1. Community
  2. Symptoms
  3. Sleep Problems

Melatonin... Another useless, ineffective scam

Posted , 5 users are following.

Lee1988
Lee1988

Recently purchased some 'high quality melatonin'.. Improve your sleep it says...

Lies. Don't bother wasting your money like I have, in fact do not buy any legal sleep aid as thet are all a waste of f*****g time!!!

P.S. Your doctor can help you, but the law in UK says they can't. Guess I just have to learn to live with this life ruining illness and never have a wife, family and all the simple things I wanted out of life.

1 like, 24 replies

24 Replies

Next
  • lily65668
    lily65668 Lee1988

    Posted

    Not arguing with you Lee, but just wondering how long you took the melatonin for. I've never tried it myself but my understanding is that it takes quite a while for the effects to kick in.

    And I do think you're being unnecessarily pessimistic. I suffered from poor sleep for most of my adult life. It's true I never sustained any long-term relationships or had kids, but that was due to all kinds of other reasons. I know my insomnia alone wouldn't have stopped me from doing that, and overall I've had a happy, fulfilled life without them.

    Not trying to diagnose you, but in all your posts it does sound as if there might be something else going on. Do you think you might be depressed? Perhaps this is something you should look into while you're still young...

    • Lee1988
      Lee1988 lily65668

      Posted

      Hey,

      Well from what I read it's like all other sleeping aids, you pick up a tolerance quickly which is why they say do not take for longer than one month etc.

      The reason for so many posts is I'm literally on the verge of either quiting my job or doing something unspeakable. I'm trying to find help in the most unlikely of places as all ither attempts have failed. My GP, not even my family seem to understand the impact this is having on my life and are happy to just let me get on with it.

      Yes I am depressed slightly, but that only comes from the lack of sleep. I could list another 10+ side effects too... I've had severe depression once in my life and this is totally different, trust me. If my posts seem angry or sad it's because I'm so frustrated at this point and need some form of outlet to vent my feelings. I know most people won't care but it still feels like I've gotten it off my chest a little.

      Thank you for your input, I appreciate it.

    • Lee1988
      Lee1988 lily65668

      Posted

      Oh and my sleep deprivation does mess things up for me when it comes to relationships, the side effects are sometimes difficult to explain to someone new my life and a lot walk away due to me being drowsy at times when they want to be out having fun etc, or me being in a somewhat bad mood from not sleeping and prefer not to be around other people when I'm like that.

      All in all, like I said previously, it is holding me back in every way possible. I haven't even got the energy to go the gym anymore.....

    • lily65668
      lily65668 Lee1988

      Posted

      I care, Lee. I know what it's like to struggle through life always feeling you haven't had enough sleep, often falling asleep during the day but not being able to manage more than a couple of hours during the night. I sympathise totally. I was worked as a nurse in that state for four years too. And like your problem, mine too started when a totally unrealistic shift system was forced on me after I'd started a job.

      But I'm concerned about your anger and resentment at the situation. Who are you angry with? Yourself? God? Donald Trump? Sorry to be flippant, but anger won't help, it will only make things worse. You say you're "on the verge of doing something unspeakable". What? Say what you mean, it might help.

      I'm glad you feel that venting on here helps you. Vent all you like. And call the Samaritans during sleepless nights if you think that might help. But sooner or later you're going to have to do something practical about this problem, whether it's changing your doctor, your job, your attitude or maybe all three. By changing your attitude, I mean learning to accept your insomnia and realising it won't seriously harm you. This is often the first step to improved sleeping.

    • Lee1988
      Lee1988 lily65668

      Posted

      Lily, im angry because for the last 6 years I haven't been able to sleep properly, nothing has been done in the form of help so the problem has gotten worse, to the point of me wanting to take my own life.

      That's what I'm angry about and believe I have a right to be!

  • lisalisa67
    lisalisa67 Lee1988

    Posted

    Make sure any meds you take arent the cause of this. See an endocrinologist male or female hormones can wreck havoc. I do not live in the UK and from everything i have read i would be scared too, there health care system is less then desirable, especially the mental health aspect. Im sure they are aware of it and are trying to figure it out. if you can do private care the restrictions you noted would not be there, maybe worth the try at some point. Im tempted to say to  keeping extremly busy and work out an hour a day. Maybe you can literally exhaust your body. Wean off any sleep aids completely they arent working anyway. Let your body try and reconfigure yourself. Remove tvs, computers and every electronic in your life out of your bedroom. Obviously you need an alarm clock. Use nothing two hours before you plan in going to sleep. Be sure your bedroom is clutter free, tidy and you have a hepa filter running. Thats just advice. I use the exhaustion method of keeping extremly active and busy and my body too tired to listen to my mind. But thats after clearance from an endocrinologist.I still think the best answer is seeing an endocrinologist, a gp is limited in their knowledge.  Feel better and hooe you some restful sleep soon.
    • Lee1988
      Lee1988 lisalisa67

      Posted

      Some good advice there Lisa, thank you. Although I've tried most of what you mentioned, I have an appointment on Friday at the doctor's and my intention is to be referred to a specialist as I refuse to keep explaining my symptoms to different GP and getting no help whatsoever.
    • lily65668
      lily65668 Lee1988

      Posted

      Yes Lee - that's what I meant when I suggested you should do something practical about your problem rather than giving in to all this destructive anger. Even if you're never going to be one of those people who gets eight hours of peaceful sleep every night, I'm sure there's something out there that will improve things enough to pull you back from the brink.

      Don't let them refuse to refer you (though I'm sure you won't!) Whatever your doctor tells you, he's obliged to give you a referral if you insist.

      Good luck and keep us all informed!

    • Lee1988
      Lee1988 lily65668

      Posted

      Yeah I accepted a while ago that I'm not gonna be the best sleeper in the world but there's still times when I get a few good nights sleep and although I do wake up during the night (to go to the bathroom) I will have gotten around 6/7 hours of sleep which for me is perfect.

      Now this only happens on weekends or when I have time off work. This is the only time that I feel I can get into a pattern for sleep. Unfortunately most weeks I work 6 days, often have to do night shifts or finish late at 11pm, there's no jobs available to me that have 9-5 hours and taking time off grants me no salary as my contract is zero hours even though the work is constant. Sneaky, isn't it..

      I recently considered quitting the job until I could find something else but it really isn't an option as it is very difficult to find work while unemployed in England. Also if you wallk out of a job, for whatever reason, you are unable to receive support from the job centre. Then there's the issue of money, I have bills to pay and I'm planning a trip to Thailand this summer so being unemployed isn't what I want.

      When I visit the doc (again..) on Friday, I'll ask to be referred and hopefully some good will come of it. It's gone on too long now, it should be well documented that I've reported sleep problems for the last 6 years, I've already explained how much this problem is destroying my life so they should have all that down too if they have done their jobs correctly.

  • Zigangie
    Zigangie Lee1988

    Posted

    Hi Lee,

    How many milligram is it? You can take up to 6mg.

    Also they say it can take a couple of weeks to work.

    It doesn't work for me I've taken it for long enough to know.

    You say the doctor can help, there is not much they can give you.

    Benzodiazapines only work for a while and really only in the short term.

    I know I've taken them and now double what at first knocked me almost unconscious and I can wander round drink alcohol with them etc. and if I am very lucky I may fall asleep 4 or 5 hours and several bacardi and cokes later if it's Tamazepam. Diazepam no chance any more.

    It doesn't take that many before this happens, I've had less than 100 of them in 10 years.

    They have also given me an antihistamine that is supposed to cause drowsiness and also a cough medicine. Maybe if they had tried those things first they may have helped some.

    I'm presuming you have also tried some hard exercise in the am and don't drink caffeine?

    I know all this sounds stupid, I've tried and it doesn't make any difference if I drink caffeine or not, I can't sleep and if I've done hard exercise I feel more awake than ever.

    But you can only try. Some people say chamomile tea and do you know what I've never tried it, I keep thinking I will get some.

    I think I've told you? Or maybe someone else on this site, for me at least valerian root 900mg is the closest thing to benzodiazapine feeling from a natural and I can't help but wonder would it have worked for me and made me sleep if I hadn't insisted that my doctor give me something without looking into all the naturals first?

    • Lee1988
      Lee1988 Zigangie

      Posted

      It's 5mg, had no effect at all lol.

      Benzodiazepines. I know they aren't the answer but surely getting a few tablets a month for when things get really bad isn't such a crime?? I have a high tolerance anyway do there's no way id be able to abuse like 8 tablets. Also what would be the point in wasting them all in one go? I'm sorry but GPs in UK need to get over the idea of them being abused, just regulate it. Problem solved!

      Just some info on me.. I don't drink (alcohol) and only drink water. I eat relatively healthy and do not consume any form of caffeine. I exercise when I can but lately just haven't had the energy. So in general there is no reason why I shouldn't sleep. Any side effects such as increased anger, stress, feelong down or even suicidal, all stem from sleep deprivation. Tried Valerian root, must have took close to 3000mg and didn't even blink an eye.

      I think professional help is the next step but if that doesn't work I'll be forced to quit my job, not what I want but I honestly can't cope anymore.

    • Zigangie
      Zigangie Lee1988

      Posted

      Hi Lee,

      well it's good to know that you are living healthy in all other ways.

      You really need to impress upon your doctor that this is having a real mental and physical impact on your life.

      Try asking for a sleep study.

      I have tried to get one but my sleep had been put down to depression (I say the same as you that the lack of sleep has caused me to be depressed).

      Have they never offered you Zopiclone? It doesn't work for me but I know some people say they work.

      Normally if you manage to get any Zopiclone diazepam or Tamazepam they give you them for 14 nights to try to get you back into a sleep pattern.

      I'm not sure that you have exactly the same as mine.

      I'm up now 4 am, last time I was asleep was 4 PM not last night but the night before and I cannot sleep I will try about 7 am if not another day of this and no matter how hard I try I can never sleep anytime after about 10 am, so if I've had no sleep by then another night up. After about 4 maybe 5 nights of this I end up with psychosis. Often resulting in anti psychotic Meds or a trip to the nut house (I don't mind because they like you quiet in there and give lorazepam another benzodiazapine that you would not be given for use at home).

      I just prefer not to have anti psychotic Meds because they really mess you up. So I will try and sleep with alcohol and maybe a diazepam or 3 but only if I really have to.

      If I do get to sleep will then sleep 18 hours straight.

      So tell them anyway how it is, remind them of the dangers of diving and working in such a tired state and I have my fingers crossed for you that they can do something to help.

      If they know this is causing you to have suicidal thoughts you may get some action from them.

      Don't do anything rash please.

      I'm usually up to talk (PM me if you like by clicking on the grey envelope next to my name).

      Good luck Lee x

  • michelle14134
    michelle14134 Lee1988

    Posted

    Hi lee I've read a few of ur posts and u sound a lot like me I've had this problem for 15 months now and find it so frustrating and debilitating I also was let down by the doctors so I asked them to refer me to a psychiatrist who said I had health anxiety and that was causing my insomnia he was more than happy to prescribe me zolpidem which I take every nite and ave done for about 7 months now they do kinda knock me out for about 5 hrs now but it feels nothing like normal restful sleep but I guess it's better than nothing.
    • Lee1988
      Lee1988 michelle14134

      Posted

      Hi Michelle, yes I'm looking into professional help. Need to wait until friday to see GP then god knows how long I'll have to wait to see a specialist but hopefully I can get the ball rolling.

      It's sad because I thought id beat this last year, now it is back and worse than ever! Hell, it almost feels like my insomnia had Xmas off and its new years resolution was to mess me up worse than before!

  • Skylar211213
    Skylar211213 Lee1988

    Posted

    Hi Lee. How did you get on with your DR?

    Your symptoms are like mine unfortunately!

    Take care

    Kate.

    • Lee1988
      Lee1988 Skylar211213

      Posted

      Hi Kate,

      Sorry to hear your suffering from the same symptoms, it's torture....

      Anyway I managed to speak to a new doctor yesterday who at first said 'no sleeping pills' but after speaking to me for 10 mins actually apologized for me not being correctly medicated or being referred to a specialist. He gave me contact details for a therapist but wanted to try one more medication before referring me to the hospital.

      I've been given 50mg Trazadone capsules, directions are to take one or two an hour before sleep. My local pharmacies didn't have them in stock so I only got them today. From what I've read they are used to treat anxiety/depression but have a sedative effect too which many doctor's prescribe for sleep.

      Will it work? Who knows but I will be taking just one tonight, and throughout the week. I'll report back with the results... I've also read that taking Melatonin with Trazadone has no negative reactions whatsoever so I may take that along with it too, maybe it will strengthen the sedative effect.

      Kate if you need any help feel free to PM me, depending on where you are based and what your doctor has you on (if anything) I may be able to give you some advice. It can be extremely frustrating to go through this and have nobody that understands to talk to.

      Lee.

    • lily65668
      lily65668 Lee1988

      Posted

      Hi Lee,

      I'm glad you finally managed to at least start a dialogue with a doctor. If the trazodone/melatonin combination doesn't work after giving it a fair trial, don't hesitate to go back. Are you able to choose which doctor you see in the UK? If you do go back, please try and insist you see the same one again, even if it means waiting a little longer. I believe it is possible to get good results out of the NHS, but the onus is on the patient to insist on getting the right treatment referrals. And yes, I know, it shouldn't be like that, but you've just proved it's possible to get someone to listen if you're persistent enough. Even if the trazodone doesn't work, it sounds as if the new doctor is prepared to take things further.

      I hope you sleep tonight. Concentrate on the fact that you've finally found a decent doctor rather than getting wound up about the other one.

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.