Hey Everybody...

I know that, besides for support, I've been on this board to hear stories from people I know are going through the same thing I have been for 23 years to get some idea of what I can do for myself...I have long been at my wit's end with trying one drug after another. So, I figure if I can find enough info on what seems to work for many, I'll then go do the research and try it.

The melatonin made sense to me...especially after much reading about the little doctors seem to know about CH, concerning seratonin and melatonin, etc. It also occurred to me that doctors won't TELL you to go try something so simple and non-prescription. Why do that when I can spend the $2500 in medical bills and medicine in three weeks that I just did, right?

So imagine my joy/frustration to get a $12 bottle of melatonin, take 9mg for three nights, and my fricking headaches are gone. My cycles just don't end in three weeks (started August 1st) Got the generic from Walgreens. I'm on day 11 of melatonin and the most I've had are the barest of daytime shadows. Believe me, I'm episodic and most hits are 8-10, 1-2 a day. The two heaviest scares seemed to go bye-bye with 10 minutes of O2...unfortunately, the only thing the melatonin didn't help me with is to know if the O2 is really working this time around, or if the melatonin did the job.

Anyway, for as little as it costs, and with pretty much no greater side effects than occasional vivid dreams, I think it's worth a try. May not work for all, but even if it just gets some of us a good night's sleep once in a while, go for it. Thank you to all who posted great info on this - you gave me life back. Until next time...peace and be PF!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (But I think this time, I'm going to commit to staying around to support others who may need the encouragement) :)

Hey Poet,
Yeah after hearing so much about the Melatonin and what it can do for our nights I decided to start it myself last night.

I've also decided to stick around once my cycle is over......leaving because I feel better doesn't seem right for me. Plus theres plenty of people who could use the extra help or added voice I can bring.

One man's side effect is another man's bonus. ;)

I thought about it, and I should also add anything I've been doing WITH the melatonin as well...we all know that you never know what may be making a difference! I can't say I've been drinking as much water as some have described as a treatment, but I seriously upped my water game, carrying around a glass with me practically all day. My body's seemed to be on some kind of "purge", so I figured the water wouldn't hurt.

Also, I darkened my room to be sure I got good sleep, so even sunlight wouldn't interrupt however much sleep my body naturally wanted.

The reason why the melatonin, and disrupted sleep cycles seemed to make sense to me is this: in regards to whatever the chemicals fooling around between the seratonin, melatonin, hypothalmus (spelled right?), etc....I can say that the months leading up to my cycle, I was work-a-holic-ing and sleeping in no pattern, sometimes barely. Then, cycles start and sleep is out the window. First week of cycle is pure hell. One night, CH just wouldn't stop so I finally gave in and went to ER. They did their bit with O2 (wrong way) and demerol that I didn't want, but it was finally "all the way" gone. So here's the thing - I came home Sunday morning about 9am, and slept practically till the next morning, waking up 30 minutes only twice. Cycle seemed to break for like three days, then came back but not as much of hell. I attributed the peace to a little weaning off Zomig 1-2 times a day (5mg each) as why heavy shadows gone, but why the break in the whoppers?

They were back and kicking once daily when I started the melatonin. Only the 2nd day on gave me a moderate scare, but since then, that's been it. Yes, I believe this is connected to hormones and chemical levels in our brains, and yes I believe there's a really simple answer out there, but since it hasn't been connected to something a pharmaceutical company can put a patent on, we're not getting the break. Good, good luck on your try-out with the melatonin!! PF, baby...

Lawrence wrote on Sep 2^nd, 2009 at 9:50am:

Hey Poet, Yeah after hearing so much about the Melatonin and what it can do for our nights I decided to start it myself last night. I've also decided to stick around once my cycle is over......leaving because I feel better doesn't seem right for me. Plus theres plenty of people who could use the extra help or added voice I can bring.

Hi Lawrence
Let me know how the Melatonin works out for you. I'm on it for close to a week and have not had a night hit since I started.
Mike

This is good sh*t. I hope a bunch of folks will at least try it. You guys, I'd like to continue to know how you're doing...and it makes me a little less scared to get into the land of the living with confidence!

By the way, my name is Asia.

And by the other way, why can't side effects look like this:

May cause weight loss and muscle gain, restful sleep, heightened sexual pleasure, clear skin, and reduce the risk of cancer.

Well, Asia, I've been taking 6mg before bed for over a year now. Even when I'm not in cycle - I just plain sleep better.

Sometimes I'll bump it up to 9mg when I suspect I might be more susceptible to night hits.

Used to be that I could count on waking up at about a K4 or K5 almost exactly 90 minutes after falling asleep. No more of that shit. It's wonderful.

REDS DAD wrote on Sep 2^nd, 2009 at 6:13pm:

Hi Lawrence Let me know how the Melatonin works out for you. I'm on it for close to a week and have not had a night hit since I started. Mike

Will do. :)

I've been on Melatonin for almost a week now....i've had one night hit wake me up from sleep.

The only time I really get hit is when I nap....other than that I have shadows throughout the day
I take 9mg of Melatonin every night......it helps.

OK...Praying for my meletonin to kick in.....I upped my 6 mgs gradually up to 12 mgs....and still have had approx 4 hits per night....well that is at least down maybe one hit...

I might try a "priority blend" meletonin from the Dr's office (compounded from a compounding pharmacy)....it can't hurt....and I have heard it might make a difference what kind you take.....

I do take meletonin throughout the year as well....approx 2 and 1/2-3 mgs.....so maybe now I need to up it some more...Edouble said you could go up as high as 24 mgs.....wow....can you imagine? 

Last night I seemed to not wake up very early enough....My hits felt harded to get rid of with the O2....was it because of so much meletonin? 

Anyway....you all getting help with the meletonin gives me hope to keep trying different doses.

Blessings all!

Karen

Hi poetinpain Glad you found something that helps get you through the night and puts a damper on CH.

Goodness knows we all need more PF nights with good sleep and just plain more PF time!!!

Melatonine is on prescription in sweden. I really don't know why - perhaps it is because it is a hormone? Does anyone know what side-effects or bad-stuff there is with melatonine? Is it something like with testosterone that the bodies own production gets reduced over time?

did taking the melatonin at night help with any of you guys' daytime hits?

buckfoston wrote on Sep 13^th, 2009 at 11:46am:

did taking the melatonin at night help with any of you guys' daytime hits?

I haven't noticed any correlation. Melatonin is what helps us fall and stay asleep. I wouldn't want to even try taking it during the daytime. That's when I'm supposed to be livin', not sleepin'.