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Low dose Naltrexone

dancer

Senior Member
Messages
298
Location
Midwest, USA
I've been taking a break from LDN (after three months on it)...since I was having some issues that seemed like side effects to the LDN. However, I do plan to go back on it after a break.

The biggest thing I've noticed now that I've been off it a week or so is that my generalized muscle pain has come back big time. I hadn't fully realized how much the LDN had brought pain relief because it just gradually faded and I forgot how much pain I had been dealing with. Once things have "calmed" a bit in my system, I'm eager to get back on the LDN for the pain relief and more restorative sleep.
 

aquariusgirl

Senior Member
Messages
1,732
I noticed that someone at the recent Glasgow LDN conference mentioned that LDN might work by working on the microglia as well as opiod receptors.
It was just a throw-away comment, but it reminded me of something that Dr Nancy Klimas reportedly said .. which is that a study is coming out that suggests LDN has another mechanism of action other than the one we know about.
Sorry to be so vague. Don't have the energy to dig deeper, but maybe the more informed and/or functional might know something about this?
 

Jenny

Senior Member
Messages
1,388
Location
Dorset
garcia - you mentioned that LDN turns off Th17. The abstract below, which was posted on another thread, suggests that it's already turned off in ME.

Might this be a reason why LDN makes some of us worse?

Jenny



A Formal Analysis of Cytokine Networks in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Gordon Brodericknext terma, Corresponding Author Contact Information, E-mail The Corresponding Author, Jim Fuitea, Andrea Kreitza, Suzanne D Vernonb, Nancy Klimasc and Mary Ann Fletcherd

a Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

b The CFIDS Association of America, Charlotte, NC, USA

c Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, USA

d Department of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
Received 1 February 2010;
revised 21 April 2010;
accepted 28 April 2010.
Available online 4 May 2010.

Abstract

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a complex illness affecting 4 million Americans for which no characteristic lesion has been identified. Instead of searching for a deficiency in any single marker, we propose that CFS is associated with a profound imbalance in the regulation of immune function forcing a departure from standard preprogrammed responses. To identify these imbalances we apply network analysis to the co-expression of 16 cytokines in CFS subjects and healthy controls. Concentrations of IL-1a, 1b, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17 and 23, IFN-γ, lymphotoxin-α (LT-α) and TNF-α were measured in the plasma of 40 female CFS and 59 case-matched controls. Cytokine co-expression networks were constructed from the pair-wise mutual information (MI) patterns found within each subject group. These networks differed in topology significantly more than expected by chance with the CFS network being more hub-like in design. Analysis of local modularity isolated statistically distinct cytokine communities recognizable as pre-programmed immune functional components. These showed highly attenuated Th1 and Th17 immune responses in CFS. High Th2 marker expression but weak interaction patterns pointed to an established Th2 inflammatory milieu. Similarly, altered associations in CFS provided indirect evidence of diminished NK cell responsiveness to IL-12 and LTα stimulus. These observations are consistent with several processes active in latent viral infection and would not have been uncovered by assessing marker expression alone. Furthermore this analysis identifies key sub-networks such as IL-2:IFNγ:TNFα that might be targeted in restoring normal immune function.
 
C

Cloud

Guest
It's very obvious to me that LDN affects some mechanism at the very core of my illness. Nothing comes even close to LDN for causing an exacerbation of my illness. True it's likely affecting something we don't yet know about....but whatever it is would provide a very key piece of the puzzle, IMO.
 

oerganix

Senior Member
Messages
611
I noticed that someone at the recent Glasgow LDN conference mentioned that LDN might work by working on the microglia as well as opiod receptors.
It was just a throw-away comment, but it reminded me of something that Dr Nancy Klimas reportedly said .. which is that a study is coming out that suggests LDN has another mechanism of action other than the one we know about.
Sorry to be so vague. Don't have the energy to dig deeper, but maybe the more informed and/or functional might know something about this?
I don't know where it is offhand, but I remember reading some research that found it works on the microglia, seems like it was glia 15, if there is such a thing, and seems like these glias are in the gut? I think I posted something about it long ago in this thread. I'll try to find it....when I get a roundtuit.
 

valia

Senior Member
Messages
207
Location
UK
Enjoying the nightlife

Since taking LDN my life has become so much more interesting:


Last night I joined a circus as the star turn, the night before I underwent surgery without anaesthetic :eek: and the night before that I had to take a reindeer from London to Scotland in a taxi. :D

Aside from that I had been hoping for just the tiniest bit of energy which hasnt happened but I have noticed a reduction in pain, I still have the same pain but LDN just seems to have taken the edge off, which is good enough at this early stage.

I started on 3ml with no adverse reaction so have just upped it to 4.5
 

oerganix

Senior Member
Messages
611
Since taking LDN my life has become so much more interesting:


Last night I joined a circus as the star turn, the night before I underwent surgery without anaesthetic :eek: and the night before that I had to take a reindeer from London to Scotland in a taxi. :D

Aside from that I had been hoping for just the tiniest bit of energy which hasn’t happened but I have noticed a reduction in pain, I still have the same pain but LDN just seems to have taken the edge off, which is good enough at this early stage.

I started on 3ml with no adverse reaction so have just upped it to 4.5

Just wait until the erotic dreams start, ha, ha. Someone on here, was it Sushi?, had an encounter with a Beatle, was it John Lennon? It was the young Brad Pitt, as in Thelma & Louise, for me. (Regretfully, that 'stage' has passed for me. Still having dreams I can remember, but not erotic ones. Oh, well...)

I, too, am at 4.5 and doing well. Better sleep, less muscle pain (still have the joint pain), better mood and overall quality of life, less brain fog, more physical and mental agility. A little more energy, or maybe a lot more...as I've been doing more. My partner says it's making his life easier, too, and he can see improvement when and where I don't.

Or maybe it's just one of those mini-remissions...it's only been about 11 weeks. But this feels different and better.

Thanks for sharing, valia, and good luck.
 
C

Cloud

Guest
Dreaming has been an early sign of improvement with all my ventures at recovery. This last time I had gone 4-5 years with no dreams (or feelings) at all until starting Vistide last year. A month or two into Tx, I began dreaming such vivid and sometimes lucid dreams of events in my life from immediately prior to when I had stopped dreaming just as if they were happening currently. It was really bizarre as if I had been frozen in time for 5 years....or like my brain was being freed of some kind of 5 year lock down.
 

leaves

Senior Member
Messages
1,193
Interesting; my dr did a test that showed I had to take a special form of b6 (p5p). This made me dream again. No dreaming is also a symptom of b6 defficiency.
The ldn affects my dreams too.
 

Diva55

Member
Messages
164
Location
UK
LDN Dreams

Yes dreams! I have very vivid ones incorporating books, films and my past life. Like Cloud its as if I have a huge build up that is being released.

No erotic dreams other than a chaste kiss so far but not sure if I'm strong enough for such dreams!

As Aerosmith sing "Dream On"!
 

Diva55

Member
Messages
164
Location
UK
LDN - Time Released Version

I think someone mentioned time released Naltrexone which of course should NOT be used. There was confusion over which type was time released.
I looked it up and this is what I found:

Naltrexone, marketed as Revia or Depade or Vivitrol (an injectable timed release version)

So it seems that Vivitrol is the only time release version.
 

SaraM

Senior Member
Messages
526
I have stopped taking LDN for 3 days and I still don't have much muscle pain. I wonder how long LDN stays in our system . I am really confused and amazed by how Naltrexone works.
 

leaves

Senior Member
Messages
1,193
AAAAAAh just had a crash today :( started imunovir on monday, felt pretty good . Weekend is off, and had a crash today :( monday again imunovir and Im also scheduled for upping my ldn to 4.5 mg. Wish me luck everyone...
 

Frank

Senior Member
Messages
850
Location
Europe
I'm on 0.25mg every day now for about 3 days, doing ok, will go up to 0.5mg next week (probably one day 0.25, one day 0.5)
 

Jenny

Senior Member
Messages
1,388
Location
Dorset
I have stopped taking LDN for 3 days and I still don't have much muscle pain. I wonder how long LDN stays in our system . I am really confused and amazed by how Naltrexone works.

I'm wondering this too Sara. I've been off it 10 days now and am still feeling as bad as I was when on it. Two days ago I had what must have been my worst ever day (in 28 years of this). The pain, shivering and sweating were so extreme they were almost unbearable. A bit better the last couple of days but still very ill.


Jenny
 

Jenny

Senior Member
Messages
1,388
Location
Dorset
AAAAAAh just had a crash today :( started imunovir on monday, felt pretty good . Weekend is off, and had a crash today :( monday again imunovir and Im also scheduled for upping my ldn to 4.5 mg. Wish me luck everyone...

Good luck leaves :Retro smile: I'm wondering about starting imunovir but don't want to do it at the same time as LDN. How brave you are!

What dosing schedule are you on for imunovir?

Jenny
 

Diva55

Member
Messages
164
Location
UK
I like the sound of how you're doing it Frank - 1 day 0.25, 1 day 0.5.

I've been on 1.5ml for 3 weeks but would like to go up to 1.75ml next week but it's been a struggle to get up to to 1.5ml.
I may try the alternate days to see how I do with it.

Thanks for that & good luck
I'm on 0.25mg every day now for about 3 days, doing ok, will go up to 0.5mg next week (probably one day 0.25, one day 0.5)
 

Diva55

Member
Messages
164
Location
UK
Hi Jenny
I'm so sorry that you're having such a hard time.

I still have the remains of a virus I've had since starting LDN. Also a rash on my hand, kneee & legs.

Although my GP said it was a co-incidence I'm beginning to think it's connected to LDN. I've also come out on spots on my face - so not a pretty sight altogether!

I read somewhere (I shall look into it) that LDN only stays in the body for 6 hours. Maybe it's to do with the compromised detox (liver) system we have that it seems to stay in the system for a lot longer.

Or maybe the immune system has been modulated to bring out all the bugs which is what I've read. Pains, fatigue, viruses and even "old" pains can be re-activated when starting LDN. Again I read that this occurs in the first month.

I'll try & find more concrete info.

Hope you feel better soon.

I've been off it 10 days now and am still feeling as bad as I was when on it. Two days ago I had what must have been my worst ever day (in 28 years of this). The pain, shivering and sweating were so extreme they were almost unbearable. A bit better the last couple of days but still very ill.


Jenny