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I am a 64 year old Aussie retiree. Reasonably good health, no heart problems and brain-active. Suffer from osteopenea and had a compressed fracture of a vertebra about 18 months ago lifting something way too heavy. Walk with my wife most mornings to get the newspapers. Happily married now for 31 years.
Over the past year or so my wife tells me that on some nights I am thrashing about in bed and on one occasion I actually smacked her on the back. Other times she says I am 'running' in bed. About a month ago I had a dream and in this I started to fall over a cliff. In an attempt to 'save' myself, I jumped back onto the 'cliff'. But what actually happened was that I jumped out of bed onto the floor. As I did my wife grabbed my leags and I woke up.
I sustained carpet-rash to my forehead and left shoulder and my back was once again in agony. I guess that presents a pretty humourous image! I tolerated the constant pain until last week when I visited my GP. He told me that he had heard of many older men who were physically active while dreaming at night but never of one actually throwing himself out of bed! (I suspect I will be a talking point at his next medical conference)
At his request my back was X-rayed and as suspected, I had 'extended' the crush fracture to my vertebra. As my GP told me, there is nothing that can be done about the back problem apart from increasing my calcium intake and being very careful so that I don't incur further damage.
But what really disturbs me is what is happening, with increasing regularity, during my sleep at night. Every second night I go to the spare room to sleep so that my wife can at least get one good night's sleep out of two. And when I am back in the 'matrimonial' bed, we put a pillow under the sheets between us and a large cushion on the floor near my potential 'landing zone'.
Has anyone had similar experiences and if so, is there any treatment available?
Sounds like either
1..something in your life is bothering you and it comes out in your sleep
2..you're not getting enough physical exercise during the day.
Think..did something big happen in your life ? Or is something big coming up in your life ?
Well, apart from the day to day family things, I have no big concerns at present. I was in law enforcement for 25 years and saw some pretty bad things but I thought I had come to grips with all that. But who knows, maybe now that I am in the 'autumn' years, that stuff is taking another shot at me.
I am a 64 year old Aussie retiree. Reasonably good health, no heart problems and brain-active. Suffer from osteopenea and had a compressed fracture of a vertebra about 18 months ago lifting something way too heavy. Walk with my wife most mornings to get the newspapers. Happily married now for 31 years.
Over the past year or so my wife tells me that on some nights I am thrashing about in bed and on one occasion I actually smacked her on the back. Other times she says I am 'running' in bed. About a month ago I had a dream and in this I started to fall over a cliff. In an attempt to 'save' myself, I jumped back onto the 'cliff'. But what actually happened was that I jumped out of bed onto the floor. As I did my wife grabbed my leags and I woke up.
I sustained carpet-rash to my forehead and left shoulder and my back was once again in agony. I guess that presents a pretty humourous image! I tolerated the constant pain until last week when I visited my GP. He told me that he had heard of many older men who were physically active while dreaming at night but never of one actually throwing himself out of bed! (I suspect I will be a talking point at his next medical conference)
At his request my back was X-rayed and as suspected, I had 'extended' the crush fracture to my vertebra. As my GP told me, there is nothing that can be done about the back problem apart from increasing my calcium intake and being very careful so that I don't incur further damage.
But what really disturbs me is what is happening, with increasing regularity, during my sleep at night. Every second night I go to the spare room to sleep so that my wife can at least get one good night's sleep out of two. And when I am back in the 'matrimonial' bed, we put a pillow under the sheets between us and a large cushion on the floor near my potential 'landing zone'.
Has anyone had similar experiences and if so, is there any treatment available?
I cannot know for sure what your problem is, but I thought my husband was having active dreams and just happened to be up one night on the computer just as I am now and witnessed his actions and ending up calling 911. He had a seizure. If I had been in bed asleep, I would have awoken and thought he had a bad dream again and probably would have just gone back to sleep.
I later realized that this was at least 5 times. He bit his lip and it was bloody around his mouth and I had seen that before in the morning. He did not know what happened and did not remember the ride to the emergency room.
Wow. Finally. Someone who has the same problem as my husband, I think.
He went to a sleep specialist and was diagnosed with REM sleep disorder. He acted out his dreams just as you have. Well, not quite. No cliffs involved! Just very active basketball games, coaching sports (he's a former coach and player), etc. He also vocalized loudly while acting out his dreams. VERY disruptive! I got punched inadvertently one too many times and insisted he get to a doctor.
He spent a night at the sleep lab and was diagnosed with both the REM sleep disorder and sleep apnea. He's now on Clonazepam for the REM disorder and a C-Pap machine for the apnea . . .no further problems.
You might want to Google REM sleep disorder . . . very interesting and tons of information out there. I believe it was the Discovery channel which did a program on the disorder too. Some people have even leaped out of windows acting out . . . glad you didn't do that!
Forget the ostopenia; it's not even a real disease.
Your sleep problems and your vertebrae problem (not related to your so-called ostopenia) won't be helped by calcium supplements.
You need another GP but as movinon said, it sounds like your primary problem is a sleep disorder. So get yourself to someone who specializes in those.
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Unfortunately a similar sleep behavior has come to me this year, since being anesthetized for surgery in Dec 2009. (started the night of the surgery). I dreamt was stuck in a "freezer truck" that was rolling over . it was very vivid and frightening. As a kid ~ age 4-20 I rarely slept without dramatic and panicky dreams, then about age 22 no more. Now ~ 30 yrs later all of the sudden 'the nightmares' are back. Yes, I have thrown myself out of bed recently as I was dreaming I was laying in an intersection and an 18 wheeler was about ready to 'pancake' me Suffering a few bruises was a relief to being Squished. (though the room was a mess and I ripped blankets, quilt, comforter and pillows off the bed in my speedy exit ). I felt a bit embarrassed siting on the floor in a pile of bedding, but that outcome was far better than feared a few seconds prior.
Ironically, I also started sleeping 6-8 hrs instead of my usual 3-4, but I wake up very tired and really sweaty (and I am getting much less done since I'm sleeping so much )
I think I will start sleeping on the floor to avoid injury, I surely won't be waking up much more tired and sore than jumping out of bed ! I've tried different beds, different rooms, different hours to bed and up, exercise and food changes. No luck - I blame it on the surgery drugs, I warned the anesthetist I was overly sensitive to drugs and ended up with pneumonia from aggressive drugs more than a couple times. The guy was a real jerk and said he would take care of me better than I deserved. I'm not keen on the last 9 months of nightmares. I have had 4 excellent nights of sleeping, each were in May and each in different homes while on vacation, and sleeping on 'Day' beds . (My body and soul would rather travel than stay home)
Wow. Finally. Someone who has the same problem as my husband, I think.
He went to a sleep specialist and was diagnosed with REM sleep disorder. He acted out his dreams just as you have. Well, not quite. No cliffs involved! Just very active basketball games, coaching sports (he's a former coach and player), etc. He also vocalized loudly while acting out his dreams. VERY disruptive! I got punched inadvertently one too many times and insisted he get to a doctor.
He spent a night at the sleep lab and was diagnosed with both the REM sleep disorder and sleep apnea. He's now on Clonazepam for the REM disorder and a C-Pap machine for the apnea . . .no further problems.
You might want to Google REM sleep disorder . . . very interesting and tons of information out there. I believe it was the Discovery channel which did a program on the disorder too. Some people have even leaped out of windows acting out . . . glad you didn't do that!
I hope this helps! And good luck to both of you!
G'day Movinon,
That sounds like the kind of thing I have and my GP did mention REM sleep disorder which I had googled. But I wanted to hear some personal experiences before I went any further. I think I will follow your suggestion and see about a referral to a Sleep Clinic for a more complete diagnosis and a possible medication which can help.
I am taking steps as already mentioned to protect my wife and self from possible injury but if the sleep clinic can help that would be great. Hopefully I won't jump out the window!
Forget the ostopenia; it's not even a real disease.
Your sleep problems and your vertebrae problem (not related to your so-called ostopenia) won't be helped by calcium supplements.
You need another GP but as movinon said, it sounds like your primary problem is a sleep disorder. So get yourself to someone who specializes in those.
I appreciate that that my sleep problem won't be helped by a calcium supplement but I do take this as suggested by my doctor to assist with my calcium deficiency in my bones. Again this seems to be well-documented. And I have been seeing my GP for 20 years and he is just fine.
Unfortunately a similar sleep behavior has come to me this year, since being anesthetized for surgery in Dec 2009. (started the night of the surgery). I dreamt was stuck in a "freezer truck" that was rolling over . it was very vivid and frightening. As a kid ~ age 4-20 I rarely slept without dramatic and panicky dreams, then about age 22 no more. Now ~ 30 yrs later all of the sudden 'the nightmares' are back. Yes, I have thrown myself out of bed recently as I was dreaming I was laying in an intersection and an 18 wheeler was about ready to 'pancake' me Suffering a few bruises was a relief to being Squished. (though the room was a mess and I ripped blankets, quilt, comforter and pillows off the bed in my speedy exit ). I felt a bit embarrassed siting on the floor in a pile of bedding, but that outcome was far better than feared a few seconds prior.
Ironically, I also started sleeping 6-8 hrs instead of my usual 3-4, but I wake up very tired and really sweaty (and I am getting much less done since I'm sleeping so much )
I think I will start sleeping on the floor to avoid injury, I surely won't be waking up much more tired and sore than jumping out of bed ! I've tried different beds, different rooms, different hours to bed and up, exercise and food changes. No luck - I blame it on the surgery drugs, I warned the anesthetist I was overly sensitive to drugs and ended up with pneumonia from aggressive drugs more than a couple times. The guy was a real jerk and said he would take care of me better than I deserved. I'm not keen on the last 9 months of nightmares. I have had 4 excellent nights of sleeping, each were in May and each in different homes while on vacation, and sleeping on 'Day' beds . (My body and soul would rather travel than stay home)
G'day Stealthrabbit,
Mate, you sound like your sleep, or lack of it, is making life really miserable for you! From what I have read, it seems that some sufferers do end up sleepimg on a mattress on the floor but that must be a real bummer! Maybe like me you need to go to a sleep clinic and see if they can help.
I hope things get better for you and thanks for taking the time to reply.
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. it was very vivid and frightening. As a kid ~ age 4-20 I rarely slept without dramatic and panicky dreams, then about age 22 no more. Now ~ 30 yrs later all of the sudden 'the nightmares' are back. Yes, I have thrown myself out of bed recently as I was dreaming I was laying in an intersection and an 18 wheeler was about ready to 'pancake' me 
Suffering a few bruises was a relief to being Squished. (though the room was a mess and I ripped blankets, quilt, comforter and pillows off the bed in my speedy exit 
). I felt a bit embarrassed siting on the floor in a pile of bedding, but that outcome was far better than feared a few seconds prior.
(and I am getting much less done since I'm sleeping so much 
)
. (My body and soul would rather travel than stay home)
