# Medications that cause "vivid dreams" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 12, 2010, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621 "2010-01-12T04:03:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/41 "2012-02-24T21:31:36Z")
It’s a zombie, but an interesting one. I’ll contribute Lexapro. SSRIs are notorious for causing sleep disturbances, but Lexapro is the only one that I know from personal experience. Solid Nightmares. Terrible terrible hyper-real vivid awful “oh my god why is that stuff in my head I must be a horrible person” type dreams. I managed for about a month before I went paranoid-suicidal and they had to take me off of it. Melatonin has never messed noticeably with my sleep, nor has Hydrocodone or Oxycontin (I will comment that I NORMALLY have vivid dreams, as well as purposeful lucid dreams, and often will wake partially just to trigger that fun “drifting off to sleep” in-between state.) I’ve taken B-complex all my life, so I’ve never noticed that one doing anything either. Funny that anti-malarial drugs will trigger vivid dreaming. I wonder what’s up with that? And yes, the rebound-REM is really noticable with Ambien. My mother takes it during the week, but not on weekends, and she always calls me to tell all about her “Saturday Night Specials” that she gets. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/42 "2012-02-24T22:49:48Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > another fairly common culprit in this regard are [meds of the beta blocker class](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_blockers), e.g. metoprolol, atenolol, etc. That’s interesting…when I was hospitalized the first time this year, they had me on metoprolol because of something to do with the way my kidneys were handling my infection, and I had some really vivid dreams, bordering on hallucinations (I can remember a period where I was convinced that my CPAP was actually blocking my breathing that, on reflection, was probably an example of this). > [@Bill\_Door](#): > > I had undiagnosed sleep apnea and extremely vivid hypnagogic episodes when falling asleep. Since treatment they’ve stopped, and I kind of miss them. I used to have hypnagogic episodes _in the middle of the day_…I was taking bookkeeping classes at the time and the instructor called me into his office to tell me that he couldn’t recommend me to any employer until I got a sleep study done because if I wasn’t falling asleep at my desk, I was obviously and vocally hallucinating as my brain tried to force some REM sleep whether I was ready or not. ---
**Author:** ![Lazlo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lazlo/32/9678_2.png) [@Lazlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/43 "2012-02-24T23:29:48Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > …another fairly common culprit in this regard are [meds of the beta blocker class](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_blockers), e.g. metoprolol, atenolol, etc. Yep, the atenolol has been doing it and I absolutely love it. Vivid dreams are fun (for me, at least). ---
**Author:** ![Tabithina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@Tabithina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabithina)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/44 "2012-02-24T23:54:55Z")
Singulair for asthma gave me bizarre and intricate dreams if I took it near bedtime. The dreams could range from the entertaining to the terrifying. Thanks to the neti pot, I have better control of my asthma and haven’t needed any oral meds for a long time. I don’t miss that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/45 "2012-02-25T03:39:18Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You can overdose on B-6. > > [Vitamin B6 - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B6#Toxicity) Absolutely, even 100mg is too high in my opinion. I did experiment with B6 for depression and took up to 100mg in 2 divided doses of 50mg. For what may (or may not) be a safer alternative, look into P5P - a metabolite of B6 can that you can get in any health food store/vitamin shop. > [@Lazlo](#): > > Yep, the atenolol has been doing it and I absolutely love it. Vivid dreams are fun (for me, at least). # I take 75mg at bedtime and have never noticed an increase in dreaming but did see that with B6. That is particularly remarkable since I almost never remember my dreams. However since they tend to be uniformly unsettling, I much prefer keeping it that way. 🆒 I’ll add a very new antidepressant to the list - Viibryd (villazadone). This is a very interesting drug since it is the only SSRI that has ever helped me, but only at low doses - \<= 20mg. At sub-therapeutic levels (therapeutic is generally considered to be 40mg), it acts as an SSRI but also as a 5HT1a antagonist. As long as I stay in the subclinical range, it seems to be extremely helpful, but as soon as I try to go to 25 or 30mg, I get terrible anxiety with dizziness, phantom neuropathies and a host of other issues. But back on topic, if I take this med before bed, especially as I get up into the therapeutic range, I seem to dream continuously through the night. Of course I’m sure I don’t, but it seems that way. As long as I stay in the lower 5HT1A antagonist range, things are copacetic unless I take it right before bed. That theoretically shouldn’t happen since it has a roughly 24hr half life and a 3 day titration period to reach steady state plasma levels, but that’s been my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/46 "2012-02-25T08:14:46Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Lamictal. I’ve been known to wake up and yell something from my dream. Me too. > [@](#): > > … And one nice thing about nightmares is you always feel better when you wake up and realize it was just a dream! You’re weird, that’s all I have to say. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/47 "2012-02-25T14:39:51Z")
> [@Zhen\_ka](#): > > This is a side effect of Wellbutrin. Sucked. It can suck if you’re used to having dreams. But after having not had dreams–or at least ones that I could remember upon waking–for more than two years, even scary dreams are welcome. I just switched to XL and it’s light bulbs like have been replaced in my brain. Sometimes I’ll wake up in the middle of the night to pee, and I’ll think to myself, “I better hurry up and go back to sleep before I miss my stories!” ---
**Author:** ![\_cc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/e19b73/32.png) [@\_cc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_cc)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/48 "2012-03-01T14:54:34Z")
The herb [Valerian Root](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_%28herb%29) will absolutely give you ridiculously vivid dreams. Not necessarily scary or anything, just way more surreal and easy to remember on waking. Available in just about any pharmacy/large grocery store, smells quite pungent though. ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/49 "2012-03-01T19:13:33Z")
I’ve been told that a teaspoon of MSG (dissolved in water) at bedtime will give you crazy dreams. I’ve never tried it. ---
**Author:** ![sniffo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@sniffo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sniffo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/50 "2012-03-01T23:47:22Z")
Some years ago I was prescribed Paroxetine, aka Paxil, Seroxat etc. For the first 3-4 weeks I had very vivid dreams. Many a night I found myself as the lead in dreams that were like trippy, full throttle, thrill a minute, blockbuster movies. On one hand it was really quite amazing and exciting on the other it was rather exhausting. Thankfully things calmed down after a while. ---
**Author:** ![sniffo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@sniffo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sniffo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/51 "2012-03-01T23:56:25Z")
> [@'\[cc](#): > > ;14825457’]The herb [Valerian Root](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_%28herb%29) will absolutely give you ridiculously vivid dreams. Not necessarily scary or anything, just way more surreal and easy to remember on waking. Available in just about any pharmacy/large grocery store, smells quite pungent though. In my personal experience, whilst Valerian has it’s uses, it can also be addictive. That pungent smell came out in my sweat too. Yuk. Obviously, others mileage may vary as they say. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/52 "2012-03-02T04:44:57Z")
> [@statsman1982](#): > > Well, I never had any crazy dreams on Paxil, but going _off_ Paxil, well… Same here. I just got off the stuff three weeks ago and man, I had some doozies. Not as wild as the ones I’ve had on NyQuil but vivid all the same! Melatonin does the same thing; I believe this was the stuff that caused me to have my infamous “pine trees growing in the veggie bin” dream. ---
**Author:** ![ricksummon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ricksummon/32/3333_2.png) [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/53 "2012-03-02T05:16:42Z")
There’s been a lot of information about _which_ drugs cause vivid dreams, but does anyone actually know _why_ they do this? Do these drugs stimulate your brain during REM sleep or something like that? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/54 "2012-03-02T05:18:01Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You can overdose on B-6. Yep. I was using it twice a week until one of my fingers went completely dead and turned white. Scarred the shit out of me. Stopped using it for a while and the numbness went away. Tried it again (twice a week) and it returned. Did this 2 more times to confirm cause/effect. Now I only fly on B6 once a month. No ill effects observed. The dreams are **INSANE!!!** Full color, full touch sensation (feel), full olfactory sensation. And the volume is overwhelming. So many dreams for one night. When I awake I have to lie in bed for a while to gain my marbles that I’m actually awake. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/55 "2012-03-02T10:11:23Z")
I’ve had extra vivid dreams after taking 1000mg of piracetam before bed. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/56 "2012-03-02T11:02:54Z")
> [@ricksummon](#): > > There’s been a lot of information about _which_ drugs cause vivid dreams, but does anyone actually know _why_ they do this? Do these drugs stimulate your brain during REM sleep or something like that? Unfortunately, [this excellent reference](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12532316) (a review of drug induced nightmares) is not available free full text. So, you’ll just have to take my word for it. 😉 The authors make the point (and provide evidence) that drugs which cause nightmares and vivid dreams usually do so by one of two mechanisms. Some of them affect the various [neurotransmitters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurotransmitter) in the brain (e.g. SSRIs affect serotonin, beta blockers affect noradrenalin, dopamine agonists in Parkinson’s Disease affect dopamine, anticholinergics affect acetylecholine, etc.) and by doing so interfere with normal ‘dream mechanisms’. The second mechanism is via so-called “REM rebound”. That is, some drugs (eg. [benzodiazepines](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepine) like Valium or Xanax, etc) suppress [REM sleep](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REM_sleep) (that phase of sleep when dreams tend to occur). When a person cuts down or stops them, there is a ‘rebound’ of REM sleep (and thus lots of dreams and dreaming). And sometimes, if REM sleep has been repressed for a long period and the person is very REM sleep deprived, then even if he/she is still taking the same dose of the benzodiazepine (or other drug), there can be REM sleep breakthrough (again with an attendant breakthrough of dreams and dreaming). (BTW, I apologize for the large number of technical terms in this post, but don’t have the time now to explain/describe/substitute for them). ---
**Author:** ![waxtadpole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@waxtadpole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waxtadpole)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/57 "2012-03-27T10:15:33Z")
Simvastatin and Tricor for high cholesterol and triglycerides gave me epic, colorful dreams that seemed to run long like movies and were easy to remember in detail long afterward. Often I would wake up from these dreams feeling fully refreshed and thinking I had slept 6-8 hours when I had only slept 2 or 3. Occasionally when I would stop taking either drug for several days the intense dreaming would stop, and take a few days to start up again when I resumed the medication. Several months ago I switched from Tricor to fish oil capsules (6/day). Now my dreams feel just as cinematic and restful, but somehow on a lower level and easier to forget. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621/58 "2012-03-27T12:35:35Z")
Huh. I take both Tricor and fish oil too, never had them. But I take so many other meds they might counter the effects. Or maybe you’re just lucky… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medications-that-cause-vivid-dreams/524621.md?page=2)