Melatonin...I quit!

irisheyzs · January 2007

I have been trying for months to increase the dosage of Melatonin. If I take 3mg it's fine, sleep better than I do without and feel ok the next day. As soon as I increase the dosage to 6mg or 9mg, I feel like crap the whole next day. My stomach feels like I drank to much the night before along with being in a groggy don't feel like doing anything mood. Geez I can't imagine how I would feel if I took 20mg! Maybe I'm just one of those oddballs?

Hattie · January 2007

I just take the 3mg. As recommended by my docs (one of whom is a longtime bc survivor and open to many alternative meds). It can't hurt and probably helps.
take care,
--Hattie

lexi4 · January 2007

I absolutely cannot take the 20mgs. It gave me a horrible headache the next day. Felt yukky! I'll try the 3mgs instead.

LiveForToday · January 2007

I can't take more than 6 mgs at a time because it does give me a hangover the next day. I just take ambien maybe once or twice a week only if I haven't slept well in two or three nights. I have never had any side effects from Ambien. So sorry....hope tonight will be better!

huggs, Sherry

BlindedByScience · January 2007

I was told you have to work up to the higher doses. If I take too much I experience weird dreams, one after another, all night long. Not very restful

I don't know if this will work better, but I've also taken 5-HTP on the advice of an oncologist. This is simply a form of tryptophan, an amino acid. It is used as the starting material for the body to make serotonin (helps enhance emotional well-being) and promotes sleep. This supplement also works best if you gradually build up the dose over time and start out with 1 capsule before bed for the first week, then 2 capsules every night for the second week, and so on. The onc said up to 16 capsules would be OK but she didn't really have anyone taking that much. 100 mg capsules are common. You stop at the dose that works best.

denisa · January 2007

this in the NY Times about melatonin (and other natural substances). it really bums me out but it's something to pay attention to i guess....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/16/health/16diet.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=health

denisa

irisheyzs · January 2007

I've heard of 5-HTP but never tried it. My local news had a similar story on last night about the danger of supplements. One lady lost her nose from using an over the counter herbal cream. Burned the skin right off! Who knows if ANYTHING we take...FDA approved or not...is really safe. Thanks Ladies!

fancy2 · January 2007

Quote:

this in the NY Times about melatonin (and other natural substances).

Most of this is about overdoses, NOT regular use.

And don't believe everything you read in the news, even the NY Times. Go to PubMed and read the whole article. As far as danger--read the number of people who have been put into permanent liver failure by Tylenol if you want to get scared. These headlines, I am convinced, are made up by the folks who don't want you to know that natural substances are safer than the chemicals they concoct in their labs. So for me, I'll stick to the Melatonin.

denisa · January 2007

i agree with you - unfortunately, melatonin gave me such freaky dreams/nightmares i gave up on it.

denisa

irisheyzs · January 2007

Oh Fancy...I agree! Anything can be overdone or the FDA pushes things on the market before they should...I forget the name of the anti-inflamatory that was taken off the market for example. I wish the Melatonin worked for me. I liked what I read about it being used to slow the growth of breast cancer. I honestly felt horrible every time I tried to increase the dosage. Like I said above 3mg is fine, anything over that and I am nausiated the entire day. I thought maybe it would go away once I got used to it...didn't happen. I didn't have "freaky" dreams but more vivid and I remembered them. I never remember my dreams without it.

rubytuesday · January 2007

Bridget, Just a thought...maybe there is a filler or something in the brand you are using or maybe try a vegetarian form (that's the only one I use)?? Have you tried a different brand? If not, 3 mg is fine. I have s-l-o-w-l-y worked my way up to 8mg (3mg timed release and 5mg regular). That is working fine for me and I will continue with that dose until I feel ready to move up.
P.S. Check out the post on melatonin and bone loss.

SoapMaker · February 2007

I don't think that over 3mg is good for you. I think that is why you could only get it in 3mg dosages until it became popular. I was surprised to read that it comes in 20mgs. I think someone is taking advantage of the market and trying to make it "more is better". I wouldn't take any more than 3mg. When you have those reactions of not feeling well, after taking more than 3mg...that is your body trying to tell you something. Listen to your body.

----------------------------------------------------------
Where is the cure
www.truefacesofbreastcancer.org

rrs · March 2007

Is it safe for ER+/PR+ ???

fancy2 · March 2007

Quote:

I don't think that over 3mg is good for you.

No, my 20mg dose was prescribed by my naturopath. That's the theraputic dose for breast cancer. I agree with the idea that it might be filler that you're allergic to. So maybe try changing brands.

fancy2 · March 2007

Quote:

Is it safe for ER+/PR+ ???

Absolutely!

fancy2 · March 2007

rubyt, do NOT take melatonin in a timed release form. You are not supposed to take it any time other than at night. Otherwise, you mess up your sleep patterns. Whoever put it out in timed release (unless it's timed for 3-4 hours) doesn't understand how it works, I'm thinking.

Carmelle · March 2007

I take 6-9 mg pernight and have for four years since dx. i find the subligual type (dissolves under tongue) far superior and easier on the stomach.
I wonder if I should be taking more but also how long should you take 20mg as therapeutic? for a year? for ever?
Will try it.
Michelle

fancy2 · March 2007

Quote:

...how long should you take 20mg as therapeutic? for a year? for ever?

My thought is, for as long as I'm concerned about getting mets. Since I had bc in '95, and a second primary in '05, I'm thinking that means forEVER. We are no longer average folk that can take a One-A-Day and call it good. We'll be Survivors for the rest of time, and need more care than people who have never had a health problem. JMnsHO

sam52 · March 2007

Fancy..I take quite a lot of supplements, but not melatonin.
Could you please enlighten me as to the rationale behind taking this and how it helps in - hopefully - warding off a recurrence?
I am now 5 years past dx and will be taking aromasin until July. I am very scared of being off all meds.

By the way, I do have interrupted sleep (major stresses in my life right now) and I believe that melatonin helps with sleep issues.

Any advice about melatonin would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Sam

Calico · March 2007

I just started to take the lozenger version. My onc didn't want me to take sleeping pills and I asked him about Melatonin, he takes it too....3 mg. So two nights ago I took it at 1.30 am and last night at 8.30 pm....I slept more last night but was sooo tired from the night before...still waking up a lot..

The book "the warrior goodess" talk's about Melatonin working together with Vit. D warding of bc recorrance and mets....if it's true (no studies mentioned) it would be a good thing.

I read somewere that less Melatonin results in more inflammatory processes (due to lack of sleep) and therefore more Ommega 6, which results in more Estrogen which results in more free radicals and accelerated cell division (which obviously is bad for the breast etc)...
I'll try it for now since Onc takes it too.
He mentioned trials with 50mg are in the works....

God Bless

rubytuesday · March 2007

Fancy, I only take melatonin about 30 minutes before bed. The timed released is from LEF and is released for 6 hrs. The idea is for it to keep you asleep while the 'regular' puts you to sleep. The combo actually works very well. Best wishes!

fancy2 · March 2007

Quote:

Fancy..I take quite a lot of supplements, but not melatonin. Could you please enlighten me as to the rationale behind taking this and how it helps in - hopefully - warding off a recurrence?

I have no clue. I jumped through hoops backwards to get an onc at CTCA and the Doctor of Naturopath that came with him. Lise is a wonderful woman, and about the sharpest pencil in any box. I had spent two weeks making a list of supplements I thought I needed to take, and she fine-tuned it. I had 3mg of melatonin on my list--she bumped it up to 20. She said that was the theraputic dose. So I take 20 mg of melatonin. I see her every six months when I go in for checkups--if it changes, I'll let y'all know. Sorry I can't be more specific.

Calico · March 2007

I am taking two now, 6 mg....but no real difference....still can't sleep, I am waiting for a referral to the psych....happy pills here I come....

Jill1960 · March 2007

I tried Melatonin 2.5 mg for several months. It seemed to work somewhat at first, but after I finished radiation, I began waking up again in the middle of the night and could not go back to sleep. I was not functioning well at work, so my onc prescribed a trial of AmbienCR. It worked. For the first time in weeks, I slept through the entire night, and awoke refreshed. But I'm hesitant to use it unless I know I have a very demanding work day the next day that requires a lot of focus and concentration. I would rather use more natural remedies.

I didn't know there was time-release melatonin, so I'll look into that. Thanks RubyTuesday!

alanpvegas · March 2007

Quote:

Is it safe for ER+/PR+ ???

Yes and it has shown, in some studies, to have a positive effect on breast and ovarian cancer. (google search: http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:en&q=melatonin+breast+cancer )

For sleep, some people have success with melatonin, others none. Some have bad effects from it (not cancer related, just to melatonin), others none.

miamimama · May 2007

I have been taking 3 mg melatonin nightly for 10 years and I swear by it. I tried many different brands and found that, like Carmelle, the sublingual works the best.

awjkej · July 2007

From a prior post long ago (I printed it out and have it), it was from the individual who developed and maintains the Breast Cancer Watch website... it was posted:

Quote:

And since everyone will have their individual dose thresholds, yes some - any amount - is better than one. And dose escalation studies strongly suggest a gradual step-up strategy where each 1mg increase is phased in over at least a 72 hour interval, so that the next attempted step-up by an additional 1mg would not be tried until at least the fourth day, and again staying at that plateau for another 3 days before any further step-up is attempted

I don't know if this helps at all.

Anne

saluki · July 2007

Quote:

Fancy..I take quite a lot of supplements, but not melatonin.
Could you please enlighten me as to the rationale behind taking this and how it helps in - hopefully - warding off a recurrence?
I am now 5 years past dx and will be taking aromasin until July. I am very scared of being off all meds.

By the way, I do have interrupted sleep (major stresses in my life right now) and I believe that melatonin helps with sleep issues.

Any advice about melatonin would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Sam

As Anne has said Edge (Constantine) has quite a bit about Melatonin on his site and you can follow the links to the studies he is referring to.

http://home.earthlink.net/~ckane/brcaprev.htm#Melatonin

Look at the left side of the page.
Susie

LiveForToday · July 2007

Has anyone tried benedryl for sleep problems?? I think it is supposed to be safe but can cause a hangover if over dosed. May be worth a try...

huggs, Sherry

MinAZ · July 2007

Sherry - Even before BC, I used Benadryl at times for better sleep. I have a lot of nasal congestion so got started for that reason, and it definitely helped me sleep better. My sister also uses it. But I think it can raise blood pressure some, so I try not to use too often.

Mona

Harborwitch · July 2007

When I was working sleep was a real problem and allergies made to the environment made it even more impossible. The nightly routine was 2 benadryl, 1 3mg melatonin, and a half to a whole ambien. There were a lot of nights that even that didn't work. When we moved to the house, after I was fired, there were still a lot of nights where that didn't work. As the stress from the job receded (leaving me only dealing with the stress of being unemployed) I needed less and less.

A few weeks ago we scored a free spa. The owner didn't want to mess with it, didn't know if it worked or not so he was giving it away. We got it home, filled it up, replaced a fuse and turned it on. Whoopee. 1/2 hour or so in the spa before bed and I sleep like a baby most every night. A side benefit is that I do some leg exercises in the spa and I'm not getting out of bed like a crippled old lady - feet, ankle, knee, and hip joints are feeling much better.

Melatonin...I quit!

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