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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Ambien vs melatonin
        
(Message started by: lennycohen on Dec 21^st, 2007, 9:16am)

Title: Ambien vs melatonin
Post by lennycohen on Dec 21^st, 2007, 9:16am

Any thoughts on using ambien to sleep thru night time hits vs the typical 9mgs of melatonin? Is there something about the mechanism of action of melatonin that makes it work better, or something about ambien that would make it bad for CH'ers?

Title: Re: Ambien vs melatonin
Post by Bob_Johnson on Dec 21^st, 2007, 9:27am

Translation: melatonin works on the core, causal mechanisms of CH. Ambien won't hurt but I can't imagine it keeping you asleep thru an attack. It's only a mask for an attack, whereas melatonin, taking regularly is helping alter the source.
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Cephalalgia. 2005 Jun;25(6):403-11. Links

Melatonin, the pineal gland and their implications for headache disorders.

Peres M.

Brain Research Institute, Albert Einstein Hospital, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Melatonin, the pineal gland and their implications for headache disorders. Cephalalgia 2005. London. ISSN 0333-1024There is now evidence that melatonin may have a role in the biological regulation of circadian rhythms, sleep, mood, and ageing. Altered melatonin levels in cluster headache and migraine have been documented. Melatonin mechanisms are related to headache pathophysiology in many ways, including its anti-inflammatory effect, toxic free radical scavenging, reduction of proinflammatory cytokine up-regulation, nitric oxide synthase activity and dopamine release inhibition, membrane stabilization, GABA and opioid analgesia potentiation, glutamate neurotoxicity protection, neurovascular regulation, serotonin modulation, and the similarity of chemical structure to that of indomethacin. Treatment of headache disorders with melatonin and other chronobiotic agents is promising. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial shows melatonin is effective in cluster headache prevention, other studies also show benefit in other disorders. Melatonin plays an important role in headache disorders, offering new avenues for studying their pathophysiology and treatment.

PMID: 15910564 [PubMed]

Title: Re: Ambien vs melatonin
Post by lionsound on Dec 21^st, 2007, 9:32am

I've taken both and I prefer the melatonin because I was able to adjust the dosing better to suit my needs. Also when i was taking regular ambien I found that when it wore off I was wide awake in the middle of the night.

Title: Re: Ambien vs melatonin
Post by thomas on Dec 21^st, 2007, 11:33am

Long-term side affects of ambien are not good.

Title: Re: Ambien vs melatonin
Post by Gator on Dec 21^st, 2007, 11:45am

There was talk of a study of ramelteon (Rozerem) versus Melatonin some time ago. The last I heard, the study had been put on hold pending FDA approval and the development of protocols or something like that.

Even if Rozerem works better than melatonin, melatonin will likely continue to be a favorite because it is available OTC and is cheap.

Title: Re: Ambien vs melatonin
Post by Ray on Dec 21^st, 2007, 2:41pm

A little off topic, but following Gator's opening...

Rozerem works by attaching to the serotonin receptors, thus mimicking the action of serotonin. Melatonin breaks down in the body into serotonin, therefore making this neurotransmitter more available in the body. I would think that it would work as an antidepressant and there seems to be ample evidence that it works to limit sleep time CH.

Insert usual disclaimer here about my not being a doctor and this is not medical advice -- seek information from an actual doctor who has their malpractice insurance paid up.

With Pain Free wishes to the bunch of you,

Ray

Title: Re: Ambien vs melatonin
Post by Chappy on Dec 21^st, 2007, 7:52pm

Bob's right, the point of melatonin isn't to take a sleeping pill, it's to provide the chemical signal that the malfunctioning hypothalmus on CH sufferers may not be providing that sets the body's sleep/wake clock. My sleep doctor gave me Rozerum once, said something about it being more effective for insomnia, but I think its just a synthetic melatonin, and it worked no better for me at least.

Ambien, on the other hand, is a whole different story. I had years of experience with insomnia and sleep docs, and they all told me that regardless of how well sleeping pills work for someone, they'll only be effective for about 6 to 8 weeks, then the body adjusts. I tried 2 of them, and they workednfor about 5 weeks for me. If Ambien helped someone with CH, their cycle would have to be shorter than that, and I wouldn't try it unless my neuro knew how it would interact with whatever else I was taking.

I'm a sleepwalker, and sleepwalking tends to happen when something is really agitating you or you're dealing with unresolved issues. I've done and said some really nasty things to family members in my sleep, because your level of consciousness is like that of a drunk, and people tend to figure it out and start poking fun, which makes you very angry. Sleeping pills can make people prone to sleepwalking who have never done it before, and I can just imagine a mild CH hit triggering an angry, pacing, dancing, half-conscious sleepwalking CH sufferer . If you think your spouse has been freaked out by your hits before...

Title: Re: Ambien vs melatonin
Post by lennycohen on Dec 21^st, 2007, 10:46pm

It's not that I need the help sleeping per se, I just seem to get hit every night by a headache, and was trying to get through the night in one piece.

I tried the Ambien CR last night, pain woke me up thru the ambien, probably a kip 7/8, and I was still able to shoot a Zomig up the nose thru the mental fog. I'll do melatonin tonight and see what happens.

Title: Re: Ambien vs melatonin
Post by E-Double on Dec 21^st, 2007, 11:26pm

9-12 mg taken 30-40 min prior to attempting sleep is a magic bullet for many. In the beginning I was so groggy and had difficulty finding my tank but soon after I was sleeping through the night PF. I was able to go 1yr without any night time attacks. the day time attacks still ocurred but I was rested so i coped a hell of a lot better.

best of luck

Title: Re: Ambien vs melatonin
Post by lennycohen on Dec 22^nd, 2007, 8:53am

Got hit about five minutes after I left my 10:46 message - did the Zomig, waited for the pain to clear, took 9mgs of melatonin, the ambien, all my other meds, slept until 8 - first clear night since last Friday. If I don't get a late CH tonight, I'll try without the ambien ---

Title: Re: Ambien vs melatonin
Post by lionsound on Dec 22^nd, 2007, 8:58am

YAY FOR SLEEP!!!!!! :D

Title: Re: Ambien vs melatonin
Post by suesue422 on Dec 26^th, 2007, 8:11pm

I've found that Ambien CR works for me, but it must be CR (controlled release) - the regular Ambien does not work. I'll admit I've never tried Melatonin, but I have tried Rozerem, and it didn't work for me. I've been on Ambien CR for close to a year at this point, and it still works (although it's not as strong as it was initially - it used to feel like I was drunk, giddy). I haven't had any side effects that I've realized, but I've heard it's not something to be on longterm. I need to get through the next few months before looking to come off it though. Just throwing my experience into the ring...