REM Behavior Disorder

[Artyman9]

Despite only recently being diagnosed with REM BD I have had episodes ever since returning from Vietnam with the 9th ID in 1969. My Dr. sees no connection with the war and does not think I have PTSD I take 1.5 mg of Colnazapam before bed which has some positive effects, but I still hit, punch, death grip, curse aloud, talk, etc. I hit my wife in the back of the head the other night and at some point one of us is going to the guest room for an extended stay. I asked the doctor what the course of treatment would be if this last increase in medication was unsuccessful and he was a bit evasive.

[yfitn]

My husband also has REM Behavior Disorder and is also a Vietnam Vet. His Dr. did the same thing to him. They denied any connection to the war or that he had PTSD for quiet awhile. I was doing research on one of my many sleepless nights on the two being connected somehow. I found several studies that had been done by the VA that linked them!! I printed them out and took them to his therapist and he was diagnosed with PTSD within a month. Look up REM behavior disorder, sleep apnea,major depression and Veterans Administration all together and you will find all kinds of material that you can use to support your claim. You have to hang in there with them. Taking the Clonazepam has helped him but it does not stop the actions.

[Artyman9]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your post. I have fought this issue for so long and you have given me new hope. I found the VA so hard to deal with and perhaps I just need to hammer a whole lot harder than I have in the past.

I thank you again for the support and I will give it one more try!

Keith

[yfitn]

It would be nice for you and my husband to talk at some point. He was discharged from the Marines in 1971 and it seems that with all the war stuff on the news now that it is bringing back alot of memories to the V/N Vets that were trying to hide. I think you two can really relate to each other and maybe it would help talking to someone that has pretty much the same issues with the RBD. Put a post on if that's something you would like to do.

RBD Wife

[rob277]

I am in the same situation. My neurologist said that the movements relate to acting out dreams and if yours are like mine things get pretty active in bed! I am also on clonazepam.