Is it natural for Parkinson sufferers to ... - Cure Parkinson's

Cure Parkinson's

25,467 members26,778 posts

Is it natural for Parkinson sufferers to thrash out in their sleep and fall out of bed (even a King size) as my hubby does?

Percy-Parkie profile image
14 Replies

He is physically harming me in his sleep and when he falls out of bed he is so disorientated. He is on medication for the Parkinsons

Written by
Percy-Parkie profile image
Percy-Parkie
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
14 Replies
Pete-1 profile image
Pete-1

I'd suggest RLS except that you can't sleep at the same time as the RLS "twinges". There is another sleep condition very like RLS that you can have during sleep. Called something like "Periodic limb movement Disorder".

RLS may occur as a PD symptom so I guess the other condition may also?

Percy-Parkie profile image
Percy-Parkie in reply to Pete-1

Thank you for the reply at least we can expect it to carry on then

RayW profile image
RayW

HI, Yes this is called Active REM syndrome or Disorder or something close to that. It is more prevalent amongst people with Parkinson's. Aggressive dreaming is acted out! Normally, our dreams are detached from our physical movement. I don't know if there is anything to be done for it. We decided it would be better to have separate rooms, because even though my outbursts were rare, my wife was frightened just waiting for them to happen.So sometimes I yell very loudly and aggressively, sometimes I wake up having fallen out of bed or punched the wall. But none of that is as bad as waking up after punching my wife. I hope this explanation makes sense to you and I'm sorry I have no more appropriate suggestion.

Percy-Parkie profile image
Percy-Parkie in reply to RayW

Thank you so much at least I know others have gone through this

hairdresser1 profile image
hairdresser1 in reply to Percy-Parkie

I was diagnosed with Parkinsons2010 at the same time hubby lost his smell the dreams started, like others he fell out of bed cut his shoulder, then he jumped out of bed and ran into the wall. Two black eyes near broken nose the dreams got worse he would punch, kick me, thump me, then the worst was when he got his hands around my throat. Went to see GP only to be told (he would speak with the other GPs about the condition) phone went next day advice sleep in separate rooms. another GP gave him some tabs that treat young boys who wet the bed the tablets did nothing. Went on to see several more GPs they did not seem to know what his condition was. Then thanks to internet read about REM disorder went to see GP again and ask for a referral Attend QMC was then diagnosed by a professor (Jill ) first she ask me what he did at night as soon as I told her that he shouted out using the F WORD straight away Jill said classic REM. since seeing the professor who put him on Clonazepam he only has little dreams which only happen about once or twice every 6 months. He also had to go and see my neurologist at QMC he just told him to keep taking the tablets. Looking at the things he doe's we are both sure he might also have Parkinson's but my neurologist did not seem to think so.

Jim_Adams profile image
Jim_Adams

Yup. Very common. Also night terrors (wicked, very real nightmares), and lots of "acting out" during asleep time.

Percy-Parkie profile image
Percy-Parkie in reply to Jim_Adams

Thanks for that I guess it could be single beds then

Hikoi profile image
Hikoi in reply to Percy-Parkie

PP

REM sleep disorder as the others have said, sometimes caused by the medication and sometimes the disease. Worth talking to your neuro about because adjusting medications can help sometimes.

olpilot profile image
olpilot

This happened to me a couple of weeks.ago, my wife has been punched a couple of.timesI have, as do many I'm sure have very vivid dreams and night before.last was a doozy. I was laying there waiting for sleep, had taken my pills, and waited. Normally I can tell when a dream starts, the scenery usually changes, something is different, but not this time.

As I was lying there the dogs started to get restless, then fuss, then went a bit crazy. I though I heard noises coming from the basement garage shop area. We.live in a very rural area, and a while back had a triple homicide within a couple miles. A crazy naked guy crossed a swamp, broke into a home and waited, killed a man, his wife and his brother. Beating them to death. The whole area was on pins and needles, really a rare incedent but it gets your mind going late at night. Anyway, as the dogs got crazy , I heard noises the wind came up. I started to panic and ever since the murders we keep a 22 rifle near the bed. I started to go fir the gun, I was fumbling with it and suddenly felt I was being held.down. I couldn't move!!! I tried to yell but nothing came out, I tried to scream, nothing. No change in scenery, still lying in my bed, dressed the same, I was being held down and nothing changed, it couldn't be a dream. I fought and struggled till I was exhausted, I couldn't fight anymore. As I started giving in I started to relax, I began calming down. Gradually I realized it was a dream, and I had a battle with sleep paralysis, doesn't happen often, in fact not for a couple of years. Everything settled down, I woke up and it was eerily quiet.

I started thinking about what had just happened, and it scared me even more. I have acted out my dreams before, not so much that my wife needed to sleep in another room, but enough that she has been in the way. Thank God it was sleep paralysis, what would have or could have happened with that gun? The fear of that is much stronger than a crazy naked guy breaking in, the gun is gone now.

I have argued with people before about guns and how some people just shouldn't have them, I proved my own point. The reality is though that Parkinson's takes so much from us, to the point that everything I do has to have that as a reality check. I do a lot yet, cabinetry,general woodworking. The hard part are the things I can't control. I read.here the posts of caregivers and am both amazed and scared for my wife and myself. Thankfully we know that we all travel different roads but the overall destination is the same for everyone. I may not have the dementia, I may, I don't know we'll prepare for the worst, hope.for the.best, but damned if I could find enough humor in this for a tv show. normally under control.

coetzeegisela profile image
coetzeegisela in reply to olpilot

Intriguing post.

driller profile image
driller

Yes, but there are pills your DR can give you. I have been on them for almost a year and it has made a big change.

Regards

ERIC

Percy-Parkie profile image
Percy-Parkie

It seems therefore that I am to expect more of this and as suggested ask the Doc about tabs for it. The problem is my Hubby thinks there is nothing wrong with him he is still in denial as he was only diagnosed last December. At least at the moment we live in a house with spare rooms and maybe that is our way forward but I hope not just yet. Thanks for all comments (Linda) Mrs Percy-parkie

wifeofparky profile image
wifeofparky

Hubby's dreams were so vivid he would punch me. I would have to wake him up. After his meds were regulated, it happened much less often.

lmbanni profile image
lmbanni

Oh God..... now I have to hide the gun from my husband!! He is having these dreams as well. He is always waking and asking if I heard the door open. He is in a panic when he does this. I have to calm him and make him believe me that nothing happened and no one is in the house. This is getting too hard and now scary too. I am sooo tired..... sad.... angry.... 10 years so far...... and not getting any easier....... too much ......

You may also like...

Tapeworms and Parkinson’s

still taking his meds but he has gone from suffering badly with PD to being 90-100% his old self. He

Apollo neuro trial. It has arrived!

talking to us or patting the dog when usually he just hides out in his room. I am not sure yet if...

Painful toes due to Parkinson’s

Latest symptom, stinging eyes

wiped into them but he feels like it is chemicals in his tears that are burning. Has anyone else...

WATCH this clip from Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D. - functional medicine doctor

WATCH at least the first 10 minutes when he talks about how he \\"cured\\" a hopeless patient who...