Screwing with my head?

[Caleb9849]

So I started Humira three weeks ago. It's been doing wonders for my poor intestines even in such a short time. But now something weird is going on, and I can't help wonder if this could be causing it.

I've been having really sad/grim dreams very consistently for about 4 or 5 nights in a row. No intense nightmares (until this morning, as I'll explain later), just really unpleasant/unhappy. It's not normal for me to have nearly such a high frequency of unpleasant dreams, so it kind of weirded me out but didn't really shock the hell out of me. But then this morning, I woke up from an awful nightmare that it was really hard to calm down from (not just emotionally, but physically; my blood was racing and everything). Then, awake, I looked for my phone, which is also my alarm clock. It wasn't on my bedside table, or plugged in. Which is where I always have it at night until I get up. So my first thought was that my alarm had rung, and I'd unplugged it and turned it off, dazed. So I was afraid I'd slept in, particularly because I have a big test today. But after frantically searching my room for it, I finally found it buried in my bedspread toward the foot of the bed. It was 9 AM, which was long before my alarm was to ring...I have no idea how this could have happened. I know I put it on my bedside table and plugged it in last night. And I always put it on silent mode, so the only thing that can get my attention for it is the alarm. It's never happened to me before to wake up and find that I've moved it, except in the case that the alarm had already been going off. I have no recollection of waking up beforehand, either. So that's very puzzling and a little troubling. And so are the dreams. This first intense "nightmare" was also the second night in a row where I've dreamed about horrifying physical abnormalities on myself (just wasn't as intense two nights ago). I feel like I'm going crazy, and I can't help but wonder if it's the Humira. Is that a justified thought or a just-plain-wrong attribution? Has anyone else experienced anything remotely like this? I have an appointment with my GI doc tomorrow, should I tell him about it and see what he thinks? I'm really sort of scared of what could be going on here.

 

[dreamintwilight]

Hey Caleb. Sorry to hear of your distressing news. I certainly would feel that way, if I were in your position.

Are you taking any other medications? Sometimes those can cause weird reactions when taken with something else. How are you doing mentally when you are awake? Have you been having stressful thoughts about your health or other things going on in your life?

I am not saying your reaction can't be caused by Humira--I've heard of stories where people have very rare side effects caused by their medications--but sometimes we don't realize there are things going on that may be contributing to this ultimate side effect. Internalizing our problems can often times come out in our dreams where our body is finally able to let go. OR again...could be an unknown interaction with another medication you might be taking.

Either way, I would definitely mention it to your doctor. Psychological disturbances are definitely not something to mess around with.

That is so weird about finding your phone buried underneath your bedspread. I've had one unexplainable occurrence similar to that when i was in college and my alarm didn't go off. I had definitely plugged it in and turned the alarm off, but when I finally woke up the alarm had been turned off and it was unplugged. Like you said, the only explanation would be if I woke up and turned it off myself, but I had no recollection of it happening. Not as weird as yours, but similar.

Please keep your doctor informed. You may even want to mention it to your GP as well. Couldn't hurt to inform all doctors and see what their opinions are. Good luck!

 

[Caleb9849]

That is so weird about finding your phone buried underneath your bedspread. I've had one unexplainable occurrence similar to that when i was in college and my alarm didn't go off. I had definitely plugged it in and turned the alarm off, but when I finally woke up the alarm had been turned off and it was unplugged. Like you said, the only explanation would be if I woke up and turned it off myself, but I had no recollection of it happening. Not as weird as yours, but similar.

Yeah, well, in general I have a really hard time getting myself out of bed, and once the alarm first rings, /anything/ goes...I could wake up to find my phone unplugged, tossed across the room, with deluded texts sent to half my friends, and new alarms set for 8:00 in the evening...but as long as my alarm had already gone off and I'd woken up at least once, it wouldn't surprise me. :ylol: But finding it unplugged and moved a fair distance before ever ringing is odd.

Thanks for the reply. Definitely going to bring it up to my GI tomorrow, I'll let you know what happens

 

[Astra]

Hiya Caleb

I've been having vivid weird dreams this week too! I'm not on Humira tho
I woke up one night, and in the darkness I saw a figure stood next to my bed, and that figure was me!
I totally freaked, and jumped out of bed, hitting the wardrobe in the process!
The adrenalin rush that went thro me was so intense I couldn't stop shaking for about an hour after. My hands felt massive, but looked normal, weird!
It was on my mind all the day after.
The night after I couldn't sleep and eventually dropped off, but with the light on!
Extremely frightening, disturbing and horrible, I don't know what happened that night.
I believe it's the Amitriptyline, trippy stuff!

 

[CDDad]

Hi Caleb,
I've been on an off Humira for years and never had that side effect. The only "mind" side effect I noticed was that I felt a bit out of it if (like my brain was a 1/2 step behind) if I did the shot in the morning. So I do my shot at night now before bed.

 

[stevereds]

caleb, are u taking any sleeping aids, or pain meds? or allergy meds?... sometiems they can mess with dreams etc and sleeping.

 

[Caleb9849]

Nope, none of those. I'm on Asacol, 6MP, Omeprazole, Culturelle, vitamins and the Humira. I'm slated to be going off the 6MP soon because of the Humira.

 

[stevereds]

Im sure its a temporary thing, maybe you are eating late at night cos u have the munchies and r feeling better? I know since I started Humira 2 weeks ago, my appetite has increased. They say eating before bed or late at night, makes some people have weird dreams etc. just a thought

 

[Caleb9849]

Yeah, I guess that's a possibility. I have been eating a lot at night, in fact. But I'm getting consistently unpleasant dreams, that's the part that bugs me....and then the thing this morning with my phone was just weird.

Also, lately I've been having some "weird moods." I don't know how to explain it, it's just like I'm having emotions or combinations of emotions that seem unfamiliar or indescribable. However, this has happened to me before, from time to time. I'm not the most "normal" person in the emotions department, so I don't know whether I should be getting my Humira-pitchfork out for that, too....

 

[stevereds]

yeah.. I would remain positive ... mind and body are one they say... I started Humira lil over 2 weeks ago, and I am trying to remain positive , and so far I think the Humira has been helping, I am def not worse, my appetite has increased, and crohns seems less inflamed, I am excited about it..cant wait for my next injection..in 2 weeks.

 

[Caleb9849]

Steve, glad you are having such a great experience with it. It's going about that way for me too but only if I am only looking at the "how are my intestines doing" portion.

 

[stevereds]

Yeah, I guess that's a possibility. I have been eating a lot at night, in fact. But I'm getting consistently unpleasant dreams, that's the part that bugs me....and then the thing this morning with my phone was just weird.

Also, lately I've been having some "weird moods." I don't know how to explain it, it's just like I'm having emotions or combinations of emotions that seem unfamiliar or indescribable. However, this has happened to me before, from time to time. I'm not the most "normal" person in the emotions department, so I don't know whether I should be getting my Humira-pitchfork out for that, too....

Since u said it has happened before... I would think it is unrelated to Humira.
remain positive. I take 2 advil pms at night, they seem to help me sleek better.

 

[Caleb9849]

One thing that will surely help is getting the hell done with school....takes so much of my time...and my sleep....the education system really needs fixing. Too much pressure, and too little thought to the students' health and well-being....it's only all about learning, getting your homework done, making as good as GPA as possible, getting your piece of paper and getting a high-paying job. Sorry, but I can't understand why society seems to think all of this is more important than being healthy

 

[Caleb9849]

Btw Astra....that sounds crazy. lol

 

[Sandy A]

Steve Reds, I thought we weren't suppose to take NSAIDS, doesn't Advil pm fall into this category?

 

[ekay03]

Sandy A, All of my doctors can only agree on one thing. NSAIDS and Crohns dont mix. If one wants to sleep one can purchase diphenhydramine. That is the pm in advil pm. Brand name Beynadryl

 

[Caleb9849]

OP here again. Well, I'm getting pretty close to the end of my rope. My insomnia issue seems to be gradually getting worse and worse, sometimes I can't sleep well even after a full night and day of little to no sleep. And I feel like it's severely affecting my mood, judgment, thought processing, etc. basically just throwing my mind around. I'm getting to the point where it's debatable whether Crohn's symptoms or Humira symptoms are the lesser of the two evils. Acknowledgement, though: I'm not absolutely 100% certain that it is the Humira causing me these things, but it sure seems like it. I've complained to doctors about it and they just say "Take Benadryl if you can't sleep." Benadryl doesn't do a damn thing to me. Anyone got any advice? :\