I don't know if anyone else has this problem....bad dreams. Really bad. It's not because I like to watch scary movies and read thriller novels. Every night, I have the worst dreams about John. Last night, for example, it was about us going on vacation. It was Ariel, me and John. The 'bad dream' part was about knowing we had to take him to the nursing home at the end of our travels, not home. All the time, I was upset wondering how we'd work that out. Maybe I dreamed that one because of reading how some of you can travel and go places with your spouses. Other times, my dreams are about other Alzheimers issues and having to deal with them once again by myself. Sometimes, I dream I've been diagnosed with it, too, and I am all alone (as now) in life, or I develop some other health problem or have another accident and loose my arm all together. These dreams terrify me and I wake up several times a night shouting out loud. I had attributed it to Ambien, as my father said it affects him that way. I haven't taken Ambien for WEEKS now. I see a councellor regularly, so I'm not keeping feelings hidden. I'm wide open...even around friends. Right now, I'm taking Prozac, max dose of Neurontin for nerve pain, Clonazapam, and a recent addition (a month now) of Lamictal. Has anyone had bad dreams or thoughts as a result of taking any of these medications, or is it my poor mind, stress and worries?
I have never used sleeping pills, but I have--since the onset of AD symptoms--had weird dreams pertaining to it. Actually, since they tend to occur right in that twilight zone between awake and completely asleep, they're more like anxiety thoughts crossed with dreams. But, what happens is I think someone (unknown, unspecified "someone") is trying to steal my wedding and engagement rings off my hands, and I wake up suddenly and realize that I "must" take them off and put them somewhere else--in a dresser drawer or somewhere--for safekeeping. So I do. Lately, because of these dreams, and because of hand lotion and winter (and because I'm just not feeling very married in the sense that I used to,) I've just been keeping my rings stored elsewhere, rather than wearing them. (Oh, why this pertains to AD...it's symbolic of my marriage being "taken" by the unspecified other, which we all know as Alzheimer's.)
I have dreams where I am very angry and screaming, yelling at other family members but no one seems to hear me. I'm completely ignored like I'm not even there. It doesn't take a psychiatrist to tell me what that means!
Emily, like you I get these odd dreams too. The ones I have are not about the AD or my DH 's condition. They are dreams where I find myself always having to sort out and solve some crisis and I wake up tired. I don't take meds either. On the occasion when I have had to use Benedryl for allergies I get nightmares and this is a side effect of that drug. Remember when Princess Diana was on tv talking about her unhappy marriage with Prince Charles and she said, in reference to Camilla Parker Bowels, that it was " a bit crowded in this marriage" We can say the same thing. AD is the interloper and it is now a "bit crowded in our marriage".
Strange how these subjects come up just at the right time! I've always had problems with dreams and/or nightmares. However, the last 3 nights have been horrible. Between it being the 2nd anniversary of my mother's death---actually at this minute.....and being told that my husband needs immediate placement, I guess I'm due......
Mimi, thats a statement I had forgotten. It felt that way alot toward the end. I haven't been dreaming lately, Just have shut the brain down for a while at night I think. Jen, the dreams are AD related and your mind trying to cope, its a lot to handle. I think our minds have to cleanse themselves once in a while by letting the pain come out in dreams. Its hard no matter which side of AD you are. To me, its been harder on this side, the after side. I know some medications can cause nightmares and some medications help with them.