How translatable is this response? Do we dare find out? - a personal opinion

May 1, 2004

Practically from the moment I heard about LDN, I had a suspicion that I'd

stumbled onto something much bigger than it appeared. I'm now utterly convinced

of it.

I believe what we have here is the advent of a new form of treatment for

neurotransmitter imbalance. The question now is how far it can go, and how long

it can be maintained, and what's required to maintain benefits.

This week I'm going to wheedle some propranolol from my GP and try experimenting

with low-dose beta blockers as a possible treatment for anxiety disorder. I

strongly suspect that if I can follow the same trail left by naltrexone, I could

find this to be far more effective and side-effect-free than new-generation

tetracyclic antidepressants.

My theory is this: LDN's effect is not isolated, and that neurotransmitter

uptake blockers of other types can be " tweaked " to achieve similar benefits.

Adrenaline/epinephrine blockers at low dosages could, when their use is

understood, be incredibly effective antidepressants. NOR-adrenaline blockers at

low dosages could be very useful for anxiety and obsessive/compulsive disorders.

GABA blockers could have the same benefits for autism/Asperger's/ADHD/etc.

Acetylcholine blockers could slow or prevent the onset of problems such as

age-related memory loss, Parkinsonism, and many other problems. And of course

the big prize - serotonin blockers - could cause a ruckus in the pharmaceutical

industry like we haven't seen for a long time. Can you imagine the uproar if a

1/75th-normal dose of an " orphan " serotonin blocker turned out to be effective

for half the people currently on Paxil, Effexor, Wellbutrin, etc.?

Anyone with info, links etc. on these effects, I'd love to hear more.

(Speaking of uproar, I kind of wonder when the nasty backlash against Bihari is

going to hit. Seems to me that when the public profile of LDN hits a critical

mass, we're going to see some pretty heavy criticism and a lot of pressure not

to use this kind of treatment. I've already gotten whiffs of this backlash from

friends who suggest - not without ridicule, either - that I wouldn't have any

need to THINK of LDN if I only devoted myself to the Lord's work (sigh) or put

in a heavy workout a few times a week.)

Once again, for those who may have been on drugs, I am not a doctor, I just bill

like one.

-Cub Lea-

P.S.: Not all of us are bozos on this bus. (HONK)

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