Hi, my name is "manicbaby123", I'm 38 yrs. old, & brand new to this whole posting questions thing. :) lol so please be patient with me. I have suffered from night terrors, nightmares and vivid dreaming almost all my life. Trazodone used to help with them, by putting me in a deep sleep and I wouldn't dream or if I did I wouldn't remember, but it no longer works,now it actually makes the terrors worse. I'm very curious if anyone has found a medication that helps them sleep and stops the nightmares and or night terrors. I'd love to hear some good news :) thank you from texas :0
Has anyone found a med that works for night terrors?
Question posted by manicbaby123 on 22 Sep 2010
Last updated on 27 November 2022 by missingsaints
8 Answers
missingsaints
26 Nov 2022
I'm am so internet stupid it's taken me over an hour to create an account just to answer your question. I have suffered from night terrors most of my life. I've tried meds to help me sleep and... how long does that last?? There terrible. So listen to this... it took me until I was 50 years old to find a doc that understood what was happening. It also helped that she put me through ADD testing and I was found to need Methylphenidate. You know that med for kids..or so most doctors want to insist ADD stops when you turn 18. I have multiple college degrees, but couldn't put my life in order. My night terrors came with the sweats and waking up to hear myself screaming. After starting Ritalin my dreams went away. So did my depression. A few months ago I stopped taking this med for about a year. All the night terrors came back, but this time I got details of the reasons I had night terrors.
Detailed dreams of my abusive mother, husbands and world came to light. It just about drove me crazy to know about all the things I covered up in my life. Things I made myself forget. So I started the ADD meds again and the terrors stopped again. I think that when you suffer with ADD your mind can't put your world in order. You can't get organized or finish anything. I think that if you fix that, you can sleep feeling more fulfill about yourself. You don't feel so useless and your mind is happier and allows itself to sleep peacefully. Perhaps you can stop worrying about all the things you need to do but just can't concentrate. I hope I explained that well. Doctors will insist that it won't work. So remember if you take this medication like they tell children to take it... once a day and weekend vacations... you won't get addicted. I didn't. It really changed my world. Now that I remember all the reasons for my night terrors I write them down and then I forget about them... it works for me. Sending you best wishes...
Inactive
3 Oct 2019
Once i hit 4mg clonazepam at night i no longer have night terrors with bodily injury.
Tezzy
4 April 2012
I think Saphris. It's helping me so far 90% of the time.
Inactive
23 Sep 2010
i have had this problem most of my life as well, the worst being in late teens and early 20's. never took anything for it, but found that if i could talk myself into waking up, then getting up (takes a lot of talking to yourself) and turning on the radio or something that will bring you back to reality would help me eventually. if your living with someone, and they don't mind, wake them and have them talk to you, that can help to return to what is real as well. and, yes it is best not to watch (t.v./movies) or read anything that is disturbing to you. life is a war and each day (or night) is a battle.
melissab(twilightfan85)
25 Sep 2010
you can def talk to yourself in your dreams and take control of them. i believe this is called a lucid dream. its when you know that you are dreaming and you can control whatever happens. when you are dreaming, try to tell yourself that you know its not real. it has helped me a few times
christineATU
22 Sep 2010
Hi there and welcome! Unfortunately xanax is a short acting benzo. I would try valium which lasts much longer. Also, have you ever tried cognitive therapy? Sometimes repressed memories can be the cause of latent nightscares. Maybe a little therapy along with a change in meds may help you. It's worth a shot anyway. Many different meds may also cause vivid dreams. I think it's cognitive therapy... not sure of the name. But some type of counseling may help. The thing is, something is causing you to have these nightmares. They are unusual and you need to get to the bottom of it. Meds will cover up the underlying cause, but it is the cause you need to figure out. Of course this is only my opinion. I wish you well and be sure to keep us posted and add many friends. The more you participate, the more we all learn. (sorry about the gonzaga comment :-))
My best wishes,
chris
Inactive
22 Sep 2010
Hi manic, Welcome to the site! I hate to disagree with my friend miss christine, but some people have night terrors and there is no reason for it. My daughter has night terrors and her doc just doesn't know why... 'tis a mystery.
Therapy (that christine suggested) might be a vliable option for you, give it a try. But like I said, some people just have this and there is no answer for it.
Best wishes to you,
christineATU
22 Sep 2010
We can always agree to disagree. I just happen to be a believer in Freud's theories. The mind is an amazing thing.
melissab(twilightfan85)
22 Sep 2010
the dr put me on xanax for my anxiety and fear of falling asleep because i was scared of what would happen. i was having sleep paralysis. i would wake up and something would be holding me down and trying to hurt me. it was all hallucinations. the xanax relaxed me enough to sleep. i also dont sleep on my back anymore because thats the only time it happens. hope this helps! xoxo
manicbaby123
22 Sep 2010
thanks for answering my question. I'm sorry you have such a terrible time with sleep also! I too take Xanax for anxiety & panic & agoraphobia. Sometimes it helps me sleep, but I still have the night terrors.Most of mine are of being chased, killed in all sorts of morbid ways, raped, and things too odd and strange too put in writing; i'm like "where in the heck does my mind come up with this stuff?." It's just not me, I'm not into horror movies or things of that sort... I've tried all kinds of sleeping pills... so you are a twilight fan? I've only seen the first 2 movies... Don't spoil the 3rd for me ;) , but is it good?? I read there is going to be another one in 2011 or 2012! did you hear that?? take care, manicbaby
melissab(twilightfan85)
23 Sep 2010
hi manicbaby... some medications may cause "strange dreams". you might wanna check the side effects and talk to your dr about them. i take effexor xr for depression and the bad dreams are a side effect, but thank God i havent had any yet. as for twilight... eclipse was a great movie. i wish they would have went more into some of the background stories like in the books. the last film is breaking dawn. i hear they are gonna break it down into 2 movies since the book was so long. as long as they stick by the books, its gonna be freakin awsome! i cant wait :)
im def on team edward... i know thats corny and i shouldnt be sooo into a movie, but its just an amazing love story. a modern day, supernatural, romeo and juliet!
Inactive
22 Sep 2010
Howdy fellow texan im from austin texas. Welcome this site has helped me a bunch and there are alot of good people here so you came to the right place i hope we can help. I have myself tried trazodone for some years but it was only to help me sleep have you tried a benzodiazipine aka xanax,valium, or ativan? Trazadone is not a sedative really it does help sleep however now all benzodiazapines are sedatives and maybe that is what you need. Have you tried even a heavier sleeping aid like ambian or lunesta? there are alot of options to help you sleep tell your doctor to open up his mind try something new some doctors are set in their ways and medications have used the same thing on ever patient for the same symptoms for years. The younger doctors seem to be more open to prescibing some of the newer medications.
manicbaby123
22 Sep 2010
thank you for your kindness. Yes, I have tried almost all the sleep meds... I am on Xanax now. Maybe we could talk meds sometime? ;) I'm in Ft.Worth, and I'm a huge Longhorn football fan! luv football! take care :)
christineATU
22 Sep 2010
Go Gonzaga! Oops, wrong division.
Inactive
22 Sep 2010
GO LONGHORNS GO! yeah sure i would love to talk i will send you a private message with my number. You know all this time ive signed on to this website i never found anyone in texas thank god i thought i was the only one:) I did also take xanax before and it worked well for me so please give me a call anytime you wanna talk i actually was in austin but now im in elgin bout an hour from austin caring for my elderly aunt but austin is my hometown grew up there im now 28 my birthday is Oct.1,1982.
Inactive
22 Sep 2010
Good Morning,
First of all I would like to welcome you to our site.
Please click on the link below to read about certain medications for night terrors:
https://www.drugs.com/condition/night-terrors.html
Have a nice day.
manicbaby123
22 Sep 2010
thank you
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