[coyotee]

For the past couple weeks, I have had on and off rough nights where I wake up after seemingly acting out my dreams.

My legs and arms feel exhausted when I wake up. I've woken up twice with my body in movement - like running or flailing around.

It's gotten a little violent. Once I almost hurt someone trying to wake me. The movements were while I was still asleep just seconds before I woke up. I've also punched the wall once.

I'm currently on Welbutrin and take Xanax very occasionally as needed, but the past couple weeks I have only taken the Xanax twice.

I'm afraid to tell my doctor because I'm afraid of something like involuntary hospitalization. I'm also afraid of NOT telling my doctor because I really don't want to hurt anyone or myself.

I'm so afraid of what I might do and I can't control it because I'm not conscious. This is all very sudden.

This seems to fit the description of REM Sleep Behavior Disorder with one exception - I don't remember my dreams. I know the dream was bad, I can feel the mood of the dream I just had, but I can't remember the content of the dream.

I plan on filming myself but I'm afraid of what I might see.

Anyone been through this?? What should I do? What can I expect?

[KarenSue]

Hello coyotee!

FYI, I like your screen name. I have been a sleep walker all of my life. I am now 57 but still sleepwalk rarely. In my 20s and 30s, I would wake up in odd places (if I'm lucky) or falling over a coffee table and such. My husband once found me in my car one morning. I did not have any keys, thank goodness. I now will place an object, such as a plastic circular fan (floor level) in my pathway so if I sleepwalk, I will wake up when I trip over it, long before I can go very far.

Anyway, I went to a sleep lab for observation. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome.

It seems that about 1 or 2% of us lack that paralyzation that the other 99% or so have to not move while sleeping. FYI, I have not taken Ambien, so it isn't that phenomenon we've read about Ambien. Now, with my CPAP (constant positive air pressure or something??) machine, I get better quality sleep.

Maybe a sleep study is all you need. The sleep labs have nice "hotel like" rooms (w/cable!) and they place electrodes on various places to detect what is happening while we sleep. They also have cameras for the technicians to observe you. Worst part was getting the gooey stuff out of my hair from the connection of the electrodes.

I hope this helps you somewhat. Please feel free to PM me if you feel I can answer any questions you may have.

Good Luck,

KarenSue

[-jimi-]

I think you should get it checked out. Kicking and acting out is usually more benign if during non REM. I don't mean in the sense getting hurt or hurting, it can happen in both conditions. And usually that is more serious with non REM behavior, because those people do "more" stuff. But in the long run, REM behavior disorder can be a precursor to nastier stuff.

[-jimi-]

Had a look at what Mayo Clinic says, there antidepressants is called out as one contributor. Hm.

[coyotee]

Thank you both very much for your responses.

I have an appointment with my Psychiatrist next week. I'm a little concerned about this week just because this all came on so suddenly but I'll just try to do what I can to keep it safe somehow.

I really hope my antidepressant isn't the culprit because otherwise it has been real good to me. I've been reading that Xanax can help take it away completely so I'm hopeful but I don't want to start taking it everyday until I talk to the doctor. I might take some this week at bedtime though depending how the next few days go.

I'm doing some research now on sleep studies and sleep centers in my area. I would love to do something like that and get some concrete answers stage by stage. Thanks KarenSue for sharing your experience!

[medkev13]

Originally Posted by -jimi-

Had a look at what Mayo Clinic says, there antidepressants is called out as one contributor. Hm.

It's because antidepressants tend to create mania like behavior, which in someone that's not bipolar would show itself in dream activity over waking life. It's effectively your brain leaning just enough on the manic side of things that your dreams become hypreactive...

Also, it sounds like the paralysis is there, but it just fades faster than your mind switches back to Alpha/wakeful waves.