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Q: Dream flashback
asked by: Colmillo on March 12th, 2008
New User
Hi there ive suffered from Anxiety and panic for some years now probably brought on by a car crash i was involved in. My anxiety focus's mainly on my health i have hypochondria and an acute fear of impending death / health problems.

My question is this. Occasionally while i was taking Mirtazipine i would wake up go for a shower or something then be hit by a reeling sensation of dejavu about the dreams of the previous nights sleep. It was so intense it left me feeling quite sick and confused. My gp said it was potentially a side-effect of the medication to do with the mind taking a little longer to wake up than the body. I stopped taking the medication a year ago as these symptoms were worsening my condition to be honest. This morning however after a night of quite restless sleep and a lot of dreaming i picked up my guitar and then it was like being hit by a sledgehammer of dejavu - very unpleasant, and quite intense sensations of the previous nights dreams accompanied by a wierd flushing in my legs ( possibly the start of panic attack )

I would love to know if any one else has experienced this .. it seems fairly common in extreme cases of prolonged daily anxiety

I should also add that ive never been a user of lsd etc Smile

Regards
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Seraph
replied on March 12th, 2008
Experienced User
Not sickening...but still...
I haven't been on Mirtazipine...but am on anti-depression/anxiety med's

In terms of Dreams...

From time to time, I do get almost a kinda "Dejavu" feeling of a dream I had weeks ago...or a dream I THAUGHT I had...I sometimes think it's my mind playing tricks on me to make me THINK that I had dreamt about it but never really did.

In terms of prior events...

Flash backs...and not really dejavu...is a constant problem. I would get flashbacks to conversations/actions and a lot of times it's something really REALLY silly...like something I said to someone...yet it sends me realing with anxiety and for a couple of minutes I am unable to think of anything else. It doesn't go to full blown panick attack but the emotional side of it is there...really painfull...

I do suffer daily from anxiety...depression etc... so there is definately some sort of link to anxiety.

What I should actually add tho, is that when I wake up...I'm kinda "stuck" in the dream for a cpl of minutes...like it takes a while for my mind to register that it was only a dream...even though I my self, know it was just a dream...
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Colmillo
replied on March 12th, 2008
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Yes .. its almost like the sensation of dejavu is amplified and then causes the start of an anxiety attack
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Agentlb
replied on April 16th, 2009
New User
Me too, and worried
Hi
I have not had any traumatic events happen to me in recent years and the only medication I am on, is birth control.
I get these dream flashbacks all the time. I see something and it triggers the flashback for just a few seconds, followed by panic, dizziness, and nausea. I can remember those dreams now, as this has happened to me a lot lately. And at all times of the day. Even on a trip to Italy in a room I had never been in (so in that case, I assume my mind was tricking me)
I am very worried about this, as it happens quite often. I am a healthy, non-smoker, 27 year old female. Now I just want to know if something is wrong with me, like an undiagnosed condition. The flashbacks started about 2 years ago.
HELP ME SOMEONE, PLEASE!!
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ss596
replied on April 24th, 2009
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Same here and thankyou all as I felt I was the only one
Same here. In my case, it is disturbing dreams that just go on and on through out the night but make no sense.

On a normal day, these dreams suddenly comeback in my thoughts out of no where (as flashbacks with a dejavu feeling) and the more I think about them, the more I start feeling severely physically sick. The sickness invloves cold sweats, loss of power in legs and nausea.

I've never used any drugs and have never had alcohol but I am a smoker (A pack of 20 a day).

The most relieving thing is that I thought I'm the only one experiencing this until I read the above posts.

I do have pressure in my working life and being a single-expat since the last 5 years, I live alone and get to see my family once a year. i remember it happening for the first time as soon as I came to the UK 5 years ago.

I just hope these are not early signs of madness Wink
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Agentlb
replied on April 24th, 2009
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In the mean time
So I went to the doctor, who kept asking me questions of traumatic events, how my job was doing(don't have one right at this moment), how my relationship was(amazing), if I had ever been harmed or assaulted(no)...after a while, he told me to cut out all stimulants, aka coffee, etc. and is giving me a thyroid test. I will let you all know of the results.

I kind of think that he assumes I am having panic or anxiety attacks. That doesn't explain the dreams though, that I have, or think I have seen certain events in different detail in dreams, and that they pop up out of nowhere, sometimes for no reason.

No flashbacks in the last two days without stimulants, but that could just be because I am waiting for one. I dunno.
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cgrowe
replied on June 11th, 2009
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This has been going on for years...
I have the same Problem. Its been going on for a few years now. The flashaback is of the same "dream" and is triggered out of no where. I get an uneasy feeling and feel dizzy, nauseaus, my visoion goes a little blurry and sometimes have a headache afterwords. I havent asked my doctor about it. I am not on any medications, I dont even take vitamins. Im not under any stress, and I dont drink a lot of caffeine either. I thought i was nuts, i am gald to see i am not the only. I think i may mention it the next time i see the doctor.
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AndieB
replied on July 6th, 2009
New User
Recall of dreams makes me dizzy
Same thing has been happening to me for the last few weeks - totally out of the blue, never happened before. Within the first hour or two of being awake, a dream will pop in my head - not even one I had the night before - and I'll suddenly feel extremely nauseated and dizzy, like I'm really going to throw up. I have to make my brain "change the subject" to make the feeling go away. It's usually based around the same couple of dreams, but once the episode has passed, I can't remember them at all. I have some anxiety and maybe some OCD, but otherwise am pretty healthy (no drugs, other mental disorders). Another website mentioned it could be early symptoms of epilepsy, which was what happened to him/her after a few years of the dream thing. Yikes.
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AndieB
replied on July 10th, 2009
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FYI, all - I decided I'd try avoiding aspartame (which was in my Orbit chewing gum) because it has been linked to seizures and migraines. It's been 3 days, and haven't had any dream flashbacks followed by nausea. I hope this helps.
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inrepairxx
replied on July 20th, 2009
New User
Flashbacks
I've had all these problems that have been mentioned, but during my flashbacks, I get a strange smell. And the flashback is usually of a dream or a movie, by the time I figure out what the dream is about or what movie it is, I feel like I'm going to pass out or vomit. I had anxiety problems when I was younger, but it was never like this; I just got sick in the morning and freaked out about doing anything new. I've overcome that, without any medication, and I'm pretty healthy. I don't know how to make the flashbacks stop, but they only happens once or twice a month; when they do, they keep me up all night.
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summerdays
replied on August 1st, 2009
New User
I normally get a strange smell before I start having a sort of dream flashback and feeling dizzy/faint, used to happen a lot in the morning. Not had it for a while but used to be on regular basis. Ive been searching different sites to try and find out what it could be and closest thing so far: Panic attacks with derealisation..but none of sites seem to mention smell. Would be good to find out exactly what causes this.
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cpmilez
replied on August 7th, 2009
New User
I experience similar feelings of dizzyness which start off with what can only be described as some kind of flashback/deja vu from a dream or something I can't remember it after its happend! It seems to occur every few months or so but when it does, it happends 3 or 4 times in that day and i have to lay down for a while.
When it does occur I struggle to look at my computer screen or the tv. Which inevertivly causes it to happen again. I work all day on my PC so this can be a problem. I'm wondering if its at all related to looking at screens all day, though this morning the 1st time it occured it was in the shower after I had got up so hadnt even looked at a screen! Will see what the doctor has to say next week I think.
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summerdays
replied on August 8th, 2009
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Hi cpmilez...that sounds v. similar to what I get apart from I always seem to get a strange smell 1st once I get that smell I know whats coming..not sure what this smell is...its somethung floral but pungent like some essential oil or something..whatever it is I dont like it. Do you get the feeling that you're kind of removed from whats going on around you when your flashback things are happening? I cant remember my flashbacks after they've happened either and it all seems surreal after its happened as well.
My flashbacks often used to happen in the shower or at some point in the morning.
There just doesnt seem to be anything anywhere about this..apart from people having panick attacks combined with flashbacks of things that have happenend to them in real life(traumatic events)..which Im not. Ive even looked on spiritual website...but nothing!
Hope you find out whats causing yours.
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BEV58
replied on August 14th, 2009
New User
DEJAVU FLASHBACKS
I have suffered these dreams for the last 10 years, but had one this morning that has affected me all day. Mine are always in the shower or when i am in the bathroom, this morning i was putting my toothpaste onto my toothbrush when it hit me, I had a flash of a different desk where i work, that was it, sufficient to make my head pound and felt my heart beat faster, it didnt even last for a second, then as usual i try to tell it to go away, try to look out of the window or to think of something nice, but it never works,i shout at it to go but then the vomiting starts and the sweats. The feeling of being very emotional and weary has lasted all day.I am so glad to have found out other people on here are having the same things, i read them and cried, it wasnt just me, but i am scared to close my eyes in the shower now, why does it happen in the bathreoom, help me please, i cant handle them x x x x x x
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summerdays
replied on August 15th, 2009
New User
Hi Ive been looking into this deja vu, dreamflash back thing and found this on an Epilepsy website!
There are also partial epilepsy seizures with aura(smell or taste) am going to do more searches but thought this may be useful?

Symptoms of Partial Epilepsy Seizures

Partial seizures only strike a part of the brain and include simple-partial and partial-complex seizures.

Simple-partial seizures are also called focal seizures. Symptoms include:

Dilated pupils A sensation of déjà vu ("already seen," or feeling like having been in or seen the scenario before) A sensation of jamais vu ("never seen," or being in a familiar scenario but feeling like it's completely new) Flushed skin, sweatiness, and nausea Hallucinations Feeling confused, unusual, or strange Symptoms of partial-complex seizures can be the same as simple-partial seizures and may also include:

Being disoriented or not as alert Personality changes Affected memory Carrying out actions and behaviors without being aware of them Many epilepsy symptoms may be easily confused for another condition or problem; these include fainting, sleep problems, psychiatric problems, a mini-stroke, even a migraine headache. But if you know what you're looking for, it's easier to spot the warning signs of an epileptic seizure.

Last Updated: 07/29/2009
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summerdays
replied on August 15th, 2009
New User
Just me again adding onto my last post....I also found this info on as epilepsy website!...I dont know if this is what we're all having..there is so much out there and I am continuing my search, but one thing Ive found when the deja vu/flashback/feeling dizzy thing starts is to take deep, slow breaths..hope this helps!

Auras

People who have epilepsy often get a distinctive feeling or warning sign that a seizure is on its way. These warning signs are known as auras.

Auras differ from person to person, but some common auras include:

noticing a strange smell or taste,
having a feeling of déjà vu,
feeling that the outside world has suddenly become unreal or dreamlike,
experiencing a sense of fear or anxiety, and
your body suddenly feels strange.
While it is normally not possible to prevent the seizure from occurring, you can act on the warning sign by telling people that you think a seizure is on the way. Also, get into a safe place and position so you do not damage your body during the seizure.
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hatti
replied on August 18th, 2009
New User
AURAS
i get these 'Auras' alot, and intense feeling of deja vu, strange taste and a fear and feel really strange. I've been gettin it since i was 10 and im now 18.

However yesterday at work i got it, and ignored it and carried on as usual... but at the highest point of it i blacked out and cant remember wwhat happened
I woke up on the floor and had banged my head really hard.
My friend said my eyes had rolled back, id hit my head on the floor and i was shaking back and forwards on the floor...
I did give blood that morning so it could be related, im just worried about the fact I had a strong Aura before it happened !!!
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lovesuk2008
replied on October 29th, 2009
New User
flash backs about thinks have done or seen in past
i m having some problem too from past 15 years now im 31 ...i have done all kind of tests but always dr says everything is okay i dont know whom to contact if anyone know good dr. pls let me know I don't even know how to explain it i just go blank for 10 secs i see things which i have done or seen in my past after that i feel very very dizzey i feel like crying my head hurts i did my mri everything came okay i dont know what to do please if anyone have ans let me know
thanks
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Luna07
replied on November 11th, 2009
New User
Scary flashback/dejavu feeling...
Hello everyone, same as all of you... for years I have been getting these dejavu flashbacks, dizziness and vomiting feelings. It is horrible, I also thought I was the only one. It starts with the flashback, then get dizzy, nauseated, and weakened... after the episode is over I don't remember anything!!! It has happened in the shower very often. One time I was scrubbing my arms for a while (don't know for how long), and this weekend I fell in the shower during a "flashback" I know I stood up immediately after hitting the ground, but don't know how I did it or what direction was I before it happened. When I regained consciousness, I was already standing up and in pain from the fall. So now I am even more concerned... it is good to know I am not the only one, but we still need to find out what it is and I hope it stops for all of us.
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