Melatonin in the Night

[Davros]

This follows on from another thread that was in "Chat" but I thought it might get missed if I posted there.
I asked my Paed about giving my son Melatonin if he wakes in the night and wants to roar around like a race horse. He said yes, it would work and a good idea so go ahead and do it.
Silly sod hasn't noticed that we've never used Melatonin so far so I don't have any! Have emailed back to get some pronto!
Wahey, we dont' have a problem at bedtime but sometimes in the wee small hours.

THANK YOU- I am off to search the net!!!!

yep---i agree.....3mg.....if end up with capsules...just sprink;e the powder into a SMALL drink....too mmuch and it gets diluted too much....and won't 'hit the body' quite so effectively....and be prepared for the fact that within 40mins she/he will be sound asleep!!!

I didn't know what to do with myself the first few nights that my boys slept....after 9 years of resless evenings...i was out of practice of what people do in the evenings!!!

Mrs F - I know what you mean. DS started taking it a few weeks ago and the first night seemed really strange. I went into his room to check on him and he was peacefully asleep, all wrapped up and cosy. I burst into tears, he just looked so lovely, and it was such a relief. I didn't know what to do with myself though

BTW ds is 3.8 yr's and has the 2mg capsules. He still wakes up a few times during the night but goes back to bed without a fuss. I think he might be sleep walking.

I know after 5 1/2 yrs of no sleep i couldnt believe it either!!!!

iuts a miracle

Well, I happened to get some money today 9childcare grant) so I am ordering some! I am sure it will help sam to get some sleep (if anyone saw Little Angels last night, that was an average day with Sam). Does anyone know of a reputable site- there seems to be so many to order from

Please excuse me gatecrashing, if you can give me the clinical name for the drug and who the manufacturer is - if it's tabs might be on the box, I can check and see if I can find out if we (pharm wholesaler) stock it - if so can possible give you an idea of what pharmacy's can get hold of it. Sorry for being vague I'm not sure if I am likely to get myself in trouble through work for even suggesting this - but wanted to help if I can

H x

PS there was an article on radio 4 this morning between 10.30 and 11 am about Melatonin - nothing more than you already know though I think.

my ds was on melatonin and found it to work as he was up all night moaning but i stopped it as the time release melatonin was not going down his tube properly and would clog it up.

harrize...would be great if you could...but as far as i know it is only available on a 'named patient basis' in the uk...has no license....and a 'normal G.P' cannot prescribe...

apparantly used to be available here but was bought for the 'wrong reasons' so it was withdrawn...amazing as freely available in america for jetlag etc!

apparently all the confusion is cos it's NOT a DRUG as such- but classed as a 'food supplement'...antioxidant i think????....but had some 'anti-aging' property...which apparently was where it was being 'mis-used'....laughable really as it is 'JUST' (said with a bit of a snigger...as MELATONIN will NEVER be JUST anything to me!)...a SYNTHETIC formulation of the BODY-CLOCK HORMONE normallyu produced by the PINEAL GLAND.

We get repeat prescription from our GP, originally prescribed by our paed, dispensed from a Moss Pharmacy, could you ask GP for a private prescription? you would have to pay but may be easier/cheaper than ordering from U.S?

Melatonin is not a drug but a hormone and can be bought over the counter in the USA. Mind you, I'm shocked by how easily most of the american mums I know medicate their kids, not SN ones either! When I started this thread we were finding that Melatonin and NO effect on DS but we were giving it during the night if he woke up. Since then he had a patch of not settling in the evening so I thought I'd try the melatonin as it was sitting in the cupboard, and bugger my old wellies, he was out like a light! It seems to work for him in the evening but not in the middle of the night if he's already slept. I don't have any problems filling my time usefully of an evening (noshing, HEAT to read, telly to watch etc )

I am seeing a new Paed Wenesday and will BEG for this, as DS's behaviour has deteriorated again (he will not now go in a Supermarket unless he can crawl for 90% of the shopping trip, and his behaviour at school is breaking down). I put a fair amount of his behaviour down to lack of sleep. Today it took me 30 minutes to drag him kicking and screaming along a 4 minute walk to school because I changed his drink.

he was biting me all the way and when I got there I handed over to the Teacher very matter of factly, and showed her my hand. She said 'Oh yes we get a lot of that from Samuel'.

So, why didn't you mention it?

I trapped her today and arranged a meeting Monday with her, she also admitted his spitting was becoming an issue.

I TOLD them it'd take him a few 'settling' months in this school before the behaviour kicked in. They thought they knew better.....

Hah! Well would certainly start with tackling the sleep and see what difference it makes. Surely they'll give you melatonin? Its given a lot here and most Paeds are perfectly OK about it esp as you can get it anyway but you have to pay for it. Maybe you should say you'll do that....???