I really hope you get thru this flare soon :( Have you tried otc midnight? My mom swears by it! Its got melatonin and other natural herbs to help you sleep.

Gentlest hugs of healing. It's the lack of sleep that seems to prolong agony for me. Rest and sleep to you!

Maynard! I'm so sorry you're going through this. I can't remember if I have ever told you this and forgive me if this is a repeat. But Melatonin is only supposed to help you "fall" asleep. Not remain asleep. I researched the boogers out of this stuff when our pediatrician recommended it for our boys.

And with that, your body can still build up a tolerance to it. We saw a sleep specialist and he talked about the usual stuff, sleep hygiene and while I'm supportive of that, what really stuck out was how Melatonin works.

He shared that Melatonin is something our bodies produce. And if we take it too late, we can entirely alter our circadian rhythms and shift it entirely. Taking it too late can be something as simple as 30 minutes before we hit the sheets.

He also shared that it's important to watch how much intake we use. For kids, it's 1-3mgs. For adults up to 6mgs. If we are hitting that "max" level with no results. Our bodies need a break from it. (insert momma panic here).

A one month break is all that is needed to rid your body of this and you can start over fresh. In the mean time you can use something temporary like benadryl for that month. Something that does not contain Melatonin.

But one more thing to keep in mind. Not all supplements are made equal. We've had some "good brands" be crappy products while some others we tried on a whim end up being a great thing. Currently we (my whole family) uses Vitefusions Melatonin gummies. They contain not just Melatonin, but also, Passion Flower, Chamomile, and lemon balm (all natural relaxers).

And because my sleep issues are strong, I also take Magnesium at night. (Magnesium makes me super sleepy) but it helps with my pain and other agnonies.

I agree, sleep meds scare my inner momma bear. As long as I have loved ones here, my sleep is light. I've always been that way.

Anyways, I hope some of what I shared might help you or at least entertain you.

Other sleep helpers?
5HTP
Valerian Root
L-Thealine

All with very little side effects. The most I had were powerful nightmares. (well and those can keep me awake for days). But over all Melatonin is easy on me in that category. I kept dreaming (literally 4 dreams last night - I kept waking to check on the boys) was over 4 different ways to make beer can chicken. Now what in the world do you think I should make for dinner after those 4 strange dreams?

Seriously, do you really want sleep knowing sleep brings you weird dreams?
I often play that thought back and forth in my mind. LOL.

Calms Forte made by Hylands, Mid Nite, or Alteril work for me.

I use two tablets of Calms Forte and one tablet of Mid Nite to knock me out. If I wake up, I use Mid Nite again.

No hangover effect from any of these. You can find them at CVS, The Vitamin Shoppe, Walmart. I hope that you find something that works. Hugs!

I forgot to mention that I also take 825 mg of Malic Acid at bedtime. It is a naturally occurring substance found in the skin of fruit. Comes in a capsule (Amazon); relaxes your muscles.

Hey Maynard, sorry for the rough time you're having, especially those hands not working. I like Calms Forte by Hyland, it's all natural and over the counter. I also have a script for zaleplon, it's for insomnia but not like typical sleep meds. It is not super sedating to me and you only need 4 hours of sleep after taking it, NO hangover effect at all! I think you should really try it if something more natural doesn't help you.