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Do you have odd dreams?
My Dad recently told me that he has been having dreams about him boxing his brother. He often wakes up in the middle of the night, nearly hitting my Mom. When he told his doctor about it, she recommended taking melatonin. He isn’t sure if the medication has reduced the dreams or not. Have you had odd dreams? Do you medicate for those dreams?
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13 Replies
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I understand it is quite common for those of us who take Parkinson’s medicine to “act out our dreams”. Earlier on I would wake up kicking at some dangerous animal attacking my wife. But I haven’t had those kind of dreams since I started taking Mannitol. I doubt whether melatonin helps–though it might get you better sleep. I was of the impression that it is our PD medicine.
Good luck.
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Yes I have very weird dreams that can be scary, and some times related to what I have been reading or watching. Have just started to take Mannitol so hope it does the same for me. Thank you.
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Good luck with the Mannitol. And with the dreams!
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The dreams are likely part of REM sleep behavior disorder and can precede other symptoms by years, and this is no recognized as a early feature of PD,
Benzodiazepine drugs such as Clonazepam are often prescribed. I get these sort of dreams about 3 times a weak; thrashing around and talking; it usually wakes my wife, and I can’t get back to sleep ( like right now 0400!); I usually shuffle off to the spare room and may get another fitful hour.
It has come to be the most annoying part of my PD, because I’m exhausted The next day and vulnerable to migraines. In fact, it’s resulted in me having to cut back on work, because I am so tired and then have trouble concentrating (which I try to fix with caffeine!)
I’ve tried lots of adjustments to sleep hygiene, variations in L-dopa dose and timing, timing of exercise and small and large doses of Melatonin. Nothing has worked; and I’ve just come to accept a daytime nap is needed.
I will try Clonazepam next ( although I dislike and fear such drugs) and maybe see a sleep a sleep physician.regards
David Blacker
Neurologist with PD
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I was diagnosed with PD in 2012. Somewhere around 2015, I started having lurid dreams, and notified my Neuro doctor about it.
Since then, I have taken 13-15 mg of melatonin and 3 (0.5mg Clonazepam pills) 30 minutes ahead of going to sleep. My addition to this prescription is to have a fine sipping scotch with the other components.
Yes, they tell you not to add alcohol, but it’s generally the only drink I have all day, and it seems to extend the benefits of the rest of the prescription!
See what you think – it’s easy enough to out the Scotch if doesn’t help any!
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Dreams have always been part of my REM sleep. PD diagnosis and treatment began in 2013 and in 2016, the nightmares began. Usually they occur 2 or 3 in a week’s time, then weeks of peaceful sleep. Recently, there have been fewer nightmares and more dreams that are busy and intense. These are often acted out, much talking out loud – mostly gibberish, but occasionally clear speech, and actual laughter. This is new.
Barbara -
I have odd dreams as well, and they are incredibly clear and vivid, but when I wake up, I can only remember a tiny snippet of them. I also have the occasional REM sleep behavior disorder, but I’m lucky that it’s the exception rather than the rule. I usually just yell something out loud (when I’m angry and yelling at someone in my dream). I’ve only kicked or punched about two times (for which my husband is very grateful it hasn’t been more).
David, being a neurologist, it must have been quite a shock to discover that you have PD. Are you self-treating or do you see a MDS?
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Thanks Jo
Although I knew quite early what was happening, when I saw a colleague who agreed with the Dx in 2018 it was still a shock. I am lucky to see a general neurologist and a MDS- a bit strange because the MDS was once my trainee.
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Oh my, David — I can certainly appreciate how awkward it must be that your MDS was once your trainee. Life has a way of turning the tables sometimes, and I guess your situation is one of them. On the upside, your professional relationship was already cemented, and you had the inside scoop on who you could trust to be your own doctor. In that sense, you were quite fortunate.
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I developed sleep disorder with eopd. The first time we noticed it was on vacation, and I woke my wife up kicking her in the bed. I was dreaming that I was Bruce Lee fighting in some kind of Matrix movie. Which was weird because I am not really interested in either, but I was doing some pretty cool stuff in that dream! We didn’t think anything of it until a few months later when it started happening all the time. Thrashing became a big issue and we bought a weighted blanket so that even if I am waking myself up, I typically do not kick my wife. I still have crazy dreams; waking up 3 to 4 times a night (that I can remember) and finally just getting up every morning between 4 and 4:30 because it’s pointless to try and sleep. If I’m not careful, the lack of sleep can create all sorts of issues and compound the ones I’m already dealing with. Melatonin has not helped and the sleep aid I was prescribed was so strong that I prefer not to take it and so I don’t. For now, I just roll with it. My superpower is being able to fall asleep anytime and anywhere in front of anybody. I just won’t stay that way.
Peace.
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I dream every time I am asleep for longer than a few minutes. My dreams are very clear and I can recall in detail maybe 60% of the time, although lately I am having more difficulty. I have multi dreams each sleep so varied topics in one snooze. I can dream about anything but most have something to do with my PD. Occasionally I thrash in my sleep, (I don’t mean Akathisia incidents),and I speak or I howl like a wolf or a dog. My poor husband! Recently he said I was talking in my sleep in a childs voice. I have taken about 6 months off using my CPAP. I should go back on it but wearing it was making me anxious.
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I dream often. Most are pleasant, but maybe once every other week I have what I call a PD dream. They are always related to teaching (I taught happily for about 33 years), and always cause anger and anxiety because things are going very wrong. I NEVER had the problems in real life that I do in my dreams! I wake up exhausted, and frequently my husband says that I have been yelling (as a teacher yelling was never my style!) They are very detailed, and I remember those details when I wake up.
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Whenever I don’t use my cpap I have dreams and I’m exhausted the next day. I have dreams and wake up 4am if I don’t take my Ropinerole on schedule or eat something with sugar after 9pm at night—shame on me! I also have them if I get an infection, because usually I have to get up at night so my sleep will get disrupted. I figure it’s my REM getting disrupted so then I’ll get these dreams. I’ve also had this going on ever since I was a kid, except for the cpap. I use a weighted blanket and nice sheets and a “My Pillow” and I t all helps a lot
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