My GP has suggested this. Has anyone used it for PMR? Thanks.
I haven't used it.
Seems low dose natlrexone has a beneficial effect on fybromyalgia and chronic fatigue. Suggested experiments with PMR. The research seems to be a few years old.
Different to the high dose used for alcohol and drug addictions.
I'd probably ask GP if her suggestion is part of a formal trial or a "maybe its useful" approach.
Not a recommendation from me as to whether to try it. Just a note of caution.
Here's the last time the subject came up on this forum
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/anyone-tried-ldn-for-pmr--511100
Susan,
l have been taking naltrexone for about 9 months and have had great success with it. I take 4 milligrams daily. I had some vivid dreams in the beginning but other than that, no side effects and I've never had a flare while taking it or any weird physical ailments. I feel much safer than I did while taking prednisone.
So are you taking it for PMR instead of predisone?
Yes I've tried LDN for about a year . It helped a little with clarity
But I quick using it because I felt it was hard to find the right dosage for me. I know it works well for some
I know of only one person who tried this and the results were not encouraging. But if you don't try it you won't know whether or not it will work for you.
Where are you? If in the UK then they must have cleared it for use in PMR, which wasn't the case before - anyone wanting to try it had to find a doctor who would use it 'off label'.
Yes, I'm taking it for PMR instead of prednisone. Osteoporosis showed up on a bone scan, which concerned me, and whenever I tried weaning off prednisone, I had a return of symptoms. I also had hair fall out and several teeth break when I was on prednisone which tells you something. I've had pmr for five years. Just didn't want to stay on steroids and from everything I read about ldn, it seemed like a safer alternative. I was off the prednisone when I started taking it.
Put LDN NHS UK in your search engine.
It is licensed for use in MS and has been for well over 10 years.
I cannot see anything which tells me it is licensed for PMR. But I could be wrong.
Stanford Univeristy in the USA developed and is still doing research on LDN. Here is the link...........stanford university research LDN into your search engine.
Like Nefret, we looked into this over 10 years ago and I know three people who tried it............worked for one who lived in the States and did not work for the two in UK.
I think I probably said this on the thread julian linked to - I asked one of the top PMR research rheumies in the UK about it. She said that, while she'd like to think it might work, the reading she has done hasn't really provided any substantive evidence it does. The claimed "studies" were very poor.
There will always be anecdotal evidence - and I suppose the only way to find out is to try if you have the opportunity. I know someone in Scandinavia whose GP offered it to them. I don't know the outcome.
I haven't a clue how it works - the one thing about pred in PMR is that it is managing the inflammation in the body as well as improving pain. Unmanaged inflammation increases the risk of longer term problems inlcuding cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease and even some cancers.
Co-costeroids where first found in 1944 and the Nobel Prize was awarded in 1950.
We know all about them, warts and all.
Clinical trials for LDN and then proven useful but as it is relativity inexpensvie I suppose big phara is not interested..........c'est la vie.
Yes I am currently using it I started a month ago at 1.5 and have increased to 3 mgAt At of the end of month I'll increase to 4.5 the maximum. No side effects and have noticed an over all improvement especially in the area of fatigue.