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Original poster

melatonin- can I buy in the UK?

42 replies

byejacques · 15/07/2022 01:02

I’m typing this at 1am, staring down the barrel of another sleepless night. i know in America you can buy melatonin OTC but from my googling it appears to be prescription only in the UK. However I’ve seen people on here mention that they’ve bought it from Amazon etc. are the products available online not ‘real’ melatonin? Because that would be illegal to sell I assume?

OP posts:
EllenWaiteourkid · 15/07/2022 01:04

There is a website called Piping Rock, they ship from the US.

Original poster
byejacques · 15/07/2022 01:08

EllenWaiteourkid · 15/07/2022 01:04

There is a website called Piping Rock, they ship from the US.

thank you I’ll have a look! I don’t understand how they’re able to sell to the UK though if it’s prescription only over here? Isn’t there some customs law or something about that?

OP posts:
BarnacleNora · 15/07/2022 01:13

You can also buy from European websites, it doesn't ever say anything about not being allowed to ship to the UK. I assume if they're not allowed to then it would say so? I shop for a lot of curly girl hair stuff for example and bizarrely there's stuff there that can't ship to places like Northern Ireland or Europe due to customs agreements and it's always very clear on the website that they can't do so and the reasons why.

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General health Sleep
earsup · 15/07/2022 01:17

no. stuff labelled as melatonin is often some thing else...cant remember what...do you know anyone going abroad...??...5 euros for 30 tablets in latvia and poland etc...
have you tried Phernegan..hay fever tablet...really helps sleep issues...£7 only from boots pharmacy or some chemists...

Luciey · 15/07/2022 01:35

Check iherb (US based). I'm in Australia and it's prescription only here but so many people ship it from the US because it's way cheaper than here.

uk.iherb.com/search?kw=melatonin

babyjellyfish · 15/07/2022 06:53

You can buy it in pharmacies in France if you know anyone going there soon.

custardbear · 15/07/2022 06:59

Try piriton
Have you seen a doctor? DD has now been prescribed melatonin as every night she fell asleep at around 3-4am, sometimes 5am. Piriton helped whilst awaiting melatonin

newtb · 15/07/2022 07:04

You can buy it on amazon.fr, cheaper than the pharmacies. Whether they post to the UK I don't know.

Iheartmysmart · 15/07/2022 07:06

I buy mine from a company called Biovea who ship to the UK.

CredibilityProblem · 15/07/2022 07:06

I've bought from Amazon.com. It's not a controlled substance so it is legal to purchase online from elsewhere.

Nat6999 · 15/07/2022 07:09

I take Piping Rock 12 mg.

Wnikat · 15/07/2022 07:09

You can buy it on Ebay.

Clymene · 15/07/2022 07:12

I buy it from Biovea too

Original poster
byejacques · 15/07/2022 13:32

Thanks for the info! Do you find it effective?

OP posts:
polkapip · 15/07/2022 13:38

I've got a massive jar my husband brought back from US and have used it a few times. Sometimes worked and sometimes not so I'm not sure the distribution of active ingredient was equal between gummies ! I took this week one night at midnight and slept well but v groggy at 7am through it soon cleared. I prefer Nytol tbh

PollyPingit · 02/08/2022 08:50

I bloomin love mumsnet! Just came on to do a search as my poor dd was crying last night saying she just wants to get a nights sleep…. I’ve ordered from biovea now :)))

TeenDivided · 02/08/2022 09:11

Why not see a GP and get it prescribed? Especially @PollyPingit as if your DD is under 18 and in education you will get it free?

tulips27 · 02/08/2022 09:14

Just so you know, the dose that some pills come in is huge, the ideal dose has been found to be much lower. Just search "melatonin ideal dose reddit".

Antigonesaunt · 02/08/2022 09:16

You can't buy it in the UK without a prescription, but you can buy it from abroad where it is viewed the same as a vitamin, and have it shipped here. It's entirely legal.

garlicandsapphires · 02/08/2022 09:28

I’ve bought it online in the UK. I’ll try and remember where from. Melatonin is brilliant

paulmccartneysbagel · 02/08/2022 09:32

My local health natural health store sells it in spray form. I use it for two of my children that are suspected ADHD and find it hard to sleep. GP recommended.

PollyPingit · 02/08/2022 09:32

TeenDivided · 02/08/2022 09:11

Why not see a GP and get it prescribed? Especially @PollyPingit as if your DD is under 18 and in education you will get it free?

Hi Teen,
In the area we live there is a massive issue getting prescriptions, GP’s unable to prescribe and even paediatricians have to send children to a sleep clinic. The sleep clinic near us is currently sending out appointments for 2024!

Brendabigbaps · 02/08/2022 09:33

the melatonin you can buy abroad isn’t the same as prescription, be careful with what you order!
melatonin also doesn’t work indefinitely, tapers off after 4 weeks.
this is info from an adhd practitioner

monicagellerbing · 02/08/2022 09:36

@paulmccartneysbagel can you tell me the name please? My son is undiagnosed as yet ADHD and sometimes takes 3 hours to fall asleep

Antigonesaunt · 02/08/2022 09:50

In my area you have to go through levels of sleep service until you get to see a specialist, and massive backlog for adhd and autism assessment mean waiting 3-4 years for diagnosis (even once you manage to get a paediatrician or the school on board that they need an assessment in the first place). Then once they are teenagers it's a different service, and waiting lists even longer. Unless you can afford to go private, that means you basically never get a diagnosis or any help or any medication. It's not always as easy as 'asking for a prescription' I've asked both the GP and paediatrician and neither will prescribe (GP is not allowed). So frustrating when friends in Europe just pop to the chemist