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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by socialdeviantjeff on February 11, 2004, at 2:41:58
I've noticed a lot of meds have "vivid dreams" listed as a side effect.
I've always had vivid dreams. Since meds, they have been more so. Without going into details, my dreams usually involve major exagerations of details in my life. There is almost always a somewhat disturbing element, but really cool things happen at the same time.
For instance, some of the recuuring elements: when I'm really disturbed in life, I go to the psych ward. Dreams with lots of big boats on bodies of water. vast, maze-like complexes with enormous machinees that serve no real purpose but are cause for fear or concern. big maze-like boarding schools. dilapidated neighborhoods. Fights with bizarre slow moving fighter jets or demonic enemies. Usually in my dreams I fly.
In the waking world I have a delayed circadian rhythm sleep problem. I can't get to sleep before 2 to 4 in the AM. I'ts always been this way. I've tried Everything. My mind is quite unquiet at night. I am also constantly fatigued. My long list of meds over the years have just made the fatigue worse, even stimulants.
Posted by Ilene on February 11, 2004, at 9:23:25
In reply to Are very vivid dreams really so bad?, posted by socialdeviantjeff on February 11, 2004, at 2:41:58
> I've noticed a lot of meds have "vivid dreams" listed as a side effect.
>> In the waking world I have a delayed circadian rhythm sleep problem. I can't get to sleep before 2 to 4 in the AM. I'ts always been this way. I've tried Everything. My mind is quite unquiet at night. I am also constantly fatigued. My long list of meds over the years have just made the fatigue worse, even stimulants.
>
>
I don't know about the dreams. My dreams are often disturbing, so I'm happy not to have them.I used to have delayed sleep phase syndrome. I don't know why it went away, but it did, at least for now.
I have a large, bright light, of the kind that's used by people with SAD. In fact, nearly all the manufacturers are in Canada or Alaska. I plugged it into a timer so it would turn itself on at a reasonable time in the A.M. It worked, amazingly enough.
You said you tried everything, but did you try a light? They are expensive but have no side effects.
I.
Posted by Susan J on February 11, 2004, at 11:00:20
In reply to Are very vivid dreams really so bad?, posted by socialdeviantjeff on February 11, 2004, at 2:41:58
Hey, if the dreams don't bug you, then they aren't bad. I had really vivid dreams on Paxil and it was kind of interesting. I'd get nightmares once in a while that were scary, but it didn't happen too often.
I'd like to know more about dreams and depression, though. When I was a kid and had no depression issues, I dreamt every night and remembered them. As I got older and went through cycles of depression, I noticed I *never* remembered dreams....I went years without remembering one. I'm wondering what the tie is between normal dreaming and normal (i.e. not depressed) brain function is....
Any clue?
Posted by Wildflower on February 12, 2004, at 9:13:11
In reply to Are very vivid dreams really so bad?, posted by socialdeviantjeff on February 11, 2004, at 2:41:58
For me, vivid dreams have become a problem. It's hard enough to fall asleep these days but when you add waking up several times a night due to dreams, well, it's not fun. Not only do I lack quality sleep, the dreams themselves can be quite disturbing.
My whole life, I've been able to recall dreams but they were never the weird, twisted, nightmarish kinds that I'm having now. Also, my pre-depression dreams never woke me up in the middle of the night.
Posted by socialdeviantjeff on February 12, 2004, at 21:31:00
In reply to Re: Are very vivid dreams really so bad? » socialdeviantjeff, posted by Wildflower on February 12, 2004, at 9:13:11
Whew, interesting stuff. Sometimes I'm concerned if my dreams are responsible for my quality of sleep. I get racing thoughts and I get agitated before bed and NOTHING has ever worked for it. I get enough sleep, (7-9 hours) but I'm fatigued all day, especially in the morning. I sleep like the dead. I could sleep through nearly anything.
Funny, my dreams are disturbing sometimes but nothing like a nightmare. They did get Very weird with Effexor.
Posted by fayeroe on February 14, 2004, at 7:36:44
In reply to Re: Are very vivid dreams really so bad?, posted by socialdeviantjeff on February 12, 2004, at 21:31:00
> Whew, interesting stuff. Sometimes I'm concerned if my dreams are responsible for my quality of sleep. I get racing thoughts and I get agitated before bed and NOTHING has ever worked for it. I get enough sleep, (7-9 hours) but I'm fatigued all day, especially in the morning. I sleep like the dead. I could sleep through nearly anything.
>
> Funny, my dreams are disturbing sometimes but nothing like a nightmare. They did get Very weird with Effexor.SDJ: I sleep til 2....awake til 4 or so....dreams on Effexor were out of this world! My sleep is very light. Wish there was a magic elixir.......I'd love 7 or 8 hours!!!
Posted by laurie_lu on February 14, 2004, at 23:52:31
In reply to Re: Are very vivid dreams really so bad? » socialdeviantjeff, posted by fayeroe on February 14, 2004, at 7:36:44
Since I've increased my Effexor XR dose to 150mg, my dreams have been really bizzare and very detailed. Most nights they are out of the ordinary. I don't have frequent nightmare, but when I do, they are worse than any I've had before going on the medication.
This is the end of the thread.
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