I think you are on to something because I also experienced this. First run I played before the most recent patches, it seemed to trigger after the first or second use.
After the patch that broke saves, it triggered seemingly after 4 uses for me too.
I had also used it on Lae'zel and Wyll. The first and forth on Goblins.
If only "Authority" tadpole uses trigger dreams, then using the tadpole against companions shouldn't trigger a warning/cue and maybe (just maybe) only "Authority" tadpole powers should be limited to once per day? That would solve the problem of using the tadpole against Lae'zel when she tries to kill you for showing symptoms.
In any case, at the very least using the tadpole with companions should not mess up dream triggers and camp events.
This makes me wonder if there is in fact a difference. One is dominating another through the mind while the other is using a shared connection (although often responded to as an invasion of privacy). After the first tadpole dream - Lae'zel
seems to use the connection to see how you responded to the Illithid Seducer without the animation Tav uses and without asking.
It sounds like a bug that using tadpoles on companions increments the tadpole narrative dialogue, but doesn't add up to the uses needed to trigger the cutscenes and powers. I also found new companion camp dialogue unpredictable, but it may have been because I was overcamping trying to trigger the tadpole dream.
