topic Re: Melatonin in Wellness

Melatonin

gidgetgh — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 20:53:34 GMT

Does anyone here have experience taking Melatonin for sleep issues?

I'm not looking for medical advice, just your personal experience with it if you care to share.

Re: Melatonin

4kitties — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:04:36 GMT

I started taking it about 2 years ago. I do not take it every night but usually 3 or 4 nights per week. I take the 5mg.

I recently learned that it helps with GERD too. I know I started having my acid issues at about the same time I developed sleep issues. I do think it has helped with my GERD.

When I first started taking it I had some issues with bad dreams, but that has not been an issue for me lately. And I do think it helps me to stay asleep for the whole night, about 7 or 8 hours.

Re: Melatonin

FrostyBabe1 — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:04:40 GMT

Melatonin on it's own did absolutely nothing to help me sleep.

The CBD/Melatonin gummies from Charlotte's Web are wonderful! I chew a couple of them about 60-90 minutes before I want to go to sleep and off to dreamland I go!

Re: Melatonin

gidgetgh — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:45:16 GMT

Maybe I should be a little more open.

As many of you know, my husband has Parkinson's and Parkinson's related dementia. At least in my opinion, his condition seems to be accelerating lately.

A symptom that some Parkinson's patients have is acting out their dreams. Now, my husband hadn't been doing this and even though his doctor hadn't mentioned it a few times I wasn't really quite sure what that meant.

Well, this week, I've had 2 occasions to experience exactly what that means. It is very, very freaky for lack of a better word. And in the middle of the night and all. I won't say that I'm freaked out. I'm not a real freak out kind of person, but I'm unsettled.

We see his doctor again in a few months and I can certainly move the appt up. I did some googling and it looks like they try one of 2 things for this. Doses of melatonin or some kind of tranquilizer.

Please let me add this though. If you have experience with family members acting out their dreams PLEASE don't give me the details and specifics. I'm pretty fragile on this and can't handle any horror stories right now. I'm not putting my head in the sand, but please just stay neutral with this.

Re: Melatonin

kutira — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:25:16 GMT

I have been using Melatonin sublingual from Source Naturals (Whole Foods or any natural food store) for maybe 5 years? I take 2.5mg while I read before bed and then put 1mg under my tongue when I go to sleep. Works every time!

Re: Melatonin

scatcat — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:30:37 GMT

I take 3mg (Trader Joe's brand). I get a decent night sleep.

I have really strange long dreams - not nightmares.

As much as they say sleep aids /melatonin isn't habit forming, maybe it's my head game, but it's a habit

Re: Melatonin

sunshine45 — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:41:53 GMT

i take 3 mg about two times a week. it works well for me

i dont have problems staying asleep, but i do have issues falling asleep.

i take it about an hour prior to when i want to be asleep.....i am usually laying in bed watching tv. i am usually asleep within the hour.

Re: Melatonin

Annabellethecat66 — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:43:26 GMT

I take it every night. No problems. It was recommended by 3 Drs.

Re: Melatonin

goldensrbest — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:44:05 GMT

I would call his doctor this week ,and speak to him about this.

Re: Melatonin

gidgetgh — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:47:37 GMT

@goldensrbest wrote:
I would call his doctor this week ,and speak to him about this.

@goldensrbest - I plan to on Monday.

Re: Melatonin

Krimpette — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:54:28 GMT

I had been taking 500 mcg (Trader Joe's brand) every night. I do recall having vivid dreams, (even though it's a very small dose) though they were never unpleasant dreams. I've since found that I don't need a sleep aid these days.

Re: Melatonin

mintedrose — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 22:15:28 GMT

Im sorry to hear that you're going through this. Although I havent taken any melatonin and Ive had sleeping problems for a few years now. There are a couple of things which do work for me, but everyone is different and if one thing works for one may not for another. Have you tried a gel capsule called rescue sleep remedy. Its very gentle and does work. Another supplement that I know of is called 5HTP which increases your serotonin and then produces melatonin. However, you do need to ask your doctor about this to take the proper dosage and all. It has a variety of benefits from depression to weight loss sleep problems etc etc. Just my two cents.

I hope you find something that helps you.

Re: Melatonin

Peaches McPhee — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 22:18:32 GMT

I take it nightly, and have been for years. Even so, I still have

some difficult nights, and I keep a stock of otc sleeping pills on hand.

Re: Melatonin

froggy — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 00:49:03 GMT

I take 5mg every night. Really helps me stay asleep. It doesn't affect my dreams at all.

Re: Melatonin

ECBG — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 01:59:19 GMT

I take Melatonian either 5 or 10 mg every night to get to a level of sleep that dear dog or DH doesn't constantly awaken me.

It was suggested years ago by the pharmacist whom said his night staff took it after getting off. I've never had a problem. I never miss it.

Re: Melatonin

colliemom4 — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 02:12:52 GMT

I've taken it but couldn't tell if it was doing anything so I decided to try a sleep aid from Walmart. Their brand. It says non addictive on the bottle and it's very inexpensive. I think it's probably some type of antihistamine though I'm not sure. It's worked well for me. It was actually recommended to me from someone else. The only problem I've had is finding it. It must be pretty popular.

Re: Melatonin

happycat — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 02:21:03 GMT

It doesn't work for me. I can take 10 milligrams of it, and I will still be wide awake an hour later. Then 2 advil pm and still have trouble staying asleep.

My daughter says when she only takes 1 mg of melatonin, she will sleep like a rock and will be groggy the next day.

I don't get it.

Re: Melatonin

happycat — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 02:26:33 GMT

I just read more of what you wrote, @gidgetgh.

I won't go into detail either, but I have had some trauma lately, nearly ended up in a psych ward frankly. One of the meds one of the drs gave me was trazodone. It is suppose to calm you and help you sleep. One doctor acted like he thought it was the best thing since sliced bread.

And apparantly it is for a lot of people. It just made me feel off and I couldn't sleep with it either.

I wonder if it could help your husband?

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your husband. He is blessed to have you.

Re: Melatonin

Ceci — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 02:46:43 GMT

I took Ambien for 20 yrs and it worked very well, never had the publicized side affects. After we moved to Florida, I didn't have a doctor for a while and stopped using it. I was hoping sleep wouldn't be a problem anymore. It was! I'm a chronic insomniac and nothing changed after all the years of Ambien.

I then tried over the counter ZZZQuil which contains Diphenhydramine (Benadryl). It worked like a charm. I only buy liquid so I can easily adjust the dose. Sometimes I only take a 1/4 of the amount specified. I was so happy to find something to help me fall asleep.

I mentioned it to my daughter and she told me to stop taking it because its linked to memory loss! I looked on the internet and found articles saying it does cause memory loss. I had been taking it for about 4 months and hadn't noticed memory loss but it made me nervous. I'm 70 and I didn't want to take a chance I'd become an old lady losing her mind!

So I tried Melatonin, again the liquid. I found it at Whole Foods. It works beautifully. The bottle has an eye dropper which is marked with lines so you can choose how much to take. Again, I adjust the amount to the lowest. If I am laying in bed for a while and can't fall asleep, I squeeze a few more drops. It always works.

What I like about Melatonin is it doesn't leve me feeling groggy in the morning. I don't feel drugged. I didn't have side affects when I used the ZzzQuil (Benadryl) either.

Try the liquid melatonin. This way you can increase or decrese how much you need. For example, sometimes I feel so tired I'm sure I'll fall asleep. Sometimes I do but most times I don't. I don't want to lay in bed for hours waiting to sleep. Then I can take an eye-dropper of Melatonin, even just a few drops and will fall asleep. I believe Melatonin is safer (couldn't find anything negative about it except a rise in blood pressure), so I love the liquid.

Re: Melatonin

gidgetgh — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 12:01:16 GMT

@happycat wrote:
I just read more of what you wrote, @gidgetgh.
I won't go into detail either, but I have had some trauma lately, nearly ended up in a psych ward frankly. One of the meds one of the drs gave me was trazodone. It is suppose to calm you and help you sleep. One doctor acted like he thought it was the best thing since sliced bread.
And apparantly it is for a lot of people. It just made me feel off and I couldn't sleep with it either.
I wonder if it could help your husband?
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your husband. He is blessed to have you.

Sending my best wishes to you @happycat . I hope you're feeling better now.