Can melatonin cause chronic fatigue? Or at least worsen it? How about fexofenadine?

[BopToTheMop]

Can melatonin cause chronic fatigue? Or worsen it at least?

I’ve been taking melatonin (2mg, slow release) since July to correct my N24 sleep pattern, which was prescribed by my doctor.

It has been genuinely working well and my sleep pattern is a lot more regulated.

However I am dealing with really high levels of fatigue throughout the day that is really limiting my abilities.

I was wondering if the melatonin could be causing my fatigue or making it worse.

I was dealing with fatigue issues before taking melatonin but it seems to be a lot worse now but I’m not sure if it is due to the melatonin or due to other issues.

When the doctor did blood tests I found out I had glandular fever and he said that was causing my fatigue but I’m wondering if the melatonin could be making it worse.

The only thing is I’m kinda worried about coming off melatonin as I don’t want my sleep cycle to mess up again.

Has anyone here dealt with fatigue issues as a result of melatonin usage?

I did find an old Facebook post of mine from 2019 and there I was talking about fatigue issues and that was a year before I started taking melatonin so maybe the melatonin doesn’t effect it.

I am just unsure I guess.

Also going back to 2018 I’ve had episodes where my fatigue has been really high and I’ve lied down on pavements and things when I was too tired to carry on walking

Also when I raised my dose to 4mg I found my fatigue was extremely high when I woke up so I went back down to 2mg.

I have ordered a pill cutter off the Internet also so I can try giving myself 1mg and see if anything changes.

Does anyone here have any experience with melatonin and chronic fatigue issues?

Are they related?

I just wanna get rid of my fatigue

Also I’m taking fexofenadine, could that be making me fatigued?

 

[nerd]

Theoretically, it's possible that the IDO trap forces tryptophan to be metabolized to Serotonin and then Melatonin.

Have you tried fast-release Melatonin (e.g. liquid Melatonin)? You don't need the slow release when you only need help getting into sleep.

 

[Hip]

However I am dealing with really high levels of fatigue throughout the day that is really limiting my abilities.

You can consider lowering your dose a bit, and seeing if that reduces the daytime fatigue.

The dose of melatonin required to get improved sleep varies from person to person. In my case, I find I need 5 mg, but others find 1 mg is enough.

 

[Hip]

Also, are you using timed release melatonin tablets by any chance? These may remain in your system longer than the more common immediate release tablets.

 

[lenora]

I took melatonin many, many years ago, and it only succeeded in making my very bad sleep cycle even worse.

This past summer, after multiple hospitalizations and new drugs found me not getting proper sleep for about 4 mos. (I kid you not!). I almost felt better on these sleepless nights than when I did sleep. I was exhausted, I remember that. Hot cups of tea seemed to work when held in my hands, but then I'd fall asleep and they'd be spilled all over my keyboard.

After checking, rechecking, starting and stopping meds, it was discovered that a simple BP med taken at night (as per instructions) was the culprit. It's now taken in the a.m. and has all day to wear off. I did start having sleep problems a few days ago after I absolutely had to go back on a statin that I would rather be without. I didn't know I was back on it, as my husband puts my meds out for me (now). Anyway, no sleep for 2 nights straight...and my hubby told me about the statin. We moved it to the a.m. the next day, I did a bit better that night, and just fine last night. Even though it works better at night, I need sleep.

So try checking out what you're on (if anything) and juggle them around a bit. Even some natural "meds" can have a bad result if taken at the wrong time of day. This is as much info as I can give you...the natural meds, I can't remember, but do know there are problems with some of them. Sweet dreams...Yours, Lenora.

 

[wabi-sabi]

Can melatonin cause chronic fatigue? Or worsen it at least?

Melatonin gives me an awful groggy/hungover/drunk feeling that takes hours to wear off. Is this what you're referring to? Of course, insomnia doesn't make a person feel too peachy either, but for me, think the melatonin feeling is almost worse.

I'm not sure about data on melatonin and ME/CFS and how it might affect the illness.

 

[Judee]

With this disease anything can make it worse?

I would say try the lower dose and/or pulse the dose by taking it every other or every third day.

If I take some cherry juice two nights in a row the third day I will be extra groggy. (Cherry juice has natural melatonin in it.)

 

[Alvin2]

Neither are likely the cause of your symptoms. Both are taken by countless millions and such side effects would be well noted by now.
Also Fexofenadine's ability to cross the blood brain barrier is minimal and is advertised as not causing drowsiness.
As for the melatonin you can reduce the dose and not take slow release. 1mg after absorption is about what your body would naturally produce. Anything more doesn't do much as the receptors are saturated. Though its commonly sold in 5mg and 10mg tablets. I take 1mg and it works as well as the higher doses.

For both if you really feel they are causing problems try weaning off them, there is very small chance they could be causing you fatigue and you won't lose much by not taking them to see if that helps.

 

[vision blue]

Like a couple of other said, wouldn't the extended release be a top suspect? Melatonin usually gets produced when it's dark- time to sleep. If youre taking it all day long, wouldn't your body be getting a signal all day that it was time to sleep?
I'd be curious t see how you do on the regular melatonin half an hour before bed- but that's it for the 24 hour day.

 

[Alvin2]

Like a couple of other said, wouldn't the extended release be a top suspect? Melatonin usually gets produced when it's dark- time to sleep. If youre taking it all day long, wouldn't your body be getting a signal all day that it was time to sleep?
I'd be curious t see how you do on the regular melatonin half an hour before bed- but that's it for the 24 hour day.

Melatonin is rather unique in that it only works at certain phases of the circadian rhythm. Most drugs work the same day or night but if you take melatonin during certain times it has virtually no effect. Sometimes people mistake this for melatonin having no effect on them.

 

[pamojja]

Melatonin usually gets produced when it's dark- time to sleep. If youre taking it all day long, wouldn't your body be getting a signal all day that it was time to sleep?

Melatonin is rather unique in that it only works at certain phases of the circadian rhythm.

See these 2 talks in in this post: https://forums.phoenixrising.me/threads/melatonin-in-the-uk.82901/#post-2322223

According to which Melatonin is 24/7 produced as mitochondrial antioxidant. Which however doesn't enter the blood and therefore can't be meassured there (during the day).

While its endogenous production in the brain and circadian rhythm setting is completely interrupted as soon as blue-light hits the eyes.

Therefore it can be taken during the day without making one sleepy. And its sleep-induction during night can be easily disrupted by sitting in front of a computer-screen too long (after taking melatonin and before its absorbed in the blood). Which is consistent with my experience. Dpn't get any side-effects from it.

 

[godlovesatrier]

I felt a bit drowsy from melatonin in the early days but this soon wore off. You become resistant to melatonins effect (at the same dosage) after awhile. But that's odd it's causing you fatigue, if anything it improved mine because my body was sleeping deeper and this always helps my muscles get more out of the coming days activities. But I'm sure not everyone is able to get enough sleep in the first place for that to happen.

Hope you find some relief soon.

 

[Tammy]

Have you tried stopping the Melatonin to see if that is the culprit? You will probably have your answer shortly? Just my personal opinion, but I highly doubt that the melatonin is the cause of your fatigue or worsening of fatigue.

 

[lenora]

I just wanted to share an interesting article that I recently read.

I began using 4% Aspercream (OTC) spray or lotion around the time I went off fentanyl after being on it for years. (No problems for me, out of interest, except that I had to go to pain specialists and see another doctor besides.) I do think it helped in just turning off the volume of the nerves, b/c now I'm able to control the pain with the use of Aspercreme (whichever spelling), but I've especially noticed that the roll-on does an even better job.

The article I was referring to said that Lidocaine also helps with sleep. Well, guess what Aspercreme contains? And I began using it towards the end of my non-sleep cycle. Personally, I find the spray irritating to the cough center and now use the roll-on more often. I also have a prescription from my physician for a cream that's excellent at relieving spasms and pain. I use it less and less often, though. So who knows if the roll-on Aspercreme will help you or not? Just wanted to pass this along. I hope it helps. Yours, Lenora.

 

[pattismith]

Do you have daytime sleepiness?

I tried 1.8 mg melatonin one day and was very bad during 24h00 (very cold, headache, vivid dreams), so I didn't experiment it again.

I guess I should try with a very tiny dose.

 

[vision blue]

But taking a burst of melatonin during the day can nonetheless upset the day-night melatonin cycle (higher production at night in vertebrate animals)

In the same way that taking a burst melatonin can and has been used reset the circadian rhtyhm in humans (eg so e use it 2 hours becore what you want new bedtime to be) , one can inadvertently reset bedtime signal for the day, depending on how the slow release is released.

Heres a good article on the evolution of melatonin starting atleast 2.5 billion years ago and the many different functions it now serves
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2019.00249/full
I just retead the blasted thing (its long) to nake sure i had not misremembered sonething and postec inaccurately but i did not

So I stand by original post that melatonin during the day has the potential to disrupt circadian signal which in turn can make one shut down (and therefore feel tired) at wrong time of day.

Why not see if its different by not taking the extended release kind? ( I forget tho why you're taking it in the first place)

 

[BopToTheMop]

Thanks for the replies everybody.

I have been off Melatonin and Fexofenadine for a few days now and sadly there has been no improvement to my fatigue so it looks like they weren’t the culprits sadly, I would have liked to have finally got the answer to my fatigue.