With age, all life processes begin to be carried out not so perfectly as in 20 years. Elderly people feel much worse. It may be associated with working or living conditions, chronic diseases or non-compliance with the daily regimen. One of the most common unpleasant symptoms is insomnia. A person cannot sleep well at night, and during the day it is necessary to perform daily duties. Medications can help to improve sleep quality. Popular today is "Circadin" - tablets of prolonged action. It is worth taking them after consulting a doctor and strictly according to the instructions.
Release form and composition
The medication takes the form of white biconvex tablets. The main active ingredient is melatonin. One tablet contains 2 g of this component. As auxiliary substances, a copolymer of methyl methacrylate, lactose monohydrate, silicon dioxide colloidal, talc, and also magnesium stearate are used. The drug is offered in pharmacies in cardboard packaging. The medicine is only available on prescription. This makes it possible to reduce the likelihood of adverse reactions due to self-medication.
First of all, it is necessary to study the pharmacological effect of the drug "Circadin". Instructions for use give all the necessary information. Melanin is a synthetic hormone analogue that is produced by the pituitary gland of the brain. Thanks to the medicine, an elderly person can relax and fall asleep quickly. It should be borne in mind that the tablets "Circadin" do not help cure insomnia. This is only an adjuvant, which can be part of complex therapy.
The medication may well be used to treat insomnia in young patients. But the content of endogenous melatonin most often decreases precisely in the elderly over 55 years old. In many cases, poor sleep is not even evidence of any serious illness. A man only needs to establish the regime of the day and nutrition. As an auxiliary substance, a medication based on melanin is used.
Indications and contraindications
It can be intended to improve the quality of sleep for patients of any age, the drug "Circadin". Instructions for applying the restrictions do not describe. The drug is not suitable only for minors. But young people rarely have sleep problems, and can be eliminated without the use of medications. Sustained-release hypnotics are indicated as monotherapy for patients older than 55 years.
The medicine is not suitable for patients with congenital lactase deficiency, as well as galactose intolerance. Caution should be taken tablets "Circadin" to people with autoimmune diseases and liver failure. In rare cases, hypersensitivity to individual components of the drug may occur.
Pregnant women are not recommended to use the medication without consulting a doctor. The problem is that there is no clinical data on the effect of melatonin on the fetus. Women who are planning a pregnancy should also refrain from taking the drug. It is known that in the last months of the baby’s expectation, the expectant mother’s sleep may worsen. This is due to hormonal changes in the body. Such a condition does not require treatment. Sleep will be restored immediately after the baby is born.
special instructions
People who work in positions of responsibility are prescribed with caution, "Circadin" tablets. Instructions for use states that the medication can cause significant drowsiness. The patient must take the medicine strictly as necessary, observing the correct dosage. For the same reason, during the treatment period, you should not drive a car or operate complex mechanisms. If the patient works at the factory and is responsible for the entire production, it is advisable to arrange a sick leave.
There are no clinical data on the use of tablets "Circadin" by patients with autoimmune diseases. Instructions for use say that for patients with such ailments, it is advisable to refuse hormonal hypnotic prolonged action. There is a risk of developing adverse reactions.
The drug is excreted through the liver. Therefore, the medication is strictly prohibited for people with liver failure. Violation of this rule can lead to serious consequences. Death is not excluded.
Dosage
In order for the hormone melanin to have the desired effect on the body, it is necessary to take "Circadin" (tablets) correctly. Instructions for use describe everything in detail. It is advisable to take the medicine in the evening hours some time before bedtime. In order to fall asleep well, just one tablet (2 g of active substance) is enough. The use of the drug is not associated with food intake. But in order for the medication to work faster, it is better to use it immediately after eating.
The tablet should not be chewed or crushed to make it easier to swallow. To support sustained release, the medication is swallowed whole with plenty of water. The course of treatment with drugs based on melatonin can be quite long. You can use more than a month and tablets "Circadin". Instructions for use with the drug indicate that the course of treatment can last up to 13 weeks. If the drug does not show a good result, stop taking it after a few weeks.
Overdose
Clinical studies have been carried out, which showed that significant side effects when using the drug "Circadin" in an increased dosage does not occur. Patients took oversized tablets daily for a year. No irreversible changes were noticed. In rare cases, allergic reactions have been observed that have been associated with individual intolerance. For patients who experienced discomfort, the experiment was terminated initially.
The main symptom of an overdose is excessive drowsiness. This condition in itself can be very dangerous. A person will not respond to external stimuli. Good sleep can cause nightly suffocation. The patient does not wake up even when falling out of bed. To prevent such a nuisance, you should use a medication according to the rules. Instructions for use of the drug "Circadin" describes the optimal dosage. One tablet will help a patient over 55 years old sleep well. In this case, the person will quickly wake up if necessary.
Side effects
Clinical studies show that side effects were observed in 49% of patients who took the drug "Circadin." Everyone should read the description of the medicine before use to understand what reactions to expect. The most rare side effects are decreased immunity and disorders in the hematopoiesis system. Some patients may develop herpes zoster or leukopenia. The most common allergic reactions in the form of skin rash and itching. If these phenomena are not amenable to local treatment, you should stop taking the tablets "Circadin".
The description of the medication says that in some cases, individual intolerance to the components can contribute to the development of serious allergic reactions in the form of edema. The most dangerous is Quincke's edema. If the patient is not promptly provided with assistance, a fatal outcome is possible. If there is a swelling of the tongue, the appearance of difficulty breathing, immediately rinse the stomach and call an ambulance.
In rare cases, side effects may occur associated with metabolic disorders. The most unpleasant symptom is hypokalemia. This condition is treatable. Adverse reaction disappears after a few days. Therefore, cancel the pill "Circadin" does not make sense.
On the part of the mental and nervous systems, side effects also occur quite often. All of them are reversible. Most often, unpleasant symptoms can be observed at the beginning of treatment. The patient may become aggressive or tearful. He may experience dizziness or severe migraines. It is advisable to start a course of treatment with hormonal sleeping pills during the vacation period.
Drug interaction
With caution, together with estrogen should take tablets "Circadin". Instructions for use, reviews of specialists show that the simultaneous use of several hormonal drugs can adversely affect human health. In addition, individual hormones can interrupt the action of each other. So, when using sleeping pills in conjunction with a contraceptive, you cannot be 100% sure of the effect of the latter. Before using birth control pills, it is advisable to consult a gynecologist together with the drug “Circadin”.
Fluatoxamine-based drugs also increase the concentration of melatonin in the body. Together with these medicines it is necessary to drink the medicine "Circadin" with special care. Instructions, applications, reviews of specialists show that non-compliance with this rule can lead to an overdose of melatonin. A person will experience excessive drowsiness and will not be able to fully perform their daily duties.
The effectiveness of hormonal sleeping pills significantly reduces alcohol. Therefore, during treatment, alcohol should be discarded. You should also drink alcohol tinctures with caution. If such a need arises, the interval between taking individual medications should be at least 5 hours.
Analogues of the drug "Circadin"
Reviews, instructions, the price of the medication - all this can be found directly in the pharmacy or online sources. But what if the necessary medicine was not obtained? There are many analogues that also help to restore a good night's sleep. For example, Melaxen tablets are popular. The active drug is also melatonin. As auxiliary substances, calcium hydrogen phosphate, magnesium stearate, and microcrystalline cellulose are used. The tablets are coated with a coating of isopropanol, shellac and talc.
The medication can be used not only as a sleeping pill, but also to normalize biological rhythms in patients older than 55 years. Tablets are not prescribed for minors. Due to the lack of clinical data, the drug is not recommended for use by pregnant and lactating women. Contraindications include diseases such as myeloma, epilepsy, renal failure, diabetes mellitus and leukemia. Like tablets "Circadin", the drug "Melaxin" is taken immediately before bedtime. To improve the quality of rest, one tablet is enough.
Reviews about the drug
Patients respond more well to the drug "Circadin." Tablets have a mild effect. If the correct dosage is observed, side effects are practically absent. Many patients note that the positive effect of taking the medication is not immediately noticeable. Sleep is restored only after a few days. It is advisable to take pills with a course that only a doctor can determine. It all depends on the symptoms and form of the disease. If insomnia is of short duration, it is possible to restore normal biological rhythm in a week. Patients with serious disorders of the nervous system have to be treated for a long time. Many are happy that the drug retains its effect even after the end of the course. Treatment should be repeated only periodically.
Negative reviews are most often associated with improper use of the circadin tablets.
Application (instructions for use), price, reviews - all this must be clarified even before the acquisition of the drug. It should be taken strictly on the recommendation of a specialist. The doctor must determine the cause of insomnia and prescribe appropriate treatment. Self-administration of the drug "Circadin" can lead to the development of allergies. Overdose also contributes to reduced performance.
Drug cost
Quite an expensive drug is the drug "Circadian". Instructions for use, the price of the drug - all this is worth exploring in advance. It is bad if tablets worth about 1000 rubles do not fit the patient according to indications. The medicine should be prescribed only by a doctor.
Prescribed tablets "Circadin". Instructions for use, dosage, indications should be described by a qualified specialist. Many doctors prescribe a special coupon that allows you to purchase a medication at a discount.
Significant savings can be made if you buy pills in online pharmacies. It is worthwhile to give preference to points of sale that can present the appropriate license.