Why can't I stop dreaming?!

[Aruba417]

Here is some history: I'm 24, I have Anxiety/Panic disorder. I have been taking Effexor XR since April, and it seems to help with my symptoms. I also take Xanax as needed for panic attacks. This also helps. However, I have not been able to have one night's sleep without dreaming in 8 months! I told my psychiatrist, and she prescribed Ambian, which helped me fall asleep fast, but I still had dreams all night. Then she suggested taking the Xanax every night, starting with .5 mg. When that didn't work, she told me to try 2. Nothing helps. I dream all night long. Nightmares, stupid dreams, ex-boyfriend dreams, vacation dreams, high school dreams, etc. All freakin' night! I wake up in the morning feeling like my brain hasn't rested! It is getting really annoying. This happened to me a few years back when I was first diagnosed with Anxiety/Panic disorder. But it went away after about a month. This has been 8 months now!!! Does ANYONE out there know what is causing this and if there is some kind of medication out there that would help this?

[knox99]

Can't believe that no-one has found a solution to this. Beginning to think that this is it for the rest of my life now!

[magzz123]

hello oceans3,, you same as me.... try takes vitamin B complex. i hope can help with you to reduct your dreams.... pls. email me if effective....

carl_brienz06***@****

[freyja23]

have you been tested for Narcolepsy? I have it and am going crazy trying to get a restful nights sleep. In narcolepsy, REM is the main cycle of sleep a person will stay in (falling asleep into REM and usually waking up from REM).

Anti-depressants seems to just make dreams more active and prominent and adds to the EDS symptoms.

Sleep aids don't help for someone with narcolepsy because our sleep phases are already messed up. Adds to dreaming problems, EDS and more prone to sleep walking.

Relaxation exercises suck because I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat anyway...and I just go right into REM...I never get much delta stage sleep.

I've heard Xyrem helps for people with Narcolepsy/Cataplexy. Helps with EDS, stops the remembering of alot of dreams. I'm too scared to try it though.

If anyone knows a way for narcoleptics to skip the first stage of REM, I think they'd be a bazillionare. I'd make them one!  

[Shaarnskis]

It's the Effexor medication!..... I am on it too and only for.a month I dream all night and have same problem as you, waking up feeling exhausted! I never had this problem before I started taking out! the only thing that I can think of that can stop this us stop very taking that particular medication and try a new one! It won't stop....unfortunately this is probably the only other option :(

[wedonna]

My dreams r driven me mad, an their mad dreams like im flying or in a war or about people bein realy sick, i must dream about 7 times anight an wake up very nerves, i jt want them to stop d.d

[prat237]

I'm fifteen and having dreams continuously for the past 4 months. Mum tells me its just me thinking about dreams that makes me dream every night. BUT ITS NOT!!! Even when i don't think about anything I DREAM EVERY BLOODY NIGHT. Just because these people don't go through it they think its normal and that we are making a big fuss out of it. They dont know how its ruining our lives.Waking up so exhausted every morning and not being able to concentrate and they think its our fault? SERIOUSLY.