Misc Melatonin for sleep, ?s about Dr. recomendation...

[bronson]

I suffer from ocd and severe anxiety with panic attacks. I've been seeing a Dr. for a few years now and after running through various medications got on a combo of Luvox 200mg once a day, and Valium 10mg multiple times a day as needed. This has been working great for around a year with no tolerance build up that inhibits what the medicine is being written to do.

My issue is in the sleep department, and I refuse to take my Valium simply for the purpose of sleep as I know taking it as not directed is playing with fire. The only rx I've tried has been Seroquel which was far too potent, and even Benadryl leaves me more fuzzy than desired in the am.

When my Dr. retired the new psych I started seeing suggested melatonin 5mg before bed. I've tried it three nights thus far and have mixed feelings. It helps with sleep and doesn't leave me fuzzy feeling the next day. My main complaints are having a hard time actually waking up (though I feel great once I do), and dry mouth in the morning with a slight sore throat.

Any suggestions on if the dose seems right, or possible alternatives would be great.

 

[tricomb]

Proper diet and exercise, vitamins, getting a healthy amount of sunlight daily, and the right tea before bedtime will probably work wonders for your insomnia.

Melatonin is not a prescription drug, but we can't give you any advice on obtaining prescription sleep medication from your doctor even if you need them for legitimate health reasons. Just a friendly reminder.

 

[Oxyuranus]

I quite like melatonin... I have taken it on and off for a few years now. I take it right before dinner (1930) and by 2200 I'm ready to hit the sack. Like you, I find it very hard to wake up in the mornings... I also get very strange, vivid dreams whenever I take them. Ask your doc for a script. The OTC stuff is rubbish. (apparently)

You could also try 5htp... You will need to order it online as it not available for sale in Australia but is legal to import. Gives you a bit of an energetic buzz for a couple of hours before you start to get drowsy. Mixes well with MJ, if your are into that kind of thing.... 5htp is a precursor to seratonin and melatonin. I would research it heavily though as quite a few people have bad side effects from it. (first time i took it, while completely sober, I had a panic attack)

There are valerian and kava extracts available from the chemist. Never found these to be of much use, however.

Edit:

My apologies for ignorantly assuming you were Australian

 

[sekio]

My main complaints are having a hard time actually waking up (though I feel great once I do), and dry mouth in the morning with a slight sore throat.

Drink more water & get more excercise. The melatonin's not causing those symptoms - they happen to everyone.

 

[bronson]

we can't give you any advice on obtaining prescription sleep medication from your doctor even if you need them for legitimate health reasons. Just a friendly reminder.

I'm aware and my apologies if I wasn't clear. To be honest I'm a little afraid of anything rx only for insomnia in addition to my other meds I'm already on mentioned above. I'm looking for more natural routes towards better sleep. Especially other people that have had positive experiences with melatonin as to learn from them.

Thanks to both of you for the speedy replies. I always appreciate all the advice and input I can get.

 

[tricomb]

No, you have not done anything wrong I was just posting that for the record so that other people don't post things like "try this, try that".

I have gotten more improvement by adjusting my diet and exercise than I have with prescription sleep medication, so it's good that you try not to add a night time benzodiazepine because you're already on a moderate dose of diazepam and every time you take them, it adds to your previous levels of diazepam and it's active metabolites that have half lives of hundreds of hours (it takes multiple days for your body to clear just one dose of diazepam even after you no longer feel the effects).

 

[Oxyuranus]

Drink more water & get more excercise. The melatonin's not causing those symptoms - they happen to everyone.

Sorry mate, but I feel these symptoms EVERY time I take melatonin. I am I the army, so get plenty of sun and exercise. I work out in my spare time (gotta love those endorphins) and always keep myself well hydrated.

 

[bronson]

Drink more water & get more excercise. The melatonin's not causing those symptoms - they happen to everyone.

I think both suggestions are solid advice for better sleep in general for sure, I just was happening to notice them more since I started taking the dose of melatonin. Doesn't much matter the reason for the symptoms though I suppose, what you suggested would help to make them better.

No, you have not done anything wrong I was just posting that for the record so that other people don't post things like "try this, try that".

Thanks, that's good to hear as I've been on a hiatus from bL for a good while and am a bit rusty at the whole thing.

Also when you say changing your diet, what types of food are you talking about specifically?

 

[pbuilder]

maybe lower the dose to 3mg, talk to your doctor about it.

I've heard melatonin is effective with some people at doses as low as 300 micro grams.

 

[bronson]

I've heard similar things, but my doctor seemed to think that because of the other medication I was on a stronger dose would be required to be effective. That logic doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me but I don't know the specifics on how exactly everything interacts either.

As for a dose in the micrograms I'm all for the theory of lowest effective dose but am not sure how you would achieve such a dose since the lowest they seem to be sold in around here are the 3mg. That's corporate thinking though, people will blindly assume more will work better and so that's what sells. =/