Hi. I'm new here. I am borderline stage 3/4 kidney failure after being seriously ill last year with what is now thought to have been a virus that resulted in organ failure. Outlook was bleak but I pulled though with heart and kidneys very battered. Heart has recovered well and kidneys better than they were. Egfr now 30. Consultant thinks things have stabilised but I obviously am taking care. Since hospital have suffered very poor sleep and GP has prescribed Circadin ie Melatonin but the instruction leaflet says that, while no studies done on people with liver or kidney disease, use is not recommended. Presumably my GP thinks it's ok . But I'd appreciate any guidance you have had and any tips on other means of tackling sleep disturbance which I understand can be a symptom of kidney failure.
Advice on Melatonin: Hi. I'm new here. I am... - Kidney Disease
Advice on Melatonin
Aoki,
I used Melatonin regularly for many years. At least for mine, melatonin had little effect on my kidney function (but my CKD was also progressive). I stopped using it since I take other medications that cause drowsiness, but I also find having a strict sleep schedule helps me sleep more regularly. No matter if I'm tired or not, I am always at least in bed doing a relaxing activity (i.e. reading, crossword puzzle, coloring/drawing, etc.) by the same time every night. I also wake up at the same time (or earlier if i can't get back to sleep) every morning. I also practice guided meditation in the evenings as well (calm and headspace are good apps), since it calms my mind and allows me to sleep better. You can also find these on YouTube if you aren't wanting an app subscription.
Keeping water on hand if you don't have a fluid restriction can also be benefitial, since sometimes our bodies become dehydrated in the middle of the night and wake us up to drink water. Eliminating the need to physically get up to get things can help you fall back asleep quicker, since less muscles are being engaged and you don't have to "wake up" as much. Also, I make sure that I don't eat past 7:30-8pm to give my body time to digest and wind down for the evening. Avoiding caffeine is also a personal must for me, so I avoid caffeine (besides a very lightly steeped tea) after mid afternoon or else I don't become tired until it's very late.
One other thing that you may or may not benefit from is keeping your bedroom slightly chilled. Our bodies have to cool down and lower our blood pressure before we are able to go to sleep. I've found that keeping my room slightly chilled has helped to keep me from waking up in the middle of the night since I can easily become too warm. I usually just keep a fan on low in my room for circulation and it keeps my room cool enough for sleep.
I hope this helps! Hang in there and good luck 
Many thanks for your helpful reply
My doctor also prescribed melatonin and was told that melatonin production actually is decreased in kidney patients. I was told I could take upwards of 10 mg safely starting out at 1 mg. I got up to 5mg a day, but after reading more about it, I decided to cut back and am now taking 1mg. It has worked well for me, although I still wake up 2 times a night like clockwork to drink water and use the restroom, but go right back to sleep.
As Ladybug suggested, I also have used sleep hypnoses. I like Thomas Hall. You can find him on YouTube. I also read in bed for a short while which helps to keep me from thinking about daily activities and I get drowsy more quickly. I do all the other things Ladybug said. Go to bed at a consistent time, avoid caffeine, don’t eat late, stretch before going to bed etc.
Here is an article about Melatonin adverse effects. It can cause depression and suicidaltendancies in those who are prone to depression. I had a friend who was adversely affected in such a manner when using it. There are also some other rare side effects such as eye problems and seizures. As with any drug, each person responds differently.
Hope you can find a good night’s rest soon!
Thank you very much for this useful info. I've been prescribed 2mg and will now give it a go -- which I long to do!!
Very few, if anyone, needs more than 3mg of melatonin a day! Most people do best on less. 1 to11/2mg is the best. I cant believe that most doctor prescribe more. Also get your thyroid checked, including antibodies TPO and TG against thyroid. Thyroid and kidney are directly connected, another thing most doctors dont know!
Good morning Aoki,
Melatonin is an easy supplement to use for sleeping but a little goes a long way. I have used it and take no more that 2mgs. I will tell you I get weird dreams and it does raise my blood sugar. I find now that I am retired, I do not need it. One of the many good things about being retired. My brain would turn into a monkey brain when I would get up at night for my mid-night bathroom run and I could not calm it down. If I took melatonin, I would fall back asleep.
I also do meditation at night. If I am having trouble falling back asleep at night, I do either a body scan meditation or what I call the grateful alphabet meditation. I think of something I am grateful for with every letter of the alphabet. It gets me to slow the brain down. If you do not meditate, taking deep breaths and exhaling slowly will sometimes help calm.
Thanks so much. As well as giving the melatonin a go I will try the grateful alphabet meditation -- I do have a lot to be grateful for having been more or less written off in ICU last year. They actually described my recovery as miraculous in my discharge notes!! And I think they are finding my much better than expected recovery since then equally baffling, Hence my determination to help things along by sleeping properly exercising and eating sensibly. This site is wonderfully helpful in these respects.
Yes, it is a great site and everyone is really nice. I have found the best way to heal oneself is to help others. And by telling us about your journey to better health can help others.
Stay in touch.
Bassetmommer, tell us more about the body scan meditation. I love the grateful alphabet! I am going to try that. I could have used it last night as I had an unusual case of not getting back to sleep for over an hour.
Hi Zazzel,
This meditation was invented by Jon Kabat-Zen who is a medical doctor who has done a tremendous amount of work on mindfulness for cancer patients. I have attached a link. You start with either the top or the bottom. I do the feet. You can tightened the muscles in each group or just think about the area. I do both and send light to the area. Usually if I do this, I fall asleep before I get halfway. Peace to you,
google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q...
Thanks so much! 😀
I sprinkle a few drops of lavendar oil on my pillowcase and bed linens... very soothing and relaxing
Also use a room diffuser with pure lavender oil or peppermint oil added to the water. It is wonderfully relaxing!
I was snoring with sleep apnea. My lung doctor pt me on a CPAP machine. This keeps my oxygen up and I sleep much better. I try not to nap in the afternoon. I no longer have animals in my bed and I do not watch news programs late at night. With kidney disease there is a hormone called erthropoetin that a normal kidney releases. This hormone tells your Red blood Cells to mature and go into the blood stream. Without it I became anemic, tired, out of breath, and no energy. The doctor gives me a shot of "Procrit" every 3 weeks and this releases the RBC's. So I am able to do more during the day, I heal better and sleep better at night. My doctor checked my B-12 levels and they were also low, so I take B-12 occasionally and that makes me feel better. My hemoglobin was 9.5 when I started Procrit and now it is 11.4. I wish you well and I hope I can help you feel and sleep better.
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