Thank you for your reply!
Do you have fibro, catacholic? I had insomnia and was not able to go to sleep and stay asleep, and then I was DXed with Fibro, and then after a few med changes for it and being put on Lyrica finally I no longer have the insomnia and I do not wake up that much thru the night either!
I hope you can find something to help make you sleep well at night. It is vital to our well being... a good nights rest.
Hey, Joonie. I looked into melatonin and decided against it because it the back of the bottle had a statement on it not to take if you have an autoimmune disease. You could ask your doc though. Well... that would make sense than wouldn't it! I need to research it some more. I have not gotten any for my daughter yet. I have not looked in to it enough to decide if she should take it or not. http://mayoclinic.com/health/melatonin-side-effects/AN01717
I'm considering taking melatonin to help me sleep. What do I need to know about melatonin side effects?
Answer
from Kenneth G. Berge, M.D.
The hormone melatonin helps control your natural sleep-wake cycle. In fact, natural levels of melatonin in the blood are highest just before bedtime. If you're struggling with insomnia, melatonin supplements may help you fall asleep or stay asleep. However, there are no guarantees. Most studies show melatonin to be only minimally effective for insomnia. Melatonin may play a stronger role in fighting jet lag. Melatonin side effects may include daytime sleepiness, dizziness, headaches and abdominal discomfort. Confusion, sleepwalking or nightmares also are possible. Some studies suggest that melatonin increases the risk of seizures, but others disagree. Melatonin may interact with various medications. The optimal dose of melatonin isn't certain, and the long-term effects are unknown. Talk to your doctor before taking melatonin, especially if you have any underlying health conditions. If you decide to take melatonin, make sure the supplements are manufactured in a lab, not derived from animals.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) -- NSAIDs such as ibuprofen may reduce the levels of melatonin in the blood.
Steroids and immunosuppressant medications -- People should not take melatonin with corticosteroids or other medications used to suppress the immune system because the supplement may cause them to be ineffective.
I've read in the past that short term use is okay.. like the article above stated about jet lag... but that if you take it daily...... your body stops creating it.. Hummm... kinda like Prednisone and cortisol huh?Well, now, isn't this an interesting predicament? My "Super Snooze Melatonon" (with added calcium, magnesium, valerian root, hops, skullcap, chamomile, passion flower, inositol, and L-taurine) doesn't mention anything about immunosupressants! It does say, "Limit use to two months with a break of one week." I'll certainly try to remember to take the jar with me to my next appointment.
No, I haven't been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, just RA. But my Rheumatoid Factor keeps going up and up, so they're trying to find what else could be wrong.
I am sorry, cataholic. I hope you can find some way to get some good or half way decent sleep soon. It really sucks not being able to sleep.
Let us know what they find out about your increasing RFactor.
Have you looked at more conservative measures first? Routine bedtime, quiet in the house in the evening, eliminate as much light as possible in her bedroom - clocks, nightlights, even streetlights peeking through the shades?
I would check those things out first before giving melatonin to a growing child, considering its involvement in many hormonal systems.
[QUOTE=JasmineRain]Have you looked at more conservative measures first? Routine bedtime, quiet in the house in the evening, eliminate as much light as possible in her bedroom - clocks, nightlights, even streetlights peeking through the shades?
I would check those things out first before giving melatonin to a growing child, considering its involvement in many hormonal systems.
[/QUOTE]
no caffeine, chocolate, sugar in the latter part of the day? These things will hinder her sleeping patterns....
getting her up earlier and having her do things to get tired.... and sleep better?
Well... she has to have a light on in her room. My daughter is paranoid. We had a long talk about her and her sleep and getting her to sleep, and all my concerns and all. It was a 2 hour appt. My daughter does not have trouble going to sleep, it is that she does not stay asleep or sleep long enough.
Let me tell you how paranoid my daughter is.... the last day of school was her awards program. I attended the 2 hour long program, just to see her get a medal for her reading she done all year. when we got to in-laws house my daughter told me that she had to keep an eye on me because I might get kidnapped. I thought it was odd, but... I told her no one was going to kidnap me, besides we were at home now. She did not say anything. She went around to the backyard with MIL & son and I decided to go in the house. I was sitting on the couch and I could hear my daughter yelling and getting frantic about me not being on the front porch like she left me. She ran to the livingroom window and peered in yelling "MOM where are you?" She saw me sitting on the couch and then she came in the house and said she thought someone kidnapped me. I was like no, just came in the house. Then she told me not to do that again. *weird look*
yeah... she also freaks out if we leave a window open while she is trying to go to sleep.
I have read somewhere that really smart people, tend to be paranoid to a point. I told that dr we took her to for her behavorial test about how she is paranoid and gave her the same example above, and she did not have much to say about it.
Oh forgot to say, the kid can go to sleep around 1am and be up at 7am on her own. Then she can go to sleep at 9pm, and be up at 7am on her own.
I do not think she has much of a problem with sleeping, but I am not the best judge for that as my sleeping has never been right to begin with.
It was more of she does not sleep long or she does not stay asleep.
sounds like anxiety, joonie..... the doctor that you met w/ for the testing didn't make any comment about anxiety after hearing that story? anxiety causes sleep issues.... and type A personalities (those that strive to be perfect) usually have some measure of it... some more than others... some more manageable than others..
I think I would discuss it with her pediatrician as soon as I could.
The Dr daughter saw was a specialist in the behavorial area, and she is part of my daughters now new ped's office. I am switching daughter to this ped because he is aimed more towards adolesence.
They do not like to medicate kids for much of anything. Which we were against medicating her anyways.
The Dr just wanted my daugher to go to "counceling". Actually she wanted her to see a psychiatrist, but called it a "counceling" because my daughter replied and said she did not want to go to a "nut-job doctor" because she was not a nut. So... the Dr referred to it as "counceling".
I just have to find one that is close enough for her to go to when she needs to talk to someone. The one they wanted to send her to, which is where the behavorial Dr we saw practices, is over an hour away. So... we cannot do that.
I think we have one in the next city over, so I am going to call and make an appt for her this coming week.
nobody likes to medicate kids unless necessary...and sometimes it IS necessary..
good luck w/ that appointment.
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com