Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Dummie

Melatonin - Urgent!!!

Recommended Posts

Hello

 

Today our paed gave DS 3yrs some Melatonin. When I got home I found they were capsules. This is the first time we have had this medication. Our paed advised me to give him 2mg so a minute ago I broke open the capsule and gave the powder to DS on a spoon mixed in with a little water. Our paed had advised that the medication will take 30-60mins to work but DS fell asleep within 5mins!!!

 

I'm worried now. Should I not have broke open the capsule? I'm sure the capsule itself is not part of the medication but I can't help wondering??? Need reassurances and/or advice please.

 

Dummie

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Dummie.I am not an expert on Melatonin.....but what does the dosage say on the bottle from the pharmacy ? If you have split open the capsule and given the dosage prescribed then it should be ok.Karen.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thought I would add...capsules are usually ok to be swollowed ...they are digested in the stomach.If your child cannot manage the capsule then it may be possible to get liquid Melatonin...but others here will be along soon I am sure and will advise re what they usually do.Karen.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi again.I have had a quick check elswhere on the Forum.Others here do split Melatonin and mix the powder with drinks regularly...so if you have given the amount prescribed....then it should be fine.Karen.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you for your replies. I had just split open the capsule. I was told to give him one capsule which I did, just minus the capsule itself. I suppose because as he didn't swallow the capsule itself there was not that time delay where the capsule melts which meant the powder entered his system immediately!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thats what we used to do when we tried it for Logan because he wouldn't swallow capsules, we just put it in his juice. Unfortunately never worked for us! Great news that it seems to be working for you though!! :)

 

Lynne x

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi was the inside powder or tiny little balls?

 

The reason the capsual tablets take 30/60 mins if swallowed is because this is how long it takes for the outer coating takes to disolve inside the gut, releasing the medication straight into the blood stream.

 

The reason I ask what the inside looked like is because the powder is quick release but the tiny balls is slow release, so graduly been administered in the gut.

 

I was told not to break open the Slow release also it tastes fowl.

 

The powder can be disolved much quicker but the balls just continue to absorb in the stomach.

 

We can not get the liquid so we have fast melts that just melt on the tounge and taste of candy, J loves them.

 

Js melatonin usually takes around 20 mins - 30 mins rarely longer especially if he is in bed.

 

His responce to him been asleep with in five mins of taking it may be purely coinsident, especailly as the weather has been so hectic and depending on what he has done today already it may of been that the melotinin just helped him relax remember it is not a knock out drug, its a hormone that is naturally occuring in the body when its time to sleep, in children with hyperactivity this is somewhat less in the body and so melotonin helps to help the body regulate sleep patterns.

 

Melotinin will not knock a child/person out.

 

I would be inclined to double check with the pharmachy that the capsuals you have been given are the 2mg melatonin too.

 

JsMum

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We've been told to do this (open and pour powder into drink) by the Doc at Camhs so he'll be fine honest! >:D<<'> Thing is when you first use it it can be so weird them going straight off to sleep like that,you get no sleep at all still because you worry all night something's wrong cos they're sleeping...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Also your child is very young, still a toddler, it maybe his body tolerance is highly sensitive to the ingrediants, a lot of it in pharmacy is tolerance so it maybe it was just a lot for his system.

 

J is 11 and on 2-4 mg and this is enough for him too.

 

Our bodies are very marvalous machines but we are all different and react differently to medications.

 

Try not to worry, enjoy the goodnight sleep,

 

JsMum

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi, we split the capsules open too. It's not that C can't or wont swallow them, it's that he's too impatient to wait an hour before they work. He gets two capsules (4mg) dissolved into fruit juice each school night and he's asleep 10-30 minutes later (depending on how active his mind is and how relaxed he is after taking them).

When he first started, one capsule was sufficient - so I think it probably had such a fast effect on your DS because he's never had melatonin before, so his system is more sensitive to it - apparently size and body weight isn't much of a factor.

Word of warning - try to give him one or two nights a week without the melatonin, as his body will get used to it and he'll need bigger doses. It's amazing how quickly this can happen.

We take C off them entirely during school holidays, and over the course of a school term he goes from 1, to 2 capsules and then right near the end of the term he's needing 3 - and that's with weekend breaks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We do this as DS can't swallow capsules. I split it and dissolve the powder in milk. I know only give DS half a capsule each night as that seems to be enough to get him off to sleep

 

Lx

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We do this as DS can't swallow capsules. I split it and dissolve the powder in milk. I know only give DS half a capsule each night as that seems to be enough to get him off to sleep

 

Lx

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you for your reasurrances.

 

DS slept really well. Not a peep from him until he crawled into my bed around 5am but he immediately fell back asleep again.

 

I called our paed in the morning. She said it was OK to break open the capsule but she said to mix it with food or juice to avoid upsetting his tummy.

 

So tonight I mixed it in with a pot of his yoghurt. I gave it to him at 6:50pm. We did our bedtime routine and I left his room at 7:10pm. The medication didn't work so quickly tonight. I had to do our whole rapid return to bed routine for 1hr 20mins before he fell asleep so I'm not sure if the medication worked or not coz that's how long it usually takes me to get him to sleep. Oh well, I'll just have to see if he wakes up tonight and see what time he wakes in the morning.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Maybe the yogurt slowed down the absorption of the melatonin? I usually just mix it into one teaspoon of yogurt or a small amount of juice 1/2 an hour before bed.

 

Hope he slept well for you last night.

 

A x

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Last night was the same as usual. He woke around 1:30am and didn't go back to sleep again until around 4:30am. I then had to wake him at 7:15am to get up for nursery.

 

I spoke to our paed. She recommended I give him the medication at 7:15pm tonight and aim for a 8pm bedtime to try and cut out the night time waking. I did this tonight. However, he fell asleep by 7:30pm. He was really tired and was actually requesting to go to bed at 6:30pm. Tonight I only mixed the melatonin with 10ml of multi-vitamin syrup. Fingers crossed for tonight.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Last night was the same as usual. He woke around 1:30am and didn't go back to sleep again until around 4:30am. I then had to wake him at 7:15am to get up for nursery.

Oh God that sounds familiar. To be honest melatonin doesn't keep my dd asleep but does help her go off to sleep. It's imfamous for doing that but it does seem to help some children go through the night. Good luck, will cross fingers that you have a peaceful night!

 

A x

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi giving medication with milk or yogurt will line the stomach which will make it almost impossible for the tablet to absorb, try mixing it with apple juice or flavoured water so it doesnt line the stomach.

 

I personally have tried the rapid reponce and it failed because of Js anxiety around the evenings, I would remain motionless in his room sitting quietly in a corner and no interaction whats so ever and wait for him to fall asleep, this way he doesnt have to worry about been left alone but he is learning to sleep in his bed.

 

I have been sleeping in the same room as J as his nights leave J exhausted with stress and anxiety and that has helped and I am slowly working towards sleeping back in my own room.

 

we are using a instant reward system maybe something similair.

 

JsMum

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...