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REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

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Lionheart

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I was diagnosed and treated for REM Sleep Behavior Disorder back in the late '80s, early '90's. I sometimes act out my dreams while I am asleep. I will curse, strike out with my fist, and challenge whoever is present. It used to be bad. I would sit up in bed, curse you up one side and down the other and never remember it or I would take a swing at my significant other, cursing her all the while, (but I was actually still asleep and fighting someone in my dreams.).

I have been woken up by the sound of my fist smashing the nightstand or hitting the wall too many times. It is only occasionally that this disorder flares these days and It hasn't been much of a problem because I currently don't have a sleep partner. However, I am trying to learn all I can about this disorder while it is mostly dormant before it becomes a problem again.

I remember that the doctor had a hard time dosing the medicine that I was prescribed so that it took me 3 or 4 times as much to get the desired effect and stop the episodes. I can't remember the med they gave me but I think it started with the letter, "C"....possibly clonazepam.

Anyways, I am starting to present with the same symptoms again. I'd like to hear from others who have or did have this disorder. How did you deal with it? What medicine was prescribed, if any? etc. etc.
 
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Perhaps this disorder is not as common as I thought it was among PTSD sufferers. I did a little online research and found that one of the main medications for the disorder will worsen sleep apnea, (another condition I have), so then melatonin is recommended.

So, if anyone has had any experience with melatonin in relation to sleepwalking, or other types of sleep problems, please let me know.
 
Hi Lion

I actually have non-REM parasomnias - I have night time hallucinations and night terrors.
So, the things we experience happen in different stages of sleep but I thought I’d still post because I take melatonin.

I’ve been taking melatonin since January this year and it certainly seems to have reduced the parasomnias by consolidating my sleep (I think very simplistically it means that I am now spending the right amount of time in the right sleep stages so I don’t end up in these weird limbo states where I’m more likely to experience a parasomnia.

It’s also had an added bonus in that the melatonin also helps to get me to sleep more quickly (I take it an hour or so before going to bed). It doesn’t knock me out like a strong sleeping pill does. It just gently makes me start to feel a bit sleepy.

One thing about the Melatonin - it made me have crazy intense dreams for the first few weeks of taking it. That was entertaining, distressing and exhausting in roughly equal measure! It settled down within around a month.

If I miss taking it for a couple of days, that happens again so I have to wait those few weeks again for the dreams to calm down.

One more thing - I don’t know if you are currently taking any other medications but some can counter the positive effects of the melatonin. I was given a low dose of amitriptyline for IBS. It worked wonders for my stomach but unfortunately triggered three night terrors in a week when I hadn’t had one for about six months. The pharmacist at the sleep clinic said some groups of anti-depressants (sorry, I can’t remember which ones!) can interact with the melatonin - basically cancels it out and stops it from working. So, I stopped taking the amitriptyline...and got the crazy intense dreams back again for a few weeks!

I have sleep apnoea too, though it’s only on the low end of moderate. I couldn’t get on with the cpap machine (it made the night terrors worse when I had them) and I have a mandibular dental device to try but haven’t been able to face putting it in my mouth yet!

I did make a melatonin post here a while ago asking for people’s experiences so you may find that useful...I’ll see if I can find it...

Good luck - I hope you can get your sleep stuff under control and have some better rest.

Melatonin thread is here:
Melatonin?
 
Hi Lion
I’ve been taking melatonin since January this year and it certainly seems to have reduced the parasomnias
I did make a melatonin post here a while ago asking for people’s experiences so you may find that useful...I’ll see if I can find it...
Good luck - I hope you can get your sleep stuff under control and have some better rest.

Thank you so much @barefoot I appreciate the information about melatonin and your experiences with it. I will check out the melatonin thread/post. I am sure it will be helpful as well. Good luck with the sleep apnea, I hope you get it under control and have restful sleep.

Lion
 
I also have parasomnias. I take Clonazepam for them. I have nightmares every night, but they have been tapering off a bit. Before the clonazepam, I would get up and clean, cook, eat, and god knows what else in my sleep. I liked the cleaning part since I can't stand cleaning, but I didn't need the extra food. I woke up once with a bagel under my pillow. Things settled down, but I have been having a resurgence of all PTSD symptoms and I woke up with a half a sandwich under my pillow last week.

I have sleep apnea, but it is well controlled with a Cpap, so that is no longer an issue. I don't know if I am acting out my dreams when I do these things or not. I do have very involved, colorful, long story dreams. I keep my son entertained with the telling of them.
 
I take Clonazepam
I don't know if I am acting out my dreams when I do these things or not.

@DharmaGirl Thanks for posting. :)

With REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), the paralysis that normally occurs during REM sleep is incomplete or absent, allowing the person to "act out" his or her dreams.

I would think that sleepwalking is a form of acting out in one's sleep, it is a parasomnia like REM sleep behavior disorder. So it is similar for sure. REM Sleep behavior disorder is acting out vivid and violent dreams and can result in harm to one's partner or self. (I am just going on what I have read on the internet so please take with a grain of salt. I am no expert).

The last episode of it that I had I woke up screaming and cursing this dark figure in my dream. I am not sure who that dark figure represented, but I was mighty angry and slammed my fist down on the nightstand. I was full of rage and it freaked me out a bit. I hit the table so hard that it hurt my hand.

I used to take clonazepam years ago and I remember it took like 4 mg to keep me from acting out in my sleep. I believe the usual dosage was like 1-1 1/2 mg at bedtime if I am not mistaken.

l am also being treated for sleep apnea with a C-pap so I suppose I might be able to take clonazepam again. The article I read says it can worsen sleep apnea. I know I am leary of any medication that might make sleep apnea worse, so I would have to ask my doctor about it. I know melatonin is used to treat it as well.

I tend to have vivid, bizarre dreams and I'm generally a light sleeper. I am not sure why I am having a reoccurrence of RBD after going so long without any problems. I know if it continues I am going to have to see a sleep specialist
 
It didn't make my apnea any worse, I'm on the edge of not needing it now. Of course I lost 60 lbs since I first got it so that's probably why I don't like it. I also have vivid, bizarre, movie like dreams and I'm a light sleeper.

I am going through a re-emergence of symptoms too, but all of them except nightmares. I know my stress cup is overfull, so I'm trying to do self care to help, instead of focusing on the symptom. I'll let you know if it works.
 
I sometimes act out my dreams while I am asleep. I will curse, strike out with my fist, and challenge whoever is present.
Perhaps this disorder is not as common as I thought it was among PTSD sufferers.

I think THIS is actually pretty common with PTSD?

Possible birds of a feather bias, however -as- I’ve done it, most of the blokes I’ve slept with have done it, pretty much everyone I’ve ever been friends with (in certain circles) has done it, and their partners do it... I think what’s probably uncommon is seeking diagnosis / treatment for it separately, when one is already in treatment that’s handling nightmares & flashbacks?

Of course, <waves> @Freida!!! ;) Sooooooome people do it the other way around. It’s seeking treatment for sleep issues that lead to dealing with trauma issues.
 
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I suppose I saw it as a separate disorder before because it was diagnosed a few years before I got my PTSD diagnosis and that is how I dealt with it then (separately). But yeah, ...why classify it as something different if I am having PTSD nightmares? Most likely that is the cause of the acting out in my sleep anyways, but the treatment may be different for REM sleep disorder than for PTSD nightmares which leads me to wonder why?!!!

Fortunately, it seems these were isolated occurrences and they were not indicative of a parasomnia or a ressurgence of past behavior.
 
My husband has the same thing. He’s had it since he was a child.
I have to say he has hurt himself more then a couple of times to the point of having to get stitches. He’s taken out some closet doors too. Let me know if Melatonin works.
 
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