Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) is a microdose of Naltrexone, which is an opiate antagonist. It helps to block any activities of opiates in your brain. LDN can allow your body to produce transmitters, such as enkephalins and endorphins, with a negative feedback mechanism. These transmitters are responsible for boosting your immune system when it’s low, for example, for cancer patients, or modulating your immune system when it is hyperactive, such as in autoimmune conditions.
LDN has started gaining popularity worldwide because it has an anti-pain, anti-inflammatory effect. LDN also helps with a wide range of health issues; this has dramatically increased its demand. Patients suffering from diseases like HIV, SLE, MS, and ulcerative colitis have found LDN very useful.
You can easily find LDN in a local pharmacy and online clinic stores. Therefore, do you just start the over-the-counter treatment as per doctor google, or when is it time to discuss it with your doctor? Read on for better insight.
Using Low Dose Naltrexone
Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) has many potential benefits, as explained on the internet. Some are true, but unfortunately, there are several unsubstantiated claims. There is a significant amount of compelling evidence on the ability of LDN to reduce symptoms and even treat some diseases, like Crohn’s. However, speaking to your doctor first is worthwhile.
It is advisable to do your research online and make considerations, but once you decide to use LDN, it’s advisable to consult your doctor first and let them examine your suitability for the medication. Talking to a doctor is mainly for people with underlying medical conditions. LDN may be appropriate to treat your ailment, but may also be unfriendly to any other illness you may have.
Dosage Prescription
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved low-dose naltrexone as a treatment for opiate addiction in 1984 and alcohol abuse in 1995. Most of the medication is administered orally either in syrup or capsule form, and its effect lasts for around 18 hours. However, the specific dosage is dependent on your level of addiction, in conjunction with many other factors. Therefore, if you seek to use LDN to treat your ailment, it’s a lot safer to have a doctor set the pace for your journey.
It’s important to appreciate that LDN isn’t among the FDA-approved treatments for any chronic pain and inflammatory diseases. That means that there aren’t any standardized guidelines for the clinical use of the drug. Since a 4.5mg dose isn’t available, people often split the 50mg tablets. The risk with this habit is that it could lead to variability in dosing.
LDN has had reports of impaired sleep by various patients when taken just before bedtime. Also, you should avoid taking your LDN dose on an empty stomach. Therefore, it is safer to consult a doctor on the best way you can individually use the treatment. Being that it is not approved, your doctor may not agree to prescribe the treatment to you directly. However, a candid consultation will likely lead to advice on how to take the dosage.
Side Effects
Quite frankly, there is a limited research scope on LDN; therefore, just a few seemingly adverse effects have been noted and reported this far. If you start the treatment and you experience any side effects, documented or not, consult your doctor.
Some of the most common side effects are nightmares, vivid dreams, and headaches. However, many of these claims aren’t validated, but you should speak to your doctor if you experience anything unusual.
Seeing a Doctor Is Never a Bad Idea
LDN at face value appears like a rosy bed that will cure your pain in illnesses and addictions, which may be true. But just like any other medication, you need to talk to your doctor about it. If you are already on some other medication for your chronic illness, tell your doctor. Your doctor will determine whether it reacts with your current medication and if it’s appropriate for your condition.
