Wellness

[Shopping momma]

Just a thought for you to consider.

http://empoweredsustenance.com/melatonin-is-bad-for-you/

[CatsyCline]

i use Night Time, i take one cap per night. as you can see it really works! lol (here it is 1:00 AM on eastern time) i just ordered another bottle too.

[Tyak]

I've been taking melatonin for just a few nights, 3mg. And so far, I'm not sleeping any better. Kind of disappointed at this point.

[CalminHeart]

On 1/15/2015 Tyak said: I've been taking melatonin for just a few nights, 3mg. And so far, I'm not sleeping any better. Kind of disappointed at this point.

Melatonin doesn't make you fall asleep, it's not a sleeping pill. It works with chemicals in your brain that allow you to fall asleep. It takes a couple of weeks (at least) to notice a difference. I take 1g and it's great for me. But it took close to 3 weeks before I noticed much change.

[Midnight Shadow]

On 1/14/2015 dooBdoo said:

I hope everyone checks with their physician or pharmacist.

Melatonin is a hormone,

can interfere with other medications, and can have adverse side-effects.

Here's just some info about it: "...Melatonin is likely safe for most people when taken for a short-term, studies show.

However melatonin may cause side effects including headache, daytime sleepiness, short-lived depression symptoms, stomach cramps, dizziness and irritability...

...may interfere with some cancer treatments, according to the American Cancer Society...

...may increase the strength of the immune system, which can cause problems for people with severe allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, lymphoma and other conditions linked to overactive immune systems, according to the American Cancer Society. People with immune system disorders should speak with a doctor before taking melatonin supplements as melatonin may weaken the effectiveness of immunosuppressants.

Melatonin may slow blood clotting, so taking melatonin alongside medications that also slow blood clotting can lead to excessive bruising or bleeding. Melatonin may also produce this side effect if taken with herbs that slow blood clotting such as angelica, clove, danshen, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, Panax ginseng, red clover and willow...

...Several drugs and treatments may interact with melatonin...

...Melatonin may increase blood sugar, therefore decreasing the effectiveness of diabetes medications to lower blood sugar. Melatonin may also constrict blood vessels, which could be dangerous for people with high blood pressure or heart disease..."

(Many sources online, this one matches what my pharmacist has said, and is from the in-depth article at http://www.livescience.com/42066-melatonin-supplement-facts.html.)

Dr. told me to try melatonin starting with the 3mg. Because I have such unusual reactions with so many otc or prescribed meds, I broke it in half. Within 15 minutes I got Very dizzy. I haven't drank in over 28 years, but it felt like I did. I hated the reaction and tossed it all away. Called my Dr. the next day and she called back saying not to use it because some people do have reactions. She stated some of the same listed above by dooBdoo.

Thanks for the listing dooBdoo. MidnightShadow

[dooBdoo]

On 1/15/2015 Midnight Shadow said:

On 1/14/2015 dooBdoo said:

I hope everyone checks with their physician or pharmacist.

Melatonin is a hormone,

can interfere with other medications, and can have adverse side-effects.

Here's just some info about it: "...Melatonin is likely safe for most people when taken for a <em>short-term</em>, studies show.

However melatonin may cause side effects including headache, daytime sleepiness, short-lived depression symptoms, stomach cramps, dizziness and irritability...

...may interfere with some cancer treatments, according to the American Cancer Society...

...may increase the strength of the immune system, which can cause problems for people with severe allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, lymphoma and other conditions linked to overactive immune systems, according to the American Cancer Society. People with immune system disorders should speak with a doctor before taking melatonin supplements as melatonin may weaken the effectiveness of immunosuppressants.

Melatonin may slow blood clotting, so taking melatonin alongside medications that also slow blood clotting can lead to excessive bruising or bleeding. Melatonin may also produce this side effect if taken with herbs that slow blood clotting such as angelica, clove, danshen, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, Panax ginseng, red clover and willow...

...Several drugs and treatments may interact with melatonin...

...Melatonin may increase blood sugar, therefore decreasing the effectiveness of diabetes medications to lower blood sugar. Melatonin may also constrict blood vessels, which could be dangerous for people with high blood pressure or heart disease..."

(Many sources online, this one matches what my pharmacist has said, and is from the in-depth article at http://www.livescience.com/42066-melatonin-supplement-facts.html.)

Dr. told me to try melatonin starting with the 3mg. Because I have such unusual reactions with so many otc or prescribed meds, I broke it in half. Within 15 minutes I got Very dizzy. I haven't drank in over 28 years, but it felt like I did. I hated the reaction and tossed it all away. Called my Dr. the next day and she called back saying not to use it because some people do have reactions. She stated some of the same listed above by dooBdoo.

Thanks for the listing dooBdoo. MidnightShadow

You're welcome. I think some people don't realize melatonin is a hormone. My pharmacist said some women experience hot flashes and other hormone-associated problems when they introduce melatonin to their system.

(From the link I posted: "...melatonin does more than influence sleep. Melatonin also regulates the start of menstruation, the length of ovulation cycles and menopause, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.")

I've used it in the past, but even though I'm not usually sensitive to meds I found that it caused my depression to worsen and it also triggered headaches.

I've been thinking about you, Midnight Shadow, and I hope you're doing well. It's nice to see you posting.

[bluejeansluvr]

Hmm good information. I will ask my doctor about this the next time I go. I have been taking 3mg of Melatonin every night for the last year or two ( I think, I can't remember now for sure). If I don't take it now, I can't go to sleep and can't stay asleep. I considered it, an alternative to prescription sleep aids, which I wasn't eager to take. I wanted to try and "fix" my insomnia in a more natural way so that's when I started looking at herbal supplements, teas etc. and started the melatonin.

I also sometimes take a Benadryl or a ZZZ quil before bedtime too, if I have had a particularly stressful day. I've tried other OTC supplements too but the Melatonin seems to make me sleepy very quickly. However I notice that the nights I combine it with one or two Benadryl or ZZZQuils, I feel groggy the next day. If I am out of those things sometimes I will take an OTC sleep aid like Tylenol PM or something else.

I think it's just the time of life I'm in, I never used to have trouble sleeping and really now my trouble isn't so much falling asleep as it is, staying asleep. I'm really sensitive to DH tossing and turning in the bed and if he gets up to use the restroom that is it. Then he wakes me up and I have a hard time going back to sleep. If I've taken an OTC sleep aid I have a much easier time going back to sleep and feel drowsy.

I really was not aware that you shouldn't take Melatonin for a long period of time. Now I'm wondering if I should stop taking it. I am going to talk to my doctor about this. Good topic and discussion OxOx and ladies, thank you.