Melatonin

I took a 2mg Circadin (melatonin) tablet as a one off on Friday night and have felt pretty good since.

Of course it would be wonderful to have found a magic pill that works and, although I know I probably haven’t, I’m wondering whether anybody has noticed positive effects from melatonin, not simply improved sleep.

I actually sleep quite well as a rule. Although I’m up a lot to wee. Since becoming ill I generally never feel rested but over the last year I have woken feeling good a few times, as if I have energy to get up but this feeling disappeared again in the last few months.

So.., after the night on melatonin, I woke late with a bit of a fuzzy head, took a sumatriptan feeling a migraine coming on, but then I noticed that by the afternoon I was feeling almost normal, not fatigued and my head felt clearer than it has for a long time.

I may have to try the Circadin for a longer period but I’m interested in anybody else’s experience.

 

With me the effects of melatonin were very temporary. But then everything is, so I tend to rotate things. My main issue is with actually getting to sleep, some of the things I take can make that easier but have a side effect of, say, waking me every 2 hours, like clockwork.

I don't think I have taken any melatonin for at least 3 years so it's possible it may work again for me, for a week or so

 

It regulates the body clock and has some sleep inducing properties, beyond that it won't do much else. Side effects when starting it are not uncommon and usually settle down but it does not improve the sleep quality of ME/CFS, just the two things i mentioned.

 

Hi Maria1, love your new avatar!

I've found melatontin to be a good sleep aid, but like @Wonko, I can use it only 1 or 2 nights in a row before it stops working for me.

I haven't noticed any benefits in any areas other than sleep.

 

I love that it gets me to sleep on those wired but tired nights. Having had a full night I do feel better (not quite as zombie like) but havent noticed any other benefits but not sure what thise would be. I take .3mg if I am using it every day. Or 1mg if I need to make sure I get off.

 

Melatonin is not just a sleep hormone, but has wide ranging effects on immunity and brain function. It is possible it is helpful for some. I take it daily, but only 150mcg.

 

You don't need a prescription to buy melatonin.

 

Hi @Maria1

I take melatonin 5mg (retard) for several years now. It helped me with my sleep.

My information was it's a very good anti-oxidant, too. The serotonin metabolism might be affected since melatonin is converted into serotonin and vice versa (under usage of other substances). At least, that is my information.

I had the feeling that it had some positive influence on my mood, too.

My doctor was surprised I do well with only 5mg, she commonly prescribes up to 25mg.

 

It depends on the country.

 

I’m in the UK. I could probably get hold of some but I’d prefer to get it prescribed. My GP practice isn’t too bad and I think one or two might prescribe it.

I take amitriptyline 5mg occasionally if I’m not sleeping well. It works but makes me groggy the next day and I’ve noticed I eat more and gain weight when on it.

 

If your deficient in melatonin (which we might be due to Acetyl CoA reduction) then it can help, but beyond that the claims are very likely exaggerated. Also its not like most drugs/supplements, beyond 1ish mg there is no additional effect because once the receptors are saturated extra is useless. Even though they sell higher, i've seen 3, 5, 10mg tablets beyond 1ish mg only do more by the placebo effect. There may also be side effects from taking far more then our bodies were designed for. I would personally recommend limiting does to 1.5mg to account for some metabolizing

 

I have found 5mg to be effective for sleep, but not lower. Of course, I can't know whether that was just coincidence. But that's my experience.

 

I don't know of any mechanism that can account for this, though there may be an unresearched mechanism of higher doses. But if you were given a 1mg and 5mg blinded i wonder if you would be able to tell them apart.

 

Any references for this claim? I don't think that's true.

 

Not off the top of my head, years ago before my non 24 was diagnosed i was dealing with neurologists left, right and center and reading many papers on the subject but i didn't bookmark them for future reference. If you can spend some time on google scholar you may be able to find references and perhaps anyone who lives in my area can go to some of my specialists and pick their brains

 

What I took is a 2mg prolonged release tablet- http://www.circadin.com/about-circadin/
So I’m assuming the dosage debate is somewhat irrelevant. I slept longer on it, but I also sleep longer on amitriptyline at a very low dose.

 

No harm, the prolonged release probably won't make much difference but the dose is no big deal. AFAIK even high doses are not known to produce harmful effects, you should be able to take 50mg a day or more without doing any harm, but i wouldn't take the possibly unknown risk of doing so for no reason.

 

For people who live in the UK you can buy legally buy melatonin without a prescription from abroad, although I have occasionally found it on Ebay being delivered from somewhere in the UK.

Doctors can prescribe melatonin, but the BNF (British National Formulary) only recommends it for people over 55. I really have no idea why there is an age restriction. The dose provided is 2mg per day for a maximum of 13 weeks.

https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/melatonin.html

 

Years ago I tried melatonin supplements, I found they got me off to sleep quite well but I would often then wake up in the middle of the night, almost like a rebound effect.

More recently a sleep study showed I had very poor quality sleep, not uncommon in POTS patients, so was prescribed Circadin. The neurologist was quite insistent that it being pharmaceutical grade and slow release meant that it would work much better.

I don't think it has worked any miracles but I do notice generally more consistent sleep and the drowsiness on demand that it provides is quite handy.