Liquid Melatonin - I was told there's no such thing

[Qwerty8474]

Hi all

Ds was prescribed melatonin a year ago and at the time we were told there is no liquid form of this. We were advised to hide the tablet in yoghurt etc, but this hasn't worked at all.

We were told that if the tablet is chewed/crushed then the slow release effect becomes more immediate and while it will put him to sleep, it wont keep him sleeping throughout the night.

However I have recently found out that there is a liquid form. Does anyone know how difficult it is to get this prescribed? Do I go through my GP? I was told once prescribed by the Paed, we can go via GP for repeat prescription but not sure whether they'd help with the liquid form

There is a liquid, but it is not prolonged/modified release.

Some GPs would prescribe. Some wouldn’t change the preparation.

Have you tried practicing taking tablets using food items? For example, start with hundreds and thousands, then moving to tic tacs, then jelly tots, chocolate chips, then jelly babies cut up, etc.

Have you tried putting it in other food products? Some find a fruit purée, jam or thick chocolate spread works better than yoghurt or some wrap it in bread. Some find drinking from a sports bottle helps - it is sealing the lips around something and the sucking action. Or some use these. And reminding DD to place it in the middle of the tongue rather than right at the back and not to tip her head right back.

Thanks @perpetualplatespinning I wasn't aware that the liquid form is not prolonged release. That explains why the Paed said there is no alternative.

With any foods, DS likes to throughly chew (even with purees or thick spread) so I will definitely give the cup you sent a go. That looks like it could work! Thank you!

DD2 was a pharmacy dispenser. She said some of the liquid forms of drugs are extremely expensive, relative to the normal tablets. Think in the hundreds of pounds.

Doctors may be reluctant to prescribe liquid forms because of the cost alone. I asked for a liquid form of a drug, as I was titrating DD1 off it and this involved shaving a bit off a half a 10mg tablet. I thought it would be easier to pour out 3 mls or whatever. Doctor told me, there was no liquid form. Sometime later, her consultant did prescribe the liquid form, so it did exist!

ITA with a pp, it’s better to get them used to tablets by starting off with Tic Tacs, etc; or if necessary covert medication such as putting it in yoghurt. Prolonged release is better.

PS - you can always look up most drugs on prescription in the UK online in the BNF (British National Formulary). It’s like the bible to doctors and pharmacists. It tells you all the formulations, benefits, side effects, drug interactions and costs of most drugs.

We put it in peanut butter which disguises taste and texture well. But our prob was her getting to sleep rather than staying asleep so don’t need the prolonged release so much

so DD is ten and I asked her how she might take it and she said only via peppa pig yogurt! I know she’s ten and still watches it. But is it worth asking your child how they might take it? Explain it can’t be chewed? Maybe find a fun yogurt at the supermarket?

https://bnfc.nice.org.uk/drugs/melatonin/medicinal-forms/

It's very very expensive and only helps to get to sleep, as part of a good and consistent nighttime routine it works, it does not help to stay asleep though, as others have said.