Melatonin

[taniaaust1]

Yeah.Thanks,@taniaaust1.
I too really felt relieved with Clonazepam. It helped my wired feeling,muscle spasms and provided a feeling of comfort. I've only taken it for four days(0.5mg/day).

For me,I think it is both, the anxiety/over stimulation and the circadian issues, as both arise from taking active b12s.

I started a thread about benzos,and there are interesting and scary views from benzo/ex-bnzo users.After reading their views, I might never take a benzo again.

http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/benzos.18212/

yeah, one shouldnt be on benzos unless one does really need to be. If the active Bs are over stimulating you to the point where its causing you sleep issues, it may be wiser to cut back on the Bs if that is going to avoid you needing to take a benzo. Benzos should be last resort if you need to take something for sleep issues.

But for those who do need benzo for relief.. they can be such a real relief and not all have issues with them.

Be aware that some ME/CFS specialists see small doses of Clonazepam.. protective of our brains (some specialists believe they protect our brains from neurotoxcity).

 

[taniaaust1]

I have started taking CIRCADIN slow release melatonin and find it a bit better than the others so far

Its very interesting how we all get different responses to things. CIRCADIN slow release melatonin, I found to be worst (no effect at all on me) then any other kind of melatonin I tried.

This is a good example of how if something doesnt work.. it may be worth trying another kind or brand.

 

[arx]

yeah, one shouldnt be on benzos unless one does really need to be. If the active Bs are over stimulating you to the point where its causing you sleep issues, it may be wiser to cut back on the Bs if that is going to avoid you needing to take a benzo. Benzos should be last resort if you need to take something for sleep issues.

But for those who do need benzo for relief.. they can be such a real relief and not all have issues with them.

Be aware that some ME/CFS specialists see small doses of Clonazepam.. protective of our brains (some specialists believe they protect our brains from neurotoxcity).

Yes, not taking any benzos and also cut back on the active Bs for now. Melatonin also seems to be working. I just have a doubt about the dosage and any side effects and long term effects. I'm taking 1.5 mg daily.

And yes, also read about the Clonazepam in the recent article posted by Cort.

 

[Allyson]

I have heard that melatonin is pretty safe long term but no real details on that
I would be careful of the clonazapam though as that is definitely habit forming
and is in the same family as valium - diazeapam
I only take it as a last resort as it works quickly

 

[Rory_5]

I spoke with a doctor re: my severe insomnia. He advised I could take as much melatonin as I needed (safer than not sleeping at all) and then try to taper off. I went up to 80 mg to get a decent night, then cut to 70. I think tonight I'll try 60 and see how that goes.

 

[Sherlock]

I spoke with a doctor re: my severe insomnia. He advised I could take as much melatonin as I needed (safer than not sleeping at all) and then try to taper off. I went up to 80 mg to get a decent night, then cut to 70. I think tonight I'll try 60 and see how that goes.

Hi, Rory. Did the doc say why it took so much for you? (I have no effect from 30 mg, maybe I'll try higher after reading this.)

 

[arx]

Wow, that is a lot!

With Melatonin, I get weird vivid dreams and feel really groggy the next day. What about you guys?

 

[Rory_5]

He didn't say why exactly, but he was very confident it would work. And it did, and I am grateful because I had lost all function as result of the insomnia. Sleep meds on their own did little for me. I also use 5HTP, been using that for some time. I have weird dreams too, I think it's a combination of melatonin, 5HTP, and the anxiety all this has caused.

The doctor added he had one patient, a middle aged woman, who needed 120 mgs. She gradually tapered down, as I am hoping to do.

 

[taniaaust1]

The doctor added he had one patient, a middle aged woman, who needed 120 mgs. She gradually tapered down, as I am hoping to do.

Kind of scary to hear a doctor is telling patients to trial in amounts this much as Im sure no safety studies would of been one on amounts anywhere near that much. Melatonin is a hormone.. who knows what long term affects such huge doses could do.

Once when I was sucidial, I tried to OD on a whole bottle of melatonin ..which actually had no affects or side effects on me at all (It didnt even help me to to sleep that night.. i went something like 36-48 hrs without sleep), so yeah from that I know melatonin can be quite harmless... but large doses long term.. I wonder. Maybe putting such large doses in the body would cause ones own body to produce even less of it?

 

[Rory_5]

Kind of scary to hear a doctor is telling patients to trial in amounts this much as Im sure no safety studies would of been one on amounts anywhere near that much. Melatonin is a hormone.. who knows what long term affects such huge doses could do.

Absolutely right. That's why I'm trying to taper off ASAP. Still, it's definitely been the lesser of two evils so far... the insomnia was so bad, I was fully expecting to be hospitalized.

 

[heapsreal]

i have tried 30-40mg once and didnt really do much. I have read that high doses over 20mg are used for cancer treatments and immune disorders but i havent commonly read about it though.

cheers!!!

 

[Sherlock]

Maybe putting such large doses in the body would cause ones own body to produce even less of it?

AFAIK, there is no negative feedback with melatonin, as can occur with some other hormones.

 

[Sherlock]

i have tried 30-40mg once and didnt really do much. I have read that high doses over 20mg are used for cancer treatments and immune disorders but i havent commonly read about it though.

cheers!!!

It'd seem logical that either the melatonin isn't working in some people, or else it isn't getting absorbed.

I'll add that I had tried it for sleep long before getting sick, when it first came out. It did nothing back then for me either.

 

[Rory_5]

Then hopefully my taking 60 mg per night for the foreseeable future won't be a problem down the line

 

[Sherlock]

Then hopefully my taking 60 mg per night for the foreseeable future won't be a problem down the line

As for myself, I wouldn't take the same hormone (or supplement, or drug like benadryl) day after day after day. If it turns out that a supplement or drug was too much, at least the system can have a day off now and then to try and clear itself for self defense. I'd even think the same for a multivitamin.

 

[Allyson]

Rory i have read that it makes mo difference how small adose of melatonint you take - ie a larger dose will be of no more use thatn a smaller one
i take 2mg per night of the circadin and it works plretty well overall
i have taken up to 6 mg of othr types and no ...did not find it helped more

also re clonazepam which i take when i wake and can't get back to sleep i have found even a tiny bit helps - say about an eight of a 2 mg tablet does the trick ususally and eventually - it takjes alittle while to work.

 

[heapsreal]

Other benefit of melatonin is that it is a strong antioxidant especially for the brain and helps reduce high levels of dangerous nitric oxide, which b12 is used for as well. Doses maybe more importants when used for this purpose and for strengthening the immune system. one site cautions high doses of melatonin if one has an auto-immune condition.
http://suite101.com/article/melatonin-in-autoimmune-disease-a19378

 

[taniaaust1]

Rory i have read that it makes mo difference how small adose of melatonint you take - ie a larger dose will be of no more use thatn a smaller one
i take 2mg per night of the circadin and it works plretty well overall
i have taken up to 6 mg of othr types and no ...did not find it helped more

it does seem to be a drug in which once one hits the dose which works for oneself.. taking more wont do much else. In my own case 2mg used to work but my sleep issues worsened over time and the 2mg stopped working.. but 3mg (which didnt do anything more then 2mg did originally) was working for me. So I then just started taking that dose.