List of 45 Medications that Cause Unusual Dreams

In the last decade or so, "unusual dreams" has cropped up more and more as a normal side effect of perscription medications.  These tend to be medications somehow effect brain chemistry, such as some antidepressants.  It is unknown if these drugs cause the unusual dream or just makes you more aware of your dreams.

If you suspect that your meds are giving you nightmares, don't just stop cold turkey.  This can cause dangerous or painful withdrawal symptoms -- not to  mention the return of the symptoms you were trying to avoid in the first place.  Talk to your doctor first about tapering off.

Here is an incomplete alphabetical list of perscription medications that give you unusual dreams or nightmares.  Check out this list from NBC affiliate Channel 3 WYKC (taken from a Wall Street Journal article but my computer downloads it faster than WSJ, so there) Here's another list by pharmacist Suzy Cohen:

1. Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine): treats ADHD and may cause nightmares
2. Albuterol sulfate: Asthma medication that apparently has nightmares as a very rare side effect.
3. Ambien (zolpidem sulfate): Heavily perscribed insomnia drug known to cause sleepwalking, sleep driving and bad dreams.
4. Amphetamine: Used to treat narcolepsy and ADD reported to help with lucid dreams and vivid dreams.
5. Aricept (donepezil): Medication for sleep apnea in Alzheimer's patients and dementia that seems to help patients remember their dreams and anectodal reports states it causes bizarre dreams.
6. Atenolol: A beta blocker known to cause bad dreams as noted in this 1985 study.
7. Atripla (Efavirenz/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir): An HIV-1 drug that contains sustiva, so see Sustiva (THANK YOU to whoever pointed out my earlier error of stating this drug was for AIDS.)
8. Avelox (moxifloxacin): An antibiotic that has at least 66 complaints of bad dreams to the FDA.  It is an uncommon side effect.
9. Betaxolol:
10. Biaxin (Clarithromycin): An antibiotic that has at least 12 complaints of bad dreams to the FDA.  It is an uncommon side effect.
11. Bisoprolol Fumarate: Another beta blocker known to cause vivid dreams.
12. Bystolic (nebivolol): Yet another beta blocker that sometimes causes "weird/vivid dreams."
13. Carbidopa: See Levodopa
14. Carvedilol: Another beta blocker, etc
15. Chantix (varenicline): This is perscriped to smokers to help them quit.  The manufacturer claims that Chantix blocks nicotene receptors in the brain so that a smoker does not receive the same amount of pleasure smoking.  The Internet is loaded with anectodal weird and bad dreams that patients claim to have experiences while taking Chantix.  "Changes in dreaming" is one of the most common complaints about Chantix.
16. Cipro (ciprofoxacin): An antibiotic where "nightmares or abnormal dreams" is a side effect listed as serious enough to warrant telling your doctor.
17. Coreg (carvedilol): Another beta blocker that can cause strange dreams.
18. Cymbalta (duloxetine): An SSRI antidepressant where scary or weird dreams is a common side effect.
19. Depakote (divalproex sodum): A seizure drug often perscribed for people wuffering from migraines.  An uncommon side effect is abnormal dreams.
20. Dramamine (Dimenhydrinate): This is an over the counter (OTC) drug for motion sickness that some people claim causes nightmares.  Never did for me, though.  This is a rare side effect.
21. Effexor (venlafaaxine): An SSRI antidepressant where scary or weird dreams is a common side effect, according to this study.
22. Labetalol: A common beta blocker that sometimes causes nightmares or strange dreams.
23. Lamictal (lamotrigine): An anti-seizure medication that tries to "reduce abnormal brain activity."  Weird dreams are a common side effect.
24. Levaquin (levafloxacin): Another antibotic known to sometimes cause nightmares or abnormal dreams.
25. Levodopa:  This is used to treat Parkinson's disease.  Bad dreams are common when on this drug.  A 1978 study noted that about 30% of patients studied reported bad dreams.  This happened with and without the patient also taking carbidopa.
26. Lexapro (escitoprolam):  Another SSRI antidepressant where bad or unusual dreams are common side effects.
27. Metoprolol: Another betab locker known to sometimes cause "strange dreams."
28. Nadolol: Another beta blocker, etc.
29. Nebivolol: Another beta blocker, etc
30. Nicotene transdermal patches: OTC smoking cessation device is thought to cause unusual dreams in this 2006 study.
31. Paxil (paroetine): GlaxoSmithKlein's SSRI antidepressant noted for causing suicidal behavior in some young patients.  So, if a get nightmares while taking it, consider yourself lucky.  You're still alive. Uusually, doctors will try a "softer" antidepressant like Prozac before trying Paxil.
32. Pindolol: Another beta blocker, etc
33. Prazosin: Blood pressure medication thought to decrease nightmares in PSTD sufferers.
34. Propranolol: Another common beta-blocker (sometimes perscribed off label for migraines) that can cause nightmares or vivd dreams.
35. Prozac (fluoextine): Perhaps the most perscribed drug in the world, this SSRI antidepressant has been known to cause unusual dreams.  (Not with me, though.)
36. Ritalin (Methylphenidate): Yeah, THAT Ritalin.  Thought to cause nightmares.
37. Straterra (atomoxetine hydrochloride): Medication for AD/HD reportedly can cause nightmares.
38. Sustiva (efavirenz): Used to treat AIDS and thought to cause nightmares.  I'd think the nightmares would be a relief, quite frankly.
39. Tamiflu (Oseltamivir): Treats influenza in children butuk  researchers note that it can sometimes cause nightmares.
40. Topamax (topiramate): Medication for migraines and epilepsy sometimes linked to nightmares.
41. Wellbutrin (bupropion): Yet another SSRI antidepressant linked to bad dreams and nightmares.
42. Xanax (alprazolam): Bad and vivid dreams are a very uncommon side effect for this anti-anxiety medication. I did have bad dreams when on Xanax, but I have bad dreams seemingly every night.
43. Zocor (simvastatin): A common statin which can helps lower blood pressure but also cause nightmares and abnormal dreams.
44. Zoloft/Lustrene (sertraline hydrochloride): A common SSRI antidepressant used for a variety of psychological conditions and some off-label ailments, including menopause and some heart conditions.  Sometimes the dreams are described as "vivid" which I'm not sure is a bad thing.  This 1999 study looked at one woman taking Zoloft who had dreams of being attacked.  That's a bad thing.
45. Zyban (bupropion) : See Wellbutrin