Question:
Just a quick question. I have had panic attacks for the last 8 or so
years which has stopped me working and doing most things in life.
I see a social worker and doctor reguarly but the last year or more i
have strange dreams at night.....one dream was lastnight where i woke
up in the middle of the night to find myself (literally) standing on
my couch trying to get away from a spider or some sort of creepy
crawly.
I even opened one of my bedroom doors which leads out to my front yard
walked a few feet then realised i was dreaming so walked back to my bed
and went back to sleep.
Im guessing these are called Adult Night Terrors/Sleepwalking??? and
wondered if these were associated with me and my panic attacks?
I am on medication for the panic attacks and my doctor said it could
caused be caused by the dosage im on so told me to cut it down from 2
tablets at night to 1 tablet one night then 2 the next.
Just thought id ask in here to see if anyone else has these stange
walking dreams....lol
Answer:
Your post reminded me of something that happened to my
friend`s son. When he was about 10, he went through a stage of night terrors and
sleep walking. One particularly bad night, my friend and her husband were awaken
to someone banging loudly on their back door during the middle of the night.
They ran frantically to the door, opened it and found their 10 year old son
standing there. Their son had a nightmare, opened his bedroom window, climbed
out and walked around to the back door while asleep. Thank god nothing bad
happened. It sure sounds like you are having night terrors and perhaps are even
sleep walking. Has this ever happened before? What medication are you taking"
How long have you been taking it?
This happens to me maybe once or twice a week but sometimes only every
2 weeks or so. Im guessing it could have something to do with what i am
watching on TV?
There was a program on a few nights ago about "Australia's most
dangerous creatures" and one was a spider called the White tipped
spider that sneaks in under your bed among other places so might have
to watch a comedy or something before bed too...lol
I am taking medictation called "Avanza" and been taking it for roughly
2 or so years.
Im not sure how long the sleepwalking lasts but around 1-2 minutes i
guess or until i fully wake up and realise i should be in bed and not
walking around...lol
I am going to try lifting weights an hour or so before bed to see if
that tires me out and gives me a good night sleep, try not to have a
cigarette before bed and maybe buy one of those small night lights
(that stays on all night) so if i do wake up i will know exactly where
i am??
By the way i am a 30/M/Australia.
Being your doctor thinks it`s the avanza causing the sleep-walking, why hasn`t
he changed you to a different antidepressant? In my humble opinion, I think
sleep walking is an unacceptable side-effect to deal with. You could get hurt.
I doubt if Avanza (= Remeron in the US) would *cause* sleepwalking but
another AD seems a good idea anyway. Avanza is rather weak and I'm
underwhelmed as to its effect on panic/anxiety. Plus if you really wantr
to gain a lot of weight this is the AD of choice ;-)
