1. < Sleep Health

Melatonin side effects

Posted by hipcheck @hipcheck, Sep 30, 2023

I have been taking one, five milagram Melatonin supplement gummie every night for a little over a year believing that it was safe but maybe I was wrong. Recently I began experiencing some concerning health problems that are apparently known side effects of long term Melatonin use and would like to know if anyone else has had this experience and if their symptoms went away after discontinued use. I've stopped taking the supplement several days ago but I am still experiencing, nausea, dizziness, difficulty eating-getting food down, fatigue, lethargy, joint pain, feeling warm-hot flashes without fever, night sweats and probably some others I'm forgetting. I will be contacting my Doctor next week but any help would be valuable and appreciated. Thank you.

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con123 | @con123 | Oct 1, 2023

From what I have read, you should never take more than .5mg of melatonin, although many people take much higher doses regularly. I don't know about the side effects but I don't take it nightly, just .5mg a few times a week.

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wr61 | @wr61 | Oct 1, 2023

IMO I don't think 5mg melatonin is causing those symptoms, I take 10. Please let us know what the Doctor says. Best wishes 😊

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Teri | @tsc | Oct 1, 2023

Hi @hipcheck, every bottle of melatonin comes with a warning not to use it it if you have an autoimmune disorder. Have you been screened for one? Your symptoms sound similar to ones I had with Polymyalgia Rheumaticia.
Generally, if you have PMR, your inflammatory markers, from blood tests (ESR and CRP) will be elevated, although if your symptoms are relatively new, they may be normal, or only slightly elevated for a while. PMR and its sister disorder Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) are treated with Prednisone, which makes sleeping difficult. I found lemon balm tea to be helpful. (There is a PMR and GCA forum here on Connect).
When I had the gagging symptoms, I thought they were vagus nerve related so did exercises for the vagus nerve. (These can be Googled) Those symptoms eventually went away, but they were hell when I had them, over a period of nine months. Sometimes the retching would wear me out for the day. I also lost about 17 pounds, being unable/reluctant to eat, fearing the gagging attacks.
I stopped using melatonin when I was diagnosed with PMR and GCA, but to be honest, it never really improved the quality of my sleep. I've been reading lately that it may have a positive effect on bone density so I considered taking it and consulted my rheumatologist, who wasn't aware of the autoimmune connection! He told me that many of his patients with autoimmune diseases take it. Now I'm more confused than ever, but I think I'll avoid it for now.
My husband has Alzheimer's Disease and his neurologist suggested I give him Melatonin at night to settle him down. It stops him from talking in his sleep. So far, so good.
I wish you the best and hope you get to the bottom of this.

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1 reply
lukirk | @lukirk | Oct 1, 2023

If you have an aneurysm, you should never take melatonin. I have an aneurysm in my brain, so I can’t take melatonin.

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gussie | @gussie | Oct 2, 2023

I have something called Hypnic headache. It's rather rare and mostly affects older women. I have been waking up for the last 16 years or so during REM sleep with an awful headache. They don't know much about it except that caffeine and or melatonin help. If I drink coffee it does help but I also have gastritis and IBS-d and the coffee is killing my GI tract. Also suggest melatonin but even if I take just 3 mg. it feels like my head exploded. Why does melatonin affect me that way? Everybody seems to tolerate it well.

REPLY
1 reply
hipcheck | @hipcheck | Oct 3, 2023
In reply to @tsc "Hi @hipcheck, every bottle of melatonin comes with a warning not to use it it if..." + (show)
@tsc

Hi @hipcheck, every bottle of melatonin comes with a warning not to use it it if you have an autoimmune disorder. Have you been screened for one? Your symptoms sound similar to ones I had with Polymyalgia Rheumaticia.
Generally, if you have PMR, your inflammatory markers, from blood tests (ESR and CRP) will be elevated, although if your symptoms are relatively new, they may be normal, or only slightly elevated for a while. PMR and its sister disorder Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) are treated with Prednisone, which makes sleeping difficult. I found lemon balm tea to be helpful. (There is a PMR and GCA forum here on Connect).
When I had the gagging symptoms, I thought they were vagus nerve related so did exercises for the vagus nerve. (These can be Googled) Those symptoms eventually went away, but they were hell when I had them, over a period of nine months. Sometimes the retching would wear me out for the day. I also lost about 17 pounds, being unable/reluctant to eat, fearing the gagging attacks.
I stopped using melatonin when I was diagnosed with PMR and GCA, but to be honest, it never really improved the quality of my sleep. I've been reading lately that it may have a positive effect on bone density so I considered taking it and consulted my rheumatologist, who wasn't aware of the autoimmune connection! He told me that many of his patients with autoimmune diseases take it. Now I'm more confused than ever, but I think I'll avoid it for now.
My husband has Alzheimer's Disease and his neurologist suggested I give him Melatonin at night to settle him down. It stops him from talking in his sleep. So far, so good.
I wish you the best and hope you get to the bottom of this.

Jump to this post

Thank you for the valuable information. I will definitely share it with my Physician.

REPLY
1 reply
dbbrown | @dbbrown | Oct 3, 2023
In reply to @gussie "I have something called Hypnic headache. It's rather rare and mostly affects older women. I have..." + (show)
@gussie

I have something called Hypnic headache. It's rather rare and mostly affects older women. I have been waking up for the last 16 years or so during REM sleep with an awful headache. They don't know much about it except that caffeine and or melatonin help. If I drink coffee it does help but I also have gastritis and IBS-d and the coffee is killing my GI tract. Also suggest melatonin but even if I take just 3 mg. it feels like my head exploded. Why does melatonin affect me that way? Everybody seems to tolerate it well.

Jump to this post

Have you tried cold brew coffee. I made the change and it seems less harsh on my digestive track. You can make your own cold brew.

REPLY
gussie | @gussie | Oct 3, 2023

How do I make cold brew? I only have a Nespresso machine right now. Is it something I can order?

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1 reply
Teri | @tsc | Oct 3, 2023
In reply to @hipcheck "Thank you for the valuable information. I will definitely share it with my Physician." + (show)
@hipcheck

Thank you for the valuable information. I will definitely share it with my Physician.

Jump to this post

I hope you can get a diagnosis, and then appropriate treatment.

REPLY
dbbrown | @dbbrown | Oct 4, 2023
In reply to @gussie "How do I make cold brew? I only have a Nespresso machine right now. Is it..." + (show)
@gussie

How do I make cold brew? I only have a Nespresso machine right now. Is it something I can order?

Jump to this post

This is what I ordered from Amazon to make cold brew. It has a filter into which you put the coffee. Then fill the container with cold water (according to instructions) and place it in the frig for 12 to 24 hours. Then it is ready to drink. I just heat a cup of it in the microwave.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VJJJ764/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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