Does anyone else have a problem with nightmares?

2017-12-09T14:35:38-05:00

I never had a real problem with experiencing nightmares, not even as a child. However, over the past week I have been woken up in the middle of the night from nightmares that I can't recall, but my heart is racing, head is pounding, and I have the feeling like I need to run to find cover... Has anyone else experienced anything like this? If so, did you find any way to stop it?

Response by LTC John Shaw made Dec 9 at 2017 2:46 PM

2017-12-09T14:46:25-05:00

SGT Joseph Gunderson I completely understand your problem and have the EXACT same issue, this started happening to me after my 2010 - 2011 Kandahar, Afghanistan deployment. I have been working through the VA using CPT therapy and found some benefit, but it has not gone away completely. It got much worse after my most recent deployment 2016 - 2017 and I hope for it to slack off now that I am retired and not in the deployment game anymore. I also have medications that benefit the anxiety & migraines I get. Also 500 mg Magnesium, 100 mg B12, 100 mg B2, 1000 IU Vitamin D (Health food store).

The most frustrating aspect is that all my 'bad' reactions are unconscious and completely out of my control, even to the point of my wife leave the room due to my screaming or more dangerous running or kicking reaction that hurt her to when she tries to wake me up.

So get to the VA and setup a Behavior Health appointment with someone who can meet with you to work through therapy and a Dr. who can order prescriptions if needed.

Good luck, I am confident they can assist.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 9 at 2017 3:21 PM

2017-12-09T15:21:30-05:00

Possibly sleep apnea causing lack of oxygen . . . One of my relatives deals with all these symptoms as well as temporary amnesia when his apnea gets heavy

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Dec 9 at 2017 4:55 PM

2017-12-09T16:55:14-05:00

I had these as a kid without any previous traumatic experience. What ultimately happened was I was able to recognize I was in a dream while in dream state and wake myself before the nightmarish part of the dream started. I did it on my own somehow. If I went back to sleep again the same damn dream would start up again sometimes so I also took a 10 min breather before going back to sleep and would focus on something other than the dream.

Not a doctor but you might want to go to a sleep clinic or possibly a shrink and see if you can be trained to do this. The really cool thing about it was once or twice I was able to take control of the dream and change it............however, I never mastered that skill on my own and like I said it only happened once or twice but think about how cool it would be if you could control all your dreams while in them like a running narrative.

BTW, I suspect nightmares are the brains way of dealing with anxiety but just a hypothesis there.....not a doctor but in my case usually the nightmares would happen over anxiety on pending tests in school or some other event.

Response by SGT Charles Aspinall made Dec 9 at 2017 6:55 PM

2017-12-09T18:55:09-05:00

A possible sign of PTSD. Check with your local mental health team for assistance.

Response by CPL(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 10 at 2017 5:55 AM

2017-12-10T05:55:33-05:00

guys, there's a lot to dreams. Some psychologists believe it's due to the mind sorting anxieties out and finding solutions. I'm going to suggest a simple thing that might have some effect 40mg/kg of body weight of the omega 3 fatty acid known as dha. The studies show 3 doses per day for the first week then two then one ongoing, but that's a lot of fish oil. I'll suggest trying one dose a day for a few weeks and see how it feels. Look on attrs or alms for the army omega 3 and TBI study course. I've spent time discussing findings with the doctor that lead the study and it has fascinating implications beyond tbi to address some of the nightmare issues mentioned.

Response by SGT David T. made Dec 11 at 2017 8:15 AM

2017-12-11T08:15:08-05:00

Rarely, and when it does happen it is always clowns....
I don't have any based on my service unless the scary clown is a metaphor lol

Response by MSG Roger Mannon made May 7 at 2018 8:45 AM

2018-05-07T08:45:06-04:00

I have had nightmares, probably best described as night terrors, since 1972. Sometimes they come 3 or 4 times a year and sometimes 3 or 4 times a week. I don't really remember the dreams but I wake up terrified, knowing someone or something is after me. Same symptoms - racing heart, needing to hide or run. I finally broke down and talked to my VA doc about them - only took 45 years. Doc said it is a symptom of PTSD. I have never believed that possible. I spent 2 1/2 years in Vietnam but I was not a combat soldier. I was in intelligence my entire career. Yeah, there were lots of rockets and mortars dropped on the base, especially in '68 and '69. Everyone experienced that. Once a sniper took a few shots at me and once I got knocked down by the concussion wave when a bunker at the ammo dump I was guarding was blow to hell. Other than that, not much. There is a medication which I have yet to take that is supposed to help control the nightmares. I haven't taken it because I never know when they'll show up. Is this the week they'll get me 4 nights in a row or is it going to be another 3 months before they hit me? I never know the answer to that. The meds are called Prazosin.