Melatonin

[Charl99]

Not really used this site much before but its the first place I have come to ask for help! I have been advised to get my son Melatonin on the internet by my Dr. My son has real difficulty in getting to sleep, he's 8yrs old and the lack of sleep affects his personality from being moody to lack of concentration and fidgetiness in school.

Has anyone used the drops and if so, which ones are the best to get? I thought drops would be easier but medicine is an option as well.

Thanks.

Didn’t know they sold it in Spain.

Think we will be going there on holiday this year.

2mg of slow acting Melatonin is the most I have been told a gp can give you.

I need 7mg to knock me out then 5mg of slow acting to keep me asleep.

The only side affects I have seen is that if you take too much it can make you feel groggy the next day. Everything else looks really positive. Losing weight, better nights sleep and helping with liver function.

When I was at the gps asking about being prescribed Melatonin the gp read from the medical section on Melatonin that post menopausal women would benefit greatly from taking it.

Apparently as oestrogen stimulates production of Melatonin when your oestrogen levels drop your Melatonin level production stops and you end up in a downward cycle because without the quantity of Melatonin you don’t sleep as well so your body doesn’t produce the Melatonin that you need. I think you need more than the 2mg that is able to be prescribed to counteract this.

I would like to know why it was taken off the shelves in the UK in 1995. But even on prescription despite there being no real limit apart from the individuals bodily needs. (Take too little and you don’t sleep, take too much and you are groggy and sleepy the next day) It is so restricted.

I use Melatonin. I buy it from the US online from a reputable company. I haven't found any effects diminish personally.
I started to take it whilst in the US after the frustration of listening to DH snore. It still works now and I sleep deep enough that his snoring no longer bothers me and we can actually share a bed for the first time in years.

Yuminutrition are good - we've used them a lot as the children like the flavour! Other ones from amazon seem to be from the US

@Oliversmumsarmy You can get agomelatine on prescription, which is structurally similar to melatonin and has the same effect.

(It's not available to children.)

Ask your GP for a Paediatrician referral. My son takes melatonin and has for a few years. It's not licensed for use in children in the UK though so needs 6 monthly check ups. Please don't buy online for a child.

You can get agomelatine on prescription, which is structurally similar to melatonin and has the same effect

Agomelatine id an anti depressant

The side effects are not what I want to experience and I don’t suffer with depression.

I think I will stick with Melatonin

My daughter takes 2 of these melatonin dummies, each night to offset the side effects of another medication she takes. They work a treat, have taken them myself on occasion and when jet lagged. They worked for her and me, can recommend.

www.iherb.com/pr/Nature-s-Bounty-Sleep-Gummies-Tropical-Punch-Flavored-60-Gummies/67812

Gummies, not dummies

This is the letter we got from Alder Hey that confirms that the only licensed brand of Melatonin in the U.K. currently is Circadin.
Before that we received unlicensed ones.

My son takes 4mg prescribed melatonin every night (he has ASD). This post reads like you want people to send links to where to buy it - a UK doctor would refer you on to an appropriate service that could prescribe it, not tell you to buy it online

My son (ASD) used to respond really well to melatonin. It doesn’t currently work for him as he’s taking other medication at the moment which really affect his sleep.
I’ve bought it from Biovea before.

DC has melatonin (circadin) and they have to be issued through the hospital pharmacy.

I'd be shocked if a UK GP genuinely suggested you purchase a prescription only drug over the internet. There is no guarantee that what you are being sold is what you are actually getting. If your doctor believes melatonin would be beneficial then he/she should take the necessary steps to allow you to access that medication.

^^ totally this.

had it on prescription for years. was only stopped recently as it seems it should be stopped at 18!!
I would never buy my child medicine on the internet.

FWIW Dr told me I should probably get stronger versions off the internet

Samcro

Melatonin is for adults and occasionally children.

On all the labels it says not for UNDER 18, not OVER 18

That's ridiculous that the doctor told you to buy online! You need to ask for a referral so it can be prescribed.

My daughter was prescribed 0.5mg just before she turned 6 (though it's sold over the counter here so the pharmacist told me to just buy it rather than get the prescription because it's cheaper that way) and it worked wonders for her. She took it nightly for a couple of months and then we were able to stop using it but she carried on sleeping (occasionally need to use it again for a couple of nights if she gets out of her sleep routine)

It can give fucked up dreams/nightmares though so be warned about that.

Oliversmumsarmy its seems that if a child is using it, the doctors try to get them of it by 18. that was what I was told by the neurologist.

That's ridiculous that the doctor told you to buy online! You need to ask for a referral so it can be prescribed

You can only be prescribed at the most 2mg of slow release Melatonin but as I have said I need 7mg of fast acting and 5mg of slow zcting to get me to sleep and keep me asleep for between 5.5-6.5 hours per night

You cannot be prescribed the fast acting or that amount in the UK.

The doctor was looking at the official medical notes online on Melatonin and he agreed it is pretty stupid
On the one hand it says post menopausal women would benefit from taking Melatonin but the amount and type they need cannot be prescribed

so a doctor told you to buy it on the internet!! thats the craziest thing Ive ever heard. ds has melatonin, prescribed in the UK by a peadiatrician as he needs it at night (ASD). gp SHOULD have referred your child to a peadiatrician!! Id be questioning that remark OP....

theres a lot of dodgy / fake drugs out there.....

If you really will buy online then buy from a reputable place with a known brand like this one (Orion is what my daughter uses, this online pharmacy is on a list of approved online pharmacies here in Finland and they deliver to the UK) www.verkkosivuapteekki.fi/epages/JamsanApteekki.sf/sec76436cce7a/?ObjectPath=/Shops/JamsanApteekki/Products/"Melatoniini%20Orion%201%20mg%2030%20tai%20100%20nieltävää%20tablettia"