Melatonin

[Yooyung]

Hello all,

I was given a few melatonin tablets by a Thai friend, she got them from an American uncle that was visiting. I have taken them on a couple of occasions when I have wanted to get my body clock back to a reasonable time. I have to say they work very very well and I don't experience any kind of pill 'hangover' from them. So, is this drug available here? I am guessing its not common and probably not available over the counter. It feels a hell of a lot more natural than anything I have taken before. I am aware that its a hormone that the body produces naturally, so I guess thats why.....

Cheers.

[h90]

I got them at phukethealthshop

I don't feel them, or not much...

[Sheryl]

They used to be sold at a kiosk in MahBoonKrang (I think 2nd floor, but not sure). Don't know if it still is. Personally I get mine in Cambodia, widely available in the more modern pharmacies in Phnom Penh (UCare, PharmCare, PharmLink etc..the Cambodian equivalent to Boots or Watsons).

[h90]

They used to be sold at a kiosk in MahBoonKrang (I think 2nd floor, but not sure). Don't know if it still is. Personally I get mine in Cambodia, widely available in the more modern pharmacies in Phnom Penh (UCare, PharmCare, PharmLink etc..the Cambodian equivalent to Boots or Watsons).

Do they have an effect on you?

When I really can't sleep they don't seem to have any effect. If I am just slightly sleepless they do seem to help, but it could be as well placebo effect or nothing at all. If I can sleep an hour later with Melatonin, I might slept without the Melatonin the same, who knows.

A bottle beer works far better but regularly this results in an additional 5kg bodyweight...

[Yooyung]

If its a placebo then its a bloody good one! About 25 minutes after I take it I really feel the need to put my head down. I don't know...these were from America, not sure how many milligrams but they are small tablets. I have actually been surprised how well they work. Interesting that you dont get any reaction....

[Sheryl]

For me, it works very well for both jet lag and early morning awakening (I keep it by the bedside and take if I awaken at 4-5 AM), a common problem as people age and related to declining melatonin levels.

[robblok]

I used it never really worked for me, I just bought it on ebay. Might a personal thing not sure.

[Tolley]

I use magnesium/calcium supplements. They are good for sleep.

Edited June 23, 2015 by Tolley

[faraday]

I used it a few times & they worked really well. But after about 2/3 weeks of taking them every other day or so, I started getting vile nightmares.

Now, I take Valerian which gives me a peaceful sleep without a hangover.

[Sheryl]

I used it never really worked for me, I just bought it on ebay. Might a personal thing not sure.

If they were from the US, the quality may also be an issue. Classified as a nutritional supplement in the US and these are not subject to the scrutiny and controls that pharmaceuticals are. While that makes them easily available it has also resulted in many products that contain less active ingrediant than labeled or even none.

One is left having to rely on trial and error to find a reliable brand.

Some European countries are better in this regard.

[robblok]

I used it never really worked for me, I just bought it on ebay. Might a personal thing not sure.

If they were from the US, the quality may also be an issue. Classified as a nutritional supplement in the US and these are not subject to the scrutiny and controls that pharmaceuticals are. While that makes them easily available it has also resulted in many products that contain less active ingrediant than labeled or even none.

One is left having to rely on trial and error to find a reliable brand.

Some European countries are better in this regard.

Believe the brand was puritans pride, not sure if it says a lot or not.

But still I am quite resistant to stuff like this not much puts me really to sleep.

[h90]

If its a placebo then its a bloody good one! About 25 minutes after I take it I really feel the need to put my head down. I don't know...these were from America, not sure how many milligrams but they are small tablets. I have actually been surprised how well they work. Interesting that you dont get any reaction....

mine are 3 mg, and I eat 3 of it so total 9 mg. (because 6 mg didn't show any effect)

Made in USA

[h90]

I used it never really worked for me, I just bought it on ebay. Might a personal thing not sure.

If they were from the US, the quality may also be an issue. Classified as a nutritional supplement in the US and these are not subject to the scrutiny and controls that pharmaceuticals are. While that makes them easily available it has also resulted in many products that contain less active ingrediant than labeled or even none.

One is left having to rely on trial and error to find a reliable brand.

Some European countries are better in this regard.

mine are made in USA, is there a reliable brand available in Thailand?

[h90]

For me, it works very well for both jet lag and early morning awakening (I keep it by the bedside and take if I awaken at 4-5 AM), a common problem as people age and related to declining melatonin levels.

When I wake up somewhen between 3 and 5, which doesn't happen often, than now I force myself out of the bed, drink a coffee and start working.

It isn't easy to get it started, but once out of the bed I either feel for going back and sleep well or I am really wake up and my body agrees to start the day.

It is amazing when you are somehow finish with your work and look at the time and it 10 am.....

But of course for people with a regular job it is different

[xylophone]

They are available in Thailand and are called "Circadin" (2mg prolonged release tablets). Think I got them at Boots.

[h90]

They are available in Thailand and are called "Circadin" (2mg prolonged release tablets). Think I got them at Boots.

thanks

[uli65]

I always order this product for 350,- baht

http://swansonthailand.net/swanson-premium-melatonin-3-mg-120-caps/

[Yooyung]

They are available in Thailand and are called "Circadin" (2mg prolonged release tablets). Think I got them at Boots.

Thanks for that.

[Sheryl]

I always order this product for 350,- baht

http://swansonthailand.net/swanson-premium-melatonin-3-mg-120-caps/

That is a great link, thanks! I see they even have Kirkland vitamins/supplements.

[scoutman360]

Melatonin is a great sleep supplement, just watch your dosage. I personally only take 1 mg, because any more than that will have me crashing on the sofa all day. Maybe the people that didn't feel any affect need a higher dosage. Also, beware they can give you very vivid dreams and/or nightmares. I've had some very wild rides through the night.

It really sucks getting older when you can't sleep through the night anymore. I thought it was just me, but so many people that I know have the same problem. Gone are the days, waking up at 10am. If I can make it to 7am, that was a good night sleep.

[h90]

I always order this product for 350,- baht

http://swansonthailand.net/swanson-premium-melatonin-3-mg-120-caps/

That is a great link, thanks! I see they even have Kirkland vitamins/supplements.

Is Kirkland a good brand? I know zero about supplement brands

[h90]

Melatonin is a great sleep supplement, just watch your dosage. I personally only take 1 mg, because any more than that will have me crashing on the sofa all day. Maybe the people that didn't feel any affect need a higher dosage. Also, beware they can give you very vivid dreams and/or nightmares. I've had some very wild rides through the night.

It really sucks getting older when you can't sleep through the night anymore. I thought it was just me, but so many people that I know have the same problem. Gone are the days, waking up at 10am. If I can make it to 7am, that was a good night sleep.

When I can't sleep anymore early morning I just wake up and start working.....My wife does it as well, sometimes at 4AM.

+ is you work on the cool silence and it is great to see the sun rise

+ you are finish with most of your work at 10 AM

+ at 5-6 PM I can take a deep sleeping nap for 1 hour

- after that nap I can't sleep till late in the night and the next day I wake up early but feel like a truck hit me.....

But sometimes I can do it to not nap, going sleeping at 8-9 PM and walking up very early (basically like chicken).....I think that is a true sign of getting old....going sleeping early wake up early, where are the good old times?

[samuibeachcomber]

They used to be sold at a kiosk in MahBoonKrang (I think 2nd floor, but not sure). Don't know if it still is. Personally I get mine in Cambodia, widely available in the more modern pharmacies in Phnom Penh (UCare, PharmCare, PharmLink etc..the Cambodian equivalent to Boots or Watsons).

Do they have an effect on you?

When I really can't sleep they don't seem to have any effect. If I am just slightly sleepless they do seem to help, but it could be as well placebo effect or nothing at all. If I can sleep an hour later with Melatonin, I might slept without the Melatonin the same, who knows.

A bottle beer works far better but regularly this results in an additional 5kg bodyweight...

Just bought some melatonin from moyra pharmacy.brand name circadin 2mg.A pack of 15 tabs 630 baht,so not cheap,no thai generic brand available.Have n't done anything for me and think i have wasted my money.Before i bought atarax 25mg. pack of 25 for 99 baht.It's actually an anti histamin but works reasonably well for sleep purposes....but still not good enough hence i tried melatonin.

[Sheryl]

2mg is an extremely low dose. Most people need 5-6 mg. So you might try 3 tabs.

But the effect is in no way like Atarax. It just induces a natural feeling of sleepiness, it does not knock you out.

If like many insomniacs your problem is not that you don't feel sleepy but rather that despite being sleepy you are unable to fall asleep, this is unlikely to help. Need to address the underlying cause which is often caffeine intake and/or anxiety.

[scoutman360]

2mg is an extremely low dose. Most people need 5-6 mg. So you might try 3 tabs.

But the effect is in no way like Atarax. It just induces a natural feeling of sleepiness, it does not knock you out.

If like many insomniacs your problem is not that you don't feel sleepy but rather that despite being sleepy you are unable to fall asleep, this is unlikely to help. Need to address the underlying cause which is often caffeine intake and/or anxiety.

Let me add that melatonin has never helped me fall asleep, but it has helped me stay asleep, and put me into a deeper, more natural sleep. Others have said the same thing. Sheryl is right, if your mind is racing, melatonin will not knock you out. You need to find the cause.

[Yooyung]

I got pretty much confirmed.....and I am reasonably sure that the tablets I was given are 5 mg. Perhaps that's a reasonable dose. It certainly did the trick for me and felt stronger than 5 mg of diazepam.

[h90]

I used it never really worked for me, I just bought it on ebay. Might a personal thing not sure.

If they were from the US, the quality may also be an issue. Classified as a nutritional supplement in the US and these are not subject to the scrutiny and controls that pharmaceuticals are. While that makes them easily available it has also resulted in many products that contain less active ingrediant than labeled or even none.

One is left having to rely on trial and error to find a reliable brand.

Some European countries are better in this regard.

It seems you were complete right on that. Mine are from USA. They are 3mg but huge pills (what is huge on 3 mg?? So the size comes from the marketing department). I use now 4x3mg=12 mg, which is most probably much less.

And now they do work. I wake up at 5 AM because I am just finished with my sleeping needs. And strange enough I have also weird dreams, I usually won't have.