Melatonin 3mg Tablets

Jet-lag Doctor Service

Melatonin tablets contain the active substance melatonin. Melatonin tablets can be used for treatment of jet-lag in adults.

Do not give this medicine to children and adolescents between 0 and 18 years as its safety and efficacy are unknown.

You can order Melatonin online from our UK registered online pharmacy and doctor service. To see if you are suitable for this treatment, complete the online assessment and checkout. Our UK registered doctors will review the order and after approval pass the prescription to the Pharmacy team. We will then dispense and dispatch your order to your chosen address.

How Melatonin Tablets Work

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the body that synchronizes the body’s biological day-and-night rhythm.

The biological rhythm can be disturbed by travelling across time zones. This is known as jetlag.  The symptoms and their severity vary between individuals, but are generally worse and last longer the more time zones are crossed.

Melatonin tablets can help restore the normal day-and-night rhythm and reduce the symptoms. You must talk to a doctor if you do not feel better or if you feel worse after 5 days.

Jet-Lag

Jet-lag can be recognized by sleep disturbances, daytime tiredness, fatigue, mild mental impairment, irritability and digestive system disturbances experienced after flying.

A good self care guide and information for jet-lag is available on the NHS website.

NHS - Jet-lag

Ways To Reduce Jet Lag
Jet lag cannot be prevented, but there are things you can do to reduce its effects.

Get plenty of rest before you travel. You could start going to bed and getting up earlier or later than usual (more like the time zone of the place you're travelling to).

During Your Flight:

• drink plenty of water
• keep active by stretching and regularly walking around the cabin
• try to sleep if it's night time at your destination
• use an eye mask and earplugs if they help you sleep

Don't drink too much caffeine or alcohol - they can make jet lag worse

After You Arrive:

• change your sleep schedule to the new time zone as quickly as possible
• set an alarm to avoid oversleeping in the morning
• go outside during the day – natural light will help your body clock adjust.

Don't Sleep During The Day - only sleep at night time

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Serious side effects

If you experience any of the following serious side effects STOP taking this medicine and contact your doctor immediately:

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

• Chest pain

Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1000 people)

• Reduced number of white blood cells in the blood
• Reduced number blood platelets, which increases the risk of bleeding or bruising
• Disorientation
• Fainting
• Visual impairment, including blurred vision
• Feeling your heartbeat ('pounding chest')
• Blood (red blood cells) in the urine

Non-serious side effects

If you experience any of the following non-serious side effects contact your doctor or pharmacist:
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

• Headache
• Drowsiness

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

• Irritability, nervousness, restlessness, abnormal dreams, anxiety
• Dizziness
• High blood pressure
• Abdominal pain, upper abdominal pain, indigestion, mouth ulceration, dry mouth, nausea
• Itching, rash, dry skin
• Excretion of glucose in the urine, excess protein in the urine
• Feeling unwell
• Weight increase

For a full list of side effects, please read the patient information leaflet.

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, our Rightdose pharmacists or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can help to make medicines safer by reporting any side-effects to the Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard.

Before taking any medication, it is important to read the Patient Information Leaflet. You can find information leaflets for your medicines by typing them into the search bar at medicines.org, or by contacting us. 

Patient Information Leaflet Melatonin 3mg film-coated Tablets

Do not give this medicine to children and adolescents between 0 and 18 years as its safety and efficacy
are unknown.

Other medicines and Melatonin tablets
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or might take any other medicines.

• Fluvoxamine (used for the treatment of depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder), as fluvoxamine may increase the effect of melatonin
• Psoralens (used for the treatment of skin disorders e.g. psoriasis), as psoralens may increase the effect of melatonin
• Cimetidine (used for the treatment of stomach problems such as ulcers), as cimetidine may increase the effect of melatonin
• Estrogens (used in contraceptives or hormone replacement preparations), as estrogens may increase the effect of melatonin
• Quinolones (used in the treatment of bacterial infections), as quinolones may increase the effect of melatonin
• Rifampicin (used in the treatment of bacterial infections), as rifampicin may decrease the effect of melatonin
• Carbamazepine (used in the treatment of epilepsy), as carbamazepine may decrease the effect of melatonin
• Benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics (medicines used to induce sleep, e.g. midazolam, temazepam, and zaleplon, zolpidem, zopiclone), as melatonin may enhance the sedative effect of such drugs, and may enhance certain side effects of zolpidem (morning sleepiness, nausea, confusion)
• Warfarin (anticoagulants), as melatonin may influence the effect of the anticoagulant warfarin.

Melatonin tablets with food drink and alcohol

• This medicine should not be taken with food.
• As alcohol can impair sleep and potentially worsen certain symptoms of jet-lag (e.g. headache, morning fatigue, concentration) it is recommended that alcohol is not consumed while taking this medicine.

Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

Pregnancy
Melatonin tablets are not recommended if you are pregnant. Melatonin crosses the placenta and there is insufficient information on the risk this may pose to the unborn child. If you are a woman of childbearing potential you have to use contraception.

Breastfeeding
Melatonin tablets are not recommended if you are breastfeeding. Melatonin is excreted in human milk, and a risk to the sucking child cannot be excluded.

Fertility
Melatonin tablets are not recommended in women and men planning to have a baby as there is insufficient information on the effects of melatonin on female and male fertility.

Driving and using machines
Melatonin tablets may cause drowsiness and may decrease alertness for several hours after intake. Therefore, this medicine should not be taken prior to driving or using machines.

Melatonin tablets contain lactose
If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.

How to store Melatonin

• Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and label after EXP. The
  expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
• Store below 25°C.
  Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to
• throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

Always take your medicine exactly as your doctor has instructed you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist, if you are unsure.

Your medicine should be taken by mouth as follows:

• The tablets should be swallowed whole with water or other liquid (e.g. milk, fruit juice). Food should
  not be consumed 2 hours before or 2 hours after intake of Melatonin tablets.
• This medicine should not be taken with food.
• The recommended dose for adults and elderly is 1 tablet daily for a maximum of 5 days. When the effect of Melatonin tablets is inadequate, 2 tablets can be taken simultaneously.

The first dose should be taken on arrival at your destination at your usual bed-time. Intake on the following
days should also be at your usual bed-time. The tablets should not be taken before 20:00 hr or after 04:00 hr.

Melatonin tablets may be taken for a maximum of 16 treatment periods per year.

If you take more Melatonin tablets than you should
If you have taken more Melatonin tablets than recommended and you do not feel well, please contact your doctor, hospital or pharmacy. The most common symptoms of overdose are drowsiness, headache, dizziness, and nausea.

If you forget to take Melatonin tablets
If you forget to take a tablet at bedtime and wake during the night you may take the forgotten dose but at no later than 04:00 hr. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.

If you stop taking Melatonin tablets
If you stop taking Melatonin tablets, it will not have any harmful effects or withdrawal symptoms.

If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Do not take Melatonin tablets

• if you are allergic to melatonin or any of the other ingredients of this medicine.

Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Melatonin tablets

• if you have epilepsy. Melatonin may increase seizure frequency in patients with epilepsy
• if you have an autoimmune disease (where the body is 'attacked' by its own immune system)
• if you have diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, as this medicine may increase the level of glucose in your blood
• if you suffer from significantly impaired liver function or kidney function
• if you smoke. Smoking may reduce the effect of Melatonin tablets as components of tobacco smoke can increase the breakdown of melatonin by the liver.

What Melatonin tablets contain

The active active substance melatonin. Each film-coated tablet contains 3 mg of melatonin.

The other ingredients are: cellulose microcrystalline, maltodextrin, silica colloidal anhydrous, magnesium stearate.

Coating: hypromellose, lactose monohydrate, titanium dioxide and macrogol 4000.

What Melatonin tablets look like and contents of the pack

Melatonin tablets are off white, round biconvex film-coated tablets of approx. 8 mm diameter and approx. 3 mm thickness.

Melatonin tablets are packed in blisters of PVC/PVdC-Aluminium.
Each blister contains 10 tablets.
Pack size: 30 tablets.