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    Melatonin

    Not sure if I asked this, but I have heard so many good things about Melatonin. But have read that it is not recommended for MS patients. Maybe this is just something they are not sure about yet.

    It seems to be good and needed for a lot of bodily functions. Does anyone know about it?
    Marti




    The only cure for insomnia is to get more sleep.

    #2
    I'd like to hear the answer to this too. Unlike a lot of MSers, I sleep too little, 5-6 hours a night. If Melatonin could promote better sleep, as some people claim, I'd like to know that I could take it safely.
    PPMS
    Dx 07/13

    Comment


      #3
      I take it

      I take it every night & find it helps for good sleep. I've never heard that people with MS shouldn't take it.

      I give my neuro a complete list of all Rx & supplements at every appointment. He's always said it's all good stuff.

      So I guess I don't know why I would stop. Gotta be better than sleeping pills, right?

      Comment


        #4
        Cannot imagine why is it not recommended. I have tried it a number of times, but unfortunately it does not work for me, it just makes my legs wobbly.

        Comment


          #5
          I was in to see the nurse practicioner a few weeks ago at the neuro's office and she mentioned malatonin to me, so I would think it would be. I have not tried it though, I am reluctant to add yet another pill right now!

          Comment


            #6
            I've been taking it on and off for years. It sure makes me dream! But I think I read on the bottle that it was not recommended for people with autoimmune diseases. Then I remember seeing something somewhere else, but I really didn't believe it. Jut wanted to see if anyone else had heard this. Thanks.
            Marti




            The only cure for insomnia is to get more sleep.

            Comment


              #7
              Cannot imagine why is it not recommended. I have tried it a number of times, but unfortunately it does not work for me, it just makes my legs wobbly.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by J-Bo View Post
                I'd like to hear the answer to this too. Unlike a lot of MSers, I sleep too little, 5-6 hours a night. If Melatonin could promote better sleep, as some people claim, I'd like to know that I could take it safely.
                My body has resorted to "Minimal Sleep" too. I am lucky to get 6 hours. I DO USE MELATONIN and it does help.
                Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

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                  #9
                  My neuro gave me a list of supplements that he recommends for all his patients. That's why I started taking melatonin. I like it. It helps me fall asleep. But I still wake up after 3 hours. Sometimes it takes me a few minutes to fall back asleep, sometimes a couple hours. Melatonin doesn't seem to make much difference.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I hadn't heard that before but there are definitely plenty of google hits, some from reputable sites, some not. Of course there is conflicting data as noted below but then again I'm always skeptical of the Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) which is the most frequently used animal model of MS.

                    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3709754/
                    He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
                    Anonymous

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                      #11
                      I sort of remember hearing or reading something about not using melatonin if one has autoimmune problems. My neuro. does not recommend its use due to the variability in its effectiveness, also variability in amount needed to obtain any results. It never worked for me anyway. Wish something would.

                      in a bit of a twist, melatonin has been recommended for canines for a number of reasons, one of them being increased hair growth. I've heard that's variable too! It does work for one of my greyhounds though.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Melatonin is not only for sleep but is a powerful antioxidant.
                        Women with breast cancer & men with prostate cancer have lower melatonin levels than those without.

                        Our 'cave-dwelling' lifestyles do not produce melatonin.
                        You have to be exposed to full-spectrum light during the daytime (when it's available) to make melatonin. Then at night/darkness the melatonin is released from the pineal gland to affect sleep.
                        This means you need to get outside, without sunglasses and allow your eyes to experience full-spectrum light. You can even be in the shade...just looking out at the light.
                        Also the use of full-spectrum bulbs for lighting can produce some melatonin.

                        Women need more than men; men usual dose about 3-5mg., women upwards of 10mg may be necessary.

                        I frequently find unsuccessful trys are poor quality and/or not enough.
                        Start with 3-5mgs and then increase.

                        I don't see the avoidance for auto-immune disorders as valid.
                        I have several 'auto-immune' patients using melatonin.
                        A good nights sleep is more important!
                        NutritionTara
                        Eat better, feel better and be richer for it.

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                          #13
                          I LOVE melatonin. I have such a hard time falling asleep and wake up during the night - bathroom, my kids come home at all hours... Melatonin really saved my life. I have a really hard time taking a one week break every 3 months as the bottle instructs. I try to dring less coffee that week and take a natural sleep inducer then. But I LOVE melatonin.

                          My neuro said it was OK to take.

                          I started cause I take provigil which gives me more energy during the day and it seems that it keeps on going
                          Dx 1/86 at age 23
                          Copaxone 1993 - 2011 (except when I was pregnant or nursing)
                          Tysabri - 2011 - present

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Anti-oxidants have, sometimes, not been recommended for people with MS because they "boost" our immune systems, and, some have claimed that our immune systems are already over-active.

                            I have also heard, though, that our immune systems are not over-active, just confused, and that, supplementation with anti-oxidant supplements can actually benefit us by "redirecting" our confused systems.

                            I take some anti-oxidants, and have recently wished to try adding melatonin, because I have trouble sleeping. Sometimes, I take a low dose of Trazedone, and that often helps as well. But, I may prefer to take a nutritional supplement with anti-oxidant value, instead of a med.

                            Good, useful discussion. Thanks for posting the question and the responses.

                            ~ Faith
                            ~ Faith
                            MSWorld Volunteer -- Moderator since JUN2012
                            (now a Mimibug)

                            Symptoms began in JAN02
                            - Dx with RRMS in OCT03, following 21 months of limbo, ruling out lots of other dx, and some "probable stroke" and "probable CNS" dx for awhile.
                            - In 2008, I was back in limbo briefly, then re-dx w/ MS: JUL08
                            .

                            - Betaseron NOV03-AUG08; Copaxone20 SEPT08-APR15; Copaxone40 APR15-present
                            - Began receiving SSDI / LTD NOV08. Not employed. I volunteer in my church and community.

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                              #15
                              Just out of curiosity, I checked melatonin interactions with other medications I'm taking, and there were some minor ones. But I saw that there was a list that might be good for anyone to check. The web site drugs.com (I'm not trying to put in a link--I know that's not allowed) had a very easy to use drug-drug and drug-food interaction checker in case you ever want to know.
                              PPMS
                              Dx 07/13

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