First of all Low Dose Naltrexone - LDN (4.5 mg) is only 1/11th of the normal 50 mg dosage.. it only last 4 hours while you sleep.. and has been used since 1985 by research MDs for cancer and other patients..
To see the Research MDs discuss it.. I suggest you visit youtube ******* and search either "Alpha Lipoic Acid" or "Naltrexone" .. it is eye opening..
I have been on it via my MD for 10 weeks.. and have had nothing but positive results..
Especially NO HIVES allergy attacks.. reduced pain, bicep tendon improved, etc..
It is not going to hurt you, kill you, etc.. even MDs take it.. my Compound Pharmacy told me..
I know that LDN is currently "new" treatment for Lyme. I've just started on that section in the Lyme Disease Solution. The forums are filled with people claiming that it has helped them.
Rebeccah
Hi! Thanks for posting. As you can see this discussion took place way last summer! I haven't looked to see the results of the studies that were in progress. I'll see what's happening.
Meanwhile, why don't you go to the main page of this forum and start a new thread, (By Posting a Question) It doesn't have to be a question. And tell us about yourself, your experiences and what led up to the use of LDN.
This is great. We need to revisit this topic. Welcome to the forum!
Quix
I was just given a script for LDN and am taking Copaxone, it's my understanding that it's one of the ABC drugs that can be taken together.
I'm going to start with 1.5 mg for 10 days, increase to two pills for 10 days, and then go to three pills (4.5 mg).
Sallyr
Quix DID say she had the first pediatric aids Fellowship in LA, but being a Fellow IS a huge deal. Fellows are an elite college of doctors, don't let Quix fool you. If you see a frame on your doctors wall that says she or he is a Fellow, respect that! It took some doing! You can't knock yourself down a peg, Quix, sorry! Must be that damned codeine making you think funny!
Momzilla*
Yes, you ARE OK, lol! You know how much I appreciate you and all of you. Don't worry about me, I've been absent from the forum because 1) I went to bed, 2) they hauled me out of bed to see a gallery showing of a painter friend and 3) I may have cracked a molar at lunch and I'm blurrier than usual on codeine right now. Okay, you twisted my arm, someday I will regale you with my exploits hither and yon (Having seen hither, I'll take yon).
Chris over stated the glory of my fellowship. Boy, she even made me feel that I was hot stuff!!! I was the first Peds AIDS Fellow in "Los Angeles". Thanks for the embellishment, Chris. I was DOCZILLA!!
Carol, and everyone. I was not beating myself up nor am I searching for my hair shirt and flogging whip - but when I slammed down on your report of the prednisone dose, I did so making an "assumption" about what it's purpose was. That was crossing the line between educational advice and practicing medicine and served only to make her question her doc. I've reevaluated the whole thing and I still believe I was wrong and the apology stands. (so there!)
But, I will not slide into a freefall over it. It just reminds me , one again, to try to keep my P's, Q's and R's about me when I post. (No, the R's don't stand for anything, but the P's and Q's looked lonely)
I'm going to try to let the codeine dull my jaw for a while and I'll see you all later on tonight.
Welcome to sllowe (we'll need another name, please, I don't want to think of you as 'slow')...Frann, JPeterson, LATW, Janey (you tiptoed in just that one day. Come back!! I think we already bonded to you!) and lacijo!! AND to those two of you who have been lurking for the last several weeks, reading our posts and wanting to dive in, but feeling embarassed! We need you all! We are going to town!!
Quix and her toothache - Out!
I wish you would write us a condenced version of your bio. I would love to know all of this kind of stuff about you.
If you where as thourough with your patients (i'm sure you where) as you are with us then I know alot of people sad you had to retire.
I wish that God would cure you and you could go back into practice. We would miss you dearly but think of the lives you would help and the ones you would save.
Thank you Quix, when you help me with something I feel like I am your only thought at that time. You show us so much individual attention. I know that's helped me alot knowing that you care for me that much.
I hope some day I can repay you somehow for all you do.
Carol (OK)
It's great to have this information to put this drug into context for everyone. It's a lot of information to digest. We can spend some time now discussing what this all means. I personally appreciate all you have done with your knowledge and training to decipher what is so difficult for the rest of us to comprehend. I know I speak for others as well when I thank you for doing all that research.
Before we all start begging our docs for this great new wonder drug, we can take a look for ourselves at different aspects of it. Anything used off-label like this can offer great benefits. But you have to do your research, as Quix has been doing. From my limited work in a doctor's office doing clinical trials, I know our FDA is great about holding off approval of drugs until they have deemed them safe and effective. Off label use is a little trickier. Something to keep in mind. We have lots to think about.
I also totally agree with the notion that diseases remit 'despite' the fact that patients are taking certain drugs, not necessarily because of the fact they are taking them. Sometimes patients just get better, right?
Also--big shout out to Dr. Quix for her being the first pediatric AIDS Fellow. I'm sure most of us don't totally get what it takes to acheive that. You first have to be nominated by your instructors during your residency (which is tough enough) out of all the other competitors, and then go to whatever institution you'll be serving your Fellowship, and be interviewed with all the final competitors for the postion. Tough spot. WOW! Impressive! We keep getting all these little bits and pieces about your wonderful career....
Thanks again, and feel well!
Good luck, Carol! Feel better!
Chris*
You are so thorough. I've just joined the forum and left a post (new to forum - have concerns). I'm motivated by the depths of your interpretations, and find them extremely encouraging. I'm currently walking the fine line between to med or not to med. . .
Quix,
There is also some good information at www.LDNers.org
I appreciate your research into this very much.
Thank you
Carol (OK)
The University of California, San Francisco (big-time excellent medical center) is conducting a study of LDN (along with any MS meds people are already on) to determine whether it is beneficial in MS. This is good news. A lot of ground-breaking research comes out of UCSF.
Quote from :http://www.ucsf.edu/msc/research.htm#LDN
Low Dose Naltrexone
A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover-Design Study of the Effects of Low Dose Naltrexone on Quality of Life as Measured by the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Inventory (MSQLI54)
Dr. Bruce Cree and his colleagues from the UCSF department of Neurology are running this randomized, double-masked, placebo-control, cross-over clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) on the quality of life of MS patients.
Naltrexone has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat alcohol and opioid addictions (using 50 mg dosages). Whether LDN has any benefit for people with MS is currently unknown.
LDN may assist you with your MS in one of two ways:
By improving your immune system’s function through increasing the level of endorphins and enkephalins, chemicals which are produced by your nervous and immune systems.
By reducing the activity of cells that damage the brain and spinal cord in MS.
If you participate, you will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both groups will receive LDN for eight weeks and a placebo for eight weeks. One of the groups will receive the LDN first, and the other group will receive it last. Neither you nor your doctor will know which group you are in until after the study is complete.
If you enroll in this study, you must continue to take any MS medications that you’re already taking. For eight weeks, you will take either the LDN or the inactive placebo every night before going to bed between the hours of 9:00 PM to 3:00 AM. You will take neither drug for the ninth week. Finally, you will take the other drug for the last eight weeks of the trial. You will be asked to answer a questionnaire (called “MSQLI54”) at the baseline and at weeks 8 and 17.
Additional treatment with LDN is not offered as part of this study, but once the study is completed, you will be notified if a beneficial effect of LDN has been found. If the study finds that LDN is beneficial, you can discuss off-label treatment with LDN with your doctor. LDN is available through some compounding pharmacies.
This study is no longer accepting enrollment.
This is progress!