Well, I am glad I found NeuroTalk as I needed someone to talk to about this--

I was diagnosed with Clinical Depression in 94' --- then 2000, I was diagnosed with 2 sleep disorders -- RLS and a REM problem.....now back into therapy with a new P-Dr., he put me on Lamictal (for a possible "mood disorder" which its used for epilepsy and bi-polar) and had a meltdown after waking with a panic attack, audio hallucinations, shaking, etc....

This is horrible...anyone else having all the above problems...is anything working for you? I thought for years things were getting better...then the depression hit (along with situational stress) and went back to therapy...now I have regressed to 1994....:confused and scared...E.

Perhaps the bipolar IS sleep disorder. Sometimes bipolar causes sleep problem symptoms, and sometimes sleep disorder causes or exacerbates bipolar. Some doctors wonder if some cases of bipolar are sleep disorders.

Some people feel like if we can just fix the sleep we would have the bipolar half-fixed. Some cases.

By the way, yes, I know a young adult with severe sleep disorder, depression and had bipolar and hallucinatory symptoms. Severe sleep disorder can do that. Narcolepsy can do that--and can have excessive REM. The young adult no longer has the symptoms, but is on medication for the sleep disorder, and investigated other medical problems.

Here are some articles on sleep you might find interesting:
http://www.mercola.com/2007/mar/1/wh...your-brain.htm
http://itsnotmental.blogspot.com/200...addressed.html
http://www.sleep-disorders-help.com/...rem-sleep.html

Very odd that the sleep disorder is listed as a neurological problem, yet bipolar is listed as a mental problem when one can lead to the other and may indeed be part of the same pathology.

You are gluten intolerant.

Come see my research. www.zombieinsitute.net

I am now free of all my sleep and mood disorders, including a lifetime of depression.

Seriously.

I get those symptoms when I take too much of any medication, usually my pain meds. It could a side effect of the Lamictal.

what type of rem disorder do u have?

i think docs often treat symptoms without finding the underlying cause. then the side effects of treatment must be treated. this is a vicious spiral.

if heidi's theory is correct it costs nothing to try a gluten free diet. if it is not gluten try eliminating other things. it is sort of like when a mechanic works on a car. he replaces the most likely thing, and if that does not fix it, he replaces the 2nd most likely part etc etc.

it sounds as if your doc is a mechanic. the docs can be wrong u know. they often were wrong with me.

my rem disorder is that i act out my dreams. i also have panic attacks and they most often happen at night. what works for me is reducing stressors in my life. that is not always possible but i still try my best. in my case docs did more harm than good, as they usually added to my stress. they were also fond of calling it "my alleged sleepwalking" like i could fake breaking bones while sleepwalking.

if i could have a good doc i would go to one. i think they are terribly rare.

just an observation - some meds cause panic attacks. codeine for example. sometimes i get impprovement just by getting off meds period.

It almost sounds like you are describing night terrors, where you see the actual room around you but also see the nightmare, usually a scary creature of some sort. But the shaking does not go with this, as night terrors render one unable to move until considerable effort is applied. Once you can move, you can fully awaken and the dream aspect disappears. Have you by any chance been on any tricyclic antidepressants or been in withdrawal from same. I have found that both on and coming off tricyclics can cause the hallucinations you describe, and, of course, panic is immediate! Best of luck in investigating the problem - billie