Anti-Depressants and Clinical Depression

[Hamster]

Okay... this is really weird, and I'm not really sure how to explain it.

Has anyone had the experience of closing your eyes and then seeing a kind of "phantom" image of the things you think you're facing? For example, if I wave my hand in front of my face, I can "see" a kind of faint.. ghost-like image of my hand. If I have my eyes closed and I walk around my room I can 'see' the room except the details aren't right. It's really hard to explain. It's like my mind is recreating what's around me with my eyes closed. I haven't been able to find anything online about it that wasn't a froot loopy thing about psychic powers or astral projection. This only started happening recently, so I think it's a side effect of medication, possibly Straterra? It's not preventing me from sleeping or causing me pain, it's just really weird. And typing it out now it sounds too weird to be true

edit: this is the closest thing I can come up with except it doesn't really describe what I'm "seeing" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed-eye_hallucination

[Catholicity]

I have experienced it and anytime you mess with your meds especially Dopamine and Norepinephrine (namely I was on Zoloft which while it mainly affects Serotonin also weakly affects Dop amd Norep) it can cause those side effects. Its literally Dreaming while awake

[Hamster]

Well, I haven't seen anything EXCEPT what is in front of me. For example, I have lots of pictures taped to my cabinet. I'll close my eyes, relax, and then look toward it with my eyes closed and I'll see the cabinet except the pictures will be in the wrong places. Or many more pictures than are actually on there. Or the cabinet will "look" wider or taller than it really is. I don't see random images like you would in a dream

[Catholicity]

I understand the phenomenon you describe. It is a parasomnia. For some it extends to actual dreams for others its like "trails" and it is a type of "day dreaming" except rather than day dreaming in the imaginitve sense its a type of 20 or 30 second rem

[jo7241974]

Well, I haven't seen anything EXCEPT what is in front of me. For example, I have lots of pictures taped to my cabinet. I'll close my eyes, relax, and then look toward it with my eyes closed and I'll see the cabinet except the pictures will be in the wrong places. Or many more pictures than are actually on there. Or the cabinet will "look" wider or taller than it really is. I don't see random images like you would in a dream

Hi Hamster!!

This still may have something to do with your meds. Call your doctor's office and explain what is happening. The doctor may be able to talk to you himself/herself on the phone. He should be able to identify, with an actual name, what it is you are experiencing and why, and take appropriate measures on your behalf. I have had some very strange reactions to the various meds given to me to try to control my symptoms; but I have not experienced the one you are having.

Please let us know what you learn, and what your doctor does about this.

Love,

jo

[Hamster]

Hi Hamster!!

This still may have something to do with your meds. Call your doctor's office and explain what is happening. The doctor may be able to talk to you himself/herself on the phone. He should be able to identify, with an actual name, what it is you are experiencing and why, and take appropriate measures on your behalf. I have had some very strange reactions to the various meds given to me to try to control my symptoms; but I have not experienced the one you are having.

Please let us know what you learn, and what your doctor does about this.

Love,

jo

I'm seeing my doctor on thursday, I sent him an e-mail though kp so he might get back to me sooner

I understand the phenomenon you describe. It is a parasomnia. For some it extends to actual dreams for others its like "trails" and it is a type of "day dreaming" except rather than day dreaming in the imaginitve sense its a type of 20 or 30 second rem

Hmm, I'll look into this. This is the best way I can describe what they "look" like:

[jo7241974]

I understand the phenomenon you describe. It is a parasomnia. For some it extends to actual dreams for others its like "trails" and it is a type of "day dreaming" except rather than day dreaming in the imaginitve sense its a type of 20 or 30 second rem

Hi Catholicity!

It's pretty amazing what the drugs we are given can do, isn't it? For awhile, in addition to other meds I was on, my doctor also had me try Abilify. Some people do quite well with it; and others, not so much. I was in the not-so-much group; even the slightest amount - which was literally just licking or shaving off some "dust" off of a tablet, was enough to effect my symptoms favorably. However, the side effects from even this teenie amount caused me to have terrifying nightmares. They were so real, that even when I was awake, the terror stayed with me, and I became afraid to even close my eyes as the nightmares would start immediately before I could achieve any restful sleep. So off the list went the Abilify....

Love,

jo

[Catholicity]

Hey Hamster I sent you an inbox message detailing the name of the phenomenon. I reseached it for a friend of mine who was having the same issues and it takes all forms. Also it was helpful to know when i went through the same thing, and yes I know exactly what you describe. Medicines can indeed trigger it.

[jo7241974]

I'm seeing my doctor on thursday, I sent him an e-mail though kp so he might get back to me sooner



Hmm, I'll look into this. This is the best way I can describe what they "look" like:

It sure does NOT look like anything fun!!!

[Hamster]

Hi Catholicity!

It's pretty amazing what the drugs we are given can do, isn't it? For awhile, in addition to other meds I was on, my doctor also had me try Abilify. Some people do quite well with it; and others, not so much. I was in the not-so-much group; even the slightest amount - which was literally just licking or shaving off some "dust" off of a tablet, was enough to effect my symptoms favorably. However, the side effects from even this teenie amount caused me to have terrifying nightmares. They were so real, that even when I was awake, the terror stayed with me, and I became afraid to even close my eyes as the nightmares would start immediately before I could achieve any restful sleep. So off the list went the Abilify....

Love,

jo

I can't remember having any side-effects that caused me fear. When I was in IOP there was someone who mentioned that on certain medications they'd hallucinate tiny people crawling up the walls and ceiling. I've been lucky that the side-effects have been manageable because I need this medicine to function. Although, on Paxil, if I missed a dose of it or was three or four hours late in taking it, I'd get nauseated and it would feel like my brain was cooking on a hot sidewalk

[jo7241974]

I can't remember having any side-effects that caused me fear. When I was in IOP there was someone who mentioned that on certain medications they'd hallucinate tiny people crawling up the walls and ceiling. I've been lucky that the side-effects have been manageable because I need this medicine to function. Although, on Paxil, if I missed a dose of it or was three or four hours late in taking it, I'd get nauseated and it would feel like my brain was cooking on a hot sidewalk

I've heard of people hallucinating on the different meds; which is why I cannot understand why anyone would think it was enjoyable to take any recreational drugs - especially one that would cause you to hallucinate. There have been a couple of diffent ones my doctor tried on me which caused me to feel nausea all the time---just like the first trimesters (sp??) of my pregnancies.

Keep us posted on what your doctor has to say and what he does as far as adjusting your meds. Caring minds want to hear!!

Love,

jo

[justgin]

All this mention of sensitivities to meds is why i am reluctant to take them, especially psychotropics. I also have sensitivity to them. While i was on Prozac years ago, along with Xanax, one morning i ran out of the Xanax and had to wait til later in the day to get it refilled, so i ended up taking the Prozac by itself that day. I became very irritable, almost irrationally so - iow there was no external reason for that irritability. It wasn't until after that, that i heard about others also having problems along that same line - and even worse, with Prozac. I think today's version of Prozac is a different generation than the one i took though. The bottom line is I just don't like to feel medicated, even though sometimes it is reasonable and necessary to take medications. I even can tell when i've had Tylenol, it's just a weird feeling that i don't like at all.

[Hamster]

I can totally understand being hesitant to use drugs. Paxil was a terrible experience for me. However, drugs are the only alternative to me not being able to function at all. Lesser of two evils. It sounds like your body is really sensitive to drugs . . . maybe there's a drug for that . . .

[justgin]

I can totally understand being hesitant to use drugs. Paxil was a terrible experience for me. However, drugs are the only alternative to me not being able to function at all. Lesser of two evils. It sounds like your body is really sensitive to drugs . . . maybe there's a drug for that . . .

And believe me i understand why people need to take drugs. Sometimes when i get a migraine, I HAVE to take an Excedrin Migraine tab or else i'll spend the rest of the day being nauseated and unable to function because of the pain. So i'd rather not take drugs unless i absolutely have to.

Ha ha, yes i bet there is a drug that treats drug sensitivity. But it too has side effects....

Drugs, can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

[Epoetker]

Build something. Fight someone. Go deep into a book/game/movie you haven't read/played/watched. Your feelings have taken over. This is very bad. Feelings are meant to be mastered.

Read The Pilgrim's Regress if you're looking for a good Lewis book. Take note of the fact that the first thing a convert will do is see both the corruption and the opportunity in his entire life experience.