I'm sick of it. It's getting so frequent now.

I was on Ambien for insomnia, which was great until it pooped out. I had no dreams (at least that I could remember), so when I switched to trazadone, I figured it would be kind of nice for a change to dream....I was wrong.

My dreams for the past year have all been very tense...but the past month or so they are all nightmares. And very graphically violent nightmares. Last night involved cut up body parts that I had to dispose of.
They make me jerk awake in a very anxious state. I go from being in the dream to TOTAL consciousness in about 5 seconds....

I would like to add that my taste in TV viewing is very mild...NEVER any violence. I don't even care for suspense.

I already suffer from depression and anxiety and this is really putting a strain on me. I dread going to bed.

Any ideas? Comments? Words of comfort?
I have tried all of the typical sleep remedies that are suggested all over the internet....

[geis]

Trazodone caused worse nightmares for me--I had to stop taking it.

What's helped for me with the nightmares is a medication called prazosin. Its on-label use is for high blood pressure, but some VA doctors figured out accidentally that it helps with nightmares, particularly those related to PTSD.

I also really recommend having a sleep study done if you haven't. I had sleep problems for most of my life, and I went through all the usual sleep meds with unsatisfactory results. When I finally had a sleep study done, they found out that because of the particular sleep disorders I had, I wouldn't respond to typical sleep meds, but the doctor was able to get me on some meds that did actually help.

[mountain human]

Originally Posted by geis

Trazodone caused worse nightmares for me--I had to stop taking it.

What's helped for me with the nightmares is a medication called prazosin. Its on-label use is for high blood pressure, but some VA doctors figured out accidentally that it helps with nightmares, particularly those related to PTSD.

I also really recommend having a sleep study done if you haven't. I had sleep problems for most of my life, and I went through all the usual sleep meds with unsatisfactory results. When I finally had a sleep study done, they found out that because of the particular sleep disorders I had, I wouldn't respond to typical sleep meds, but the doctor was able to get me on some meds that did actually help.

I have taken Ambien for 8 years, Trazadone for 3, now my MD added Buspar...starting to feel like Michael Jackson! I don't have weird dreams that I can remember, but these are side effects of these meds for some people...yes, try something different.

[janfow365123123]

Sounds like your dreams are highly linked to your anxiety. Try some of the other meds suggested, or perhaps cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a start.

Images of dis-emboding typically communicates that you are feeling like your actions are not allowing others to able to move as a group in your life. Similar to one saying they can't work with crowds, so they'd rather work/socialize with individuals that they spend time with by "cutting them off" from the larger group. Social anxiety issues, perhaps?