Hi everyone, I wanted to know if anyone has used melatonin to help them sleep or maybe zoplicone. Thanks 😊
Melatonin : Hi everyone, I wanted to... - Restless Legs Syn...
Melatonin
Written by
Cobobay
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
52 Replies
•
Melatonin makes RLS worse for most. zoplicone is fine.
Thank you Sue, have to say that's what I did ask this Doctor I saw today and he said as it was natural it was fine, so yet again another Dr that does not know or want to know anything about RLS, he is a new one from the UK to our Practice as mine was not available again today. He doesn't want ot prescribe Zopiclone due to my medication that I'm on.
You can always try it and see.
Melatonin is a natural chemical in the brain so is much better than any big pharma. And it does work great for my husband with rsl
I'm glad it works for your husband and doesn't make his RLS worse. As I mentioned it makes RLS worse for many which means it doesn't for some and he is one of the lucky ones.
Melatonin is fine, zoplicone won;t be able to get for ever from your GP, so be happy as it lasts
Melatonin is an RLS trigger for many; zopiclone (Zimovane) is OK for RLS but - as with most drugs for insomnia - limited to short term use (up to four weeks) in the BNF, and there's also a *potential* interaction listed with gabapentin (possibility of daytime sedation) plus potential interactions with many other drugs. Not sure whether in Guernsey you can access the BNF:
bnf.nice.org.uk/interaction...
Thanks, I'm not sleeping maybe 1 hour a night for different reason other than my RLS which isn't good atm anyway, due to a lot of stress and upset in my life atm. I just wanted something to help me get some rest and maybe get me back to sleeping. I have had zopiclobe before for very short periods but not since I've been taking gabapentin, which doesn't seem to make me drowsy at all.
As a short term solution to insomnia zopiclone - or zolpidem - may be helpful, but your doctor will be considering the possibility of interaction with gabapentin but also with any other drugs that you are taking. I would hope that they might allow you a trial, but you'd have to be aware of *possible* daytime sedation, dizziness, ataxia (poor muscle control that causes clumsy movements).
There's no interaction with gabapentin in his case since he said gabapentin doesn't make him sleepy.
While Cobobay is on Guernsey - a self-governing British Crown dependency rather than part of the UK - the doctor in question is UK trained and will be aware of UK guidance that (i) zopiclone can cause daytime drowsiness on its own, (ii) that zopiclone *can* interact with gabapentin, and that that very interaction can cause sedation etc, particularly in older patients (although of course nowadays 65 is the new 50 and not 'older'), and (iii) that the British National Formulary lists a total of 182 interactions of various degrees, based on studies or just theory, between zopiclone and other drugs (and 151 between zolpidem and other drugs). This is why, as Cobobay writes, "He doesn't want ot prescribe Zopiclone due to my medication that I'm on" and he is "quoting UK guidelines etc."
Whether the doctor is particularly worried about gabapentin or something else that Cobobay is taking is at this point unclear. Either way, Cobobay can only discuss the issue further with the doctor and hope that they might allow a monitored trial: as I believe in the US, zopiclone is a controlled substance so Cobobay cannot simply try it without the doctor's say-so.
Actually zopiclone is not available in the US. And most sleeping pills in the US are controlled substances as is gabapentin/pregabalin and sometimes it seems just about everything else.
Is eszopiclone (Lunesta) widely used in the US? (not that as far as I can see that's available to Cobobay anyway, it's not on the BNF).
Yes. I take it. And no, not available in the UK.
Other things that can advisedly be prescribed for insomnia on Guernsey are chloral hydrate, clomethiazole and chloral/cloral betaine. Don't know whether you have any info/advice on any of these? (I'm struggling to stay awake so am powering down now)
Cloral betaine is the same as Chloral hydrate and they are used for treating severe insomnia in adolescents. They are strictly limited to 2 weeks even in the US where others are not. Clomethiazole is a benzodiazepine.
Just for (unwanted?) info after waking up: Chloral hydrate is prescribed for adults here: 1–2 tablets once daily/414–828 mg once daily for a maximum of 2 weeks, dose to be taken with water or milk at bedtime. Repeat courses are not recommended and can only be administered after reassessment by a specialist; maximum 4 tablets/2 g per day.
Cloral betaine is marked as discontinued in the UK and not listed on the BNF, but it is listed as a prescribable import on Guernsey. It's described as a complex of trimethylglycine with chloral hydrate, acting as an extended-acting formulation of chloral hydrate.
Same here gabapentin is a controlled drug.
Not sure about BNF says UK so probably not. Dr Dalal is from UK and was quoting UK guidelines etc
It works best for my husband who has rsl. I truly recommend melatonin
People are different, and not everyone reacts badly to every trigger whether it's melatonin, sedating antihistamines or statins. Good that it works for your husband for sleep, but unless he has no RLS symptoms at all it may still be affecting him: you didn't mention melatonin when you posted about his bad RLS some 4 months ago - how long has he been taking it, and has his RLS completely disappeared?
You were advised that he should start taking ferrous bisglycinate - did that help?
(BTW: magnesium glycinate = magnesium bisglycinate = magnesium diglycinate, all the same thing: this can help RLS, but a less sure and proven way than using ferrous (iron) bisglycinate).
See this previous post about melatonin:
healthunlocked.com/rlsuk/po...
We both take melatonin for about 2 months now, gladly I can get it from my mum easily, is it’s a joke in the uk. Yes he had tried all suplements recommended and it didn’t do any difference. No his rsl didn’t completely disappear but now he can take soluble paracetamol when he feels like it’s coming and then melatonin gummie and he fall asleep nicely and sleeps all night. So I agree, everyone is different and this for sure works for him
If it works and the RLS symptoms are not too bad that's good.
Melatonin is not trigger ... sorry to tell
Sorry, but for many it is: it apparently isn't for you which is good, but many have reported it as an RLS trigger/exacerbator.
It is a massive trigger for me!
I’ve had awful insomnia since being on Buprenorphine. Zopiclone was ok but my GP didn’t want me on it long term.
I have recently been px Daridorexant 50mg which has helped massively with my insomnia.
It has only been liscenced for a couple of years in UK. Maybe you could try it?
My GP said it was important that I take the 50mg dose as anything less wouldn’t work.
Morning Cobobay, I tried it briefly and felt quite ill so stopped. I now take 5htp and 400mg Gabapentin about 8.30pm (I go to bed sround 10pm). I also take a blended magnesium and vitamin D with breakfast (timing due to the affect of magnesium on the Gabapentin). This works for me most of the time although I have found my RLS/PLMD is noticeable if I haven't hydrated enough through the day.
What is 5htp? I take 3/400 gabapentin at 5.30pm 600 at 7.30pm and 600 at 9.30pm. What was it that made you ill the zopiclone?
It was the melatonin that made me ill. Sorry for copy and paste below but better than trying to explain it myself! I am convinced it's the thing that is helping me - I also have fibromyalgia and autoimmune hypothyroid so many things to keep me from sleeping 😴
5-HTP, or to give its full name 5-Hydroxytryptophan, is a natural precursor to the “feel good” neurotransmitter serotonin, which is involved in balancing mood, cognition, memory and many other physiological processes. 5-HTP can then be further transformed into melatonin; the hormone released by the pineal gland to regulate the sleep-wake cycle.
Melatonin is fine in me
I use it I have a gummies 1mg and full pills 5mg you can’t get them easily in the uk ( funny that ) so I order from different country and they do help massively with sleep I usually take gummies only but pill is great if you really struggle to sleep
Hallo Cobobay. I have used zopiclone . I use it if my Periodic leg movement gets really disruptive of my sleep for two or three days. It works a treat, and I get a decent night's sleep (at last). But you have to use it sparingly, to avoid becoming addicted and losing its effectiveness. No more than once every other day, abd less than that if possible.
Zopiclone made my RLS go into overtime. I was running round the house double time.
Melatonin it is to try
My laugh for the day "I was running round the house double time" although it was no laughing matter for you at the time. 🤣🤣🤣
I know, Sue! I think we have all been there. Years ago I bought a book about RLS & on the cover was a picture of a woman cycling on an exercise bike while her head is on the handlebars & she is fast asleep!
And that is my laugh of today! 🤣🤣🤣
I have been using melatonin, it was fine at first but now it causes my restless legs to start up. I sometimes choose that over insomnia. Give it a try?
My consultant prescribed Melatonin but I stopped when (a) it didn't help and (b) users on this forum said that it makes RLS worse. I have used Zopiclone and found it to be very effective but my GP will not prescribe it for me now, even for short-term emergency use, as it is not safe to use with the mild opioids that I'm on. I think that I've a GP surgery that is more understanding than most. Like you I get very little sleep - typically 1.5 - 3.5 hours a night ☹️
I use 10mg extended release and it works wonders. Not perfect, but it’s herbal. Used to take the more intense sleep meds, but hated the zombie feel. Also don’t wake up on the floor with the door wide open. You can also get gluten free if that’s an issue.
I am ok using a low dose of melatonin. I have SEVERE RLS and after trying gabapentin, and even an opioid, with no help, I ended up back on ropinerole, after being off of DA for a few years. But as of now I am getting relief from ropinerole plus low dose melatonin, though I wake at 1:00 a.m. and must take a second ropinerole of 1 mg. I now have cancer, which I blame in large part to the years and years of poor sleep, which destroyed my immune system. Please do whatever it takes to get good sleep.
Massive trigger for me as is anything that has a sedative property other than a couple of benzos and non-benzos (diazepam and zopiclone). I’ve used zopiclone since 2000, no issues other than it doesnt’ work as well long term so it’s best if one can take breaks. I don’t get addicted to anything.
I hope you find something that works for you. Melatonin and 5htp both are RLS triggers for me. I believe it’s because they both promote serotonin. Serotonin can have a wonderful calming effect but can make RLS worse for many. It’s so very disappointing, and downright infuriating, when we who suffer RLS have to eliminate things that could make our lives more comfortable. Not to mention more fun! I can’t go near caffeine nor alcohol. I was never big on either but sure would like to indulge on occasion.
A number of people, including me and my nephew, cannot tolerate melatonin, as is causes incredibly vivid dreams and/or nightmares. At my doctor's suggestion, I gave it a try once more in different dosage, but it was still a no go.
Melatonin helped me sleep for a few blissful months and then my rls went from bad to worse.I now take a tramacet at 7pm for my rls and a gummy at 8 for sleep
You all might want to try Kratom. Please investigate at Club13.com in the US. I use Maeng Da red; 2 capsules. It stops the restless legs completely. I used to use the extra strength, but learned it had an extract added to it to make it extra strength, which calmed the legs but ramped up my mind so I lay there wide awake all night. Now will use 2 capsules of the regular strength and see what happens. Being able to lie still, even if can’t sleep, is still better than needing to get up and walk around when I’m dead tired. However, am tweaking the dosage and type of Kratom in order to both stop legs and sleep.
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
Melatonin
Just wanted to put this out there....
I am currently trying to fight Requip augmentation with...
Melatonin
I recently went to see a neurologist. A very nice man who spoke well about his experience with RLS....
Melatonin
We all know melatonin triggers/worsens RLS symptoms. Melatonin is not easily available in the UK...
Melatonin
Just wanted to put this out there....
I am currently trying to fight Requip augmentation with...
Melatonin
Melatonin
melatonin advice 
Mum and Melatonin
Relief with melatonin
