Low Dose Naltrexone
>> 6/7/09
I was given a link to Low Dose Naltrexone to look up as a thyroid resource. The claim is that it can boost the immune system. Originally used in a higher dose to treat certain addictions, in lower doses, it is thought to improve symptoms in autoimmune disorders (MS, Lupus, Thyroid Disease, HIV/AIDS, Crohn's Disease and more) and even cancer!
Sound too good to be true? As a person struggling with thyroid disease and doctors who don't treat it right, I am certainly interested in finding out more about LDN. If you'd like to find out what it is, click here.
If you've used LDN for autoimmune disorders, I'd love to hear from you! Let me know if it helped, what symptoms you had, would you recommend it to others?
22 comments:
My Naturepathic doctor recommended Low Dose Naltrexone for me. I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis which causes inflammation in the body. I have been on thyroid medication for 20 years and have continued to experience all of the negative symptoms of this disease; depression, weight gain, insomnia, in spite of my blood levels reading normal. I just started this treatment to get some relief from chronic muscle pain which I now understand is a direct symptom from this disease (autoimmune). I've been on it for 3 days and am sleeping better than I ever have. I'm been told it could take up to 3 months to experience relief from muscle pain. I have tired so many other alternative treatments and none have helped. I'm hoping this is the magic pill.
I'm about to get bloodwork done to see about my hormonal levels as related to my cycles and also bloodwork to check for thyroid. I have many symptoms that point to thyroid issues... I'm working through the doctors at Pope Paul VI Institute in Nebraska even though I live in Houston, TX. They practice NaProTechnology using the Creighton Model of charting cycles and they treat thyroid problems with Naltrexone.
The institute doesn't just treat Catholics, please don't be thrown off by the name. Check it out and what they do - maybe they can help you. I've heard and read so many testimonies re. women they've helped:
http://www.popepaulvi.com/
And to read just about NaProTechnology:
http://www.naprotechnology.com/
Best of luck - and thank you for creating your Blog!
I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. I also have a very rare condition known as Hashimoto's Encephalopathy. I've been on LDN for about 6 months. Prescribed by a MD/Naturopath. For me, the benefits didn't happen over night, but the longer I'm on it, the better I feel and the more my symptoms diminish. It is proving more effective than anything else I've tried (I've done tons of alternative therapies, which are helpful to some degree). The fact that are virtually no side effects makes it all the more exciting.
I have Hashimoto's and started 1.5mg LDN in November. Each month we increased the dosage by 0.5 mg. I've been taking 3.0 mg for three months now and plan to remain at that dose. It's done wonders for the Hashimoto's. It didn't happen over night but gradually each symptom began to fall away and I have virtually none left today. It also corrected my PCOS.
I have Hashimoto's Thyroditis and just started the LDN at 1.5 mg. I definetly notice some improvements (less muscle pain, better digestion, clearer thinking), but I am also experiencing the one major side effect which is insomnia. I take it at night, as prescribed, and I feel tired, but never actually fall asleep. It's the strangest thing. I tried taking it in the morning but I don't think it's as effective. A little frustrating but I'm not giving up because like the others have been saying, it works better then anything else has so far.
I've been on LDN for a month now. I also switched from Synthroid to Armour Thyroid. (I've been on Synthroid for the past 7 years). I've been feeling really great..no depression..not feeling as tired, skin looking a lot better, no PMS symptoms. I can go on and on about how great I'm feeling. But not sure if its due to the Armour Thyroid or LDN. When i started taking the Armour and LDN, I would suffer from insomnia (and please note that you have to take the LDN at night or else it won't work). So I finally found a solution..working out. I started working out at 5:45am at this bootcamp 3-5 days a week. I had no trouble sleeping because I would be soo tired in the evening.
Also make sure you check your Vit D and B12 levels..they can affect a lot of things.
to person who has had pcos problems resolved, can you explain. My daughter has PCOS and high thyroid antibodies,she was thinking about trying LDN.
I have Hashi's and am on ERFA (Canadian dessicated) I have been feeling really crappy lately and can't tell if its Thyroid or maybe late Lymes?
Anyway, I am taking 1.5mg of LDN at night and have anxiety. Wakes me up early and feel on major edge. I am going to try to cut back on my thyroid meds since my FT3 numbers are way high already and I hear that LDN can help a thyroid patient regain thyroid function.
Quick comment on the last post. Anxiety is a big signal for Lyme or a co-infection. My wife has late stage Lyme and is awakened with severe anxiety/feelings of dread. She has just started LDN.
My husband suffers from chronic Lyme, my son has ADHD, and I have hypothyroid. I am doing investigating on how LDN will work for us. I'm going to start with me, then my son. I'm not sure what to do about my husband since he takes pain meds for the Lyme pain. I'm lost as to how to help him, every day he just wants to die, because of all the pain :(
I use LDN and Armour. The LDN was prescribed for "Post Lyme Syndrome." Following years of torture with Lyme Disease (and its spin-off show, Hypothyroid), I was given this to help my immune system. It worked tremendously. Meant to be temporary, when I was taken off of it my nerve pain increased steadily until it felt like searing metal rods impaling my feet and legs with an electrical charge. I'm back on it FOR GOOD and have no plans to go back to being tortured from within. It helped my fatigue/cold/muscle weakness from my thyroid, but honestly I didn't feel okay except when taking Armour. I think my body cannot make the T3 hormone that it's supposed to make when medicated with synthroid - which only has T4.
Mary -
About your husband with Lyme.... does he have joint pain, muscle pain, neurological pain?
For the neurological pain (and NOTHING touches it - I was offered Lyrica, etc. but a side effect is fatigue and I'd rather be dead than more fatigued), I JUST found out a few months ago about tonic water (with quinine). It did WONDERS for my neurological pain until I got back on LDN. LDN really snuffed it, though. I still have arthritis and take Naproxen for it (Aleve). I tend to find something "magic" that works for the Lyme arthritis and then it fizzles out after a while. An old fave of mine that stopped working was CVS Brand Arthritis Pain Relief (not sure why). God bless him. It's a lonely and depressing disease and NO ONE understands. They think you get the tick out, take some pills and you're flawed if you're not fine after that. God bless you all. <3
I have Hashimoto's and have been on LDN for 3 months at 4.5 mg each night. Has anyone else discontinued using Levothyroxine or Armour after reaching a therapeutic dose of LDN?
Been on LDN for almost 3 months. I'm a believer. Have been on 4.5mg for about 2 months. Stopped taking Levothyroxine at least a month ago. Just got blood tests. My
TSH was 77! Supposed to be under 4...Just started back on levothyroxine and cut LDN back to 2mg. However, I lost 20 lbs, lowered my blood pressure as well--so not all bad. Just need to fine-tune.
I have Hashimoto's. Does anyone know if you need any specific blood levels monitored when taking LDN other than the ones you have to get checked for Hashimotos?
Always check Free T3, Free T4, TSH, and Reverse T3. Also thyroid antibodies. The full thyroid workup is good. Including monitoring Iron, ferritin, B12, Vit D, Magnesium, adrenals..
I have hashis and was on 180 mg of natural thyroid and was feeling good apart from being a little stiff. Doctor put me on LDN but increased the dose rapidly. Within 3 weeks i was on 4.5 mg. without any checks on my thyroud levels. Mythyroid levels shot dangerously high, they stopped my LDN, cut my thyoid meds and 4 months later i'm still fighting the fall out. If you have hashis you must start on 1.5 mg for a month and have your thyroid levels checked until you are certain they are stable. This has set me back 9 months.
I just got my labs after taking 1.5mg LDN since 10/11/13,
my TSH and antibodies have increased though my FT3 & FT4 have only changed alittle.
Seems the LDN is increasing the inflammation, not reducing it!
Hi first of all LDN balances the immune system, some need it balaced not boosted.. anyway, I have been on LDN for over 3 years its amazing for me.. I had to start out low at 1.0 and I moved up .5 each month since I was very very will low and slow was the only way for me to avoid any herxing or detoxing issues from my illness.. try that way if you have stopped due to issues.. cheers
haven't been able to take any of the thyroid meds they hae given me-even the natural ones. I have hoshimotos -hypothyroid-multiple chemical sensitivity after carbon momoxide poisoning. Wonder if this is something tat would help me. Im allergic to just about everything-meds-shampoo-soap to mention a few. cant even sit on a sofa due to layex in the foam cushions. looking for answers for a very lon time
You could ask the compounding pharmacy to compound according to your needs. Start with 0.5 mg and increase by 0.5mg weekly until you reach 1.5 mg...
I have some sort of neurological disorder..even though I've had it for about 10yrs..and all tests came back normal..I DO NOT have a diagnosis'm finally I found a holistic Dr.who discovered.hashimoto thyroid..I started on it..approx two months..ago.
But also started on LDN a month ago.too.. m neurological disorder got worse.I did some research..and discovered that THE LDN could correct the thyroid problem as well as the neurological issue..so as of tomorrow I will not be taking my thyroid meds.theDr.agreed..
Hoping that the LDN will kick in soon to help me.
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