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Suggest Treatment For Symptoms Of Parasomnia

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Posted on Tue, 30 Jun 2015
Question: Is it unusual for a person to rouse from a dream standing in the corner of their bedroom, arms at their side and head down?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (17 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
These symptoms can occur in some sleep disorder

Detailed Answer:
Hello, Welcome to Health Care Magic

I can understand your concern to some extent but I need some more details of your problem to comment with certainty. Vyvanse is an amphetamine drug and the drug is a stimulant drug. It has not much effects on sleep cycle so in my opinion it is not related with the problem you are having.

Symptoms like sudden arousal from dream and then standing in room with arms by side might occur due to some sleep related disorders or parasomnias. I would advise you to consult a neuropsychiatrist for evaluation and treatment. Drugs like Melatonin or Ramelteon etc can help to normalise the sleep pattern and will reduce these episodes. Sometimes benzodiazepines as Clonazepam or Alprazolam etc are used for such symptoms. Visit a psychiatrist for prescription of these drugs.

I want to know how many hours you get sleep?

How many times these episodes occurred?

If any other person has complained to you for this problem?

Any episodes of talking during sleep?

Any history of psychoactive substance of abuse?

Thanks, please provide details in follow up question. Take care
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (23 minutes later)
"I want to know how many hours you get sleep?"
Between 9-11 hours if I don't have an alarm set, or 6-8 if I have to be up early.

"How many times these episodes occured?"
This episode happened once, and I can recall it quite clearly. The reason I knew I'd been standing in the corner prior to arousal is because the dream ended abruptly following an unusual and puzzling event that resulted in me transitioning from a fully dream-state to a fully attentive-state seemingly instantly, and I thought "Well this is unusual, what exactly just happened?". I've had other episodes in the past where I have found myself launching from the bed and whipping sheets or pillows in a striking movement as if I were attacking or being attacked, but that wasn't the case for the question at hand.

"If any other person has complained to you for this problem?"
I've only been known to sleepwalk (non-violently) if I've gone a long period of time without sleep. But this didn't seem like sleepwalking, and I've caught myself sleepwalking before, this was, just very different.

"Any episodes of talking during sleep?"
Only if I've gone as long period of time without sleep.

"Any history of psychoactive substance of abuse?"
When I was in University I would occasionally smoke marijuana.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (24 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
The symptoms are sleep related disorders

Detailed Answer:
Hello again and thanks for providing the details

You have good sleep, no significant history of talking during sleep and no history of any psychoactive drug abuse so there is nothing worrisome in this episode. The episode can be explained easily by Sleep Walking Disorder. It is a sleep related disorder and may cause accidental injuries apart from non refreshing sleep. But you have experienced only one episode so I don't think there is need for detailed treatment. But if such episodes occur again then visit your doctor for evaluation and treatment.

The presence of symptoms like whipping of sheets or pillows is also related to sleep cycle and further strengthen our diagnosis. Medicines like I have mentioned earlier also would help in reducing such symptoms.

Thanks

Hope this helps you, if you have more doubts please don't hesitate to ask again.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (13 minutes later)
I understand that from your perspective you need to understand the circumstances surrounding my question to better offer me a satisfactory answer. But what I am really looking for is any experience you may be aware of that directly relates to the nature of my question. This episode is very puzzling for me, and not because I'm afraid I may have a sleeping disorder. I have found no trustworthy medical literature online that addresses any specific case where a person, while maintaining a solitary standing position for the duration of a bewildering dream, has been awakened in a way that I don't really know how to describe. It was nothing like the sort-of foggy coming-to I've experienced when I've either been caught by someone or by myself to be sleepwalking.
It was, for me, epiphanic.

It's ok with me if your opinion as a doctor that a man who stands solitary while dreaming is nothing more than a subspecies of a sleep disorder. I won't be offended.

Can a person be asleep while standing?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (29 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
There are many cases reported with similar complaints

Detailed Answer:
Hello again

See if we consider sleep then it consists of two main subtypes one is Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and other is Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep.

In REM sleep individuals dream and they remember the dreams. In NREM sleep night terrors, sleep talking or sleep walking etc are seen. In this stage individuals usually doesn't have memory of events prior to waking. Similarly in sleep walking individuals may show complex behaviours like walking and then getting up or even moving to new place during sleep. They have little or no memory of the events prior to waking up. You have found yourself standing in corner with head down and arms by side. This occurred because you have no memory how you reached there from sleep. Lack of memory of events is the reason you felt confused.

Yes in NREM sleep individuals can sleep even during standing position. In my clinic I came across some patients with almost similar complaints like finding themselves away from bedroom or injured during walking in sleep.

Thanks, I hope this helps you in understanding but even if more doubts are there please ask again.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (5 minutes later)
Well I suppose I've played this out now in my mind and I expect you've come to the conclusion that I wasn't as I describe it (either sleepwalking or leaning on a piece of furniture, unable to perceive my surroundings and the physical forces that may have been at play if I were in fact sleepwalking). So as this will inevitably be the case, I will bid you farewell.

Kind of funny that I hadn't even read your latest response as I was typing my last message, but yet it was completely aligned.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (13 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Don't remain stressed because of this

Detailed Answer:
Hello again

On the basis of history you have mentioned in query in my opinion the episode occurred due to sleep walking or somnambulism but detailed evaluation is needed to confirm the diagnosis. Please don't take undue stress because of this problem, it can be prevented easily with medicines.

Thanks, take care
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2007

Answered : 5192 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Symptoms Of Parasomnia

Brief Answer: These symptoms can occur in some sleep disorder Detailed Answer: Hello, Welcome to Health Care Magic I can understand your concern to some extent but I need some more details of your problem to comment with certainty. Vyvanse is an amphetamine drug and the drug is a stimulant drug. It has not much effects on sleep cycle so in my opinion it is not related with the problem you are having. Symptoms like sudden arousal from dream and then standing in room with arms by side might occur due to some sleep related disorders or parasomnias. I would advise you to consult a neuropsychiatrist for evaluation and treatment. Drugs like Melatonin or Ramelteon etc can help to normalise the sleep pattern and will reduce these episodes. Sometimes benzodiazepines as Clonazepam or Alprazolam etc are used for such symptoms. Visit a psychiatrist for prescription of these drugs. I want to know how many hours you get sleep? How many times these episodes occurred? If any other person has complained to you for this problem? Any episodes of talking during sleep? Any history of psychoactive substance of abuse? Thanks, please provide details in follow up question. Take care