Acting Out While Sleeping: My husband has... - Cure Parkinson's

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Acting Out While Sleeping

1rocketman profile image
9 Replies

My husband has always had intermittent active dreams -- yelling out, flinching, flaying, kicking... it would often start small, like mumbling or twitching, and it would happen every so often. However, in the last week or so, it has gotten worse and has occurred at least four times. It is more sudden, from quietly sleeping to striking out with his hand. He literally smacked me in the face while I was dead asleep!

Not sure what is happening... I started him on HDT at the end of November. He seemed to be doing fine, now this... is this part of PD progression?

Needless to say, I have a hard time going back to sleep...

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1rocketman profile image
1rocketman
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9 Replies
NanCyclist profile image
NanCyclist

It sounds like he has REM sleep behavior disorder which is very common in people with Parkinson’s. Go to the sleep doctor and have the test done. I take clonazepam .75 mg every night and my husband no longer is in danger.

Gobbsofjoy profile image
Gobbsofjoy

My experience with acting out dreams began a year ago about the time my daily carbidopa levodopa reached 1100mg per day. Since I had a DBS last March my daily levodopa is 800 and no more acting out dreams.

I was diagnosed with PD ten years ago at age 55. I was also diagnosed with REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder. It is extremely common in people with PD. I take 1mg of clonazepam before going to bed and that stops me acting out my dreams.

Icequeen10 profile image
Icequeen10

I have a lifelong history of. bad dreams.they became worse as my Parkinson's hit full stride. I take Clonazepam and find that it prevents the night terrors.

Jeaner73 profile image
Jeaner73

I also have a REM sleep disorder. Tried Clonazepam but I didn’t like the way it made feel. Currently taking 10 mg melatonin. I’m also looking for a medical marijuana indica strain that works. So far tried 9 lb hammer oil form, but it kept me up most of the night.

1rocketman profile image
1rocketman in reply toJeaner73

Hubby is doing well on 5 mg melatonin, but we still tuck a pillow between just in case. We went to a dispensary for CBD oil 18:1 ratio... did nothing for him.

Millbrook profile image
Millbrook

How much B1 is your husband taking? When my husband started on B1 he did not have active dreams. As I increased his B1 he started having active dreams. It would occur about two weeks after taking the dose. I reduced the dose each time he had active dreams. Active dreams made him wake up fatigued. And too low a dose he would choke on his saliva.

He is currently on 50 mg daily and 100 mg on sat and tues. His sleep has improved greatly waking up 2-3 times to pee as compared to 6-8 times. He is also using Vielight Gamma. Once we get dose right on B1 we will start the right type of B12

1rocketman profile image
1rocketman in reply toMillbrook

He is currently on 3G/day. He takes 10mg of melatonin a night, but the game changer for both of us was a white noise sleep machine he gave ME for Mothers Day called a Marpac (try Amazon). It doesn't necessarily help you sleep, but will help you stay there once asleep. It just sounds like a soothing fan with an adjustable noise level. I used to use a fan for this and for some reason, it works better than a fan. He originally bought it for me because his waking up or snoring disrupted my sleep, but the side benefit is that he seems to sleep better. Even our dog who sleeps in the room seems more relaxed. Just a note, it sounded a tad loud at first, but after the first night I got used to the noise.

Millbrook profile image
Millbrook in reply to1rocketman

Thank you for sharing. I will look at it on amazon

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