meds make you have dreams?

Vivid dreams aren't a reported side effect for Cipro or Flagyl. If they are helping you sleep better that could be a more innocent explanation.

I think it's a coincidence. I have taken cipro and flagyl for 20 years in rotation with other antibiotics, and have not noticed any connection between taking them and vivid or nightmarish dreams.

I do have a recurring nightmare, but it's independent of any meds I am taking because I have had it while taking different meds. I talked to my buddy who is a psychiatrist about the recurring nightmare (mainly because he was a character in the latest incarnation of it), and he told me it was being caused by a feeling of not being able to control something in my life. After thinking deeply about his explanation for a while, I agreed with it. I have not had the nightmare recur since we had that conversation. And I was on cipro and flagyl for 2 weeks since then.

Many side effects only happen to a small subset of the people who use a medication. The fact that one person doesn't experience it isn't very strong evidence of anything. The fact that it's not been reported after many thousands of uses isn't perfect, but it's much stronger evidence.