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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> When should I end my use of Melatonin?
        
(Message started by: Kookierunner on Jan 7^th, 2004, 1:15am)

Title: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by Kookierunner on Jan 7^th, 2004, 1:15am

I'm onto my third night of using melatonin and currently it's been very successful. No CH for over 62 hours now. While I know it's still early, I'm trying to figure out when it would be safe to end my use of melatonin.

Some facts about my CH:
1.) My cycles last around 2-3 months about once every 2-3 years.

2.) I've been taking only 2mg of melatonin at night before sleep rather than the larger doses I've heard recommended.

3.) Even though I haven't had an attack for a few days now, I still get some light shadows during the day and night. I think this is obviously a sign that I'm still in my cycle... but also a sign that perhaps the melatonin is doing its job.

Any advice on when I can stop taking the melatonin? I'm personally thiking that I should feel safe to stop taking it once I stop getting shadows completely, but I think I'm a bit scared to try. Appreciate any comments, especially from those who have tried melitonin succesffuly and also tried going without it.

Title: Re: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by Prense on Jan 7^th, 2004, 8:57am

Ultimately, it is a decision you are going to have to make. Most folks here generally advise a week to two weeks once you think the cycle is over to discontinue preventative meds. 62 hours PF, while a God send, is not really enough time to claim without a doubt the med will work indefinately. I would see no rush to stop taking it, unless you are having some side effects or something.

Chris

Title: Re: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by Giovanni on Jan 7^th, 2004, 9:13am

I had gone about 2 or 3 months beyond the termination of the cycle to re-establish proper sleep patterns and to make sure that the cycle was over. If you quit too early, the headaches will resume. Why not try 30 days and see what happens? Good luck.

John

;;D

Title: Re: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by Paigelle on Jan 7^th, 2004, 9:22am

I agree with Giovanni, keep using it for about 30 more days. If you stop too soon the CH my come back right in the peak of your cycle and you at least want to get through that without knowing they exist.

Title: Re: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by jflynn on Jan 7^th, 2004, 9:25am

I just had an appt with HA specialist yesterday. he suggested that so long as mela's effective I might as well take every day. "I see no reason to stop," he said. I can tell you the few times I've forgotten to take mine ... pow, awake with CH at 1:30am.

CAVEAT:
If your family has a history of heart disease mela's counterindicated and you should discuss with a doctor. has to do with it's vasoconstrictive properties.

Title: Re: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by thomas on Jan 7^th, 2004, 10:43am

I would give it a couple of more weeks, I used it for about 30 days, then quit. I still use it if I can't get to sleep.

Title: Re: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by floridian on Jan 7^th, 2004, 10:59am

Two studies claim that clusterheads have low melatonin production and no melatonin circadian cycle all year round - not just in cycle. This raises good questions - should melatonin be taken year round, or just around the painful periods?? How safe is melatonin??

Jflynn raised the heart issue. There may be some heart conditions that melatonin aggravates, but my (admittedly quick) scan of the literature shows more evidence that it helps many heart conditions. But I don't think we can say it is 100% safe.

On the negative side: One study showed a small increase in systolic blood pressure (6 mm Hg) after taking melatonin. Another showed an increased susceptibility to experimentally induced Ca++ paradox (??). One study showed mice fed a high cholesterol diet had more atherosclerosis when given melatonin. Another article listed one patient with autoimmune hepatitis, one case of confusion due to MLT overdose, one case of optic neuropathy, four subjects with fragmented sleep, one psychotic episode, one case of nistagmus, four cases of seizures, one case of headache and two cases of skin eruptions. These adverse effects were from a literature study of 300+ articles, of which 9 listed side effects. Some of them may just be coincidental - a disease became manifest after melatonin was taken.

On the beneficial side, melatonin protects against ischemia damage to the heart, helps with some arrhythmias, might improve cholesterol and other lipids, protects the heart against various toxins (doxorubicin, adriamycin, streptozotocin). Decreased production of melatonin by the body has been associated with both coronary artery disease and alzheimers. Melatonin seems to help with treatment of some cancers, but for many it does nothing, and could concievably make some worse (like any medicine).

Quote:

Cephalalgia. 1994 Jun;14(3):199-204. Lowered circannual urinary melatonin concentrations in episodic cluster headache. Waldenlind E, Ekbom K, Wetterberg L, Fanciullacci M, Marabini S, Sicuteri F, Polleri A, Murialdo G, Filippi U.

The circannual secretion of melatonin in 14 Swedish and 15 Italian patients suffering from episodic cluster headache was compared with 14 Swedish and 15 Italian healthy controls matched for sex and age. Overnight samples of urine were collected once a month from 8 to 14 months and kept at -20 degrees C until analysed with RIA. The melatonin concentrations in nocturnal urine were permanently low in cluster headache and there was no consistent change of the melatonin concentration in relation to cluster periods occurring during the study. There was no definitive circannual or infraannual rhythmicity of melatonin in patients or controls. Multiple analysis of variance with repeated measurements showed a significant effect of disease (p < 0.05), but not of time. Sex, geographical location, age, and smoking also had significant effects (p < 0.001) on the melatonin concentrations. Lower melatonin levels in cluster headache patients than in controls may in part be related to a larger number of smokers in the patient group. The relation between tobacco use and melatonin should be further studied.

Quote:

Cephalalgia. 1998 Dec;18(10):664-7. Abnormal 24-hour urinary excretory pattern of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin in both phases of cluster headache. Leone M, Lucini V, D'Amico D, Grazzi L, Moschiano F, Fraschini F, Bussone G.

The typical cyclic occurrence of cluster headache suggests the involvement of hypothalamic rhythm regulating centers in the pathogenesis of this primary headache. In previous studies, reduced 24-h plasma melatonin levels during the cluster period, loss of circadian melatonin secretion in remission, as well as permanently reduced excretion of urinary melatonin in both illness phases have been reported, supporting the hypothesis of a hypothalamic derangement. In this study, the 24-h urinary excretion of the main melatonin metabolite, 6-sulphatoxymelatonin, was evaluated in 20 cluster period cluster headache patients. Thirteen were retested 12 months later, in the same period of the year, during remission. Fourteen age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were the controls. As expected, significantly higher levels of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin were present in nocturnal urine than in day-time urine in controls, while in both cluster headache groups urinary levels of this metabolite did not differ between day and night. Nocturnal levels of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin were significantly lower in both cluster headache groups than controls. Day-time levels did not differ significantly between the groups. Altered excretion of urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin even during remission indicates that at least some of these anomalies are independent of the pain, and provides further evidence of involvement of the hypothalamic rhythm regulating centers in cluster headache.

Title: Re: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by t_h_b on Jan 7^th, 2004, 6:32pm

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Title: Re: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by captdshea on Jan 9^th, 2004, 6:59pm

No reason to stop use of Melatonin..

Title: Re: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by Prense on Jan 9^th, 2004, 8:55pm

on 01/09/04 at 18:59:19, captdshea wrote:

No reason to stop use of Melatonin..

Hrmmm...

Title: Re: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by Kookierunner on Jan 9^th, 2004, 9:04pm

Thanks for all the replies. It's kind of funny as many of you were right that 62 hours is not enough time to give the melatonin a chance to run through the cycle. I had to wake up early (5:30am) for a business trip the day after I wrote my first message. Four hours later, I had a pretty sever attack right in the middle of my meeting.

I've been CH free the past two days because I've made sure to give myself enough sleep after taking the melatonin. Is it possible that besides taking melatonin, I need to also make sure I get the full night of sleep that goes along with it? This is going to be interesting trying figure out how melatonin works for me as an individual. I definitely plan to stay on it as some of you recommended at least for one month after my last attack. I want to make sure I'm past my cycle before going of it.

I am partly worried that staying on melatonin as a supplement will cause my body to naturally produce less on its own. Is this something that I should be worried about? Thanks!

Title: Re: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by captdshea on Jan 9^th, 2004, 9:39pm

IMO, As you age you produce less and less Melatonin.
At my age 48yrs. I will continue to use. in &out of cycle.
Like the bottle says, to promote better sleep habits.

David

Title: Re: When should I end my use of Melatonin?
Post by Prense on Jan 10^th, 2004, 10:58am

on 01/09/04 at 21:04:21, Kookierunner wrote:

I am partly worried that staying on melatonin as a supplement will cause my body to naturally produce less on its own. Is this something that I should be worried about?

Good question! If you are to remain on it, what dosage do you take when out of cycle? Personally, I would find out all the pros and cons to remaining on melatonin that otherwise you wouldn't need...symptomatically speaking.

Chris