My LO was told by his doctor that melatonin would help calm his very restless sleep so we tried it. The doctor did not recommend a dosage so he started with 5mg the first night. The next day he was groggy and disoriented all day. Regardless of this apparent reaction, I gave him 5mg the next night. The second day was worse than the first. So we reduced the dosage to 2mg for the third night. Still a mental "train wreck" the next day. I have not given him any melatonin since that third dose. I has taken almost a week for his daytime demeanor to recover, if not totally.
I have read past articles and questions/comments about melatonin on this website. Has anyone else experienced a similar reaction to melatonin?
Excuse my typo.
Start with 1/3 of 1mg. I don't know what horses these docs are trying to tranquilize, but starting out w/5mg is way too much.
Also recommend it as needed, as you become accustomed to the dose and require additional dose over time. Use as needed and you'll get more benefit.
I also think higher doses have an opposite effect, causing insomnia instead of sleep.
There's several factors that go into it.
An easy one is to block all the blue and white lights in his bedroom. Look at all the clock, TV and pc power LED's. Put a piece of black electricians tape over all the blue and white ones. Evolution has programed our brains to equate blue and white lights as sunrise and day time. Red lights imitate the warmth of a campfire at night.
Along the same thought, you could also try blue blocker glasses an hour before bed.
Also, is the TV on all night long? Instead of having the TV on, try books on tape (CD's or MP3's) or an audio bible. I use an audio bible once in a while. It plays on an endless loop so it doesn't really matter where it starts or I fall asleep.
Is anything else changed here other than the addition of this single dose of this supplement in this dosage. This isn't sounding like melatonin to me. Can you tell me if there are any other medications, any other changes playing into all this?
I think I would consult the doc who knows your loved one best. This sounds like something's being missed. I sure wish you luck and hope you'll update.
I started giving my mother who has dementia 6 MG, it wasn't helping, the doctor told me to try 10MG, it made it much worse. She was up at night, walking around, turning on lights, talking to inanimate objects. She's never done that before. I will stop tonight and see what happens tomorrow.
Thanks for your post. Solidifies my thinking of melatonin side effects for people with dementia.
I used to give my Husband Benadryl because he had allergies. I took one one evening I had some bug bite or sting and it was driving me bonkers. So I took one....I could barely function the next morning. I thought if this little pill did that to me I can just imagine what it is doing to my Husband with dementia...talk about adding a "foggy brain" to dementia. I tossed out the bottle.
melatonin was suggested by his doctor, I gave it to him a few times and did not notice any difference so the bottle went to the back of the linen closet, it is probably still there 10 years later.
Everyone can react differently to any medication (this includes supplements and OTC meds)
If you are giving a person with dementia anything keep a close eye out for any reaction and they may not be able to tell you what is going on so you have to be observant.
Keep working with his doctors to find something that will help him...and you sleep well at night.
On maybe the 5th night, I remember having this incredibly vivid dream: I got up in the middle of the night and went around the house making sure all of the doors and windows were closed and locked. I remember my dog, Gus, walking beside me, glued to my side; when I was in the dining room checking those windows, I remember the feel of his fur under my hand while I was petting him.
When I woke in the morning, I began to suspect that I hadn't been dreaming; rather, I think I had been sleep-walking. My dreams are not usually that clear and vivid, and I can never remember having a dream where, after, I can recall what something I touched in it felt like.
I haven't taken a melatonin since then.