Might try melatonin... any advice? (I'm hesitant about all meds)

Hi all,

I haven't used any sleep aid or medicine in over a year, period, and I have had negative reactions to almost any non-food substance I put in my body including medicines and cold eeze lozenges. But I am desperate to sleep and had trouble sleeping last night and am thinking about trying melatonin as a backup in case I can't fall asleep. I need to go to work.


I know not all fibro people seem to be chemically sensitive to meds the way I am, but I'm wondering if you have any advice for me anyway. Basically I'm already scared.

My med history (during fibro years):

3 years ago I took a heavy duty antibiotic that caused me near hallucinations and hellish dreams and days of insomnia with a total of 20 minutes of sleep for near 3 days. That scared the crap out of me and was downright traumatic.

Usually when I take contrast dye for an exam or test, I have trouble sleeping and wake up often in the midst of scary dreams in an off mood.

When I took a tiny, tiny, tiny portion of ativan, I had insomnia and almost a month of disturbed 'unrefreshing' sleep after.

When I took a cold eeze pill, it felt like someone poured acid on the nerves of my body, my muscles twitched, my eyes felt like they were bulging and I felt anxious. This feeling lasted for maybe 4 days and slowly subsided.

Case in point: I'm terrified of all meds and all substances that aren't 'natural' or food. Should I even try the melatonin at all? Should I put it in my mouth for a second and only try 1/10th of the recommended dosage?

Sorry, I'm just scared and not sure how to handle this.

Thanks!

I've been taking melatonin for years along with L-Theanine with is also a supplement that helps the mind and it seems to help my muscles relax.

I began with 3 mg. of melatonin at night. What's nice is I can take it again in the middle of the night if need be.

Good luck to you.

@almost medfree... and couchtater thanks.. and SoSt9

I picked up some Melatonin and also some 100% tart cherry juice because (supposedly) some studies with placebo control groups demonstrated that drinking two full glasses of this juice which has natural melatonin (?) lessens time awake in bed and also lengthens time asleep by some measured amount on average. I've just drank down two full cups so hopefully it will help.. even just a few extra minutes of sleep would make it worth it to me! (They also hypothesize that the antioxidant properties may encourage sleep by reducing inflammation)

For me, when I am overtired, (got less than 6 hours of sleep) it seems my brain does not create and manufacture the chemicals needed to sleep the next night. If I am "overrested" (when rare) (more than 8.5 hours) that also throws me off and prevents me from sleeping on time.

The sweet spot seems to be 7 to 8 hours each night... Less or more than that and I will have trouble falling asleep. You'd think that getting 4 or 5 hours would make me more apt to sleep easily but its quite the opposite. :/

Post Edited (CharmCityLady) : 10/24/2012 8:38:14 PM (GMT-6)

Is the juice that you had heavy in carbs (sugars)? I am not one of these people, but I wold be afraid that drinking that would keep me up. If it does work for you, please let me know. I am willing to try anything new.

In order for me to feel fully rested, I have to get in at least 10 hours of sleep. I also function better if I can be awake for about 36 hours straight (with the ten hours sleep inbetween). Too bad the world does not work this way.

Joy - I was up until I think maybe two ast night. I am sleepy now, but I don't know if I will be tired or not. I am trying to not use the Vicodin tonight (I have used it at night for a month straight now). I am crampy and achy. Hopefully my mind will give in and still let me attempt to sleep.

Post Edited (SoSt9) : 10/24/2012 9:21:25 PM (GMT-6)

I take 5mg of melatonin, and it seems to help me. I read somewhere that it works the best if you take it about 6 hours before bedtime, although it does not say this in the instructions.

I take my melatonin just before I lie down and read. Along with my L-theanine if I'm lucky I'll fall asleep within 30 minutes.

Charmcitylady,

I've been doing the kind of tart cherry juice that comes as a concentrate that you mix with water. It might be helping my pain level, it's hard to tell. I heard it's good for athletes after a workout and good for arthritis. Maybe it's beneficial for us.

Thanks DW. I am going to have to look into these.

Joy is correct. If you take it more than 28 days, your body will cease making its own melatonin.

SoSt9 said...
My neurologist told me to take it every night. I think the taking a break for a week makes sense though. My body does get used to any medications (except Trazodone) and after a while, I can't fall asleep to it. I would take Trazodone for that reason, but I don't like how I feel in the morning. I would rather be just tired than foggy and tired.

My dr just started me on trazodone. I am taking 1/2 a pill each night, but does not seem to be helping so she will prob increase it.