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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Phidippus on October 21, 2009, at 23:37:33
Can Topamax cause vivid hypnogogic thinking when you're tryint to go to sleep? I could not sleep at all and had very strange thoughts that kept me awake. Some caused me panic as I tried to sleep.
P
Posted by cactus on October 22, 2009, at 1:10:28
In reply to Topamax and hypnogogia?, posted by Phidippus on October 21, 2009, at 23:37:33
That doesn't quite sound like a hypno to me. Did you have sleep paralysis, aural or visual or tactile sensations happening while your eyes were open but you couldn't move?
Sorry I sound rude, I don't mean to, I'm just trying to understand exactly what's happening to you. Hypno's aren't usually thoughts like you have described.
Mine are accompanied by sleep paralysis, slapping, punching, heavy pressure on the chest. Nightmares entering into the room which keep going once fully awake.
Voices and a very awful feeling of dread too, like there is something nasty in the room with you but you can't always see it, while either falling asleep or upon waking. If it is this, get out of bed for 5 minutes, have some water and try to go back to sleep, don't roll over and think it will stop. You have to break the cycle or it will begin straight away again.
It could be invasive/intrusive thoughts, which are extremely unpleasant too, just a thought. Good luck, they are horrible!! Diazepam or clonazepam stop them dead in there tracks for me. I only have about 2 a year now compared to 2-3 a week. They leave you completely exhausted.
Peace C
Posted by Maxime on October 22, 2009, at 12:15:27
In reply to Topamax and hypnogogia?, posted by Phidippus on October 21, 2009, at 23:37:33
Topomax made me psychotic the two times I tried it, so I guess anything is possible.
Posted by yxibow on October 22, 2009, at 18:19:03
In reply to Topamax and hypnogogia?, posted by Phidippus on October 21, 2009, at 23:37:33
> Can Topamax cause vivid hypnogogic thinking when you're tryint to go to sleep? I could not sleep at all and had very strange thoughts that kept me awake. Some caused me panic as I tried to sleep.
>
> PI don't recall that when I tried (I think I've been through a fair amount of AEDs, its a haze) it... didn't do anything for weight and its really a risky drug in my opinion if that's its use.. but that's off the subject.
It just sounds like its causing a shift in anxiety spectrum symptoms -- and sitting around in the dark "waiting for sleep" just allows them to mull around in circles and I'm sure they can be panicky.
Hypnagogia, and related conditions or types of states of sleep has a completely different presentation as noted -- a hallucination can happen upon waking, I've had t hat with various medications -- I think I have to do something, or I get disappointed about something because it was probably in the dream and I realize I'm actually awake.They can be combined with sleep paralysis, which can happen when I take naps in the afternoon and I find myself seeing what I believe to be the room around me, but I am unable to move and I thrash. It can seem like minutes or more to try to "stop" this when it probably actually is seconds.
The body paralyzes itself in sleep to whatever degree it can, its some sort of evolutionary reason probably so we didn't throw ourselves against rocks while trying to sleep.
And during all of this some people also can experience "night terrors" which are much more vivid experiences of haunting nightmares and hallucination, combined with this sleep paralysis. It can be an ongoing phenomenon.
When that sort of thing happens, a sleep study is well recommended.
Hope that helps
-- tidings
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