Posted by Ron Hill on January 18, 2001, at 12:24:40
In reply to Re: Melatonin - How much ? » SLS, posted by dove on January 15, 2001, at 14:08:05
Dove,
In your post you state:
"I always recommend either regular Melatonin in 1.5 mg increments, and never taking additional *regular* Melatonin after 3:00am."
Is your 3:00am recommendation applicable to sublingual melatonin as well as *regular* melatonin? Before answering, please go to a prior post of mine (link provided below). My prior post puts my current question into context. Thank you soooo much for your time!
-- Ron
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010111/msgs/51755.html
------------------------------------------> Melatonin is a life-preserver in my oceanic world of bipolar insomnia hell. I take sublingual (1-2 mg) because its effects are almost immediate. My struggle is with mental shut-down, I only use it in order to immobilize my brain so I can fall asleep.
>
> Whereas, your situation calls for something to keep you sleeping, and/or help you fall back asleep once awoken, and without morning after-effects. This is a toughie, especially if we're talking about OTC meds.
>
> When you took the second dose, was it sublingual or regular 'down-the-hatch' type?
>
> Why did you start at such a high dosage?
>
> I always recommend either regular Melatonin in 1.5 mg increments, and never taking additional *regular* Melatonin after 3:00am. If that doesn't do the job, go up another 0.5 mg and see what happens. If you find yourself with neck-pain or head-aches in the morning then I would recommend lowering the dosage, or only use every other night. My husband (who has struggled with insomnia) started waking up with head-aches after awhile, he was convinced that it was "building up" in his system and he seemed to completely lose his libido and became quite despondent, so he discontinued regular usage and the symptoms went away. He still takes a 2mg sublingual maybe once a month, when he's too wired to fall asleep, but the symptoms have not reappeared.
>
> With the sublingual (melt under the tongue kind), one should be able to take them and feel the effects immediately (or within 20 minutes) and shouldn't find themselves dropping to the floor in a dead sleep, they should almost feel calmed. I do take sublingual Melatonin about five (5) per month, and whatever depressive effects they reportedly cause, are overshadowed by the positive effects of actually sleeping. But that's just me.
>
> One of the doc's I discussed Melatonin with mentioned something to the tune of "Melatonin will fix delayed precursor REM sleep in manic-depressives, and maybe atypical depressives w/ insomnia." Although, he said he had not personally seen the effects of Melatonin on typical or atypical depressives, and he has witnessed the beneficial effects with manic-depressives when *not* taken on a daily basis. He said it does a good job diffusing the beginnings of a Manic episode.
>
> But, this is all hear-say and wild guess-work. I hope the sandman makes it your way soon, very soon :-) You are in my thoughts (and I will get back to you on the crazy med-cocktail and dxes thingy!) and I send my best wishes and sleeping vibes :-)
>
> ~dove
poster:Ron Hill
thread:51473
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010111/msgs/51955.html