Melatonin Tablets.... Do they really work?

idlehunters
idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Anyone know about Melatonin tablets? Do they really relieve stress and help you sleep? I had been reading up on them and then I heard Oprah say she takes them when she can't sleep. I just got some 3mg tabs but not sure how many to take...or when to take..timewise...like right before bed..an hour before bed???? Who has the low down on these?????? Thank you.....

Jennie
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Comments

  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #2
    Valerian
    I've never taken those, but when Bill was so sick, I couldn't sleep at all, and a friend suggested Valerian. It's a root, and you can buy it cheaply at places like Wal-Mart. It helped a lot, and I had no side effects.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    #3
    Hi Jennie
    Hi Jennie,

    I have taken melatonin 2 times in the past two weeks. My schedule was all messed up from Christmas vacation (going to bed at midnight) and since I have to get up at 5:30am for work I needed to get to sleep. I took them as I got in bed and I was asleep within 15 minutes. The only thing I noticed is I had very vivid (not scary) dreams.

    I have also given them to our teenager a few times and they work fine. No problem.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #4
    Melatonin
    I used to do those many, many years ago. Took them about an hour before bed and if I remember rightly they did put me right into snooze land. I don't remember why I quit taking them, unless I had started sleeping good after that. Sorry, not too informative as like I said it's been a long time since I took them, but I do remember them working.

    Winter Marie
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #5
    Used them when I travel....
    A 9-hour time difference tends to mess me up, especially when I am returning to America. It's a 10-hour-plus day flight, so I can't sleep on the plane and adjust, like I can on the way to Holland...

    I take them as suggested on the bottle. Without looking, I think it's about and hour before the time I want to 'reset my clock' to sleep. I don't use it every time, just when ignoring it doesn't make it better after a few days of powering thru...

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #6
    KathiM said:

    Used them when I travel....
    A 9-hour time difference tends to mess me up, especially when I am returning to America. It's a 10-hour-plus day flight, so I can't sleep on the plane and adjust, like I can on the way to Holland...

    I take them as suggested on the bottle. Without looking, I think it's about and hour before the time I want to 'reset my clock' to sleep. I don't use it every time, just when ignoring it doesn't make it better after a few days of powering thru...

    Hugs, Kathi

    Tyleniol pm works for me.
    Tyleniol pm works for me. Niacin works for stress but you get that red flush. I read that the rush calls for blood to rush to the arteries, this is beneficial to clean them of toxins. I forgot to take it tonight but will tomorrow.
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #7
    Nana b said:

    Tyleniol pm works for me.
    Tyleniol pm works for me. Niacin works for stress but you get that red flush. I read that the rush calls for blood to rush to the arteries, this is beneficial to clean them of toxins. I forgot to take it tonight but will tomorrow.

    Jen............
    a small ball peen hammer will put ya to sleep in a hurry, just ask my wife ....hehe...just kiddin'......

    Congrats again on the great news..... Buzz ( with a z )
  • Ridge527
    Ridge527 Member Posts: 2
    #8
    Melatonin ...yes this works!
    Jennie...this is probably a late email to u..since I noticed your post was awhile back..but here is something that is wonderful..it is called NITE TIME..IT HAS VALERIAN ROOT, MELATONIN AND ETC. I GET IT MONTHLY either from www.procap.com or HSN..home shopping thru Andrew Lessman..you go to sleep within 30 minutes and to a nice soft sleep and wake up soooooooooooo refreshed..no side effects and all natural..I have been taking for several years and it is the BEST..I tried just the 3 mg of melatonin and this other works soo much better..hope it helps.
    Ella
  • lesvanb
    lesvanb Member Posts: 905
    #9
    I take 20 mg/night
    I'll have to dig up the link but there is some evidence that it helps prevent recurrences (similar to evidence around modified citrus pectin).

    all the best, Leslie
  • 2bhealed
    2bhealed Member Posts: 2,064 Member
    #10
    ZZZzzzzzzz
    My Naturopathic doctor had me on melatonin for both sleep and as an anti-tumor treatment. For sleeping it worked like a charm putting me right to sleep and if I woke up at night I could fall right back to sleep. Often if I had to go to the bathroom at night I'd lie awake after for hours. The mellies fixed that problem. my doc had me take up to 20 mg a night working my way up to that amount. When I found that it was too much and was waking up too groggy in the morning, then I cut back little by little.

    Nighty night!

    peace, emily
  • C Dixon
    C Dixon Member Posts: 201
    #11
    Yes.
    I do think it works. I take high dose melatonin for tumor shrinkage and restoril for sleep. But when I am not in a low point of treatment, melatonin worked just fine. Catherine
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #12
    interesting!
    I had never heard of taking melatonin for anti tumor properties. I have taken it a few times before for insomnia, most recently just last night. I slept like a baby. :)
    I was hesitant to try it again, though, because I do remember taking it a while back and felt like I was dreaming all night & did not feel well rested in the morning because of all the weird dreams I'd had. Interesting to see someone else mentioned that too. Then, last night, I don't remember having any dreams at all- just a good sleep. Maybe it depends upon what you had for dinner, lol! (going by what I always used to hear that spicy foods cause vivid dreams- have any of you ever heard that?)
    I think I'll take it again tonight- I can use as much help as I can in the reducing tumor dept!

    Lisa
  • dorookie
    dorookie Member Posts: 1,731 Member
    #13
    They work Great
    I take the 3 mg right before I get into bed and within about 15 mics I am a sleep, its great.

    HUGS
    Beth
  • Joy1216
    Joy1216 Member Posts: 290 Member
    #14
    Melatonin Works
    My sister is a former flight attendant and she swears by melatonin. With the crazy hours flight attendants work, she says that melatonin helps them get to sleep quickly.
    Joy
  • bspangler47
    bspangler47 Member Posts: 145
    #15
    Melatonin
    Hi Jennie,

    I read your post this early morning. :). I have taken Melatonin several times throught the years and it works for me. I usually take 1 tablet (325 mcg) and that usually does the trick. And I feel more rested in the morning. Take Care

    Barbara
  • GaryinUK
    GaryinUK Member Posts: 62
    #16
    bspangler47 said:

    Melatonin
    Hi Jennie,

    I read your post this early morning. :). I have taken Melatonin several times throught the years and it works for me. I usually take 1 tablet (325 mcg) and that usually does the trick. And I feel more rested in the morning. Take Care

    Barbara

    Better late than never

    20mg of Melatonin was recommended by a Professor here in the UK, to help fight tumours as well as aid sleep and well being.

    My partner has been on it for about 3 weeks, sleeps a lot better, feels a bit groggy in the morning. Is it doing anything else, nothing tested or scanned, but recent blood tests were all 'excellent' so no harm to those.

    Gary
  • PGLGreg
    PGLGreg Member Posts: 731
    #17
    No effect for me.
    I've tried melatonin tablets a few times for insomnia, but I didn't notice any effect at all.

    --Greg
  • Lilmiss82
    Lilmiss82 Member Posts: 257 Member
    #18
    PGLGreg said:

    No effect for me.
    I've tried melatonin tablets a few times for insomnia, but I didn't notice any effect at all.

    --Greg

    Yes they work
    My natropath has me on them since sleep is almost impossible after chemo. I take 20 mg about a hour or so close to bedtime and them the magic happens.... Fall asleep fast and have the best sleep ever!!:)Melissa
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #19
    Lilmiss82 said:

    Yes they work
    My natropath has me on them since sleep is almost impossible after chemo. I take 20 mg about a hour or so close to bedtime and them the magic happens.... Fall asleep fast and have the best sleep ever!!:)Melissa

    Cancer Prevention and Sleep
    A very good article on Melatonin :http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2004/jan2004_report_melatonin_01.htm

    It has ben more recently linked to better outcomes when used in conjunction some Chemos and also anti-tumor effects. The sleep regulation is an added bonus and yes it does work. You may need to play with the dosage, and from my studies you can take a lot with no ill effects. I take 10mg / night.

    Scam
  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
    #20
    Scambuster said:

    Cancer Prevention and Sleep
    A very good article on Melatonin :http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2004/jan2004_report_melatonin_01.htm

    It has ben more recently linked to better outcomes when used in conjunction some Chemos and also anti-tumor effects. The sleep regulation is an added bonus and yes it does work. You may need to play with the dosage, and from my studies you can take a lot with no ill effects. I take 10mg / night.

    Scam

    I googled melatonin anti
    I googled melatonin anti cancer properties....read what came up under "open thesis" and read it, I'm confused (I'm blond what can I say).....from what I got from that article is it could interfere with 5-FU protecting the cancer cells...but then again it goes on about anti cancer protective abilities...maybe someone with a more scientific mind could read that and make heads or tails from that article, cause I'm at a loss. Maybe you can take it on non chemo weeks and get a benefit, but how long does it stay in your system...will it be in your system when you go for your chemo. treatment and negate the effect of the chemo drugs??
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #21
    smokeyjoe said:

    I googled melatonin anti
    I googled melatonin anti cancer properties....read what came up under "open thesis" and read it, I'm confused (I'm blond what can I say).....from what I got from that article is it could interfere with 5-FU protecting the cancer cells...but then again it goes on about anti cancer protective abilities...maybe someone with a more scientific mind could read that and make heads or tails from that article, cause I'm at a loss. Maybe you can take it on non chemo weeks and get a benefit, but how long does it stay in your system...will it be in your system when you go for your chemo. treatment and negate the effect of the chemo drugs??

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