HAVE YOU HEARD OF LDN--LOW DOSE NALTREXONE?

RoseyR

Sorry that my prior message misspelled the name of this medication, LDN (low-dose naltrexone), just suggested by my integrative doctor to minimize chances of recurrence.

Its web site shows success in treating a range of disorders--decreasing the severity of autoimmune diseases, bolstering the immune systems of HIV AIDS patients, treating certain addictions, and controlling recurrences of cancer.

Any substance that claims effectivenss against so wide a panoply of disorders tends to invoke some skepticism on my part.

But then I recalled the work of Kathleen des Maisons, Ph.D., who claims that the following syndromes tend to cluster in some families: obesity, diabetes, depression, and heart disease-all undergirded, in her experience, by "sugar sensitivity": a problem in metabolizing glucose. And families prone to diabetes, it's been documented, ARE more statistically vulnerable to cancer, with glucose levels and metabolism shared in the two diseases.

While my own family has had no history of clinical depression or addiction, there IS diabetes and heart disease on my father's side.

LDN's web side alleges no side effects except, in a few patients, interference with sleep--in which case taking it after dinner instead of right before bedtime can help.

Nor is it expensive: thirty to forty dollars a month.

Just wondering if any of your own integrative doctors have prescribed LDN when you finished treatment.

Am considering it. My cancer was caught fairly early, but it is aggressive and though am feeling great, am trying, like all of us, to prevent recurrence.

Thanks,
Rosey

Ocalagal99

LDN - Low Dose Naltrexone

Hi, Rosey,

just found your post on LDN and am wondering if you ever went ahead to taking it.

I have found quite a bit of information on this and will be asking my Drs to prescribe since I am heading for a chemo sandwich shortly.

Here is some more info on it:
http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/

My path report after radical surgery found that my cancer was within 1 mm from breaking through the uterus, some cells were discovered in one lymph node and one ovary, so "modest" doses for chemo and radiation will be coming up.

Wondering if there will be a lot of resistance from the Drs on this.  Did you have any?

Thanks much as always.

RoseyR

Ocalagal99 said:

LDN - Low Dose Naltrexone

Hi, Rosey,

just found your post on LDN and am wondering if you ever went ahead to taking it.

I have found quite a bit of information on this and will be asking my Drs to prescribe since I am heading for a chemo sandwich shortly.

Here is some more info on it:
http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/

My path report after radical surgery found that my cancer was within 1 mm from breaking through the uterus, some cells were discovered in one lymph node and one ovary, so "modest" doses for chemo and radiation will be coming up.

Wondering if there will be a lot of resistance from the Drs on this.  Did you have any?

Thanks much as always.

LOW DOSE NALTREXONE

 

YES, I've been taking it for a year and a half.  Start at 1.5 mg and work your way up to 4.0 or 4.5; that way you'll minimize the minor side effects is occasionally has.  And they ARE minor, such as vivid dreams!

 

Never TOLD my oncologists i was taking it; they don't believe in anything other than chemo and radiation; that's the limit of their med school training, so we can't blame them; they simply seldom think "outsdie the box" of their professional paradigm.

 

But my integrative doctor, with an M.D. from U Penn, suggested it to minimize, or delay, chances of recurrence.  Likewise my naturopath recommends it, even during chemo.

 

The only time you can't take it is if you need opiod painkillers, for LDN will prevent them from working.  (Yes, you can take aspiring or ibuprofin, just not opiod painrelievers with LDN).

 

Best,

Rosey

Ocalagal99

RoseyR said:

LOW DOSE NALTREXONE

 

YES, I've been taking it for a year and a half.  Start at 1.5 mg and work your way up to 4.0 or 4.5; that way you'll minimize the minor side effects is occasionally has.  And they ARE minor, such as vivid dreams!

 

Never TOLD my oncologists i was taking it; they don't believe in anything other than chemo and radiation; that's the limit of their med school training, so we can't blame them; they simply seldom think "outsdie the box" of their professional paradigm.

 

But my integrative doctor, with an M.D. from U Penn, suggested it to minimize, or delay, chances of recurrence.  Likewise my naturopath recommends it, even during chemo.

 

The only time you can't take it is if you need opiod painkillers, for LDN will prevent them from working.  (Yes, you can take aspiring or ibuprofin, just not opiod painrelievers with LDN).

 

Best,

Rosey

Integrative Doctor

Thanks, again, Rosey.

I am not sure I know what an "Integrative Doctor" is and where to look for one.  Could you give me more info on that, please?

Told my Chemo Dr. about LDN and gave him literature but he was not impressed and had no information on it.
I am sure you're right they are only concerned with their type of treatments.
So, if I want to take it I need a prescription for it. He did not offer to give me one.  There is a very good compound lab in NYC and it's very cheap.

Am having my second chemo this week and so far pain, etc. has been manageable.  the worst part would have been finding veins, that's why I had a port implanted.  That was a horror since the nurse who tapped my vein prior to surgery couldn't, for the life of her, get the vein in my hands and then blew them out twice once she had it.  You would think that if they have someone coming for port implant because of poor veins they would have a person who is really good at IV do the job.  I almost passed out and my BP went to 208.  Was soo mad!

Any additional info you can give me would be most appreciated.

Best wishes.