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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Just been to doctor re melatonin
        
(Message started by: Marta on May 9^th, 2005, 6:17am)

Title: Just been to doctor re melatonin
Post by Marta on May 9^th, 2005, 6:17am

Hi,

just been to doctor and I asked him about melatonin. I told him I was getting a full night PF. However, he doesn't want me to take it as he doesn't believe in it.

OK, I have MS but at least I get a sleep so he wasn't overly helpful re melatonin. So what do I do to get a good nights sleep short of a .38 special?

He said it would be a bind to get me Oxygen so where do you recommend I should go next?

Keep those ideas coming through please.

Thank you for all the help you've giving me

Marta

Title: Re: Just been to doctor re melatonin
Post by don on May 9^th, 2005, 6:36am

Quote:

However, he doesn't want me to take it as he doesn't believe in it.

I would tell him that that is not a good enough reason.

I had the chief of neurology at Brigham and Womans tell me the same thing about imitrex. Never saw him again.

Title: Re: Just been to doctor re melatonin
Post by Lizzie2 on May 9^th, 2005, 6:38am

I'd be curious as to what, specifically, about melatonin he doesn't believe in....that could open a nice can of worms! ;)

Can you get to a different doc? 2nd opinion or anything?

Hugz,
Lizzie

Title: Re: Just been to doctor re melatonin
Post by JJA on May 9^th, 2005, 8:09am

Melatonin is thought to boost the immune system. That makes it bad for autoimmune diseases like MS. So I guess it's up to you to decide between unknown long-term effects and known short-term relief.

Quote:

He said it would be a bind to get me Oxygen so where do you recommend I should go next?

A bind??? I'm not sure that the American interpretation is the same. Insist on oxygen if you think it will help. The agony of CH is enough to put the doctor in a "bind."

Jesse

Title: Re: Just been to doctor re melatonin
Post by LeLimey on May 9^th, 2005, 8:45am

Marta when I asked my doc about melatonin he also said no as it is only licensed for the treatment of ADHT in the UK. I know you can buy it online if you really want to go down that route from vitacost.com amongst others but I would recommend you take a little saunter over to OUCH UK and click on their O2 link. There is an o2 trial going on at the moment which, if you register to take part in would obviously get you presecribed o2. Currently the law is changing regarding o2 distribution here and some doctors are edgy about prescribing it saying that only a neuro can.
I hope this helps! I saw this recommended to someone else on OUCH UK and it seemed like a brilliant idea if you have a less-than-helpful GP.
Let us know how you get on
Helen

Title: Re: Just been to doctor re melatonin
Post by Bob P on May 9^th, 2005, 9:40am

Melatonin question:

I had an old bottle of mel on which the label simply siad melatonin. Seemed to work ok.
I bought a new bottle of the same brand and see that the label now also says "vegitarian".

Question: Is melatonin drived from different sources? Does it come from the pineal gland of animals or does it come from plants? Any difference in these two bottles I have? The back of the label says 3mg melatonin on both.

Title: Re: Just been to doctor re melatonin
Post by nani on May 9^th, 2005, 9:45am

I googled it and found this. Vegetarian must mean commercially produced.

Commercial Production of Melatonin

Melatonin is sold by its various manufacturers as a dietary supplement and therefore does not come under the regulation of the Food and Drug Administration. Producers of melatonin do not have to give proof of purity or demonstrate that there is any melatonin in their product. Producers of melatonin have refused to disclose to The Medical Letter the source of the melatonin, but it was speculated that it was derived either from cow pineal glands or that it was produced chemically. A consultant for The Medical Letter analyzed several samples of melatonin from health food stores and found they contained chemical impurities that he could not identify.

Title: Re: Just been to doctor re melatonin
Post by Bob P on May 9^th, 2005, 10:02am

To emphasize what JJA said:

Quote:

Should certain people avoid it?

Yes. "Those include women who are pregnant or nursing (since no one knows how excessive exposure to the hormone might affect a fetus or infant); people with severe allergies or autoimmune diseases (melatonin could exacerbate such conditions by stimulating the immune system); people with immune-system cancers such as lymphoma or leukemia (for the same reason), and healthy children (who already produce it in abundance). Women trying to conceive should also think twice about taking the hormone, since high doses can act as a contraceptive." As with any substance introduced into your body, if you have a medical condition you should always consult your physician first before taking melatonin.

Thanks Nani. Did a search myself and see that this page recommends the pharmicutical grade since the natural can contain viruses and other contaminenents from the cows.