? for those who've tried or have had problems with melatonin

[travel bug]

I've always had problems sleeping, specifically staying asleep. If I sleep two hours straight it's a cause for celebration. It's been this way as long as I can remember. The last year or two I've been taking Benedryl to help me sleep; it works pretty well without being habit forming or having any weird side-effects. But as you may have heard, drugs like Benedryl and Tylenol PM, which has the same active ingredient, have been linked to an increased risk for later dementia.

So, getting to my question. I've been sleeping even worse than usual now that I've quit taking Benedryl. I've read here that melatonin can cause seizures in people with epilepsy. Does it affect people other than those who have nocturnal seizures? If it causes a seizure, does it happen soon after taking it or can it sneak up on you after you feel like you're safe?

I NEED sleep! But I don't want any of those prescription sleep meds. I know people who've had really weird side-effects with them. Help, please.

 

[lindsayschu2]

I'm only one person so this is just one data point--I have no problem with it, with nocturnal seizures--but I take only 1.5 mg a night and it helps (I def notice the nights I forget to take it). I've been taking it over a year. A lot of studies show that with melatonin more isn't necessarily better. That's just my experience and I know some people have problems with it. If you do try it, try no more than 1 mg first and see how it goes.

 

[Ruth]

I used Melatonin for awhile. Then I got to sleeping more and more. Benedryl keeps me awake. I didn't know that they had the same active ingredient.

I just was awake all night long, I couldn't sleep. Now, I will sleep most of the day. My days and nights are mixed up. Do you have that problem?

 

[AlohaBird]

Melatonin gives me seizures. Very clear causal relationship but my E is nocturnal.

I also have a lot of problems getting to sleep and staying asleep through the night. I highly recommend the Delta Wave Sleep CDs by Dr. Jeffrey Thompson which you can get on Amazon. I also got a fleece headband thingy (on Amazon) that has little speakers in it that you can hook up to an ipod. Very comfortable even when sleeping on your side. Between the CDs and the headband, I am sleeping soundly for 8-9 hours at a stretch. It's delightful.

It's nice to find a solution to a problem that does not involve another pill.

 

[travel bug]

Thanks for the input and advice, everyone.

I gave in and took some Benedryl last night and finally got some decent sleep. I'm a caregiver for my dad, and yesterday I started getting snappy with him which made me feel horrible. I really needed the sleep to be at my best for him. But I definitely don't want to take any more. I think I'll try a small amount (1mg) of melatonin; I usually only have focal sensory seizures which, though creepy and unpleasant, aren't that bad, so I think I'll risk it. But I'm going to order one of those cd's, AlohaBird, thanks for the suggestion. I use a fan for white noise anyway; sound that promotes sleep would do double duty.

@Ruth - I'm usually a night owl by nature, but I don't really have day and night mixed up. I just need about twelve hours of bed time to get five or six hours of sleep. That's not very efficient

Thanks again, Lindsay, Ruth, and AlohaBird!

 

[Kgartner]

My daughter has always had trouble sleeping and melatonin has helped her a lot. Her neurologist Ok'd it and she has never had issues with it causing seizures for her (she does not have nocturnal seizures). It's certainly worth a try!

 

[AlohaBird]

Another thing that helps me sleep is the Gaia brand pills called "Sound Sleep".
It's an all natural all herbal mix of passionflower, skullcap, valerian and such. Non-addictive and doesn't give you the morning after foggy headed feeling that some sleeping pills can.
I don't take them all the time but they are great for traveling.

 

[cawhitern]

I've had a problem with insomnia since changing meds. My epileptologist told me taking melatonin was fine but to stay away from benadryl because it lowers seizure threshold. I had been taking Tylenol Pm to help with sleep but had to stop. Melatonin 5 mg at bedtime has helped but I've also had to add lorazepam 1 mg at bedtime. It was either that or never sleep. This combo has been working well for me and I sleep well and wake up without a hung over feeling.
Good luck finding something that works. Sleep is so important!

 

[Nakamova]

Melatonin is known to cause an increase in seizures for people who have nocturnal epilepsy. It's less likely to be a problem for people with daytime seizures. With any OTC med or supplement, it's a good idea to start with a very small amount to see how it will affect you.

 

[travel bug]

Well, I tried melatonin, 1.5 mg (half of a 3mg tablet) last night. It made me feel sleepy, but it didn't help me get to sleep. In fact, it did the opposite. Instead of drifting off to sleep, it felt like I fell asleep in such a way that it was jarring and woke me up. (If that makes sense ) Once I was finally able to get to sleep I woke up about every hour, the way I normally do.

I might try velerian root again. I took it for a while in the 90's and it worked pretty well, but I quit taking it for some reason I can't remember. I looked it up to see what might have been the reason, but nothing I read seemed like a reason for discontinuing use unless it just stopped working for me.

As for Benedryl not being recommended for those with E, I had been taking it some time before I heard about it without any problems. But I only ever took half a dose at a time.

Thanks again, all.

 

[Ruth]

Hi Travel Bug, I tried Melatonin and it worked for a few nights. Then I kept sleeping and I could not stay awake.

Did anyone else have that problem with Melatonin?