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Linda Elsegood: I'd like to introduce Audrey from England who has multiple sclerosis. Welcome. Audrey, could you tell us how old you were when you were diagnosed with ms.
Audrey: I was 12 years old when I was, no, we're not. Not when I was diagnosed at 28, but I was 12 when I first started getting symptoms of MS.
Linda Elsegood: Right. Okay. And what was your life like if you were having symptoms from the age of 12, you know, what were you experiencing?
Audrey: Um, well, when I was 12, I had, um, diplopia, um, and, uh. Then throughout my teens, I remember I had like burning down my legs. Then I, when I was 20, I went for my first lumbar puncture and MRI scans and, um, yeah, I, I, that was such a long time ago.
I can't remember. I remember, um, I was having numbness in my hands, which is quite bad. I couldn't use my hand, my right hand. Um, and I was an artist. I couldn't draw. And then throughout my twenties, where was, um, basically I was, I would pull myself and retest, although my neurologist says I was benign.
And, uh, um, but yeah, I, I just have eye problems and like my side lesson diplopia and numbness down my legs and all my body and problems with my hands and stuff. Um, and immediately before I started the LDN, I had five relapses in a row. Um, and I ended up losing my job as a result of it. And, uh, I was only sent for diagnosis because I ended up in tears in front of my doctor.
And, and I had. Tried once before to get diagnosed, but, uh, no.
Linda Elsegood: You said that you had five relapses, um, yeah. What period of time that was over?
Audrey: Um, I don't know. Usually a relapse per month.
Linda Elsegood: Really?
Audrey: Yeah.
Linda Elsegood: And did you find that with each relapse you were going further downhill?
Audrey: Yeah, I actually, I would have thought, I remember thinking at the time that I was moving into a secondary progressive, and that was scary.
I noticed I was driving like a drunk sort of swerving and stalling and cars picking at me and I received a speeding ticket. And, um, yeah.
Linda Elsegood: How did you learn about LDN?
Audrey: Um. Yeah, I was living in America at the time, and I just found it over the internet and some LDN forum that, I'm not sure what it's called, but I only, www.lowdosenaltrexone.org probably. Yes. That was a very helpful one. And, uh, yeah, I thought it was quite informative, and I decided before I moved back to the UK, I knew I was going to try and get hold of it. And by the time I moved back to the UK, things were starting to move on, and I found you.
Linda Elsegood: Good. And did you find getting a prescription easy? Would your GP prescribe it for you?
Audrey: Um, when I went to a private GP on Holly Street first to get it prescribed. Then then, because it made such a massive improvement in my health, I then went to my GP, and she said, wow, you look fantastic. Of course, I'll prescribe it for you. So that was, and I'd been turned down by another male GPS, um, when I'd ask for it to be prescribed before. And they said no outright no. And my neurologist said no.
Linda Elsegood: So how long have you been taking LDN now?
Audrey: I’ve been taking it four years now.
Linda Elsegood: Then how would you say, how have you worked? Do you say it's helped with your MS?
Audrey: Um, it helped me with symptoms. Um, I sleep a lot better. Um, my energy is a lot better. My blood is better. I haven't had any eye problems and, uh, yeah.
Linda Elsegood: What about relapses?
Audrey: Um, I wouldn't, I don't know if I'd call them full-blown. Relapse is more sort of exacerbation kind of. I've had some symptoms, uh, nothing major, even, you know, if I eat the wrong thing and me, it’s been difficult. And then really candidly, I try to be careful most of the time, but now and then I will have something I shouldn't have.
Linda Elsegood: Um, and so for the results, you know, did you have any side effects, initial side effects when you started LDN?
Audrey: Um, I had quite, um, yeah, I started to have a dream that I would call them nightmares actually, but they were controllable cause you just avoid taking the LDN. Um, I quite enjoy it. I do, I do take the LDN before I get there, maybe half an hour before I go to bed, but sometimes I forget to take it at bedtime, and it might not have the vivid dreams and before the sleep that I don't mind having nightmares.
I quite enjoy it because it doesn't happen that often.
Linda Elsegood: Hmm. So what do you continue taking? LDN?
Audrey: Um, definitely I can see myself taking it, you know.
Linda Elsegood: Have you ever taken a break?
Audrey: Uh, um, yes, our house at Christmas time and we had the snow problems and probably the Royal mail. I didn't take it for five days. I think that's the longest I haven't taken it for, but sometimes I'm out, but the chemist can get it to me quickly. I might miss a day or two, but it's not a problem or so.
Linda Elsegood: What, what did you find with missing it for five days? Did you notice anything?
Audrey: I didn't notice anything. No, I didn't. No, I didn't see anything.
Linda Elsegood: What would you like to say to other people that are considering trying LDN?
Audrey: Um, I'll say, go for it. You've got nothing to do at all. Just give it a go. Cause I know, um, the, the good results I had were within the first week, and it made me feel fantastic. I remember. I remember dancing to the radio. I could, I felt that good, you know, and I had an appointment with my, um, an F nurse, and I remember walking to the hospital, which I couldn't have done before. I walked from the base about a mile to the hospital, and that was, that was the start of my progress.
Linda Elsegood: Brilliant. Fantastic. And I understand, you have a dog you take for walks as well.
Audrey: I, I, um, yes. I've had. I got Lucy. I think it was before I started. Yeah. I've had her for four years now, so I got her before I started the LDN. So she, I called her my gift from God because she's just been so good for me. So I walked her a lot. Yes. That's a definite. There'd have been times where either I maybe not had that much energy, I have to admit. But a majority of the times she gets many walks a day.
Um, if you have a dog, you don't have the chance to sit. You have to go out for a walk. Which, yeah. It's a good reason for making you do it, isn't it? So, yeah. That's very good.
Linda Elsegood: Well, thank you very much for sharing your thoughts with us.
Audrey: Thank you, Linda. Thank you. Bye. Bye. Bye.
Any questions or comments you may have, email us at Contact@ldnresearchtrust.org. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for joining us today. We really appreciated your company. Until next time, stay safe and keep well.