LDN Video Interviews and Presentations

Mark - England: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Mark from England shares their multiple sclerosis (MS) and low dose naltrexone (LDN) story on the LDN Radio Show with Linda Elsegood.

Mark was diagnosed with MS in 2006 at the age of 25. His symptoms prior to his diagnosis began with pins and needles in his legs, but this soon was in combination with fatigue and numbness.

Mark heard about LDN through a friend who took it. Within a month of starting on LDN, Mark’s fatigue had less control over his life and he had begun to regain feeling in the numb areas. Mark describes LDN as “allowing him to control his own future.”

This is a summary of Mark’s interview. Please listen to the rest of Mark’s story by clicking on the video above.

Marjorie - Scotland: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Marjorie from Scotland shares their multiple sclerosis (MS) and low dose naltrexone (LDN) story on the LDN Radio Show with Linda Elsegood.

Marjorie began to notice symptoms of MS)in the mid-nineties but was not officially diagnosed with MS until 1999. At the time she was experiencing severe numbness on one side of her body, stretching from her shoulder to her foot, as well as low energy levels and cognitive processes.

It wasn’t until April 2010 that she was able to get a prescription for LDN. Nevertheless, within a few months of starting on LDN she knew she was improving: she began to regain more feeling in her arm and leg as well as her fatigue becoming less prominent.

This is a summary of Marjorie’s interview. Please listen to the rest of Marjorie’s story by clicking on the video above.

Marijke - Australia: Fibromyalgia (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Marijke from Australia shares her Fibromyalgia and Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) story on the LDN Radio Show with Linda Elsegood.

Marijke was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2007 but had began to feel very ill 12 months prior to her diagnosis when she picked up a virus. She remembers being at university and could not move from one chair to another because she was simply so exhausted. Additionally, as well as constant pain in her muscles, Marijke had trouble sleeping following the birth of her first child.

Thankfully Marike discovered Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN), which completely changed her life for the better.

“Although gradually, my symptoms began to disappear. I could sleep better and could concentrate more, which is very important to me as a university lecturer. I used to stand in front of hundreds of students and feel like an idiot when my mind would go blank, but that doesn’t happen anymore.

If you’re thinking about trying LDN and you’ve got fibromyalgia, you’ve just got to try it. Give it three months at least. Even if you ease into it like I did, you’ll begin to notice incredible benefits for your health.”

This is a summary of Marijke’s interview. Please listen to the rest of Marijke’s story by clicking on the video above.

Marie - Sweden: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Marie from Sweden shares their multiple sclerosis (MS) and low dose naltrexone (LDN) story on the LDN Radio Show with Linda Elsegood.

Marie was diagnosed with MS in 2005 and was 45 years old at the time. Her first sign of MS was when she began to struggle with seeing out of her left eye. Her symptoms progressed to the point where could no longer speak, only being able to mutter the words yes or no.

Within weeks of starting LDN, Marie was able to see clearly again and communicate freely. She thoroughly recommends LDN, saying that it “LDN is the best thing I have ever done”.

This is a summary of Marie’s interview. Please listen to the rest of Marie’s story by clicking on the video above.

Marie - England: Ankylosing Spondylitis (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Marie, who's originally from Germany and now from England, takes LDN for Ankylosing Spondylitis. 

I think it was when I was about 17 years old when I started experiencing symptoms. I'm now 30 years old. I had an accident. I fell on the bench on my lower back. I was too proud actually to get it looked at.  I was hurting. And from then on, I kept having problems in that area. And, because I knew that I could have Ankylosing Spondylitis anyway because my dad has got it too, I was tested when I was about 11 for the genetic defect and yes, I do have it. 

 It would take me all day to get going and straighten up in some form. And people used to look at me because I'm still teaching fitness classes and thought you shouldn't be here.
And so I could keep going. And then when it was so bad, and I had my diagnosis, I just had another inspiration. I wanted to just finally see if I can find some natural way of healing. I found it but didn't make that much difference and I came across low dose naltrexone (LDN) because I kept digging deeper.

I tried and found something natural, but doesn't have side effects because I don't do well on any medication. I was so excited when I saw LDN. I just like the idea of no side effects. 

I get my pain mainly in my lower back around L4 and L5 I'm very stiff there.

I was so excited about LDN. After having taught three classes, which usually makes me very bad for Friday, I teach four classes, and I woke up in the morning and I felt ok.  I was never ill, it was amazing!

And then on Saturday continued and ever since then after being well, I just, every day I'm thinking, "Oh my God, I should have known this before."

I had a telephone consultation with my doctor and told him I found LDN, and he said, no. Primary care trust does not support this. Then I found another prescriber.
I don't want to go on anti-TNF. I don't agree with the side effects. I don't want to give it a try. It's not even proven to work. I've done my research. I'm a very informed patient and it's my body. And I need to do what's best for my body.

And I'm sorry, I just researched everything very thoroughly. And weighed out the pros and cons and tried to find reasons for why something should be working. And that's how I came to try LDN. 

My quality of life before LDN was a 2 out of 10. I couldn't concentrate anymore. I couldn't get any work done. I'm a freelance fitness instructor, a freelance designer, and I run a webshop so I can work around my problems, but I still couldn't get a lot done. And I was severely ill.

Now I'm bouncing and looked like an average person. You can't tell that I've got something wrong unless I have to demonstrate my spine flexion. Now my quality of life is a 9. I still know there's a problem there because then when I exercise too much, it goes a little bit. 

I would say to others to try it, go for it because you've got nothing to lose. It doesn't have any side effects. Many people report excellent results.  And if it doesn't work at least, you give it a try. I've persuaded my father too, to give it a try. Two weeks last night on LDN for him. It's not worked as well for him instantly as it did for me, which was quite sad. But I think that is because he doesn't incorporate a clean diet, which was very relevant to Ankylosing Spondylitis since the guts are very involved in this as well. 

Please watch the video for the full story.

Maria - Canada: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Maria from Canada was diagnosed with idiopathic uveitis in 2006, and the following year suffered a vertigo attack. She had many falls due to dizziness, sometimes hitting her head and also experienced extreme fatigue, headaches, piercing ear ache, hand numbness and insomnia. 

In 2008, Marias GP told her she had multiple sclerosis (MS). The following year she was prescribed Copaxone as a daily injection, however after two and a half years of using the injections, she ran out of places to inject due to hard lumps all over. After returning back to the GP, she was given Avonex, which resulted in flu-like symptoms for six months.

After asking about low dose naltrexone (LDN), she was told there was not enough research behind it so she was not given a prescription. 

Maria sourced a GP in Canada  who was open to LDN, and has been taking it for almost a year. She started to feel a new burning sensation down the middle of her left leg, however this went away after a few months. Maria was able to sleep without pills, and cut out all other medication besides LDN and one other. She is able to walk straight without the use of her cane and experiences fewer leg spasms. Her quality of life has drastically improved and she “would like a lot of people to know about  Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)”

To view the whole interview, watch the video.

Any questions or comments you may have, please contact us.

Maria - US: Lupus, Fibromyalgia, Sjogren's (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Maria is from Argentina and now lives in the United states, in California, and is using low dose naltrexone (LDN) for lupus, fibromyalgia and Sjogren's syndrome

"I started getting sick when I was 21.I was experiencing pain in my joints, extreme fatigue and starting having pneumonia but then it happened two years later, and  again three years later.

Later when I was correctly diagnosed, Lupus was attacking tissue in my lung.

Before the diagnose of Lupus I was treated with antibiotics, non-steroid anti-inflammatories and later steroids.

About 5 years ago I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Sjogren's syndrome.

I would have times that I'd be fine for a year or a couple of years, and then I get a flare-up. My quality of life at that point was a 4 out of 10. I couldn't get up and go to work. I had pain all over my body.

I heard about low dose naltrexone (LDN) from some of my friends. I work in biotechnology world in Northern California with an organization that is a nonprofit and developing new biotechnologists for regenerative medicine, mainly focused on curing the diseases of ageing; and I found out that a few of my friends were taking LDN.

One of them suggest me to try and to go on the LDN Research Trust website. I read about it.  I talked to my friends who were taking it, and I realized that it didn't have any negative effects.

I contacted the LDN Research Trust. They gave me a list of doctors and in that list, I got an appointment, and he was in pain management. He prescribed it.

In the beginning I did experienced a lot of dreaming.

I have been taking LDN for a year now. My life got back to normal since I started LDN. I haven't had any flare-ups. A year ago I was taking Prednisone and I could stop taking it. I am taking Hydrochloroquine, 200 milligrams twice a day. I'm going to visit my Rheumatologist very soon, and hopefully, they're going to lower it.

So my quality of life right now is a ten. I haven't had anymore symptoms for the last year.

My eyes are still bothering me. I take Restasis, and I started taking more fish oil, and I think that's helping me.

I encourage everybody who's listening to try it. I don't think there's anything to lose. It's really amazing"!

Summary of Maria's interview, please listen to the video for the full story.

Margaret - US: Cushing's, Hashimoto's, PCOS, Arthritis, Depression (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Linda Elsegood: I'd like to introduce Margaret from the United States who takes LDN. Thank you for joining me, Margaret.

Margaret: Hi,

Linda Elsegood: thank you. Could you tell us when you first started to get sick, how old were you?

Margaret: Well, after the birth of my first child when I was 20, um, I started to have a lot of hormonal problems and symptoms.

And after several years and several doctors, um, my first diagnosis was with the polycystic ovarian syndrome. And, um, I suffered through, uh, many years of trying to find someone to treat me in a way that didn't have a lot of side effects. And I eventually went on Metformin, and that was very helpful. And I kind of had a period of good health for several years, and then when I was about 35 I started to have a lot of new symptoms that were similar but different and more intense.

And after probably four years of that, I finally was diagnosed with having Cushing's disease and having an ACTH secreting pituitary tumour. And I had pituitary surgery, two years ago, in May of 2013. And they found the tumour, they got it out, and I went into remission. And the recovery from that is quite brutal.

You have to slowly wean off of steroids. You have to take them as replacement because your pituitary doesn't work right for a while. And the withdrawal from steroids has been like into heroin withdrawal. So it's very intense. It's very painful. You have a lot of joint pain, muscle pain, um, a lot of psychological symptoms, depression, um, anxiety because not having enough cortisol is almost as anxious.

It is provoking as not as having too much. And so it's, you know, a good year of weaning. And then what happens is because you had high cortisol for so long, a lot of autoimmune things pop up that were being suppressed by the cortisol. And that's kind of where I'm at at this point, where now I have really high Hashimoto's titers and.

You know, I'd have to replace a lot of hormones and I'm still in the recovery process from Cushing's. But, you know, in the meantime, ten other autoimmune things get you.

Linda Elsegood: So, before you, um, started on LDN, could you describe what a typical day for you felt like?

Margaret: Well, I started on LDN when I was about sixteen months postop from pituitary surgery. So I would say that I had very little quality of life. I was still in the place where I was in a lot of pain. I didn't work full time. I was only working part-time and only from home at that point. I could barely do the grocery store by myself and come back home. I still have people taking my kids to school for me and all. It was basically helping me just to survive.

So I would say probably on a scale of one to 10, it was about a three.

Linda Elsegood: Oh, wow. That's not good. Not a good life.

Margaret: I mean, it was better than when I had Cushing's where my life was a zero. Yeah. Before they took the tumour out, I was home-bound and could not work. Didn't think straight. Had severe panic disorder. And anxiety all the time. And how did slept in probably two years by the time I had surgery. Yeah. So it's a really intense disease.

Linda Elsegood: It certainly sounds like it. So how did you hear about LDN?

Margaret: My endocrinologist, who, he is a Cushing specialist. That's what he specializes in. He actually recommends it to a lot of his postop patients because most of us have these underlying autoimmune problems and he gives it out quite frequently, especially if you kind of linger in your recovery.

I mean, some people just snap right back. That wasn't me. Maybe cause I was older, not sure, but he recommended it. And my primary care doctor prescribed it for me. I ended up making my own with a 50 millilitre, uh, 50 millilitres and 50-milligram pills because my insurance doesn't cover compounding.

And that was the most economical way for me to do it. And so my primary care doctors, he's in on it too, and he actually prescribed it for me. And, um, you know, does all the followup for it for me.

Linda Elsegood: When you started, did you notice any side effects at all?

Margaret: Well, I started at 0.5.mg, cause I was doing liquid, it was really easy to change my dose based on whatever I was noticing.

So the very first thing that I noticed was that I started dreaming, like a lot, and they weren't bad dreams. They were actually amazing, wonderful dreams. But when you have Cushing's and you don't sleep for a long time, you don't dream anymore cause you never get to REM sleep. And I'd had several sleep studies. You know when I was sick but didn't know what was wrong with me.

And I never got up. I never had any REM at all. So I will say that the very first thing that happened was it gave me background sleep and I started dreaming on a regular basis. And each increase in dose I would have several days of. Just fantastical dreams, which is a good thing for me. So it's a side effect, but a good one to me.

IThey were never bad dreams or nightmares or anything like that.  I did notice that on each dose increase that I would have a little bit of bowel motility, very short-lived. And when you have hormone issues. That's not unusual. You know, there's a lot of stuff going on in my body, so I don't know if I can particularly attribute it to LDN, but I think so. and it just was, you know, getting used to it. So at this point, I'm, my endo wants me to work up to four, but I'm very slowly working my way up. Right now, I'm on four, and that has been a process of about a year of getting up that high. And I stayed at three for a long time. But my Hashi titers were still very high, and so he wanted me to go up a little higher and see if we could get it to work.

Linda Elsegood: So, what is a typical day like for you now?

Margaret: Well, I attribute some of it to LDN. Some of it is just simply time. And my pituitary is recovering, but I now work full time. I am completely in control of my own life. I still have some chronic pain. It's much better. I do think that the LDN helped with the pain a lot.

It is now where I can take two Motrin a day and be pretty okay. I also use acupuncture extensively, which is, you know, it's not about LDN, but that is a huge part of my recovery as well. And I would say, you know, my life is an eight, and I work full time, probably 60 hours a week. I take my own kids to school.

I have a child in college now. And I take him to school and I grocery shop, clothing shop. I do everything now. And so it's a huge improvement from before I had surgery for my pituitary tumour. And I think LDN is probably half that. I, I won't be stopping it anytime soon.

Linda Elsegood: What would you say to other people who are thinking of trying LDN?

Margaret: You know, I think it's such, it's such a longstanding drug that's been around for so long and they know what the side effects are and it's really easy. So low risk, why not try it? And I think that's how I presented it to my primary care. I said, you know, cause he had other people on it.

And so he had heard of it. He was aware of the drug, and it's such a low dose. He just had no problem letting me try it, even if he didn't really believe in it necessarily. So I would approach it in that way. But I mean, the risks are very low and if it doesn't help, then just quit if it does and amazing.

Yeah. That's what I would say. Try it,

Linda Elsegood: You have such an amazing story and so inspirational for other people. Thank you very much. You're sharing it with us.

Margaret: Oh, you're welcome.

Any questions or comments you may have, please Contact Us.  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.

Margaret - Spain: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Margaret, previously  from England but now from Spain, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2008. She has had MS ever since she was near 20 years old, and is now 60. 

Margaret broke her back in a horse riding accident when problems started happening. When she was about 40 her leg started going numb, and once investigated, they found a crushed fracture in her back.

At this time, after countless operations on her back, Margaret started using a walking stick as she kept losing her balance. Her neurologist then diagnosed her with MS. 

Her MS symptoms included eyesight problems, she could no longer play sport, as well as being constantly tired. Then she started having swallowing difficulty. This is when she started noticing numbness in her legs.

Margaret could not manage to get a prescription for LDN in Spain, it was not an accepted protocol. So therefore she had to find her own chemist to prescribe it to her.

After the first week, she noticed she could taste and smell better, her urge to go to the toilet was slowing down, and even though she was still sleeping during the day, this was no longer as much, and she would feel fantastic after. Now Margaret has been on LDN for ten months, and recommends people to try it.

Please watch the video to view the whole interview. Thank you

Any questions or comments you may have, please contact us.

Manda - Holland: Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Manda from Holland has Hashimoto's thyroid condition. She first started noticing symptoms at the early age of 17; she is now 41. During her studies, she had extreme difficulties with her sleep, and at the age of 35 she quit her career because symptoms were worsening. Always tired, dizzy, and her whole back and pelvis started to become unstable, where she then had problems sitting for more than 15 minutes; which therefore made social activities difficult. 

Manda rated her quality of life a 4/10 before low dose naltrexone (LDN), and ever since her quality of life has improved drastically.

After finding information about LDN, Manda asked her doctor to prescribe it for her, but the response was unfortunately a no. Then after looking online she found a six month waiting list prescription from France. 

Initial side effects included, trouble sleeping and migraines. Now after six months, Manda is still amazed by the medication, and would recommend people to give it a try.

Thank you for reading, please watch the video to listen to the whole interview.

Any questions or comments you may have, please contact us.