Wellness

[Love my grandkids]

For years, since death of DH, the only way I can sleep is by taking 5 mg of Zolpidem (generic for Ambien). A few years ago with my doc's OK I added melatonin, 5 mg.

All was working great until 2 weeks ago. Have been having VERY vivid dreams which would wake me and could never get back to sleep. Getting sick of this.

THEN I read a recent post here about others having similar situations using melatonin. So last night I skipped it and slept much better!

No vivid dreams to wake me and prevent me from getting any sleep. Will continue to skip it and hope I get the same good results.

Thanks to those who posted about their experience as it NEVER would have occurred to me that maybe I don't need melatonin anymore. Time will tell.

[skatting44]

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@Love my grandkids wrote:

For years, since death of DH, the only way I can sleep is by taking 5 mg of Zolpidem (generic for Ambien). A few years ago with my doc's OK I added melatonin, 5 mg.

All was working great until 2 weeks ago. Have been having VERY vivid dreams which would wake me and could never get back to sleep. Getting sick of this.

THEN I read a recent post here about others having similar situations using melatonin. So last night I skipped it and slept much better!

No vivid dreams to wake me and prevent me from getting any sleep. Will continue to skip it and hope I get the same good results.

Thanks to those who posted about their experience as it NEVER would have occurred to me that maybe I don't need melatonin anymore. Time will tell.

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 Ambien has many side effects. Back in the 1990's , I thought there were warnings  of people sleep walking  and not being aware of  what they were doing  after taking the sleeping medication.    with worse ones that you should tell your MD abt  right away   per WebMD  " : memory loss , mental/mood/behavior changes (such as new/worsening  depression , abnormal thoughts, thoughts of suicide , hallucinations , confusion, agitation, aggressive behavior, anxiety ."

[luvmybeetle]

@Love my grandkids   I don't undertand why you would need Melatonin if you are taking Ambien.  I take the same Ambien and have been for years and it keeps me asleep (unless I need the bathroom).  But I'm glad you mentioned the reaction to the Melatonin because my Nurse Practitioner said to use it along with my Ambien.  I will not be doing that.  

[luvmybeetle]

@skatting44   I understand the side effects also but sometimes people can't sleep and nothing helps.  Some of us will do what we can just to get our sleep if we are in physical pain also.

[Sweetbay magnolia]

I dream, now that I am actually sleeping, now that I take melatonin regularly.  Sometimes I wake up from a dream, but to me it's better than being awake and never sleeping.

As a relentless insomniac, years went by and I felt like I never got REM sleep.  Now I sleep and dream.  Feels right to me.

YMMV, of course.  Good sleep to all - my Dr. warned me there could be serious effects to not getting adequate sleep.  My Dr. also knows I take it (melatonin).

[skatting44]

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@luvmybeetle wrote:

@skatting44   I understand the side effects also but sometimes people can't sleep and nothing helps.  Some of us will do what we can just to get our sleep if we are in physical pain also.

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Sorry you have difficulty with sleep. I do emphasize , was just providing info that may be related to your complaints of vivid dreams .

[Love my grandkids]

@luvmybeetle The reason I had to add melatonin some years ago is because the Zolpidem wasn't working as well as it had been. For a long time the melatonin was a huge help.

I did all this under a doctor's care and for the right reasons. It was NOT physical pain. It was a case of getting very little sleep.

And I've never had any ill effects from Zolpidem.

OK I'm done explaining!

[LillyandHobo]

I was taking the Zolpidem and Melatonin and I always had horrible dreams! The dreams were so bad I could feel myself panic to wakeup. I will not go near that stuff. I told my DH about the nightmares and he looked at me like I was crazy. He takes it occasionally with no issues and no other meds! 

[LillyandHobo]

I was taking the Zolpidem as well and after a while it wouldn't keep me asleep and it was getting harder to fall asleep. My dr recommended the Melatonin and it was horrible dreams and sleeping "panic attacks". I quit it and the nightmares stopped. I would never take it again.

[Carmie]

Many people are taking Melatonin without a thought.  It is even being given to children.

My DIL wasn't happy with me when I didn't give my grandson his Melatonin  before he went to bed while he was on vacation with us for a week.  He went to sleep with no issues because he was exhausted.

Melatonin is a hormone.  It is not a herb supplement.  Recently I have seen articles where it is not necessary as safe to take as previously thought.

As with any meds, use with caution.