Thanks shortvslong

I'm convinced my thyroid,weight and kidney issues were caused by the supplement Melatonin.I know it sounds crazy...but I have been doing all this research.
Melatonin supplements can lower your blood pressure.In someone like me,who already had relatively pretty low blood pressure,it can negatively effect the kidneys and cause them not to function properly,leading to a build up of fluid and creatinine.This would explain the almost overnight weight increase I had as my body was filled with fluids could not get rid of.
Melatonin also can LOWER T3 and T4! (thyroid hormones) Which explains the hypothyroid.
Melatonin can RAISE cholesterol!
Melatonin is banned in certain countries because it is a HORMONE.The US markets it as a safe sleep aid,but it is NOT regulated by the FDA.
Even sites that promote it say it should not be used long term,and I was using it for MONTHS.
I have lost 13 pounds.While I will attribute some of that to prozac,I honestly think my kidneys are just going back to normal since I'm no longer using Melatonin and I'm peeing out all the fluid I was holding onto!
I cannot believe I caused this myself by using something over the counter that I thought was safe.
The real question is,maybe I will not even need this thyroid hormone my whole life.Maybe my levels will gradually go back to normal being off the melatonin.Maybe my kidneys are not permanently injured and the creatinine levels will go down as well!
I plan to get a full scale of bloodwork again in another month or so to see if my levels have gone down.
I'm only posting all these issues here to hopefully warn anyone who may be taking Melatonin who maybe has/had symptoms like me.
Here are some links to back up my theories:
http://www.enotalone.com/article/9351.html
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119441116/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
http://www.livestrong.com/article/95733-side-effects-melatonin/
***melatonin AND hypothyroid can make you very depressed,so this also explains why I felt so bad and crazy.Honestly,shaving my head is NOT something I would have done otherwise.
It feels good to know that I was not crazy after all.That all my symptoms were not in my head.
Between being on Prozac for almost 3 weeks and starting my thyroid hormone,I'm like a different person! I feel GOOD again and have energy!
It's like a fog has been lifted.
Edited by JillV - April 26 2010 at 2:35am