My husband has been complaining of not being able to sleep, tossing and turning all night. His doctor recently increased the Reminyl dosage to 32 mg a day and I'm wondering if that is the reason. Unfortunately he is away this week so I cannot ask him about that or whether we can try Melatonin. Have any of your loved ones used Melatonin, what dosage and has it been helpful?
inge -- a good friend of mine who was also a co-worker started exhibiting behaviors very unlike her usual competent self. She was very forgetful, couldn't concentrate, screwed up her work. I thought there was something horribly wrong with her. It turned out she was using melatonin to help her sleep. She thought since it was "natural" that it couldn't possibly be harmful. It can.
Please don't start your husband on melatonin without discussing it with a doctor. I'm sorry your husband is having a bad time, but melatonin might make it worse...
Is anyone covering for your doctor while he takes a break? I chose a family doctor group because they cover the phone 7 days a week and for more than just office hours although not 24 hours a day. As a result if I need an answer NOW about medications (it was for me the last two times it happened), I can get an answer the same day.
Although I haven't tried that with any of the specialists yet, I'm sure something similar is available with most of them.
Also, all my husband's medications are being handled by the family doctor even though the original prescription was written by a specialist in many cases. His meds are so complicated that I felt that a single doctor had to be aware of all of them and tracking all of them and the attendant blood testing. So even if the prescription came from a specialist, can the family doctor give you advice?
It sounds like you have a drug interaction and/or side effect that someone ought to be paying attention to.
I would be surprised if your doctor has not "signed off" to another doctor to cover while he is away. Please check. Most hospitals require this from their admitting physicians. I would not change any meds without input from your physician.
Just a thought. Does your husband get sleepy at Thanksgiving? Some people are particularly sensitive to the tryptophan (sp?) in turkey. I might try offering him a half a turkey sandwich as a snack instead of going to meds. Also, carbs help some people, just some crackers or pretzels an hour before bed may just calm him down. I wouldn't go to melatonin without a doctor. Better night tonight.
Hi Zoe, interesting but we don't eat turkey! Tonight we are trying having the second Reminyl a little earlier so that it may be more out of the system by the time we go to bed. I did read that sleeplessness is a possible side effect of this drug and he is on a maximum dosage. Thanks to everyone for your concern.
I've been giving dh one melatonin tablet at bedtime in the hope that it would work to keep him in bed, and for two nights it worked like a charm. Last night he went to bed at 8 as usual and I forgot, and he got up at 11 before I had even been to bed, all dressed and ready to start the new day. I could not convince him (of course) that it was still evening and time to go to bed. Finally got him to take off his shoes and pants and he spend the night in the rest of his clothes (he said it was too much work to take off his shirt and sweater. I did give him the Melatonin at that time and it worked fine, I got him up in time to get ready for day care. Anybody else experience with Melatonin?
I just did a comment search and found that many of our contributors use Melatonin. Should have done that before posting, sorry. It's never helped me much, so I's suprised it's working for dh.
After reading a study in the New England Journal of Medicine years ago, I started taking melatonin at bedtime. It was not because I was having sleep problems, but this study was done on older men who had problems with mobility, etc. After taking the melatonin for a while, many had given up canes, etc., had improved cognitive skills. After the study was completed, they were taken off the melatonin and reverted to their previous states. So, since it is an over the counter medication, I continue to take it. If I awake in the middle of the night & have difficulty getting back to sleep because my brain is focusing on anything other than sleep, I take one & go back to sleep. The study prompted me, because it seemed like a "fountain of youth."
I tried it on my husband, but it didn't work. I then used it along with another medication that was supposed to aid it, and again nothing!!! However, my grandson can just use the melatonin and sleep very well!!!! I guess it is something in each person's make-up......
My husband takes melatonin--I've seen research that it is helpful in conjunction with Clonazepan for REM sleep behavior disorder. He also takes Clonidine, which has been the biggest help to his lifelong insomnia issues. Both my kids take it too for ADHD related sleep problems.
Jeanette--I just started my husband on melatonin 2 nights ago as well. So far, so good. He was starting to do what you described your husband doing, going to bed 9 - 9:30 and getting up 12 - 12:30 thinking it was the next day. I'm also trying to increase his exercise and to avoid letting him doze during the day. I hope it works--I don't like being awakened at midnight or thereabouts!
My doctor suggested melatonin for me but I tried it once and felt awful in the morning,like I couldn't get with it. Thank goodness myhusband sleeps 11-12 hours a night,but we did go thru the stage of him getting up one or two in the morning and rearranging all the kithchen cupboards, it was horrible.
They say to make sure you have 8 hours to sleep when taking it. I have taken it and slept fine except I tend to dream more. I only take 3mg.I tried taking two of them but in the morning I felt like I couldn't wake up. I find Valerian Root works just as well plus it helps relax sore muscles (lower back).
Interest you mentioned you tend to dream more when taking melatonin. I occassion take Tylenol PM and I have noticed I dream more and my mouth is really dry in the morning.
Our pediatrician suggested it to help our 6 yr old grandson develop better sleep patterns when he moved in with us last summer. He still takes 6 mgs 30 mins before bed and does well.
Susan, I have to agree with bluedaze. My bottle says to take 3 mg. 30 minutes before bedtime and not for children under 16. That would be double the adult dose. I would suggest speaking to the pediatrician about the dosage.