Have you heard of low dose naltrexone (LDN)? It is a synthetic drug used in small amounts that has shown promising results for those with serious diseases including auto-immune disease, cancer, HIV, MS, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Celiac disease, and IBS.
What is Naltrexone?
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Naltrexone is used to help narcotic dependents who have stopped taking narcotics to stay drug-free. It is also used to help alcoholics stay alcohol-free.” A typical dose of naltrexone is 50 mg. Side effects of the regular dose of naltrexone include digestive disturbances, sleep disturbances, headaches, and anxiety problems. Regular dose naltrexone is not recommended for people with liver problems because of its possible hepatototoxicity. Low dose naltrexone is a much smaller dose of naltrexone, 3 to 4.5 mg instead of the standard dose of 50 mg. So the low dose is indeed low – less than 10% of the standard dose. This much lower dose rarely has side effects and yet there have been many studies and personal testimonies showing that the low dose is very effective for many who take it.
But I Have a Disease, Not an Addiction!
While the regular dose of naltrexone is used for addictions, the low dose has been found to be helpful for those with a variety of chronic diseases. When the low dose of naltrexone is taken at bedtime, it causes in increase in endorphins produced by the body during the night. This is the mechanism by which it is helpful for a broad spectrum of diseases.
Is Naltrexone a Natural Remedy?
No, naltrexone is not a natural remedy. People looking for natural remedies are often doing so because conventional medications have not been successful, have had unacceptable side effects or have been too expensive. Earth Clinic has been empowering those who are looking for safer, cheaper and more effective remedies for their health. Usually this is in the form of supplements, herbs, diet and health practices. Once in a while some drugs with a good history of safety and effectiveness find their way into the pages of cures that Earth Clinic readers share. Aspirin and guaifenesin are two other synthetic drugs that would fit into this category.
How Do I Get Low Dose Naltrexone?
Because naltrexone is a prescription drug, you will need to work with a doctor who can prescribe it for you, and then you will need a compounding pharmacy to fill the prescription.
Have you tried low dose naltrexone (LDN)? Please be sure to share your feedback with us! Continue reading to learn how Earth Clinic readers have fared when they tried LDN.
I take 4.5 mg LDN every evening. I have 4 cervical discs that have deteriorated and as a result have nerve pain that runs down to my shoulder. The muscles there go into spasm when I look to the right. Very painful. With LDN I feel the tingling but not the pain! Other than vivid dreams, I am not aware of any other side effects.
LDN: A different kind of medicine that doesn't heal itself, but makes your body to heal whatever isn't working.
My sister's persistent itchy cough that she had for years disappeared literally next morning after she took her first dose. We were shocked. 3.5 mg capsules didn't work for me and now I found a company in Israel that ships it liquid, one drop 0.5 mg. Under the tounge. It is still being shipped. I ordered to my mother in Latvia, it took 21days, but she got it. You have to take it nonstop for the rest of your life. If there are no alternatives, the price is small compared to consequences. There's no limits to what might get cured, since it makes your own body to figure be out what is wrong and address it
I have used LDN for 5 years. I started because a neurologist said that I might have MS, I do not. However, I did have fairly severe RA. I would wake up and my hands would hurt. I also had Asthma. Both are auto immune diseases.
I refer to them as had, because they are both in remission. It took 3 months of 1.5mg of LDN every night to get rid of RA pain. It took almost 2 years to rid myself of asthma. When the symptoms stopped my Doctor refused to believe me and kept the medications coming. I now have a drawer full of inhalers and I canceled my prescription.
There is a significant fact to know about LDN. It does not cure anything, however it makes the immune system work better and generally places the condition in remission. Many Doctors refuse to prescribe LDN because they are worried that if you have an auto immune problem the immune system gets stronger and it will attack the body more. However, what it does is make the immune system work better so that if it were attacking the body it stops doing that. It does this by increasing the amount of endorphins the body makes as well as increasing the number of endorphin receptor sites in the body. The LDN works to prevent the body from absorbing endorphins for several hours. The body thinks it is not producing endorphins and ramps up production plus increases the number of receptor sites. (Note, this is my lay person description I have seen much more thorough discussions by MD's much of which goes above my head.)
The body naturally makes the most Endorphins shortly after you fall asleep at night. There have been numerous people who try and take it at times other then before going to bed. Most find their symptoms coming back and they go back to nighttime dosing. It is worth noting that there is one noticeable side effect. It only occurs for a few weeks then no longer is an issue. The side effect is that when the flood of endorphins hits, that dreams can become vivid. Not bad but very realistic. This effect usually fades after a few weeks.
The original website of Dr. Bihari (the one who discovered LDN) is http://www.lowdosenaltroxone.org. It is very worthwhile to read. However, it does not tell you everything you need to know. For instance it tells you that most people take 4.5MG at night before they go to bed. However, very few people can tolerate 4.5MG to start with. The current recommendation of the LDN Users Group on Yahoo, is to start with 1.5 mg for 30 days, then up the dose to 3.0mg for 60 days, then go to 4.5mg. I found out that I can only tolerate 1.5mg per night. When I try to up the dose I get severe restless leg syndrome if I go above 2 MG. (Note, I just checked it out and the site has been recently updated and is much better.)
Even than, it took only 3 months for me to wake up pain free. No RA symptoms. However 3 times the first year I took it, I forgot to bring it with me on trips and after 3 days the RA symptoms returned. Once I started back on LDN they went away again. Now after 5 years I can skip up to 5 days before the symptoms return as I obviously built it up in my bloodstream.
The Yahoo users group is free to join and had at the last I heard over 11,000 members. The Moderator publishes a number of excellent information sheets covering every aspect of LDN, including a long list of medical problems that LDN helps to relieve, a list of Doctors that prescribe it and alternative methods to obtain it. It is an excellent resource.
When my RA symptoms disappeared I had no idea LDN could make that happen. However I found on a UK website an article that stated 86% of those with RA who were on LDN had their symptoms put in remission. I found websites that discussed LDN In every English speaking country. There is even a U tube video in Norwegian (it has Engllsh subtitles). Norway has over 50,000 people who take LDN.
After I learned about LDN, it took me several months to find a doctor who would prescribe it. At my request he prescribed 90 days worth of 4.5 MG capsules. I needed to take it to a compounding pharmacy. Since I was living in Palm Beach County I took it to Skips Pharmacy in Boca Raton. Dr. Skip Lenz (he has a doctorate in pharmacology) has more LDN patients than anyone else. He provides LDN to well over 10,000 people a month. I dropped off the prescription and a few days later Dr. Skip called me and cautioned me to start at 1.5 mg a night instead of 4.5 mg. At the time he recommended 30 days at 1.5 mg then 30 more days at 3.0 mg, then if I tolerated that to go to 4.5 mg. I never made it to 4.5 mg. Rather than change my prescription I would dissolve 2 capsules in 1.5 cups of distilled water, then take a quarter of cup of solution every night. This effectively made 90 4.5mg/capsules last me 9 months.
LDN like most medications does not work for everyone. However, when you ease into it, it does much better. The Yahoo users group has lots of discussions on how to start it. It is not very effective if you are already taking heavy opioids, they give lots of advice on how to cope.
After reading your article on low dose naltrexone I just wanted to share that after testing positive for human parvo virus, HH6, and cytomegalovirus I was so tired every day and all of my major joints hurt. I was told by a Dr. in Florida that 80% of people diagnosed with fibromyalgia or CFS, have at some point had fifths disease. In any event he recommended LDN and I was more than willing to try anything.
The first week was so bad that I had to stop taking LDN 4.5 mg. I did not feel any better and some days the brain fog was unbearable. A few days after stopping I realized I was actually getting better and thought to myself it had to be the late effects of the LDN. I hadn't felt that good in several months.
I started back on LDN taking 1/2 of a 4.5mg tab nightly and the results were amazing!!! Within a few weeks I was back to myself. Even better than I was prior to getting sick. I tried stopping the LDN and within a few weeks all of my joint pain was back as well as the extreme fatigue.
I was also pleasantly surprised to realize that while I was on the LDN my night sweats from menopause were controlled as well. I hadn't realized it until I'd stopped taking LDN how much it was helping my mood and night sweats!!!
Needless to say I have had amazing results and can not imagine ever being without it. Recently I had to stop taking it again for several weeks because I was having surgery and I knew I would need to take Percocet for pain after my surgery. I was hoping that once I stopped the LDN I would just stay off it even when I was done with the pain medicine. Just because who wants to rely on a pill if it's not necessary. Well within three weeks I was waking up dripping wet from night sweats and all of my joints were aching again! I remember coming home from my work out one night and thinking OMG I can't believe how awful I feel again!!! I immediately started back on my LDN 4.5 mg at bedtime and once again joint pain, night sweats and chronic fatigue gone!!!!
I am so grateful for this drug!!! I can not imagine where I'd be without it.
Ldn:
I was on 1.5mg for 1 month for ongoing brain fog that doctors attribute to menopause or protracted Benzo withdrawal, or anxiety, or some other hormonal imbalance. No change. So now been on LDN 3mg for last 2 months.. no change…..I am a mess and LDN not changing this so I don't know.
Hi Tracey,
LDN will modulate your immune system, and by doing so can positively impact a host of immune problems and diseases. However, I don't recall it being effective for balancing hormones due to menopause. Please take a look at posts to relieve your anxiety from menopause under the ailments tab at the top/menopause. Many herbal and other remedies have been suggested on this site that may be more beneficial to you. I hope you feel better soon.
Tracey, I'm no doctor, but think our hormones are changed by GMO foods. The glyphosate is toxic to every part of our bodies. Many people are having gut problems, gluten sensitivity, hormonal problems. Please try to avoid corn, soy, canola, sugar, zucchini, squash even dairy because the cows are fed GMO corn & soy. If you want any of the above buy organic. That way you will be safe.
I have posted here before and am a Chiropractor for thirty years. In researching a cure for a friend I stumbled across LDN or low dose naltrexone.
Apparently is has had almost miraculous results with autoimmune diseases like lupus, MS, fibromyalgia, Hashimoto's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, also neuro-degenerative conditions like Parkinsons, ALS and others.
I am following up on it and will have some of my autoimmune patients look into it and begin using it. In the meantime, here are some important links to begin to look into it for yourself.
The short version of it is its an off patent medication (so very cheap) that is very safe and taking in very small doses so that a months worth of it is under $40.00 USD.
As a Chiropractor, I don't usually recommend medication, but it is so safe and such a low dose, with such AMAZING results being reported (since the mid 1980s) that I am very excited about its potential benefits.
http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/index.htm
this is a great place to start.
http://honestmedicine.typepad.com/ebook-Jan 7 10–The Faces of Low Dose Naltrexone.pdf
This is a wonderful free e-book with many text links to more information.
Lets start to spread the word on this on EarthClinic and if its anything close to what is being said about it, it will be WONDERFUL!
Blessings,
David in HB