Re: OK, I've heard both sides now and...

[Guest guest]

HI ,According to Dr. Zagon's research he says that the body's reaction to low doses of naltrexone is to go into homeostasis. In other words, if you have an overactive or underactive immune system your body could become more in balance and therefore go back to its normal job of healing and repairing itself. This is a very simplified answer but it is basically what is going on. This is also why so many people with different illnesses are responding to LDN. It is not about an immune response it is about homeostasis and the benefits of that. Not fight but heal and repair.This is my understanding.Destiny <stevancremeans@...> wrote: Hello Everyone Once again, BTW: I am on LDN and have been for 4 years now. I've heard both sides as to the issue of immune system. I've heard that MSers have bad immune systems that don't work as well and others say that MSers have an over active immune systems. (I think if you have 10 doctors in a room you'll get 12 different answers). So do I (as an MSer)have an immune system that is not working enough and I need an immune booster or do I have an overactive immune system that works too much. Lost and confused,

[Guest guest]

My understanding is that LDN is a 'modulator'. When the immune

system is overactive...it calms it down. When the immune system is

sluggish...it revs it up.

As to the question about whether AUTOIMMUNITY is the result of an

OVERactive immune system....or just a MISdirected immune system;

Alopathic doctors will say the immune system is 'overactive' and

therefore should NOT be stimulated.

Holistic / alternative doctors say the immune system is 'misdirected'

and needs help -- boosting / modulating -- to correct itself.

As a patient you have to decide which type of doctor that you want to

partner with. It's a little harder to find truely holistic GP doctors

and even harder to find holistic specialists -- but they are out

there. I like to follow the advice of Dr Perlmutter -- a

(holistic) neurologist in Florida. He's written several

books...speaks at conferences etc etc. However, I don't know if he

uses LDN therapy. It would be interesting to know his thoughts about

this topic.

Best wishes,

Jann

[Guest guest]

I am fortunate enough to have an MD that is also a holistic doctor. He is of

the opinion that my immune system is very misdirected and stimulating it could

have serious consequences. This makes sense to me. If my immune system is

attacking my joints, for example, and I start taking an immune booster, what is

to say that my immune system will suddenly smarten up and stop attacking my

joints? An immune booster may only make my immune system more active, not

correct it. This is why I take LDN - a modulator, not a booster - and very few

other supplements known for boosting the immune system. COQ10, Vitamin A, amino

acids, and other vitamins that help the immune cells function are fine, but

plant sterols, astragalas, echinacea, etc. are all big no-no's in my doctor's

book. Since he has helped me more than any other health care practitioner, I

trust his opinion. He does a ton of research and I defer to his opinion. I

also think his argument makes

sense. I certainly wouldn't avoid all supplements, but I would avoid

supplements that directly boost immune system activity.

I understand others have differing opinions. This is just my/my doctor's 2

cents.

Cami

SLE

[Guest guest]

Hi Cami,

It sounds like your doctor regards 'misdirected' as the same as being

'overactive'. The holistic doctor that I heard describe autoimmunity

made a distinction between the two.

However, all that being said I think it's wise for those of us with

autoimmunity to be cautious with known immune stimulating supplements

- like Astragalus or Echinacea and others. Dr Weil suggests

that short trials of these supplements are OK -- for example 10days --

but shouldn't be used on a on-going basis for folks with autoimmune

issues.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/ART00675

I think it's wonderful that you found a holistic MD -- and one that

you trust. I've had the same experience with MY holistic

doctors...I've learned / have been helped more by holistic doctors

than the alopathic ones.

Best wishes,

Jann

[Guest guest]

Well, thank you all or at least those who cleared things up.I hope you all have a great holiday season. Hello Everyone Once again, BTW: I am on LDN and have been for 4 years now. I've

heard both sides as to the issue of immune system. I've heard that MSers have bad immune systems that don't work as well and others say that MSers have an over active immune systems. (I think if you have 10 doctors in a room you'll get 12 different answers). So do I (as an MSer)have an immune system that is not working enough and I need an immune booster or do I have an overactive immune system that works too much. Lost and confused,

[Guest guest]

Hi Cami,

The trick here is that when you have enough endorphins, your immune system remembers how to behave. Please have your doctor read the welcome e-mail I just sent you for LDN, also pull up the news reels and the link to the official LDN site that are links in the welcome e-mail.

This drug really does help a large percentage of people with auto-immune disorders. Your doctor is seeing things the way many of our conventional doctors are taught, that you want to suppress the immune system not help it. However this drug proves that theory is not actually the case. When your immune system has what it needs, it remembers how to behave.

All my best

Aletha

[Guest guest]

You have an immune system that is screwed up. It doesn't recognize you myelin as "self" and is attacking it. You may also have a defective reverse feed back loop and you natural inflammatory factor my be a little out of whack because of that.. So yes to both.

Dr. Skip

In a message dated 12/1/2008 2:31:37 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, stevancremeans@... writes:

Hello Everyone Once again,BTW: I am on LDN and have been for 4 years now. I've heard both sidesas to the issue of immune system. I've heard that MSers have badimmune systems that don't work as well and others say that MSers havean over active immune systems. (I think if you have 10 doctors in aroom you'll get 12 different answers). So do I (as an MSer)have animmune system that is not working enough and I need an immune boosteror do I have an overactive immune system that works too much.Lost and confused, Finally, one site has it all: your friends, your email, your favorite sites. Try The NEW AOL.com.

[Guest guest]

I wasn't commenting on LDN. It's a modulator and I understand that - I've been

taking it for some time for lupus. I was commenting on supplements that boost

the immune system that I was advised not to take (echinacea, plant sterols,

astragalus). I think we're not on the same page here....

Thanks,

Cami

SLE

[Guest guest]

Sorry Cami,

I completely mis-understood what you were asking. Of course you know about the endorphins and are already using LDN, I just got confused. So your doc is saying we should not also include other items that help the immune system. That is a good question, but my overall thought would be that it should be OK to further assist the immune system while on LDN.

Does anyone else have any thoughts or experiences about adding other items to "to help the immune system" while already taking LDN?

My best

Aletha

[Guest guest]

Would you please tell me where in FL Dr. Perlmutter is located.

Thanks. -Biz

>

> My understanding is that LDN is a 'modulator'. When the immune

> system is overactive...it calms it down. When the immune system is

> sluggish...it revs it up.

>

> As to the question about whether AUTOIMMUNITY is the result of an

> OVERactive immune system....or just a MISdirected immune system;

>

> Alopathic doctors will say the immune system is 'overactive' and

> therefore should NOT be stimulated.

>

> Holistic / alternative doctors say the immune system is 'misdirected'

> and needs help -- boosting / modulating -- to correct itself.

>

> As a patient you have to decide which type of doctor that you want to

> partner with. It's a little harder to find truely holistic GP doctors

> and even harder to find holistic specialists -- but they are out

> there. I like to follow the advice of Dr Perlmutter -- a

> (holistic) neurologist in Florida. He's written several

> books...speaks at conferences etc etc. However, I don't know if he

> uses LDN therapy. It would be interesting to know his thoughts about

> this topic.

>

>

> Best wishes,

> Jann

>

[Guest guest]

Dr Perlmutter is located in Naples, Fla.