Melatonin advice please
 

I get terrible jet lag and am flying non-stop from SFO to Paris this week. I have tried all sorts of things over the years with only mild success. This time I am trying melatonin. From what I have read there is really no "high" dose but estimates seem to be in the 1500 mcg range taken at the time one would normally be going to sleep in the destination city.

I have chewables and chewing melatonin apparently also increases its effectiveness.

Advice. BTW~No alcohol.

Pam, I would take nothing while traveling unless I had previously tried it. In addition I suggest you discuss it with your doctor or pharmacist.

Try it out at home first to see how you respond to it.

Gives me uneasy dreams and nightmares.

I just picked some up at 3 am this morn. Been back 5 days from Asia and have the worst jet lag. I'll let you know will be trying it tonite.

grapes---PamSF is a health professional herself, so probably doens't need to discuss this with a pharmicist.

Melatonin is over-the-counter, not a prescription medication.

Pam, I have used this a few times on overseas flights. I found it did not prolong my sleep, or make me drowsy or groggy upon awakening. The sleep I did get (a few hours) was very natural and restful, however. No problem at all with wierd dreams like SuzieC.

Take along what you plan to use---I don't think you can get more in Europe. I went in to a Swiss pharmacy to try to buy some for a friend who ran out (I speak German so she asked me to help). The pharmicist was horrified---"Oh, no, you can't buy that here without a prescription!!" Instead, she offered valerian capsules, which my friend declined.

I'm guessing you want something natural. The best thing I've found is Morning sun light when you get to your destination. Though I usually try 10 mg Ambien and a glass of wine to help myself sleep when traveling from SLC,UT to Europe. Then lots of morning sun to help reset my biologic clock. Good luck

You can also get a RX for the higher dosage of Melatonin called Rozerem. I used it for our trip and it worked pretty well. It's non habit forming. If you consider this get the RX asap as it takes a bit for the melatonin to get in your system. Do start the melatonon you have now in any event to get it in your system. Have a great trip!:)

I have used melatonin on a few of my flights over to Europe. On each occassion, I have taken two melatonins and one Tylenol PM and I have at least been able to sleep for three hours or so. I am not sure what the high dose might be. My wife has used it to fight insomnia, and she takes just one. The best advice has already been given: try it out before you get on the plane. One other bit of advice, I have also used it to help me switch over to local time a bit more quickly, by taking one before I go to sleep the first few nights.

Have a great trip.

Just a quick note - Melatonin does absolutely nothing for me. No sleepiness or anything but then I have had chronic insomnia for years. I really hope that you have better results!

Good luck/

A few people told me that Melatonin only works in about 60% of the population. I tried it during my last trip in August and it worked very well for me. I was amazed to be able to sleep the whole entire night till 8 am in Europe.