Melatonin with ABX/other meds

[tantrums]

When DS6 was first DX in December and I told the doctor how bad his sleep is, she suggested Melatonin. I immediately went and got 2.5 mg sublinguals. I myself have had bouts of insomnia for quite some time and only recently discovered melatonin myself - LOVE IT! I take 5mg and am amazed at how well it works.

 

However, the first night I gave it to him, he vomitted in his bed. I should add - luckily, DS is NOT a vomitter. I can count on one hand in his life how many times that has happened. I chalked it up to a fluke. A couple nights later, gave it to him again. The same thing happened.

 

I do notice that if I take it with other medication, I get very nauseated. I have a feeling that is also happening to him. Does anyone else see that problem? If so, are there any tricks to avoid this reaction? Spacing, eating something with it (although he always has a snack before bed - delay tactic) It is very disheartening bc I SO want to help him get some sleep!

[dcmom]

We haven't had that issue. I give melatonin in the liquid form- but only about .6 mg for my dd age 10. Maybe try starting with a lower dosage.

[smartyjones]

i've just started giving melatonin to my older, 8, non-pandas son b/c he was having a hard time getting to sleep. he's 8 and 71 lbs - .5 sublingual will put him to sleep in 1/2 hour.

[parents4eyes]

xx

Edited July 17, 2010 by parents4eyes

[tpotter]

Both my DS's sleep problems get bad when they are getting/are sick. I would check to see if you have knocked out the strep or some other illness (my younger son had the best night of sleep he can ever remember after a hospitalization for scarlet fever, etc. where they gave him IV abx, and then it also got significantly better again after PEX.)

 

Melatonin never helped either one, and my DS14 gets nightmares from them. Don't know if that has something to do with the fact it's strep/illness related...at least for them.

[kimballot]

We need to keep it light - .75 mg for a 13 year old boy. Any more than that and he has bad dreams and is tired the next day.

[tantrums]

I can't get over the low dosages everyone else has tried! Our doctor told me to get 3mg and the 2.5's were the closest I could find. I wonder if he was vomitting because it was just simply too much for him Scary!!!

 

However, since I take it and know what kind of crazy dreams I get with it, some of you other comments made me think this may just not be the thing for him. DS has terrible nightmares as it is, sleepwalks and talks, etc... I'll look into the tryptophan. Thanks

[Chemar]

Hi

 

I am shocked at how some doctors recommend these high doses of melatonin, which is a HORMONE!, for young kids

 

I am unable to tolerate more than 600 MICROgrams and my son cant take more than half that, otherwise we are very groggy and disorientated next day plus not very restful sleep

 

Melatonin is a hormone usually produced by the pineal gland when it gets dark, designed to help us sleep well. In our modern world, where even the green glow of the LCD on an alarm clock is enough to interfere with normal melatonin production

 

Melatonin is also on the same biochemical pathway as serotonin, so that is why tryptophan (and for some people, 5htp) can help to promote sleep

[colleenrn]

When I used it in the past for my children when they absolutely could not fall asleep no matter what and when they did fall asleep they continued to wake up all night, it has been successful with no side effects noticed. However, all they needed was 1/4 of a 2.5mg sublingual, so .625mg. I have taken a whole 2.5mg, I have also only taken 1.25mg and it works exactly the same for me. The 2.5 did not work any better for me than the 1.25 did, so if you try it again, maybe just give him 1/4 of the tab.

Colleen