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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Melatonin in non-CH
        
(Message started by: Kris_in_SJ on Jan 16^th, 2005, 6:53pm)

Title: Melatonin in non-CH
Post by Kris_in_SJ on Jan 16^th, 2005, 6:53pm

So, I visited my gynecologist last week - he's new since my last one moved away. There really is a point to this ....

In my history I list I'm diagnosed with Episodic CH and my med list includes Melatonin.

He asked me if I have "vivid, technicolor dreams." Apparently, Melatonin is frequently recommended for women in menopause who have insomnia, but some can't take it because of the vivid dreams it causes.

My response - "It helps me get past the REM dreaming time so I don't get night hits with the clusters." He was fascinated, but admitted I'm his first patient with diagnosed CH.

My question - does anyone know if Melatonin reacts differently on the systems of people who don't have CH? Just curious. Floridian?

Kris

Title: Re: Melatonin in non-CH
Post by E-Double on Jan 16^th, 2005, 6:58pm

The wife takes it to get by my snoring ;)......
she says that she sometimes has wickedly vivid dreams while on it.

Go figure...hmmmmmmm

Groovy

Title: Re: Melatonin in non-CH
Post by lionsound on Jan 16^th, 2005, 9:31pm

Hi Kris,
That's a great question. This doesn't really answer it ...but it speaks to the dream part of what you wrote.

I think the vivid dreams can happen if you have CH or not and like anything else it will vary from person to person.

I always have vivid dreams(PTSD too). Melatonin made no difference in my already highly entertaining dreamlife. I thought it might make them unbearably worse and it didn't(other meds have). I was glad I could take it and happy to be sleeping a little better.

Be well,
lionsound

Title: Re: Melatonin in non-CH
Post by eyes_afire on Jan 17^th, 2005, 12:03am

Melatonin is known to cause vivid dreams for many people. There is now an emerging term: "Melatonin Dreams". Type it into your favorite Google (or Vivisimo for me). I have ridiculously vivid dreams without melatonin. The other morning I woke up slapping myself in the face... acting out a dream, as there was a bumblebee hovering around my face. ::)

--- Steve

Title: Re: Melatonin in non-CH
Post by guesst on Jan 17^th, 2005, 9:03am

IF you really want the "crazy, wild vivid melatonin dreams" you need to do over 20mg.

Title: Re: Melatonin in non-CH
Post by miapet on Jan 17^th, 2005, 11:13am

My son takes melatonin (nonCHer) and he is able to sleep and not have dreams (which is why he takes it).
*positive light and energy*
miapet

Title: Re: Melatonin in non-CH
Post by floridian on Jan 18^th, 2005, 12:39pm

Yeah, I have talked to some non-CH people that said that melatonin gives them vivid dreams. Since we all dream every night in REM, I think it just means that these people wake up during a dream and recall it better. Maybe it makes us less paralyzed in REM - which is good if clusterheads are less likely to stop breathing.

Most studies show that melatonin does not change the structure of sleep (amount of time spent in each type of sleep). It can change the timing of the circadian rhythm, resetting the phase - that's why we take it, and maybe one reason why it is more beneficial for epsiodics than for chronics.