Suvorexant and Vivid Dreams: What Users Say (Page 2)

• APa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 16, 2019

Suvorexant for Insomnia "Was on Stilnox. Doctor prescribed Belsomra yesterday, so I took my first pill last night. Took forever to fall asleep and then had terrifying dreams, woke up with a sense of dread and fear and could not move - was frozen for a few seconds. Fell asleep again and had the most vivid nightmares. Will not touch this expensive, awful medicine again."

• Ral...
• November 17, 2015

Suvorexant for Insomnia "I sustained a severe concussion several months ago and could not sleep afterwards due to the injury to my brain. It would take hours to fall asleep, only to wake up every 90 minutes and have another hour to fall back asleep. Since the brain heals while you are sleeping, my concussion symptoms (stuttering, speech/language problems, memory loss, headaches, dizziness/vertigo) kept getting worse. My doctor prescribed Belsomra and gave me specific instructions: take it 1/2 hour before bed, no screens for an hour before bed, no heavy meals after 7 pm. I started with 7.5 mg and then moved up to 10 mg a few weeks later. My sleep is amazing, and I started to heal. Had some funny dreams but didn't mind. Down to 3x/wk. I am so grateful for this medicine!"

• Ven...
• February 18, 2016

Suvorexant for Insomnia "After the arduous task of getting pre-authorization for this drug, I paid $60, and it is not helping. I suffer from chronic insomnia and was looking for something to help me sleep more soundly and to wake up restored. Ambien and trazodone were my go-to combo and worked well for me aside from the restorative part. Hence, the move to Belsomra. I started with 10 mg, and it did nothing. Then I tried 20 mg, and it did assist with falling asleep eventually (at least 2 hours), but not staying asleep. I sleep off and on with this stuff, and the dreams are pretty consistent, definitely not REM sleep. To anyone thinking of trying this drug, I'd say save your money and keep looking."

• Hon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 25, 2019

Suvorexant for Insomnia "Didn't work at all, took it several times and didn't do anything. I had weird dreams and a 'strange' feeling of not being able to wake up if I needed to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Will not take it anymore."

• San...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2021

Suvorexant for Insomnia "Horrible drug for me. Took the first 10 mg Belsomra dose last night and had horrible vivid nightmares, dreams that I can tell you verbatim yet this afternoon. Worse, had intense asthma during the night (not a norm for me). I used my inhaler twice. This morning, I can see I will need an inhalation treatment, again not the norm for me, but I have these for emergencies. I was on Ambien for 20 years for very severe insomnia. The drug company denied it this month and my PCP said to try Belsomra. I have chemical sensitivity and many paradoxical responses to several medications. Horrible, dangerous drug!"

• Tre...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 31, 2021

Suvorexant for Insomnia "For some reason, the Dr. started me on 20 mg. This was when I had high anxiety. I kept these pills for 2 years after I have long since gotten better because they cost a lot of money to buy. I took one last night, and it gave me hallucinations and hyperventilation while sleeping, but put me to sleep pretty fast. It is an easy pathway to lucid dreaming. The bad side is that it can also give you very vivid nightmares, sometimes I would have up to 10 dreams in one night."

• Wen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 8, 2019

Suvorexant for Insomnia "I’ve been on Mirtazapine for many years due to sleep anxiety and chronic insomnia. Worked like a charm but with incredible weight gain. Tried Belsomra on GP's recommendation. I feel like I just blew $60 for nothing. Zero effect. Now reading about everyone else’s experience, I’m not looking forward to the bad dreams. Back to Mirtazapine for me."

• MzL...
• February 17, 2018

Suvorexant for Insomnia "I took Belsomra, 1/2 of a 15 mg pill, last night, after my doctor gave me Belsomra samples, saying this would help me sleep through the night. I wake up after 4 or 5 hours on Ambien. I have no problems falling asleep, just with staying asleep. Last night, I began to feel sleepy after taking Belsomra, turned off the light, then lay, mind racing for an hour or two, bad images of a gory dreamlike nature. I woke up four hours later, couldn't go back to sleep, ended up taking 1/4 of an Ambien. Intense dreams upon awakening. I have felt tired all day, depressed, headachy. I have taken zolpidem for years. I get 10 mg pills, Northstar brand cut into 4 pieces. I've never had bad dreams, daytime grogginess, or other problems. If I wake up in the middle of the night, with 4 hours until the alarm goes off, I take 1/4 10 mg, get back to sleep, wake with no problems. Trazodone made me impossibly groggy the following day. I don't take benzos. I'm sticking with zolpidem."

• bcd...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 27, 2023

Suvorexant for Insomnia "My experience is I have dreams that I can't wake up from, or I think I'm awake but am still in the dream. The other strange thing is I feel as if I can feel objects or pain that occurs in the dream. This started about a week after I started taking the medication."

• tex...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 8, 2018

Suvorexant for Insomnia "I have tried every medicine that I know of. My doctor put me on Belsomra 30 mg. Lots of weird dreams. I also take Seroquel. Seroquel put weight on me like crazy. I have cut my dosage to 200 mg and the Belsomra. I have only taken it for less than two weeks. Not sure yet. My doctor gave me two cards. One is for 10 free days of each dosage: 10 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg. I noticed a lot of people talking about the cost."

• Hap...
• November 22, 2017

Suvorexant for Insomnia "I started out on 10 mg, worked a couple of nights, slept great, then it didn't work anymore, just be awake wishing I could sleep. Dr. raised dose to 20 mg. Worked great for about 10 nights, now I'm here awake wishing I could fall asleep. No bad dreams or paralysis, just can't fall asleep. Going back to try something else. Dang it! Was hoping this would work."

• Moa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 24, 2019

For Insomnia "Initially starting on this drug, suvorexant caused wild dreams and disturbing, unpleasant nightmares (15 mg dose), then it ceased to be at all effective in reducing chronic insomnia. Dose upped to 20 mg, some nights, this had no effect at all - could not fall asleep or stay asleep - it was as if I had not taken any sleep medication at all! This medication is expensive to buy, so very disheartening when it didn't seem to work at all. I am wondering whether the manufacturing process is of a consistently high standard or whether some batches do not contain the correct amount of this medication, as there is no other explanation for its inconsistencies in effect."

• No...
• February 9, 2018

Suvorexant for Insomnia "Yuck, yuck, yuck. No sleep. Bad dreams. Waste of money. I don't sleep well at all. I take Ambien 10 mg for the last 10 years. At least it helps me fall asleep. Sometimes I stay asleep for 4 hours, but usually only 2, BUT with Belsomra... 2 hours till I fell asleep, woke up in 1 hour. Dozed back off, then had horrible nightmares and no sleep for the rest of the night! Terrible!!! I'd not recommend! Back to Ambien. Btw... I do all the recommended healthy sleep rituals. I just can't sleep!"

• Sle...
• March 2, 2018

For Insomnia "SLEEP PARALYSIS. I couldn't move to save my life. I was fully aware of my husband talking, and my eyes may have been open because I saw him, I just couldn't move. It was just unnerving. I told my husband, he told me it was in my head. I addressed this with my doctor, and she said that sleep paralysis is indeed a side effect. DREAMS: I have had many strange dreams while taking it, but just the other day, I had the most horrific one. I have a ball python, and he bit me in the face in my dream. Never in my life have I ever woken so abruptly from a dream with my heart pounding out of my chest. I attribute that dream to the Belsomra as well. But hey, at least I can sleep."

• tan...
• March 23, 2015

Suvorexant for Insomnia "The pharmacist said the only side effect was vivid dreams. It is going down Alice in Wonderland's rabbit hole. It is supposed to get better after a week. Here's hoping the pharmacist is right."

• Tri...
• October 5, 2022

Suvorexant for Insomnia "Bad experience first night, really bad dreams. This med is dangerous."

• Sle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 22, 2015

Suvorexant for Insomnia "Weird, vivid dreams feel like I'm paralyzed and can't move. I do feel rested, though."