vivid, lucid and recurrent dreams - Depression Message Board

BethyM · 09-15-2003, 09:06 AM

Hi Everyone, does anyone who takes SSRI's experience EXTREMELY lucid dreams? Or Recurring dreams? I have two different recurring dreams (one is a nightmare, one isn't) and since I started Zoloft, they and other dreams are SOOOOO REAL...Its crazy! Also, I am sleeping SOOO much....I had severe insomnia for like 8 months, and almost the first day I started the zoloft, I started sleeping....I still wake up sometimes during the night, but usually only when I've had a nightmare. I can now sleep 11 hours, no problem, and I'm only on 25mg...(I supposed to increase it to 50, but I'm scared to)...Thats too much sleep, I have a life I need to live! Is this the med. or is it my body recuperating from months of lack of sleep? I definitely feel better as far as the depression is concerned, and my mood is definitely more relaxed, to the point where my husband has noticed a HUGE difference....Again, is this the med. or sleep making me feel better? I guess both....Not a whole lot of difference on the worry and obsessions though, hopefully that will come with time...I've only been on the Z less than 2 weeks...Its the dreams that are freaking me out, maybe I need to just use my Klonopin at night, even though I have hardly needed it at all...Any input would be greatly appreciated

cleo cat · 09-16-2003, 01:27 PM

I had the same thing happen to me when I increased my dosage of zoloft. I got really intense dreams & they seemed so real! I would wake up & feel exhausted. This lasted for about a week for me. I still have lots of dreams, but they aren't quite so vivid. I found that talking about them helped.
Cleo

09-16-2003, 02:46 PM

I have been on different SSRI's and they all have the side effect of amazingly vivid, often scary dreams--ones that can stay with me all day. Effexor was the worst for that for me and Paxil was terrible too. I still have them on Zoloft but not as bad. At one point my Psych. gave me some Seroquel to try, but I didn't want to take any more meds. Seroquel is an anti-psychotic that is supposed to help with sleep and dreams for those on SSRI's. Hope that helps.

Matt

Chris1951 · 09-16-2003, 05:24 PM

Hi,
I had really vivid dreams with Prozac but not nightmares. I've been off Prozac for a couple years and using Celexa. The intensity of the dreams vary from night to night but I do tend to remember them longer than I did before I took SSRIs. Good luck. Chris

gwenatron · 09-17-2003, 04:25 AM

i know all about the vivid dreams! I've always had them, and even remember dreams I had at the age of two. I was on cipramil, then edronax, seroxat, then effexor, and I think all of them contributed to the dreams. However the content of the dreams comes from your own consciousness. I dream about dead animals, hurt and maimed children, and my family. This is all symptomatic of the stuff I'm dealing with in therapy, but I definitely think the antidepressants gave the dreams a more vivid quality.
I'm now on zyprexa, surmontil and librium and the dreams remain the same.