REM Behavior Disorder

[bexley]

About 10 years ago I had to start sleeping in a different bed, because I was hitting and kicking my wife whenever I had a dream about fighting. These dreams now cause me to hit and kick the wall, and they sometimes leave bruises and swelling. I thought it occurred to everyone and never considered it abnormal until recently. I went to the Internet, typed in the symptoms, and found many articles on RBD. I am now trying to get an appointment with a neurologist. What medicine(s) work the best, and is there any hope to delay the start of the possible neurological illness mentioned in the literature?

Any information will be appreciated.

Bexley

[woobie]

My husband has RBD (REM Beahvior disorder) and has hit me while sleeping. He is a gentle person and has NEVER physically hurt me intentionally. However when he sleeps he becomes "Sleep Disorder Man." We've been dealing with this for about 5 years now. After my husband has hit me, tackled me, kicked the animals off the bed, jumped out of bed to get on his motorcycle, golfed, bowled, fought off the evil of the world, joined the military in Iraq, and several other things over and over, all while dreaming, I stopped sleeping with him. Part of the problem was that when he hit me, before I was even awake I was hitting back! So I told him that he had to see the doctor. Our family doctor gave him Lunesta (sleeping pills) and sent him on his way. That same day I happened to be working in a class in a college (I am a sign language interpreter) and the professor was talking about this rare sleep disorder. She was describing what was happening to my husband. I got home, Googled "REM sleep disorder" and got an article on Web MD. I called our doctor and told him what I had found. He sent Husband to a sleep study with a specialist and they agreed with my diagnosis! So, the point here is...THERE IS HOPE! He's on a medication called CLOMAZAPAM. He started at 1 mg and is now using 2.5 mg. Everytime he starts to move too much for more than a week, he works with his doctor and increases his medication. The good thing about this med is that it is cheap. Less that $25.00 monthly if you have no insurance. There are other meds available and he may need to be changed at some point.

We haven't even delt with the possibility of the neurological problems associated with RBD.

I have suffered from PTSD due to this situation becasue it went on too long. I was afraid to sleep with him and when I did, it was not restful. GET HELP ASAP "Sleep Disorder Man!"

[Monday37]

are any of you in southern california- i am a reporter looking to do a story on this debilitating problem and solutions for it...

[woobie]

I'm in Colorado but would like to read your report.

[woobie]

CLOMAZAPAM is what my husband takes.