.

DeEtta

[Guest paranoid]

Seroquel also gave me terrible nightmares. The worst part about it is:

I would have auditory hallucinations of cars pulling up outside, people trying to get in etc....and be too fucked up to move.

So scary. I stopped taking Seroquel. I can't take so much sedation. I feel it robs me of thought. (though im starting to think that may be a good thing!)

[Guest Doc JD]

Ive recently become an insomniac, turned to alcohol and one day after drinkin a pint decided to use Seroquel. 250mg each, took 6, reason being, I used to have a big addiction to OC and Valium so I said screw it. I don't know about you guys but i'm used to living in poverty so my dreams weren't really violent to me. A guy beat a car window in with a bat then took out dual DEagles (guns) then I ran into guys getting jumped. I've always been doing lucid dreams and whatnot so I said screw it. Later on I was moving glasses and moving papers and what not. anyway point im getting to is. If you take seroquel I suggest you accept that it will give you odd dreams. These dreams even made me "wake up" a few times to go smoke a cigarette which outside looked like a mushroom or acid trip.

Anyway the main advice I give is if something in your dreams are going bad you close your eyes and look away any you'll notice what was in your hand or whoever was around changes. You gotta realise these night terrors are just a fake reality and the moment you get your brain off of the normal and stop focusing on it you will realise what true power you have over your dreams. Just try it once for me. Never been prescribed but 6 pills at 250mg a piece is 1500mg, if my mentality can handle it then please try me method. Ignore the evil and get your eyes off of it for a minute, I Promise it'll totally change your dream around.

If that doesn't change it totally everytime it gets bad keep doing it, try to make things move around or appear. I promise it sounds crazy but you may just realise you are the boss of your subconscious.

I believe subconsciousness, no matter how violent/bad it gets you are still in control, always remember that. That is your biggest weapon, always know when you wake up it will all be ok NO MATTER WHAT. Even if you kill these violent people you gotta understand you're dreaming, normally its way more intese than even I could think of regular life being. Im sure you guys understand what I mean.

I have an addictive personality and I believe I can't help unless ive tried it myself, I know what its like to have a doctor tell you just to take it and not explain these messed up side effects. If you need any more advice please email my personal email, Siege_MT@hotmail.com. I'd be welcome to chat for as long as you need. I may not be available till end of may 2010 though gotta deploy to Afghanistan to help the marines.

[Guest Doc JD]

BTW, I promise all of you, you're not fucked up mentally, anyone can go through this on these meds. I suggest if you're prescribed you keep taking it, but you really, like no shit need to get in touch with your subconscious which will take time. As bad as the dreams may be, you need to learn to take over, you're all strong mentally no matter what these ludicrous doctors say. Take the meds as you are prescribed, learn to be in control though. haha either way, you're prescribed an anti-psychotic so if anything does go bad you can claim crazy Honestly im just kidding though. In all sincerity, just be strong, learn to meet yourself mentally and accept it, after that, these dreams will be nothing as to how strong you are. I never advise stopping a medication prescribed to you so that's definitely not what i'm saying, im just saying adapt and overcome. Like I said, email me, im being deployed so it may take a minute to reply but I promise I will reply as soon as possible.

And as fucked up as it sounds, if you need info on ANYTHING else and I honestly mean ANYTHING, I can probably give some good advice. Specialty is mentality though.

PS I'm not any damn doctor, have no MD, but where have you gotten to with them, they've never takin a damn thing and will never understand it, my answers aren't truth and im not saying disobey you're doctor, but you need to research it nonetheless. Gotta go into hiding now! anyway, email me.

[San]

I had terrible nightmares and dreams, they were like reality but totally crazy.

I was taking 400mg (I've been on as high as 900mg)

And also, I woke up covered in cold sweat all the time, sometimes several times a night.

[cairn]

I know this thread's a little spread out in time, but I'm wondering what the dosages are for people experiencing these vivid dreams? I'm taking Seroquel XR, the newer extended release version, at 150 mg at bedtime, mainly for sleep and for anxiety during the day. I have to say it works, I'm getting 8 hours typically and quite solid. No dreams.

My pdoc was originally considering going to 300 mg/night. So did people dream on the lower dosages, and does the extended release form of Seroquel make a difference for anyone?

[LikeMinded]

The *one* time they had me on Seroquel (it was for an issue where I had a 48 hour resume writing/honing/sending marathon followed by 24 hours of inability to sleep), it put me out with orthostatic hypotension (dangerously low blood pressure whilst standing), and I collapsed repeatedly into the enchiladas I was attempting to eat and finally (using my reserved-for-stairs crutch) made it into bed.

After a good day and following night of incredibly vivid dreaming (none of which was nightmarish, in fact, it was all too realistic!), I was fully convinced that the US VP Joe Biden had passed away of another aneurysm and that by some feat, Indiana senator Evan Bayh had been put in the position of VP by President Barack Obama.

It was a little embarrassing the next day when I referred to Bayh as the US Vice President to my father.

[lila]

Not nightmares persay- I used to have them really bad, that I never wanted to sleep alone, but that was before I was all medicated and such.

But seroquel dreams are almost impossible for me to distinguish from reality. Like, work usually finds its way into my dreams so this morning, going to work was kinda tough cause I got in shit in my dreams, a couple specific things fell apart, and I honestly had NO idea this morening if it had actually happened or not. There was NO difference between how the dream residue felt and how an actual recorded memory feels. I just have to let the day play out and see.

Confusing and frustrating... I just try and be as zen as I can and double check reality when I get there.

Think I might watch 'Waking Life' when I get home tonight.....

I have very vivid dreams with Seroquel, and I am grateful. I spend what seems like hours with my mother, in just one hour or so, just in daily activities, conversations, etc. She has been gone for 10 years now, and I find this time spent very special, and I wake up with a smile. It is actually perhaps a bit dangerous for me for overuse just because I want to spend this time with her. I miss her like crazy and I feel very close to her through this medication.

Edited August 4, 2012 by lila

[appleblossom]

I am currently taking 100mg of seroquel xr and I have crazy vivid dreams. They are usually really fun at first and they can be really long and realistic. Inevitably they just get batshit insane and the utter craziness overload is what wakes me up. I really enjoy them for the most part, haven't had too many nightmares, I guess because i usually feel some level of control while I'm dreaming and I can kind of change things when they start to get scary. I notice that if I'm napping or kind of half asleep, half awake I have really vivid auditory hallucinations sometimes to the point where I'll say "what did you say?" to my totally asleep husband. Usually the sound of my own voice is enough to jar me into realizing the voice was inside my head. Weird, though. I can see how a negative experience with these ultra vivid dreams would be horrible!

[aus-drummer882]

hey guys.. ive been on seroquel for about 5 yrs now, and in comparison to wat i understand is a normal dose, im on quite a large dose, (2 x 300mg xr) before bed. i also have been a heavy pot smoker for even longer... but can't say it's ever given me night mares. im currently in the process of (TRYING) to learn how to lucid dream. and am wondering if seroquel use makes it more difficult? if youve got any suggestions, would love to hear them, and i know it may sound stupid, but should i be concerned that seroquel has never given me night mares?? it seems to be a regular occurrence for everyone else??

[Savannah]

I dont usually remember my dreams, either before or while on Seroquel.

 

But, last night I dreamed I was in a daily lecture where the teacher was a pdoc and the rest of the class was made up of The Big Bang Theory cast.

 

The  pdoc went around the class giving out scripts. I woke up before Sheldon came around!

[San]

I've always had strange nightmares on AAP's.

And I'm going to move this to the Antipsychotics forum.

[scream_phoenix]

I don't even remember what my dreams were like before seroquel.  And I've always had the extended dreams but in the past few years it seems to have gotten worse.  .   Someone once described it on here as marathon dreams, and that about seems to sum it up.  My dreams would be like five hour tv miniseries if they played out in real life.  I hate that I spend so much of my life in loooooong dream cycles that never seem to give much insight into anything and make me feel mentally overstimulated for too long at night.  

[Chiaroscuro]

Before taking any form of Seroquel, I would have vivid dreams and cyclic times of nightmares. Since being on Seroquel, even at a very very low dose, it has caused me to sleep very deeply and not dream much at all, which seems to be the opposite of other people's experiences.