LDN article on MS with Attitude

[Guest guest]

http://www.mswithattitude.ca/news1pg2.html

Good article on LDN, just stumbled upon it.

News and Views Low Dose Naltrexone There has been a lot of buzz recently about LDN! It appears to be one of the hopes many MSers have been searching for - a way to stop progression. It does not make any claims to improve your current symptoms, although many have reported increased strength and energy, less spasms, less fatigue and other improvements since starting. The benefits do appear to outweigh any possible risks. Naltrexone is apparently not toxic at such a low dose (it is 1/60th of the dose shown to demonstrate reversible liver toxicity) and the side effects, if any, are minimal. It is affordable, however not covered by any prescription insurance plan in Canada. This is due to the fact that it has not been approved at this dose or for treating MS. An MS Trial would cost millions of dollars and take several years to complete, and the chances of a pharmaceutical company stepping forward to fund that, considering the low cost, is minimal! The best way to tell if LDN is working for you is to take it for a long time and then look back and determine whether or not you progressed! Please note you cannot take LDN if taking any of the beta interferon drugs (Rebif, Avonex, Betaseron) as these drugs suppress your immune system while LDN stimulates it. Copaxone may be safe but you would need to talk to your doctor or Dr. Bihari, the man behind LDN.

[Guest guest]

I think the jury's still out on interferon. It may increase

endorphin too, and wouldn't it be nice if it were synergistic with

LDN?

The action of the ABCR drugs is still a matter of controversy, like

LDN itself, and there is no evidence of any harm in combining them

with LDN (as there is with opioid painkillers).

-Sullivan

--- In low dose naltrexone , " LarryGC " <larrygc@s...>

wrote:

> http://www.mswithattitude.ca/news1pg2.html

>

> Good article on LDN, just stumbled upon it.

>

> News and Views

>

> Low Dose Naltrexone

>

> There has been a lot of buzz recently about LDN! It appears to be

one of the hopes many MSers have been searching for - a way to stop

progression. It does not make any claims to improve your current

symptoms, although many have reported increased strength and energy,

less spasms, less fatigue and other improvements since starting.

>

> The benefits do appear to outweigh any possible risks. Naltrexone

is apparently not toxic at such a low dose (it is 1/60th of the dose

shown to demonstrate reversible liver toxicity) and the side effects,

if any, are minimal. It is affordable, however not covered by any

prescription insurance plan in Canada. This is due to the fact that

it has not been approved at this dose or for treating MS. An MS Trial

would cost millions of dollars and take several years to complete,

and the chances of a pharmaceutical company stepping forward to fund

that, considering the low cost, is minimal! The best way to tell if

LDN is working for you is to take it for a long time and then look

back and determine whether or not you progressed!

>

> Please note you cannot take LDN if taking any of the beta

interferon drugs (Rebif, Avonex, Betaseron) as these drugs suppress

your immune system while LDN stimulates it. Copaxone may be safe but

you would need to talk to your doctor or Dr. Bihari, the man behind

LDN.

[Guest guest]

In the spirit of doing no harm, at the very least, I would not

convict an innocent and possibly helpful protocol.

In fact I think at least in my country innocence is presumed.

LDN is fine but don't presume to tell people what *not* to take.

-Sullivan

--- In low dose naltrexone , " LarryGC " <larrygc@s...>

wrote:

> IF anything else that people already take does what LDN does, then

why not the same symptomatic improvements?

>

> Your jury may be out, but mine laid down their conviction in April

and have gone back to civilian life.

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: jchrissullivan

> low dose naltrexone

> Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2003 21:28

> Subject: [low dose naltrexone] Re: LDN article on MS with Attitude

>

>

> I think the jury's still out on interferon. It may increase

> endorphin too, and wouldn't it be nice if it were synergistic with

> LDN?

>

> The action of the ABCR drugs is still a matter of controversy,

like

> LDN itself, and there is no evidence of any harm in combining

them

> with LDN (as there is with opioid painkillers).

>

> -Sullivan

[Guest guest]

I think you can get a lot out of taking LDN as well as other

supplements, for example antioxidants, before sleep. Sleep seems

to be even more restorative when the right chemistry is in place,

and free radical scavenging in the brain may be one of the major

benefits of a good nights' sleep.

-Sullivan

> > IF anything else that people already take does what LDN does,

then

> why not the same symptomatic improvements?

> >

> > Your jury may be out, but mine laid down their conviction in

April

> and have gone back to civilian life.

> >

> > ----- Original Message -----

> > From: jchrissullivan

> > low dose naltrexone

> > Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2003 21:28

> > Subject: [low dose naltrexone] Re: LDN article on MS with Attitude

> >

> >

> > I think the jury's still out on interferon. It may increase

> > endorphin too, and wouldn't it be nice if it were synergistic

with

> > LDN?

> >

> > The action of the ABCR drugs is still a matter of controversy,

> like

> > LDN itself, and there is no evidence of any harm in combining

> them

> > with LDN (as there is with opioid painkillers).

> >

> > -Sullivan

[Guest guest]

from http://www.ldninfo.org :

Full-dose naltrexone (50mg) carries a cautionary warning against its use in those with liver disease. This warning was placed because of adverse liver effects that were found in experiments involving 300mg daily. The 50mg dose does not apparently produce impairment of liver function nor, of course, do the much smaller 3mg and 4.5mg doses.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2 & Sect2=HITOFF & p=1 & u=/netahtml/search-bool.html & r=7 & f=G & l=50 & co1=AND & d=ptxt & s1=4,888,346 & OS=4,888,346 & RS=4,888,346 is the Patent.

I would recommend that NOBODY use LDN AT ALL. Why feel better and get your life back? Then people wouldn't be doing things for you, or excusing you from activity, or talking about how poorly you're doing.

If you want to chat with the other idiots like me who take LDN, they can be found on , low dose naltrexone/ for all LDN users with various AI diseases, and Spotlight_ldn/ for just people with MS. There's also one ran by on voy forums, http://www.voy.com/156761/ who's doing even better than I am.

A lot of LDN users are at the Histamine, LDN, B-12, 4AP, Antivirals and Alternative MS Therapies website discussion board, http://disc.server.com/Indices/148285.html

------------------------------------------------------

Some people who've been on LDN a while now are finally getting some MRI's:

From: "sunynbrite" Date: Tue Nov 4, 2003 2:22 pmSubject: MRI NOT IN MY MIND!!!!Back in Sept. I wrote, letting you all know that it was my 1 Yr. anniversary of being on LDN. I've had nothing but positive to say about it. In fact, my reason for this post, is to let you know that I saw the films from my last MRI while seeing my Neuro a couple of weeks ago. After my examination, and my Neuro being quite impressed with seeing just how Well I'm doing...He showed me my films. For the past 5 yrs. I've had 4, extremely noticeable, lesions on my brain, all of which glowed brightly for my MRI's. Except now ~ 3 of the lesions are just about gone. And one, has shrunk quite a bit. All of which, even my Neuro feels, is happening because the lesions are healing themselves. This is NOT in my mind~!!! Here is a doctor that hasn't prescribed the LDN for me, but stood there telling me NOT TO STOP what I'm doing!! I know That won't happen! I've stopped everything he had me on, from shots to pills, Before starting the LDN so I would know it's full effects. And I have to say~ I couldn't be doing any better. Did I mention I went Hiking this week-end?? Something I haven't done in 5 yrs!!A "Sugar Pill"???? I don't think so~ a Miracle??? No, (although I surely am blessed). I believe the LDN is doing just what needs to be done, to help keep us from progressing. That Is What I BELIEVE in!Carol

-------------------------------------------------------

Definitely discuss LDN with an educated and up to date doctor who knows the difference between Naltrexone 50MG and Low Dose Naltrexone 3.0 or 4.5 MG. Get blood tests, if you don't have any baselines, so you can compare in the future. LDN is only for the brave, willing to be guinea pigs, or who are divinely drawn to trying something that may work for them.

And watch out for people who are Pro Duck!

YMMV

----- Original Message -----

From: leelee64

MS People

Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 14:55

Subject: Re: LDN article on MS with Attitude

New Message on MS People

LDN article on MS with Attitude

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Message 2 in Discussion

From: leelee64

IN LIGHT OF ALL OF THE RECENT LDN AND MS TALK, I CAME UPON AN ARTICLE IN THIS MONTHS MSFOCUS MAGAZINE WHERE A PERSON WROTE IN A QUESTION ABOUT LDN AND IT WAS ANSWERED..I'M TYPING IT INTO OUR BOARDS SINCE I DON'T HAVE A SCANNER SO THAT ALL OF YOU MIGHT HAVE A BIT MORE INSIGHT TO THIS MEDICATION THAT YOU ARE HEARING A LOT OF HOUPLA ABOUT...SO HERE IT IS...

Q. LOW DOSE NALTREXONE

I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT LOW DOSE NALTREXONE FOR TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

A.

MANY PATIENTS ARE INQUIRING ABOUT LOW-DOSE NALTREXONE FOR MS. NALTREXONE IS COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE UNDER THE NAME REVIA. THIS PRODUCK IS A NARCOTIC ANTAGONIST, MEANING THAT IT BLOCKS THE ACTION OF NARCOTICS AND ALCOLHOL IN THE BODY. NALTREXONE CAN AUSE INSOMNIA, NERVOUSNESS, HEADACHE, ABDOMINAL CRAMPING, NAUSEA, VOMITING, KIDNEY AND LIVER DAMAGE. IT IS CONTRAINDICATED FOR USE WITH ALL NARCOTICS (OXYCONTIN, DURAGESIC,PERCOSCET, LORTAB, ETC) THIS DRUG IS BEING MARKETED AS A PRODUCT THAT CAN REDUCE MS RELAPSES, FATIGUE AND SPASMS. NO PUBLISHED CLINICAL DATA EXISTS ON THIS PRODUCT. CONTROLLED, RANDOMIZED,, CLINICAL TRIALS ARE NEEDED TO EXAMINE THE USE OF LOW-DOSE NALTREXONE IN MS. AT THIS POINT, IT SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AN ALTERNATIVE FOR THE CURRENT DISEASE MODIFYING THERAPIES:BETASERON, AVONEX, COPOXONE, REBIF OR NOVANTRONE. MY ADVICE FOR PATIENTS IS TO AVOIDE PRODUCTS THAT LACK PROOF OF SAFETY AND EFFICACY.

ELLEN GUTHRIE, PHARM. D.

THE ONLY REASON FOR ME POSTING THIS INFORMATION IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSTING INFORMATION AND GIVING US THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE THAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS WITH OUR DOCTORS FOR OURSELVES...LISA