Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking melatonin as follows:
- Melatonin intake in high doses, especially in individuals with compromised immune system, can help with increasing and boosting the immune response. Individuals with history of poorly controlled autoimmune diseases, such as, psoriasis, SLE, and rheumatoid arthritis, usually will be placed on steroids and other immunosuppressant medications, to prevent activation of immune response. Melatonin intake in such individuals can compromise the therapeutic benefit of steroids and other immunosuppressant medications, thus mounting a strong immune response and resulting in activation of the autoimmune conditions. Melatonin must be used with extreme caution or avoided in such individuals, to prevent activation of the underlying autoimmune conditions. While taking melatonin, individuals with history of autoimmune diseases must closely follow for any signs of activation of the condition and report them to the physician, for any appropriate changes to be made in the plan of care.
- Melatonin interacts with a lot of other medications, thus influencing their function. If you are being newly started on melatonin, discuss with your physician regarding all your current medications and their safety with melatonin. Also, notify your physician regarding any current melatonin intake, if you are being started on any new medications and discuss their safety with melatonin.
