My husband nightmares: Me and husband have... - Cure Parkinson's

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My husband nightmares

PeruvianFlower profile image
15 Replies

Me and husband have been married for 32 years he was diagnosed with Young Parkinson's since he was 32 he is now 53 and our journey for him for me and 4 children where the worst nightmare ever .. We have survived all . Now our children have left the nest and at night it gets so scary when he has those horrified dreams .. He screams , yells at me , chases me out of the bedroom and I end up hiding because I'm so scared .. He has punch me before so I always surround myself with pillows ... Still he has manage to remove them and found me and started punching me ...he gets up in the midle of the night still dreaming he starts cooking leaving the stove on eating everything on sight .. I feel like I have to get up and cannot sleep because I think I have to be ahead of his nightmares and have a scape plan .. Like right now I'm sitting in my living room next to the back yard door just in case he starts looking for me ... I think I have been traumatized and the nightmares are getting worse he screams every night ....I really don't know what else to do but to pray that on one of his nightmares he dosent find me .. I have try to help him know it's a dream but he either realizes is a dream or he will charge at me ...I need to sleep but I'm on guard ... He had DBS operation a year ago and he is doing so good ... Is just at night ......

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PeruvianFlower
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15 Replies
M_rosew profile image
M_rosew

You can't continue like this. See his neurologist (together) and tell all the details, and ask for help. Also discuss all this with your husband during the day. Maybe together you could set up a secure bedroom for him, and a safe bedroom for you. Good luck.

soup profile image
soup

I have been in a carers Facebook site for some time and quite a few women there have had this experience. However, some have reported that some medications caused it in their case. The group is secret so that the discussions can be 'Frank' without the danger of upsetting anybody.

I could help you apply if there is no simple answer from the people on this site.

wifeofparky profile image
wifeofparky

Call his doctor right NOW! Explain what is going on. This is part of PD psychosis and he needs treatment.

Beckey profile image
Beckey in reply to wifeofparky

YES

please call his dr now

this is not some thing to hide

he is in trouble and needs help

you are the only one that can do this

be strong for you and him

just do it please

soup profile image
soup

How are you doing PeruvianFlower?

pdspouse profile image
pdspouse in reply to soup

Care takers need to be sure to take care of there needs as best as possible.

pdspouse profile image
pdspouse

After reading replies to your post I agree it could be psychosis. My wife had hallucinations, night mare type dreams and other mind altering issues. Her Neuro recommended a geriatric psychiatrist, we were told that the med's used can cause these issues and a Psych is better qualified to handle this. If you do take him to a Psych, choose one who specializes in PD and movement disorders. My wife is 56 and was dx in 2007, our journey has not been as long but her progression mentally has been way to fast. Psych has helped a lot.

Coblrman profile image
Coblrman

I've had PD for eight years and there is no way I could chase someone out of the room or even leave my room in the middle of the night. I suggest you see to it that his DBS is turned off and if that doesn't stop him from leaving the room then take his meds away from him at night too.

grower profile image
grower

Nothing I can say can help but thinking of you, that surely is no way to live and I hope you get the help you need soon.

Donzim profile image
Donzim

Don't know if nightmares are the same as hallucinations but my husband has awful hallucinations and ant-hallucinatory drugs made it worse. I found the work of dr abram hoffner with schizophrenics online and used his treatment which was simplicity itself...1000 mg niacin 3x daily (not niacin anode). After six months of hell the hallucinations disappeared overnight. He stayed on it for six months until the drug that caused them was out of his system and now he just has a few hundred mg when he 'sees' shadows in the corner (the beginning of an hallucination for him). With niacin one can get a 'flush' which is due to the capillaries opening up...it feels like a sunburn for about half an hour but no big deal when one considers the alternative of thinking that all your veins are worms and need to be cut out with sharp instruments or that all your body hair has been implanted by ??? The meds are necessary but they bring some pretty awful visitors with them.

answerseeker profile image
answerseeker

Talk to your Neurologist or Movement Disorder Specialist to see if he is experiencing REM Sleep Disturbance. People with this condition often have dreams where they feel threatened and act out defending themselves physically and attacking the person nearest to them. It is often treated successful with medication. REM Sleep Disturbance can be an early symptom of PD.

sleepfoundation.org/sleep-d...

Shakinginnc profile image
Shakinginnc in reply to answerseeker

I have REM sleep disorder and take Clonazepam 1 to 2 0.5 every night . It has helped me greatly as i used to strike out in my sleep and inadvertently punched my husband in the face. I hope you find what works for him soon!!

zawy profile image
zawy

Peruvian flower, I want to repeat and support what donzim has said about the need to try niacin. It could be a breakthrough for your situation.

Niacin (vitamin B3) in 1,000 mg doses 2 or 3 times a day has very strong "anti-psychotic" effects. It's used to bring people down from hallucinogenic drugs (LSD, mushrooms, etc). The first day it will cause very frightening redness in face and upper body and possibly terrible itching for 2 hours, but after that it does not occur if you take it daily at about 1,000 mg or more. I use it to reduce a "buzzing" feeling in my head, which is exacerbated by not having enough sleep. Non-redness non-itching forms of niacin do not work nearly as well and time release forms are dangerous. Niacin is very frightening in the first dose or 2nd dose, but harmless up to maybe 10,000 mg a day for most people. 6,000 mg a day is the typical dose to reduce LDL cholesterol and raise the good cholesterol.

Janeyjane28 profile image
Janeyjane28

Clonazepam is what your husband needs. You are in great danger from him. Sleep in another room with him locked out. Keep your mobile with you. I am in my 12th year since diagnosis via DatScan. Before Clonazepam I had dreams and nightmares and walked out of the font door a couple of times and woke up (luckily!) . After that, I took Clonazepam for at least 6 years. Have reduced dose down to half of a 0.5 pill - with this I have pleasant dreams. On the previous dose I did not dream. I feel better with these pleasant dreams. I can still walk quickly when I'm fully medicated. Get tired and painfull lumbar region when meds wear off. Worst symptom is being too weak in the morning to get out of bed. Take fast-acting Sinemet so that I get strength to move!

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