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brandy_m
H.P(ea) Show-off
PeaNut 62,296
January 2003
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Loc: PA-Jackass of the Northeast
 |  Posted: 2/18/2013 7:05:47 AM
I started taking melatonin about a month ago because I could not fall asleep. I'd lie there for hours. I've already done things like limiting caffeine (although the only caffeine I drink at home is tea).
It's been working wonderfully. But the last 4-5 nights, I sleep great from bedtime (around 11) until 3 am. And them I'm up. And I toss and turn for a couple hours.
Has this happened to anyone else? |
Brandy
mama to Andy, Kenny and Katie
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MrsScrapDiva
PeaFixture
PeaNut 101,638
August 2003
Posts: 3,043
Layouts: 2
Loc: New Hampshire
 | Posted: 2/18/2013 7:09:07 AM
I bought some but then never took it  I think I was afraid it would make me too tired. But I do recall that I read somewhere that others have had the problem that it only worked for a certain period of time. | |
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h*pea*ing
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 231,164
November 2005
Posts: 5,105
Layouts: 8
Loc: Midwest
 | Posted: 2/18/2013 7:11:20 AM
Worked fantastic for me, until I started getting the worst abdominal pain you can imagine. It was one of the not so common side effects of the melatonin. I had to get a script from my dr for something else. |
~heather~
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kelleykreates
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 37,012
April 2002
Posts: 5,012
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Loc: Lehigh Valley, PA
 | Posted: 2/18/2013 7:13:19 AM
Yes, that happened to me when I took it. It allowed me to fall asleep but not stay asleep. I've become a very light sleeper and so the slightest noise will wake me up. I tried the new Zzzzquil from Nyquil and it allowed me to fall back to sleep if I was awakened and I found that I didn't even wake up very much at all. I only bought a box of 6 doses to try it out. It says it's not habit forming but I can see how it would be. I'm trying the next few nights without anything to see if I can sleep. |
Um, this is Two Peas. First world problems are the subject of approximately 93.17% of the threads here. It's our specialty. -Busypea
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lovetodigi
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 257,022
April 2006
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| Posted: 2/18/2013 7:21:53 AM
There is a time released one that works when you first take it and then continues during the night. You might want to check into that. I was having the same problem, waking around 4, but I started drinking a cup of Sleepytime tea about 30 minutes before going to bed and then taking the Melationin about 15 minutes before bedtime and so far I am sleeping good through the night. You can get the tea in teabags or K-cups.
Here is one brand of the time released Melatonin |
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GrinningCat
Proudly Canadian
PeaNut 43,061
July 2002
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| Posted: 2/18/2013 7:23:43 AM
The only thing it ever did for me was make my heart race in bed. Which is a very strange and kind of scary feeling. I've never used it since. | |
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hilsmom
Professional Hobbyist
PeaNut 292,577
January 2007
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Loc: In the deep-fried south.
 | Posted: 2/18/2013 7:50:06 AM
S/O works night shift one week a month, and has used melatonin for years to reset his body to regular time. He only takes it the first day or two that he's home from nights, and it seems to work fine on him. Without it, he's up all night, even if he didn't sleep any that day. The rest of the month, he doesn't take anything, so that may be why it still works for him after so long. He has never mentioned side effects. |
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WingNut
Best Cat Evahhh!
PeaNut 18,741
July 2001
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Loc: Maryland
| Posted: 2/18/2013 8:18:19 AM
Yes, I've had that happen. Not every time, but on occasion.
As an aside, I'm pretty sure the Zzzzquil is just a product with Benedryl (diphenhydramine HCI) in it. You can buy a store brand bottle of Benedryl for MUCH cheaper. A single Zzzzquil capsule has 50mg of diphenhydramine HCI which is the same as two Benedryl tablets/caplets.
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LilBit1339
PeaNut
PeaNut 385,849
August 2008
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 | Posted: 2/18/2013 8:46:11 AM
I have a brain I can't turn off.  So I take the melatonin fairly routinely. I take the melatonin for only three nights in a row. With the melatonin I only sleep about four hours. I wake up and toss and turn for the rest of the night.
I take a RX sleeping pill when I am exhausted from lack of sleep and gotten into that zombie functioning mode. With my RX I sleep all night, but can't take it every night, as it is habit forming. Rotating with the melatonin gives me some sleep on the other nights. With my (non)sleeping habit, I appreciate even the four hours.
I think any sleeping aid taken constantly, will loose its effectiveness as your body adapts (or becomes dependent)on it. I did hear that the over the counter dosage of melatonin is actually more than our body requires. I've cut my pill in half, and didn't notice a difference in the effectiveness or amount of sleep provided. Actually, even though it's not a full nights sleep, I found that the quality of those few hours is better on the half dosage. If you are having side effects, you may want to reduce the dosage and see if you can still obtain the results you are seeking.
I've tried all the "home" remedies. Nothing helps me fall asleep faster, nor stay asleep. If I could find another alternative to my RX that would help me fall asleep and sleep longer ... I am willing to give it a shot! |
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KittenOnTheKeys
PeaFixture
PeaNut 498,237
February 2011
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 | Posted: 2/18/2013 9:50:22 AM
Our specialist said to only take it for a VERY limited time (preferred none at all) because the body will quit producing it's own. You will need more and more to get the same results. It sounds like you could be hitting that point.
Slowly wean off of it and replace it with 5HPT. It will help the body produce it's own sleep hormones and not have these bad side effects. It can upset the stomach so eat with a meal and work up slowly. |
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lovetodigi
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 257,022
April 2006
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| Posted: 2/18/2013 11:23:35 AM
Slowly wean off of it and replace it with 5HPT. It will help the body produce it's own sleep hormones and not have these bad side effects.
I have never heard of 5HPT, so I did a Google Search. Based on what I found, I would be concerned about using 5 HPT
This is what webmd says about 5 HTP
5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan) is a chemical by-product of the protein building block L-tryptophan. It is also produced commercially from the seeds of an African plant (Griffonia simplicifolia).
Don't use 5-HTP until more is known. 5-HTP might be UNSAFE. Some people who have taken it have come down with eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS), a serious condition involving extreme muscle tenderness (myalgia) and blood abnormalities (eosinophilia). Some people think the EMS might be caused by an accidental ingredient (contaminant) in some 5-HTP products. But there is not enough scientific evidence to know if EMS is caused by 5-HTP, a contaminant, or some other factor. Until more is known, avoid taking 5-HTP.
5-HTP is used for sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, migraine and tension-type headaches, fibromyalgia, binge eating associated with obesity, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and along with prescription drugs to treat seizure disorder and Parkinson's disease.
How does it work?
5-HTP works in the brain and central nervous system by increasing the production of the chemical serotonin. Serotonin can affect sleep, appetite, temperature, sexual behavior, and pain sensation. Since 5-HTP increases the synthesis of serotonin, it is used for several diseases where serotonin is believed to play an important role including depression, insomnia, obesity, and many other conditions.
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pea brain
What what?
PeaNut 121,521
December 2003
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 | Posted: 2/18/2013 4:46:59 PM
I'm with grinningcat. It made my heart race. |
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SL3scrap
PeaNut
PeaNut 259,542
April 2006
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| Posted: 2/18/2013 6:01:40 PM
I had crazy nightmares both times I tried about a year apart. |
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beachgal58
BucketHead
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November 2004
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| Posted: 2/18/2013 7:37:17 PM
Left me drowsy all the next day! | |
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2peafaithful
People not perfection
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April 2002
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Loc: Right where I should be
| Posted: 2/18/2013 8:32:37 PM
I tried Melatonin and didn't have any positive results from it. I then tried the 5HTP and honestly I am shocked that it is sold over the counter. It is super powerful and I had some side effects with it that I didn't want to live with so I stopped taking it. | |
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*Delphinium Twinkle*
I'm just a pea:)
PeaNut 163,613
August 2004
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| Posted: 2/18/2013 9:31:57 PM
I took it for a while hit found that if I woke up in the middle of the night (to pee or let the dogs out)or even two hours after falling asleep I was awake the rest if the night 
Apparently that's quite normal. So, people will take more to fall asleep again. Then start the circle again
You end up taking way way too much. So I quit taking it |
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brandy_m
H.P(ea) Show-off
PeaNut 62,296
January 2003
Posts: 12,019
Layouts: 391
Loc: PA-Jackass of the Northeast
| Posted: 2/19/2013 6:47:12 AM
Thanks, all!
That 5HPT sounds scary! I'm going to wean off of the melatonin and see if I can start sleeping on my own. If not, I'll go to the doctor (although she's a very "hands off approach" type)
Thanks |
Brandy
mama to Andy, Kenny and Katie
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TinaFB
the lunatics have taken over the asylum
PeaNut 25,135
November 2001
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Loc: Maryland
| Posted: 2/19/2013 7:00:47 AM
I take Alteril a few times a month when my sleep has been particularly bad. It's melatonin, l-tryptophan (the sleepy stuff in turkey), and St. John's Wort. I sleep pretty well on it if I take 2, though I do feel somewhat groggy in the morning. A cup of coffee cures that. |
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lovetodigi
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 257,022
April 2006
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Loc: Metro Atlanta
| Posted: 2/19/2013 7:03:45 AM
Brandy, you might want to give the Sleepytime Tea a try. Last night, after reading about the melatonin, I did not take it. I had just the tea about 30 minutes before bedtime and slept until after 5:30 this morning. I had been taking the Melatonin for a couple of months now, and not taking it last night did not seem to keep me from falling asleep. I always feel more relaxed after drinking the tea. It is a mixture of Chamomile, Spearmint and Lemongrass. |
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KittenOnTheKeys
PeaFixture
PeaNut 498,237
February 2011
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| Posted: 2/19/2013 8:01:35 AM
The "scary" side effects are from a contaminate - not the actual 5HTP.
Link
Other link
I believe various articles say there have been 10 cases reported. Now what are the reports and numbers on the pharmaceutical drugs used to do the same thing? |
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