Nicotine Patch Nightmares!!! - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

Mithra2012 · 09-07-2008, 12:35 AM

I've had some crazy dreams when I started using the patch. Last night was no different...

Some are so vivid and horrifying, other are more like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".

I love to share some "Nicotine Patch Dreams" with someone. I have tons, and I remember many of them vividly.

Last nights was about armageddon... my town was burning, low flying planes everywhere, people crying out. The smell of death... even in my dream the smell was overpowering. I was trying to find someone, and I just couldn't get to them. Even the strange little girl I was with was trying to stop me from my task, slowing me down. She was an evil little girl come to think of it. When I got to where I was going, she called to Army on me, and I had to run before I could get to whoever I was trying get to. Then I woke up

Anyone else? If not, I have more...

Fulldresser4 · 09-07-2008, 06:58 AM

Hi Mithra, I was just looking through the new posts and saw this. Last time I tried to quit smoking I experienced the same thing...very vivid dreams and nightmares. I am pretty sure this is common with the patch, especially the higher dosages. HTH.

chippa · 10-02-2008, 09:54 AM

I showed up here late-

I'm from the nicotine forum, I quit smoking 1/1/08 using no nicotine replacement, but I quit a bunch of times before that with the zyban and hypnosis, chewing tobacco, and this time cold turkey

every single time I had crazy crazy dreams, like my kids changing heads with each other, being attacked by giant lizards, my wife going on a killing spree and asking me to hide her from the cops and all sorts of horrific accidents, falling off buildings, car crashes, etc

The point being I suspect it might be the lack of smoking that does it...

feh

soidog · 10-07-2008, 09:22 PM

When I quit smoking a few years ago, I used the patch and found that I also had VERY intense dreams every night. I'm pretty lucky as I rarely have "nightmares" but some of these nicotine-inspired dreams were a bit over the top (i.e. far more vivid than the usual nonsense dreams). Never had one of the end of the world though...that must have been pretty wild.

ufe · 01-13-2009, 02:31 AM

I quit smoking 15 years ago with patches, and loved the lucid dreaming with total recall I would have. 5 yrs ago someone left patches at my place, and now I'm trying to quit patches.....

webslave · 02-11-2009, 10:42 AM

LOL, I've got to add to this thread.
I have some old patches, over 5 years old. Seems they release alot of nicotine quickly rather than over 24 hours.
Anyway, I've been putting them on prior to going to sleep cause my biggest trigger time is on awaking.
I've had hideous dreams...so realistic! Stuff movies are made of and usually I can't recall a dream...but with the patch...I can!

iou1na · 03-02-2009, 03:14 AM

omg! After reading these posts, I have decided to forego the patch on this upcoming attempt to quit. My dreams over the past 2 months have been vivid and really complex, and the recall has been somewhat amazing.

If going on the patch might increase my REM state, ick! No frakking way!! Methinks that I shall continue on my journey of writing the Steps and do the cold turkey method once more.

.. ..

SelfSeeking · 03-02-2009, 07:51 AM

Just take the patch off before you go to bed! Set your alarm for like, an hour earlier than you usually wake up and put another one on. They work for 24 hours but they do mess with sleep if you leave em on through the night...

K that's all

BrandMusic · 03-17-2009, 06:14 PM

Ha ive had the same effects with the patch. CRAZY DREAMS.
Mostly dreams that id wake up and go trough my morning routine, and then id actually wake up and be EXTREAMLY confused and agervated that i had to go through the whole thing again lol

klopper22 · 03-22-2009, 12:30 AM

I like having those dreams. I have only had one nightmare on them and that was the last I ever want to have with a patch on.

I have tried to focus on something intensely before falling asleep to make me dream it, but it never worked.

PaleMale · 04-15-2009, 11:42 AM

I also tried the nicotine patches and I had totally messed up dreams and nightmares as well.

Taking the patch off before bed didn't work for me either.

What eventually did work for me was using the patch for the first few days, to break the association of nicotine craving with cigarettes. After a couple days, I switched to the 4mg gum.

Gum for me has worked great and I'm 4 years cigarette free. Although now I'm trying to quit the gum!

2mg. Actually since I stopped drinking a few days ago, I havn't used a piece of gum.

The nice thing about gum is that you use as much as you need, and when you spit it out, your mouth clears the nicotine quickly. With the patch, even when you take it off, the residue still administers the nicotine. This is a big problem, since you need your nicotine replacement for the crucial after work time, but using the patch in the evening can lead to nightmares!

The other problem I had with the patch was it would make my heart race. Scary stuff.

Anyhoo, try the 4mg or 2mg gums. Try the non flavored kind first. I found the mint and orange gum made me chew it way too much.

Good luck with your quits!

Believe808 · 04-15-2009, 12:59 PM

OMG when I used the patches, WOW what dreams. And yes so vivid and they were the only dreams I could remember. Just got Chantix from doctor and took first dosage today. Don't know what the future will hold with these pills now.
Any info would be appreciated.

Taurus80 · 06-26-2009, 11:18 PM

Yes I also had dreams and nightmares on the patch. I tried taking it off a few hours before I went to bed.

alexbrown414 · 02-12-2011, 07:51 AM

Yes I had a similar issue. My first night on the patch, I had a dream that the twin towers were newly built and they had a college in it that I was going to. I was touring the cvs on the first floor of the tower and me and mom were ecstatic they had a Mac makeup counter. The elevators were very small inside the building, only two people could fit in one. The elevators could travel through Brooklyn and the upper eastside, pretty much all throughout the city. After pressing in a random number on the claustrophobic elevator, it took me to the Brooklyn bridge, and the friend I was with decided to walk into Brooklyn. I stayed on the bridge, and out of nowhere a mess of firetrucks appeared on the bridge. I started talking to an attractive firefighter on the bag of one of the firetrucks rig. He told me that there was an attack on the newly built trade centers, even worse than the one that occured in 2001. I realized why my friend had told me to take the elevator to the Brooklyn bridge and why she ran to Brooklyn. Than my dream ended. The scary part of having vivid dreams is that you can remember absolutely everything, even things you don't want to.

**Dee74** · 02-12-2011, 04:34 PM

Welcome to SR Alex

Yes I only fell asleep with a patch on once - very vivid disturbing dreams...of course I was drinking and whatever else back then too...

D

cbresearch2011 · 02-21-2011, 11:34 AM

Ya the patchd reams (as well as Chantix dreams) are the worst. They feel so real. For two months while I was on Chantix, I slept voluntarily on the couch, because my biggest fear was that I'd have a nightmare so real , and hurt my wife or something.

09-07-2008, 12:35 AM	#1 (permalink)
Mithra2012 Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Eden, NY Posts: 17	Nicotine Patch Nightmares!!! I've had some crazy dreams when I started using the patch. Last night was no different... Some are so vivid and horrifying, other are more like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". I love to share some "Nicotine Patch Dreams" with someone. I have tons, and I remember many of them vividly. Last nights was about armageddon... my town was burning, low flying planes everywhere, people crying out. The smell of death... even in my dream the smell was overpowering. I was trying to find someone, and I just couldn't get to them. Even the strange little girl I was with was trying to stop me from my task, slowing me down. She was an evil little girl come to think of it. When I got to where I was going, she called to Army on me, and I had to run before I could get to whoever I was trying get to. Then I woke up Anyone else? If not, I have more...

10-02-2008, 09:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
chippa Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Milford MA Posts: 249	I showed up here late- I'm from the nicotine forum, I quit smoking 1/1/08 using no nicotine replacement, but I quit a bunch of times before that with the zyban and hypnosis, chewing tobacco, and this time cold turkey every single time I had crazy crazy dreams, like my kids changing heads with each other, being attacked by giant lizards, my wife going on a killing spree and asking me to hide her from the cops and all sorts of horrific accidents, falling off buildings, car crashes, etc The point being I suspect it might be the lack of smoking that does it... feh __________________ Hope in one hand

03-02-2009, 03:14 AM	#7 (permalink)
iou1na is Clean!, not sober Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Ca-NA-da, eh Posts: 33 Blog Entries: 1	omg! After reading these posts, I have decided to forego the patch on this upcoming attempt to quit. My dreams over the past 2 months have been vivid and really complex, and the recall has been somewhat amazing. If going on the patch might increase my REM state, ick! No frakking way!! Methinks that I shall continue on my journey of writing the Steps and do the cold turkey method once more. .. .. __________________ Keep The Faith* Robb NACLEANDATE . . . .92/04/14. . . .

02-12-2011, 07:51 AM	#14 (permalink)
alexbrown414 Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 1	Nicotine patch dream Yes I had a similar issue. My first night on the patch, I had a dream that the twin towers were newly built and they had a college in it that I was going to. I was touring the cvs on the first floor of the tower and me and mom were ecstatic they had a Mac makeup counter. The elevators were very small inside the building, only two people could fit in one. The elevators could travel through Brooklyn and the upper eastside, pretty much all throughout the city. After pressing in a random number on the claustrophobic elevator, it took me to the Brooklyn bridge, and the friend I was with decided to walk into Brooklyn. I stayed on the bridge, and out of nowhere a mess of firetrucks appeared on the bridge. I started talking to an attractive firefighter on the bag of one of the firetrucks rig. He told me that there was an attack on the newly built trade centers, even worse than the one that occured in 2001. I realized why my friend had told me to take the elevator to the Brooklyn bridge and why she ran to Brooklyn. Than my dream ended. The scary part of having vivid dreams is that you can remember absolutely everything, even things you don't want to.

02-12-2011, 04:34 PM	#15 (permalink)
Dee74 SR Moderator Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Seas Posts: 42,366	Welcome to SR Alex Yes I only fell asleep with a patch on once - very vivid disturbing dreams...of course I was drinking and whatever else back then too... D __________________ “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be”Lao Tzu

09-07-2008, 06:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
Fulldresser4 Fulldresser4 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 531	Hi Mithra, I was just looking through the new posts and saw this. Last time I tried to quit smoking I experienced the same thing...very vivid dreams and nightmares. I am pretty sure this is common with the patch, especially the higher dosages. HTH.

10-07-2008, 09:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
soidog Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: The Plains Posts: 149	When I quit smoking a few years ago, I used the patch and found that I also had VERY intense dreams every night. I'm pretty lucky as I rarely have "nightmares" but some of these nicotine-inspired dreams were a bit over the top (i.e. far more vivid than the usual nonsense dreams). Never had one of the end of the world though...that must have been pretty wild.

01-13-2009, 02:31 AM	#5 (permalink)
ufe Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 27	I quit smoking 15 years ago with patches, and loved the lucid dreaming with total recall I would have. 5 yrs ago someone left patches at my place, and now I'm trying to quit patches.....

02-11-2009, 10:42 AM	#6 (permalink)
webslave Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 5	LOL, I've got to add to this thread. I have some old patches, over 5 years old. Seems they release alot of nicotine quickly rather than over 24 hours. Anyway, I've been putting them on prior to going to sleep cause my biggest trigger time is on awaking. I've had hideous dreams...so realistic! Stuff movies are made of and usually I can't recall a dream...but with the patch...I can!

03-02-2009, 07:51 AM	#8 (permalink)
SelfSeeking Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Northeast US Posts: 1,341 Blog Entries: 2	Just take the patch off before you go to bed! Set your alarm for like, an hour earlier than you usually wake up and put another one on. They work for 24 hours but they do mess with sleep if you leave em on through the night... K that's all

03-17-2009, 06:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
BrandMusic Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: UK Posts: 52 Blog Entries: 1	Ha ive had the same effects with the patch. CRAZY DREAMS. Mostly dreams that id wake up and go trough my morning routine, and then id actually wake up and be EXTREAMLY confused and agervated that i had to go through the whole thing again lol

03-22-2009, 12:30 AM	#10 (permalink)
klopper22 Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 69	I like having those dreams. I have only had one nightmare on them and that was the last I ever want to have with a patch on. I have tried to focus on something intensely before falling asleep to make me dream it, but it never worked.

04-15-2009, 11:42 AM	#11 (permalink)
PaleMale Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New York City Posts: 189	I also tried the nicotine patches and I had totally messed up dreams and nightmares as well. Taking the patch off before bed didn't work for me either. What eventually did work for me was using the patch for the first few days, to break the association of nicotine craving with cigarettes. After a couple days, I switched to the 4mg gum. Gum for me has worked great and I'm 4 years cigarette free. Although now I'm trying to quit the gum! 2mg. Actually since I stopped drinking a few days ago, I havn't used a piece of gum. The nice thing about gum is that you use as much as you need, and when you spit it out, your mouth clears the nicotine quickly. With the patch, even when you take it off, the residue still administers the nicotine. This is a big problem, since you need your nicotine replacement for the crucial after work time, but using the patch in the evening can lead to nightmares! The other problem I had with the patch was it would make my heart race. Scary stuff. Anyhoo, try the 4mg or 2mg gums. Try the non flavored kind first. I found the mint and orange gum made me chew it way too much. Good luck with your quits!

04-15-2009, 12:59 PM	#12 (permalink)
Believe808 Miracles Happen Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 9,977	OMG when I used the patches, WOW what dreams. And yes so vivid and they were the only dreams I could remember. Just got Chantix from doctor and took first dosage today. Don't know what the future will hold with these pills now. Any info would be appreciated.

06-26-2009, 11:18 PM	#13 (permalink)
Taurus80 Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 6	Yes I also had dreams and nightmares on the patch. I tried taking it off a few hours before I went to bed.

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02-21-2011, 11:34 AM	#16 (permalink)
cbresearch2011 Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 14	Ya the patchd reams (as well as Chantix dreams) are the worst. They feel so real. For two months while I was on Chantix, I slept voluntarily on the couch, because my biggest fear was that I'd have a nightmare so real , and hurt my wife or something.

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