KatieJ Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Ok, I am tired of falling asleep and waking up several hours later. My sleep clinic techinician said to try Melatonin...and I have tried Valerian Root, 4 HTP, and most recently Benadryl..every.single.night. Benadryl was making me really groggy lately, so I am trying the Melatonin. TEchnician didn't say how much to take. I have a 2mg timed release tablet. I woke up at 3am and was awake for over 3 hours.. 2nd night I took 2 and I woke up at 2:30am..and was awake for over 3 hours. Tonight I am tired! HOw much are you Melatonin users taking? The girl at the Vitamin store said up to 9mg is safe...so I am going for 6 tonight, but part of me wants to take 8mg and just get some sleep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen sn Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Not sure about how much to take, one to three mg does it for us. But I wanted to bring up another herb, skullcap. (Scullcap?) Have you ever heard of or tried this? It is really good. Valerian is more about relaxation, tonic for the nerves. Skullcap is about SLEEP. As someone suffering from a chronic state of sleep deprivation, I feel your pain. Mine is due to 8 month old baby boy and some teething. It truly does awful things to the body....... One study recently published results that basically said when you get more sleep - you lose weight. So I guess I will NEVER lose my baby weight. Ugh. Good luck with more melatonin. You can probably start high and wean yourself down as the weeks go by and it is working. If not, try the skullcap. Take it in tincture form. You will be impressed how fast it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the floating cottage Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I love this stuff. I feel so much better in the morning! My doctor advised me to take it. I would fall asleep but then wake up in the middle of the night and couldn't fall back asleep. FRUSTRATING! Anyway, my pills are 3 mg each. At first I would take 2 if I was going to bed early. You will be in a deep sleep and it will take you a minute to wake up. But after about 15 min I am awake and don't feel groggy. Now that I feel like I am "caught up" I only take 1. Now if I know I HAVE to go,go,go for the next day I will still take 2. Good luck I hope this helps! Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepymommy Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Melatonin does make me groggy in the morning, I feel like I'm still in a dream state for the first few hours. This is from a 3 mg time release formula, but even the non time released ones make me groggy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 there are some people for whom melatonin does not seem to work. It doesn't hurt to try, but for some there is just no noticeable effect. I hope you're not one of them and that you can get to the bottom of your sleep problems (quickly!). Oh, and I take 3 mg and it works for me *most* of the time, but I still try not to use it every night. I took it with me on our recent vacation. One hotel had an ac unit that sounded like a jet engine. I still got (some) sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Savannah Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I don't want to hijack the thread, but you ladies sound pretty knowledgeable...I have not tried melatonin for sleep problems, because I understood that anyone who takes high blood pressure medication (I take ACE Inhibitors for a kidney disease which results in high blood pressure) should not take melatonin. Does anyone have insight on this? It sure would beat Benadryl!! Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 The girl at the Vitamin store said up to 9mg is safe...so I am going for 6 tonight, but part of me wants to take 8mg and just get some sleep! I'm sticking my neck out here -- A "girl at the Vitamin store" is the last person whom I would trust about anything. Before swallowing anything, either prescription medication or alternative remedy -- and we use and profit from both in our family, owing to the multiple and varied health situations present -- I read up on the substance, always trying to locate information sources as sober and as trustworthy as I can find. No advertisements, no paid testimonials, no infomercials, and no store clerks. Melatonin is not a long-term solution, but is regarded as safe for a few months. 1-2 mg. per night is the adult dose I have read most often. Individual body systems differ so vastly, though, so a slightly higher dose may be needed. Forgive me, but a recommendation of 9 mg. sounds irresponsible. The waking during the night and failing to fall asleep again while taking melatonin does occur. I have experienced this myself. Same with the "spacey-feeling" hangover from melatonin. (I posted in another sleep-related thread somewhere recently that I have endured insomnia for 35 years now, and currently am in an unbearable period of sleeping only zero to five hours per night, with serious life impact as a result.) The 5-HTP did not work as a sleep aid. It is a relaxer, and sometimes used in a regime combatting depression, but often is not a useful sleep aid. Keep searching for something to help ! Please don't be offended by my urging research and caution. "Natural substances" are drugs just as much as anything from a pharmaceutical manufacturer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted May 18, 2009 Author Share Posted May 18, 2009 I'm sticking my neck out here -- A "girl at the Vitamin store" is the last person whom I would trust about anything. Before swallowing anything, either prescription medication or alternative remedy -- and we use and profit from both in our family, owing to the multiple and varied health situations present -- I read up on the substance, always trying to locate information sources as sober and as trustworthy as I can find. No advertisements, no paid testimonials, no infomercials, and no store clerks. Melatonin is not a long-term solution, but is regarded as safe for a few months. 1-2 mg. per night is the adult dose I have read most often. Individual body systems differ so vastly, though, so a slightly higher dose may be needed. Forgive me, but a recommendation of 9 mg. sounds irresponsible. The waking during the night and failing to fall asleep again while taking melatonin does occur. I have experienced this myself. Same with the "spacey-feeling" hangover from melatonin. (I posted in another sleep-related thread somewhere recently that I have endured insomnia for 35 years now, and currently am in an unbearable period of sleeping only zero to five hours per night, with serious life impact as a result.) The 5-HTP did not work as a sleep aid. It is a relaxer, and sometimes used in a regime combatting depression, but often is not a useful sleep aid. Keep searching for something to help ! Please don't be offended by my urging research and caution. "Natural substances" are drugs just as much as anything from a pharmaceutical manufacturer. I am not offended. Lest I succomb to write an epistle on my sleep woes, it made it sound like I trust just anybody with my supplement choices. I have had sleep apnea for 25 years and have been treated for 15 years. It was at the sleep clinic after my lastest sleep study that I was told to try Melatonin as a last resort before trying a prescription sleep aid. I fall asleep quickly, and my apnea is very well controlled, however I wake up frequently. They neglected to give me a heads up on dosage. I went to the Vitamin Store that I always go to. The only 2 people that work there are the owner and his daughter. They have owed it for 12 years or so and are extremely knowledgeable and I do trust them. I usually am aware of what I want to buy before I walk in there tho. :001_smile: 9mg sounds excessive to me as well. I did take Melatonin years ago when I started down the peri menopause journey and insomnia entered my life. At one point I went to a store to get another bottle and they suggested 5 HTP as a substitute with more benefits. I can't remember now just what, but I have since switched vitamin stores. I did take 6 mg of Melatonin last night and I slept great for 6 hours, was a wake briefly and then slept another 2 hours. I feel great today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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