nightmares

[wilanpolly]

does anyone else whith brain lesions have nightmares ?  just wondering if there was a connection

[Shappie40]

I have nightmares. I wake sweating and so tired. I even have the most powerful headache. Then I am afraid to go back to sleep thereby sleep deprivation. Is it a link with MS? I don't know. My neurologist want to schedule a sleep study.

[aspen2]

The sleep study is a really good idea.  In my case I wasn't dreaming at all; but sleep stage issues and disordered sleep can cause issues with dreaming/nightmares (and worsen symptoms -- in my case too lengthy a period of sleep deprivation and bang!  I'm in a relapse.

the waking with a headache does make it look like you have one or both apneas ... good call on your neurologist's part.

[SarahL2491]

I didn't start having nightmares until I went on CPAP, not sure why.

[Wondel]

Had to comment.. but nightmare is one of my complaints to my neuro.  I have had them for about 2 years.. not everynight... but at times they are very consistent with increased symptoms.  I went about 7 months without any flares and recently went thru 2 weeks of unwanted symptoms, i.e. weakness, spasms, eyepain/jerks, and added a new one I have never had before... and accompaning these things came the nightmares... I discussed it with my neuro and he said meds......and said he would change them.. but never did.. BUT had the nightmares before beingn put on gabapentin and elavil together..

[wilanpolly]

only  on levothyroxine for my thyroid   I have been on it at same dose for about 5 yrs

[HVAC]

Many medications can cause nightmares. I do not know if you are on any.

Alex

[wilanpolly]

thanks for the answers  Im not dx yet but have multiple brain lesions .     the only meds im on is lower dose for thyroid , have been on it for years . but  have been having some doozies of night mares lately and not good ones either lol

[supermum_ms]

I personally wouldn't automatically attributing nightmares as being 'directly' caused by MS, i can see how nightmare could be indirectly or a secondary issue though, but i suppose it really depends on what 'you' actually experience which might explain more what could be going on.

Generally with dreams, they are the reflection of your unconscious mental state or health, either positive and negative but recurring dreams usually have a similar theme to them that isn't always as obvious, as the recognised emotions the dreams are actually triggering.

Positive dreams don't typically cause the heart pumping, sweat, terror etc physical and emotive responses and so they don't get as much of our attention or are as memorable as the experience of negative dream that scares the begeber's out of you.

I would be looking at mental health first and side effects of medication second, because nightmares and night terrors can be caused by certain types of medications before i'd consider it's just part and parcel of having MS....

Cheers...........JJ    

  

[kwarendorf]

Hi WaP - Welcome to the group.

I've never seen this topic discussed before. Given that MS attacks the central nervous system, including the brain, I don't think nightmares are out of the realmm of possibilities. There is certainly well documented cognitive impact from MS, so why not?

As we are often reminded, nothing is off the table when it comes to MS :-)

Kyle