Benzodiazepines with Melatonin

[suffocate]

Does anyone have any experience that they would be willing be share regarding the use of Benzodiazepines with the hormone Melatonin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin) (click link for more information if needed)?

I have attempted to perform a search of this forum for information regarding this, and have come up relatively empty handed- there are several references to Melatonin itself, but nothing that would be helpful in this particular context.

I have recently been using Clonazepam 2mg (sometimes in conjuction with 10-20mg of Diazepam) as a method of reducing my anxiety levels, restless legs, and several other symptoms of opiate withdrawal during my most recent drawn-out attempt to withdraw from a pretty hefty Oxycodone habit (between 200 and 400mg daily). I have also been recently using Melatonin (6-9mg per night) daily as method of inducing sleep and providing a mild amount of evening relaxation, which I have found to actually be very effective (particularly in the induction of sleep; however not so much for the maintenance of sleep). It allows for me to have at least two 2 to 2-1/2hr periods of sleep each night (re-dosing with the Melatonin upon my first awaking), totaling between 4 and 5 hours of sleep nightly, an amazing amount if you ask me for anyone withdrawing from a significantly large opiate addiction.

The Benzodiazepines I am using on a very sporadic basis, knowing how easy it would be for me to fall into another terrible addiction. Typically, I never use Benzo's more than 2 times per week, with at least several days in between each usage. The Melatonin I am using daily, although I always have abstained on days/evenings where I have ingested any sort of benzodiazepine.

Once my taper is completed and I am completely off opiates, I do plan to use benzodiazepines daily for 1-1/2 to 2 weeks, followed by a very quick 5-7 day taper, to mitigate some of the unpleasant (torturous, actually, for those of us who know) opiate withdrawal symptoms, although at this point, this is probably completely irrelevant.

My question is whether or not using Melatonin in conjunction with Benzodiazepines would pose any sort of problem and if anyone has had any experience that they can share regarding this combination. Even some hypothetical answers I would be greatly appreciative for.

I thank you all in advance for you knowledge and consideration, and look forward to any information that anyone is able to provide.

EDIT: One thing that I forgot to add, which may or may not be important, is that I also take Dimenhydrinate on a very regular, daily basis, with dosages typically as follows: 2x50mg (100mg) once during the day (very rarely twice) and either 2,3 or 4x50mg (100,150, or 200mg) at night, typically co-current with my ingestion of Melatonin.

[LongKissGoodNite]

I cant speak to the safety of the combo, however from experience I know how my wife handled the situation. She cant stand to loose sleep so when we would go through withdrawal from time to time, she would just bomb both the melatonin (5mg) and about a quarter of a xanax bar. Shes still alive. Thats all I got sorry :)

[digby]

I take ambien every night along with melatonin for sleep with no negative effects whatsoever. However, with melatonin, more is less, so don't take more than you need. I find that if I take even an extra milligram or two, my head is far less clear in the morning.

I have also taken it with valium or xanax or soma, all with no negatives. I only take 1 1/2 mg to 2 mg a night of melatonin though, and that is all my body requires. Everyone is different in this regard though and some require 3 or 4 mg, with rare instances of people doing best on 6 mg. Just remember - less is more and excess melatonin provides your body with nothing except extra side effects.

[suffocate]

I appreciate both of your input; thank you very much.

digby, I will keep that in mind, regarding the lower dosages. The reason why my melatonin dosages are so high is that the dosage unit I use is 3mg, and I dose several times each night, once upon each re-awakening (every 2 to 2-1/2 hours) to assist in falling back to sleep for a few more hours. Normally, this is twice (total 6mg) and rarely three times (9mg).

I think I will try to purchase a capsulated form of melatonin, where I can pour out the contents and separate the 3mg contents into 3 piles, using a single pile (or a single milligram) for each dosages, rather than the full three that I have been using.

I'll try this and get back with the results. By the way, thanks again for your responses, digby and LongKissGoodNight.

(and I am very glad to hear that there should be no problems or interactions resulting from the use of melatonin with benzodiazepines)

[resorcinol]

Melatonin will definitely enhance the sleep inducing properties of benzos (including z-drug bzd receptor agonists like zolpidem, zopiclone, and zaleplon), it just won't boost the euphoria.

For sleep, melatonin and a z-drug or classical benzo (for heavier insomnia) is a pretty potent combo. With melatonin though, less is more. Taking more than 3 mg of melatonin shows no increased efficacy and may actually reduce sleep quality. Going from no melatonin up to 3 mg, however, shows quicker sleep onset and better sleep quality.

One last thing -- melatonin may cause extremely vivid and strange dreams in some people. I've dreamed some extremely odd things during nights when I've taken melatonin. It's not unpleasant, just very odd.