Hi johnson
10 - 15 mg is reccomended I believe, although most say it takes a couple of weeks to become effective. It hasn't worked for me, but I have sleep issues which are nothing to do with my CH. Many people here say it works for them. I think it's one of those things that either will or won't, depending on the person and circumstances etc.

If you've had a couple of better nights it could just be that your cycle is winding down, or you could be one of the lucky ones where melatonin has a really fast effect. Only thing to do is keep using it and see what happens in the future. It will do no harm either way.

I've been taking 10-20 mg at night for about 100 years (maybe 10-12 years) and don't have night hits. BUT it took three tries before it started working and then it took a couple of weeks before it started doing any good.

But I swear by it.

You might check out the D3 regimen. Since 97 I've been chronic, but since going on it, I haven't been hit since Oct 21st of 2013.

Good luck.. 

Thanks for the response.. So far I have had a mixture of results. Please let me know if there is anything that can be identified with your experience here as normal or any ideas on what I might consider or try. Thanks

day 1 (10 mg at bedtime). no hits (but coming off a real bad Hit which is usually the case for me the next day.. dont know why)

day 2. (10 mg at bedtime) hit at 5 AM (jumped in the shower and did my typical hot water to the head treatment with hyperventilating and was able to beat it.) 1 hit is pretty great for the night!

day 3. (10 mg at bedtime) hit at 5 AM (jumped in the shower and did my typical hot water to the head treatment with hyperventilating and was able to beat it.)

day 4.. last night (5 mg at bedtime, as I took 5 a few hours earlier out of panic as I was going out to dinner) 12:00 attack, beat it with shower/hyperventilating, 3:00 attack, beat it with shower/hyperventilating.. 5:00 attack, took 5 mg more and beat it with shower/hyperventilating.

upped dosage to 15 mg, I still got these phantom calls or wake up alarms even though I didnt really feel any pain.. I panic or course because I know what the might turn into and treated them as though they would turn for the worse.

Phantom call at 12:00 (got up and treated just in case)
Phantom call at 3:00 (got up and treated just in case)
Phantom call at 5:00 (didnt get up and turned into a mild CH 2-3 for a couple hours until I woke at 8:00

Is this the experience you have had with Melatonin? Do you still wake up with the alarms? Also do you get super vivid dreams and thoughts in the middle of the night? Thanks for the follow up.

I have now been on the Melatonin just over a week. I take it at 15mg every night. I can honestly say that I believe it has cut the intensity and frequency of my night time hits. I do however still have a nightly hit around 2:00 AM. If I don't react to this hit it becomes a full on attack. I tried to ignore it the other day to see if the Melatonin would alleviate the attack.. It did not, trial and error. If I still have my headaches by weekend I will start on the D3 and see if that helps. As far as the O2, I am reluctant to try that until my next CH cycle in a year or so as I hope to be cycling out pretty soon. Thanks for your help

Johnson

What Hoppy said.. Get on the D3 and stay on it whether you're in cycle or out. You may just skip another cycle. There are those on here who've been pain free for years after starting it.

BUT you have to follow the regimen so check it out. But it's not something you start and stop.. It's a commitment - but it sure beats the pain of CH..

I'm just starting the melatonin along with vitamin D.  So far no help but it's only been a few days.  I get headaches hourly.

Mary,
Are you on the D3 REGIMEN? If not be sure to get on it like it was developed. You've got to take the other vitamins with the D3 BUT it sure works for me. Going on two years without a hit.

But I still take the Melatonin at night. And keep O2 handy (haven't had to use it but it's there "in case").

wishing you PF days..