[nurseamp]

I was just told I have RBD and after careful reading I have decided not to go on antidepressants. The side effects frighten me. At present my husband wakes me at the first sign and I stop...sometimes not even waking up. Has anyone else gone this route? Has anyone been told that not taking any medication will harm them? I don't get out of bed and, for the most part, don't recall the dreams. I've been doing this for over two yrs. now. I wake refresshed in the AM. Any imput would be very helpful. thank you...AMP

[Tomas]

I share your concern about medication. I have not been formally diagnosed with RBD but, I have a history going back about 6 or 7 years. My wife and I now sleep in separate rooms and I have positioned my mattress on the floor and in the middle of my room to avoid contact with furniture, etc. That works OK, although a couple of nights ago I dreamed I was trying to hide behind a tree and awoke to discover that I had destroyed a floor lamp!! So, I haven't gotten a formal diagnosis because I'm kind of hinky about doing a sleep study -- seems kind of expensive and possibly embarrassing. And, I can't imagine being able to go to sleep with all those wires and stuff.

So, the question I have is what does the klonopin do to stop RBD in the first place? Does it eliminate dreams? Or does it lock up your muscles to keep from acting them out? Also, is it possible to have RBD and Sleep Apnea? Everything I've read about Sleep Apnea indicates that it occurs before REM sleep and therefore it would seem to me that you can't have apnea if you are experiencing RBD.

[nurseamp]

Hi Thomas, Well first let me thank you for writing, it's good to not feel alone. Yes it's hard to sleep during the sleep study but it did capture an event (dream) which I imagine was brought on by the stress of it all. Thankfully my insurance paid for the test. I had 25 wires coming off of every part of my body. I had to stay one night and one day. During the day I had to lie down in a darkened room in bed to see if I would fall asleep. The results were...I do not have sleep apnea nor narcolepsy but I do have RBD. I am only a nurse but I would bet you have RBD. The doctor talked me into trying Klonopin so I started. The first night my husband noticed a difference in my breathing while asleep. The second night I talked but did not move and last night I actually had a nice dream. The medication (which is cheap) is an anti-anxiety med which allows you to relax and fall into the right rem sleep.
I never fell out of bed or touched anything in the room but I did bite and break the skin on my husbands arm when he tried to stop me from hitting him. I told the doc I did not want to take the med and his answer was "your husband should not have to sleep with one eye open" lol. He thinks the reason I fell asleep behind the wheel a few months ago was because I don't get the proper rest because I am acting out all my dreams with running, defending etc. Maybe he is right....Good luck...let me hear from you again. Maybe they would give you the med without the studies but I am not sure.....AMP

[Tomas]

Well. That's encouraging. Actually, my internist had prescribed a very low dose of klonipin based soley on the history I gave him. Then I went to see a neurologist for another situation -- mild seizure like symptoms upon rising after sitting for prolonged periods -- and he took me off the klonipin. Maybe I'll ask the internist for a redo. (The neurologist did not really listen to my complaints and was convinced that I had a condition known as Restless Leg Syndrome!!) Anyway, thanks for the information. Keep us posted on how the meds work over the long term.

[nurseamp]

Will keep you posted....Do they allow us to give email addresses here or is it not advisable? Please keep in touch and I hope you can take the Klonopin....it has already made a big difference in my life.