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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 12 to 36 of 36. Go back in thread:
Posted by noa on May 10, 2003, at 18:12:27
In reply to Re: Bad dream, posted by Eddie Sylvano on May 7, 2003, at 15:01:36
I haven't had a flying dream in a long time! I love them, except that sometimes they are also a combo of the lovely feeling of flying as well as the fear that the flying ability will end and I'll fall.
But I did have that light, floaty, fleet-of-foot running dream last month. That felt nice.
Posted by noa on May 10, 2003, at 18:15:14
In reply to Re: Bad dream » leeran, posted by Emme on May 7, 2003, at 19:50:54
> My husband has gotten up in the middle of the night to try a solution to a programming problem that he's kind of worked out in his sleep. I wish my dreams were that efficient! My dreams are often Dali-like portraits of anxiety that involve public restrooms
Me too. Sometimes when I have to pee, I'll dream (just before waking) that I am looking for a place to go. Sometimes it will be in public restrooms, sometimes in bathrooms in a home. But often very frustrating--searching for an adequate one, as all manner of inadequacy turns up!
Posted by leeran on May 10, 2003, at 19:51:04
In reply to Re: Bad dream, posted by noa on May 10, 2003, at 18:15:14
"Me too. Sometimes when I have to pee, I'll dream (just before waking) that I am looking for a place to go. Sometimes it will be in public restrooms, sometimes in bathrooms in a home. But often very frustrating--searching for an adequate one, as all manner of inadequacy turns up!"
Oh how I hate these dreams. I once read that the body/mind will do anything possible to try to stay asleep, thus (I suppose), dreams like this!
I have so many disgusting public restroom dreams. Also, shopping center dreams.
With Ambien my sleep is much more sound and (knock on wood) less troubled (i.e. nightmares). My husband says I have occasionally woken him with what he calls a "keening sound." Perhaps I'm just keen on going to the bathroom!
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who wanders through dank public restrooms in my dreams . . . maybe we'll run into each other sometime :-)
Posted by fallsfall on May 10, 2003, at 20:13:17
In reply to Re: Bad dream » noa, posted by leeran on May 10, 2003, at 19:51:04
I find disgusting public bathrooms in my dreams, too! There must be a lot of bathrooms in dreamland.
Posted by leeran on May 10, 2003, at 20:21:33
In reply to Re: Bad Bathrooms, posted by fallsfall on May 10, 2003, at 20:13:17
"Bad Bathrooms in Dreamland" (surely this should be a book title?)
I know I've "visited" far worse bathrooms in my dream state than I ever have in real life (i.e. sometimes they are overflowing, other times the stall door only comes up halfway so I know I can be watched, etc.). I really thought it was some kind of leftover anxiety from being potty trained by nine months of age, but I guess "bad bathrooms" are a recurring dream theme with some people!
Posted by Dinah on May 10, 2003, at 20:52:40
In reply to Re: Bad Bathrooms » fallsfall, posted by leeran on May 10, 2003, at 20:21:33
That's a bad dream I've been able to avoid... until now that is! :P
Posted by Snoozy on May 11, 2003, at 1:24:03
In reply to Re: Bad Bathrooms, posted by fallsfall on May 10, 2003, at 20:13:17
I can't remember if I've ever had a dream about a nightmare bathroom, but if so it's a rare occurrence. Well, it looks like I've got something to be thankful for!!
I'm wondering if any of you with the bad bathroom dreams have ever seen the movie Trainspotting? There's a quite memborable scene with "the worst toilet in Scotland" :)
Posted by leeran on May 11, 2003, at 1:44:22
In reply to Re: Bad Bathroom Dreamers, posted by Snoozy on May 11, 2003, at 1:24:03
I think I did see that movie. Isn't that the movie about the heroin addicts? As I recall it is a very gross scene and I hid my eyes.
Of course, there's also the bathroom death scene in "Lenny." And Elvis supposedly died during a failed attempt to go to the bathroom in the master suite at Graceland. If Lexapro had been around back then I would have sworn he was on it and hadn't been taking the requisite Metamucil.
Posted by noa on May 11, 2003, at 11:54:52
In reply to Re: Bad Bathrooms » fallsfall, posted by leeran on May 10, 2003, at 20:21:33
For me, they are directly related to the bodily sensation of having to go, but not finding relief because I am still asleep, not in my bathroom where my bladder wants me to be. So all the obstacles--the filthy bathrooms, the overflowing ones (like my bladder seems to be about to do in these dreams), the stalls with out doors, the stall doors that are stuck, or finding a toilet and sitting down only to discover it is just a mere chair, not a toilet, so it is useless--all of these are trying to solve the problem while still being asleep, having to go so badly, but also "knowing" I can't go in bed.
The dreams also speak to a problem I have while awake---since I can never be too far from a bathroom because my meds cause urinary urgency.
These dreams may seem a bit bizarre, and I guess the vivid imagery is due to the AD meds, as well, but if you think about it, they aren't such a big deal. The REAL problem dream would be the one where I DO find an adequate toilet!!
Posted by fallsfall on May 11, 2003, at 14:02:59
In reply to Re: Bad Bathrooms, posted by noa on May 11, 2003, at 11:54:52
I had these dreams long before I was on ANY medication, so, at least for me, they aren't medication related.
I find your description very accurate!! I tend to see toilets overflowed so there is no place to walk, many unflushed/unflushable toilets, and toilets I wouldn't sit on for anything. These bathrooms also tend to be huge (mazelike).
But yes, noa, you are correct. We would be in trouble if we found a place we could go.
P.S. Dinah, my guess is that you don't sleep as soundly as we do, so you wake up before you are so desperate that you resort to your dreams.
Posted by Snoozy on May 11, 2003, at 14:39:28
In reply to Re: Bad Bathroom Dreamers » Snoozy, posted by leeran on May 11, 2003, at 1:44:22
Yes, the charming light-hearted romantic comedy about heroin addicts in Scotland ;) How anyone can say that movie glamorizes drugs is beyond me. I had a harder time with the scenes with the needles (I'm totally squeamish about those things).
I shudder when I think of what drugs Elvis must have been on. Have you seen the photo of him with Nixon, and I think he was getting an honorary narcotics bureau badge? I know he asked for one - he wanted to help fight the war on narcotics. I wonder what he thought he was taking, like they're not drugs if you get them from a doctor maybe?
At any rate, I sure hope I don't make my exit that way!
> I think I did see that movie. Isn't that the movie about the heroin addicts? As I recall it is a very gross scene and I hid my eyes.
>
> Of course, there's also the bathroom death scene in "Lenny." And Elvis supposedly died during a failed attempt to go to the bathroom in the master suite at Graceland. If Lexapro had been around back then I would have sworn he was on it and hadn't been taking the requisite Metamucil.
>
>
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Posted by Kar on May 11, 2003, at 17:33:01
In reply to Re: Bad Bathroom Dreamers » leeran, posted by Snoozy on May 11, 2003, at 14:39:28
That movie was the sh**!
I mean, it kicked a**!
It made me pee in my pants with laughter...
I mean, yeah damn good movie.
I'm a dumb little pun maker today.
Posted by Kar on May 11, 2003, at 17:38:38
In reply to Re: Bad Bathrooms, posted by noa on May 11, 2003, at 11:54:52
>having to go so badly, but also "knowing" I can't go in bed.
Um, TMI, but at least your brain "knows".
Trust me; you don't ever want to finally "find" a toilet.
It happened once, ok? It's not an ongoing problem!
My sister adn i coined the term "bladder brain". We are convinced that sitting atop the bladder is a tiny tiny brain that senses when you are VERY close but not quite in the bathroom, stall, house...whatever. And you seem to have to go so much more!
Wait a minute, I'm changing this thread to all potty and no more dreams...
Posted by gabbix2 on May 11, 2003, at 18:55:28
In reply to Potties and penguins, posted by Kar on May 8, 2003, at 13:00:24
Those are my only recurring dreams and I have them a lot They're awful. I'm in a grey wet public bathroom with a sticky damp floor and I have bare feet, I'm always trying to find a way out and the walls are covered with..it and the toilets are overflowing, everywhere I go I just find one in a worse condition.
Posted by noa on May 11, 2003, at 19:32:24
In reply to Who has the overflowing bathroom dreams?, posted by gabbix2 on May 11, 2003, at 18:55:28
Do you think men have these dreams?
Posted by leeran on May 11, 2003, at 19:53:24
In reply to Who has the overflowing bathroom dreams?, posted by gabbix2 on May 11, 2003, at 18:55:28
Most recent overflow dream:
The night before my dental consultation.
Sitting on a commode that drained/overflowed onto orange/yellow sixties shag carpet.
Beaded sixties doorway.
Dentist watching through the beads.Oh gosh. That almost sounds haiku-ish and it was anything butt (this pun's for you Kar, you punstress extraordinaire!)
Posted by Eddie Sylvano on May 12, 2003, at 8:55:23
In reply to Re: Bad dream » Eddie Sylvano, posted by noa on May 10, 2003, at 18:12:27
>as well as the fear that the flying ability will end and I'll fall.
---------------That's how my jumps end. I'm pretty concerned until the very last second, when I slow down and touch the ground softly. I can kind of control where I go, but it takes effort.
> But I did have that light, floaty, fleet-of-foot running dream last month. That felt nice.
------------It's fun. My mind is so science minded, though, that jumping is the most I can do without some sensor tripping and tipping me off to the dream nature of the experience. Once that happens, it begins to lose all reality. I quite often find myself flying in improbable aircraft during my dreams, like an ultralight, or a kid's carousel airplane, or even a handheld fan device. Little things. I guess that satisfies the physics part of my brain. Jumping is more fun.
Posted by WorryGirl on May 12, 2003, at 9:18:14
In reply to Bad dream, posted by Emme on May 7, 2003, at 6:37:41
> Hi. Today I had a scary dream. I dreamt my mood disorder got me in trouble with the law and we were dealing with a cop and my father was there and so was my mother. (In real life my mother doesn't know about my mood disorder - I keep it a closely guarded secret.) Anyway, my criminal problems seem to have had something to do with a kitchen timer in the shape of a penguin - you set it by turning the penguin's head! Arent' dreams weird? :) And the cop couldn't figure out how to set it. Silly though it was, the feeling of menace was real, the feeling I'd done something terribly wrong and didn't know how or what. Great way to start the day. Thanks for listening.
>
> EmmeWow, that's an interesting dream. My thoughts are that the reason the copy couldn't set the penguin timer is because it represents that some authority figure in your life can't figure out you, but is really trying to, and this might scare you.
Dreams can mean so many different things, but they must be healthy in the sense that they probably help get some garbage (fears, etc.) out of our self-conscious.
Posted by leeran on May 12, 2003, at 9:27:37
In reply to Re: Bad dream » noa, posted by Eddie Sylvano on May 12, 2003, at 8:55:23
I've had recurring dreams about being in airplanes (jets) that are low flying and eventually need to land on an expressway. Those are borderline anxiety dreams compared to the bathroom scenes.
Has anyone ever had those involuntary jerks right after falling asleep? Some people say they have the sensation of falling. My sensation is that of falling - but a bit different. It's always been that I'm on ice skates and lose balance and fall backwards.
Since starting Ambien I've noticed that my dreams are less startling/graphic (in fact, I just got up and I don't even remember having any dreams).
Posted by noa on May 12, 2003, at 18:18:18
In reply to Re: Bad dream » Eddie Sylvano, posted by leeran on May 12, 2003, at 9:27:37
>Has anyone ever had those involuntary jerks right after falling asleep?
Yes. It is called myoclonus, or a myoclonic jerk. And btw, everyone has these from time to time, but I had them bad, along with totally random muscle jerking of muscles I could never ever volitionally flex, from serotoninergic meds (Paxil and Effexor). But with the serzone added, it is under control.
When I do have them, which is extremely rare now, it is accompanied by the feeling of falling, and brief panic.
Posted by leeran on May 12, 2003, at 19:22:12
In reply to Re: Bad dream » leeran, posted by noa on May 12, 2003, at 18:18:18
Thanks for the information, Noa! I haven't had one of those lately (or if I have, it hasn't awakened me). I've learned so many new medical terms since visiting these two boards (PSB/PB).
I had a bladder infection a few months ago and woke up two or three nights in a row with excruciating charlie/charley horses. I had heard of these before and may have even had a few when I was a kid - but nothing like these! Much worse than bathroom dreams (i.e. I was afraid to go back to sleep). I think they can have something to do with potassium levels.
All this nocturnal action - bathroom dreams, charley horses, muscle jerks . . . thank goodness for Ambien!
Posted by Eddie Sylvano on May 15, 2003, at 11:02:17
In reply to Re: Bad dream » Eddie Sylvano, posted by leeran on May 12, 2003, at 9:27:37
> Has anyone ever had those involuntary jerks right after falling asleep? Some people say they have the sensation of falling. My sensation is that of falling - but a bit different. It's always been that I'm on ice skates and lose balance and fall backwards.
------------------When I was in high school study hall, it wasn't unusual for me to fall asleep at my desk on my face, and then suddenly slam my hands and feet down loudly to stop a perceived fall. Always got a laugh from the people around me and an irritated head shake from the "teacher."
Posted by leeran on May 15, 2003, at 11:55:21
In reply to Re: Bad dream » leeran, posted by Eddie Sylvano on May 15, 2003, at 11:02:17
"When I was in high school study hall, it wasn't unusual for me to fall asleep at my desk on my face, and then suddenly slam my hands and feet down loudly to stop a perceived fall."
Oh gosh, that reminds me of all the times I have awakened myself on airplanes with a snort!
What is it about falling asleep in front of other people that can make me feel so vulnerable? Are other people that way?
Well, maybe it's the drool factor, the snort factor, the mouth hanging open factor . . .
Posted by Eddie Sylvano on May 15, 2003, at 12:36:49
In reply to Re: Bad dream » Eddie Sylvano, posted by leeran on May 15, 2003, at 11:55:21
> What is it about falling asleep in front of other people that can make me feel so vulnerable? Are other people that way?
----------------I'm sure. I've often wondered if it bothers blind people to not know who's looking at them. As you said, when you're asleep, you lose control of what you're doing, so you might end up snoring or drooling and the like, and who wants to do that in public? At least it doesn't bother you *while* you're asleep.
Posted by leeran on May 15, 2003, at 12:43:45
In reply to Re: Bad dream » leeran, posted by Eddie Sylvano on May 15, 2003, at 12:36:49
"At least it doesn't bother you *while* you're asleep"
The more depressed I am, the more seductive sleep becomes (probably because, on one level, nothing can bother me - as you said - during sleep).
I've always wished I could be like Donald Trump (did I say that?) and get by on four or five hours of sleep per night. Sometimes that's all I get - but it's not the kind of sleep that results in productivity.
This is the end of the thread.
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