Ambien Lunesta ? -- For those who ,take it hightly

[Pugsy]

found 5mg Melatonin

Folks beware of Melatonin and its potential side effects. It's like anything else...not totally benign just because it is over the counter and some of the side effects are quite nasty.
Google it and educate yourself just so you are forewarned.

I took one teeny tiny dose (the 0.5 mcg...not mg) and within 15 minutes I was bouncing off the walls dizzy and it last for about 3 hours after waking up the next morning. When I get dizzy I also get nauseated which I simply can't handle well.
Vertigo is a well known stated side effect...and there are some others that are not very pleasant either.

Now I know that most people don't seem to have a problem with it and that's wonderful....but it does come with some nasty side effects that can happen to a few people and you never know if you are going to be one of them or not. The other one that caught my eye...affecting a person's libido and not in the way most of us would want it.

[49er]

found 5mg Melatonin

Folks beware of Melatonin and its potential side effects. It's like anything else...not totally benign just because it is over the counter and some of the side effects are quite nasty.
Google it and educate yourself just so you are forewarned.

I took one teeny tiny dose (the 0.5 mcg...not mg) and within 15 minutes I was bouncing off the walls dizzy and it last for about 3 hours after waking up the next morning. When I get dizzy I also get nauseated which I simply can't handle well.
Vertigo is a well known stated side effect...and there are some others that are not very pleasant either.

Now I know that most people don't seem to have a problem with it and that's wonderful....but it does come with some nasty side effects that can happen to a few people and you never know if you are going to be one of them or not. The other one that caught my eye...affecting a person's libido and not in the way most of us would want it.

Once again Pugsy, you are on the ball.

Melatonin caused depression when I took it at low doses so I can definitely attest that it is not side effect free. Not claiming my experience is usual but I think it shows that nothing is harmless, particularly if you are quite sensitive to stuff.

[Sir NoddinOff]

Regarding melatonin, here are some studies suggesting MUCH lower doses are best, especially for sublinqual delivery.
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/melatonin.html

http://news.mit.edu/2001/melatonin-1017

I've got to say that half a milligram works better for me (under the tongue) than one to two mgs swallowed. I buy 2mg sublinguals and use a pill cutter to divide them into smaller .5mg pieces. It's cheaper that way too.

[coolbranch]

Thanks for the heads up on melatonin Pugsy. I researched around and you a right. It has been working for me, SO FAR, without any noticeable side effects. This will not translate to everyone. Now what? What to do now. Go back to my ambien?

[Pugsy]

Thanks for the heads up on melatonin Pugsy. I researched around and you a right. It has been working for me, SO FAR, without any noticeable side effects. This will not translate to everyone. Now what? What to do now. Go back to my ambien?

If the melatonin works well for you and you don't have any nasty unwanted side effects... I would continue to take it. I only mentioned those side effects to alert people that just because something is "natural" and over the counter doesn't mean it is totally benign for everyone. I was really surprised by my vertigo reaction to it.

I worked with my doc to come up with several options to help me sleep through the arthritis pain that wouldn't make me a drug addict or get dependent on any one drug and also not get me in a position where I built up a tolerance for any one med that would force me to continually up the dose to get same results.
If you want more information on what we finally came up with...send me a private message and I will share it with you. I don't want to hijack this thread.... It's not that I mind telling people what I take...I just think that hijacking someone else's thread isn't the place to do it.

[coolbranch]

Pugsy, I wouldn't worry about hijacking any thread around here. From what I have been able to gather since I have been participating in this board, you are highly respected and one of the most knowledgeable gifts to this ongoing CPAP conversation.

[archangle]

Melatonin is somewhat less worrisome than some other drugs because it does occur naturally in your body.

However, that doesn't mean it works for you or doesn't have side effects. It also doesn't mean that taking a melatonin pill works the same as melatonin produced by your pineal gland.

For me, it wore off quickly and seemed to give me somewhat unpleasant dreams, but it did help me sleep, at least at first.