New Sleep Disturbances

[Forgetful]

I have been taking prescibed sleep medicine for 20 years. Originally prescribed to help the frequency of my nightmares. About 7 months ago the medication was changed because the Ambient was no longer helping me sleep.

Although my recurrent nightmares never completely stopped, I did get relief from the frequency. I have never had the effects that I have seen in the past 2 weeks.

On more than one occasion I have woken up completely disoriented. It clears up on its own within about 10 minutes. I've also had difficulty telling if something happened in a dream or if it really happened. I have had to question people that were involved in the situation.

Then this morning my husband told me I was sleep walking last night. Apparently at 3:00 AM I woke him up ( due to severe pain he sleeps on the couch ) by looking through the freezer. He asked me what I was doing and I told him I was making dinner. He told me it was the middle of the night so go back to bed. I have no recollection of this. Its scary because my brother had a accident after taking sleeping pill.

I don't really know why these things are happening. I don't feel as if my stress level is up. I will definitely be bring up to my T tomorrow. Has anybody ever experienced something like this?

 

[Al_Lurker]

I'm not a sufferer and you don't say what meds you're taking but I read something the other day on webmd that said Prazosin was now being used for treatment of nightmares associated with PTSD. It's commonly used for blood pressure treatment. Might want to look into it in case you're having side effects from the 'new' meds.

 

[Forgetful]

Thank you AL for pointing out that I didn't say what medication I was on. Also for telling me about Prazosin. I will bring that up when I see the psychiatrist next.

For the majority of the last 20 years I had been taking Ambien. I now take Temazepan. There were times that they would prescribe various antidepressants or anti psychotics that tend to have a sedating effect. These didn't work for me.

Without the sleeping pill I only get 2 or 3 hours of sleep a night.

 

[Lucycat]

Then this morning my husband told me I was sleep walking last night. Apparently at 3:00 AM I woke him up

I had never sleep walked until last week, then it happened again last night. Also at 3am - according to Rory. He said I woke him up by turning on the light and banging the door as I went downstairs to the kitchen. It is not unknown for me to go to the kitchen in the night - maybe to get a paracetamol, or a glass of water - so he waited a few moments before following me downstairs. He said we had a *conversation* but I was not speaking any recognisable language. He said I appeared to be unaware that he could not understand my answers to his questions. The only real words he heard were 'its in the sky!' but it did not make sense.

I have absolutely no recollection. He said he led me back to bed and I promptly returned to snoring mode.

I have not changed my medication- having been on the same one for 4 years and the same dose for probably half that time. But it has been a stressful week. Not dreadful, but I have certainly been on edge. I guess I will need to take heed of that, but it is hard to have no stress in your life but still lead a useful life. I cannot sit unchallenged.