What Is Low Dose Naltrexone?

What Is Low Dose Naltrexone?

Low Dose Naltrexone

I found out what is Low Dose Naltrexone LDN when I was searching for my much-needed magic pill. My life with a chronic illness has created a vicious cycle of being tired from being sick and feeling sick of being tired. I am constantly searching for vitamins, supplements and medications that will improve my quality of life.

A couple of years ago I stumbled across several articles about the positive effects Low Dose Naltrxone (LDN) had on auto immune patients. The successful testimonials about LDN intrigued me and the history of Naltrexone was impressive.

Naltrexone was first produced in 1963 by Endo Laboratories to treat addiction to opioids and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of addiction to drugs such as Heroin, Morphine, and Oxycodone in 1984.

The medication has been used off label in low doses to help autoimmune patients with conditions such as Multiple Scholus, Parkinson’s and Chrons.  Clinical Rheumatology April 2014, Issue 4 published a Naltrexone Study by Jarred Younger, Luke Parkitny and David McLain that concluded Naltrexone results appear promising but there is limited medical data to support auto immune patients claims about the benefits of LDN.

However, Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) has been demonstrated to reduce symptom severity in conditions such as fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and complex regional pain syndrome. They reviewed that there may be evidence that LDN may operate as a novel anti-inflammatory agent in the central nervous system, via action on microglial cells.1

The current theory behind the mechanics of Low-Dose Naltrexone is that it inhibits opioid receptors and  causes the body to increase production of endorphins and enkephalins in order to compensate for the blocked receptors. The increased levels of endogenous opioids persist after the naltrexone has been eliminated from the body. Hence, the regular doses of low-dose naltrexone can be used to increase a patient’s endorphin and enkephalin levels.

I swallowed my first dosage of Low Dose Naltrexone 54 evenings ago and I felt different when I woke up. I noticed it did not take me the usually hours to get my day started and a layer of my heavy brain fog had been relinquished.

Immediately I was nervous that my better sense of well being was caused by wishful thinking. However, as my days of taking Naltrexone continued so did my results. I can blog, Naltrexone has been the, “Magic Pill” I have desperately needed. The 53 days I have used Low Dose Naltrexone have brought me hope, encouragement and several good days.

I have experienced the medically noted side effects of Naltrexone, animated dreams. The first couple of evenings I tried LDN my mind swarmed with colorful vivid dreams and a rainbow colors danced each time I would shut my eyes.  But, as the days passed using Low dose Naltrexone so do my animated dreams.

I am not sure what the long term effects of Low Dose Naltrexone will be but I plan to continue taking 4.5 mg of LDN nightly. With fingers crossed I hope LDN will continue to help me. I will blog about my long-term experiences with low dose Naltrexone.

If you have tried LDN Low Dose Naltrexone please send me an email about your experience. Email: Lisa@HypoGal.com

1.  http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10067-014-2517-2

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