LDN Video Interviews and Presentations

Pharmacist Stephen Dickson, LDN Radio Show 2014 (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Pharmacist Stephen Dickson from Scotland shares his experience as a LDN compounding pharmacist.

We have got on LDN around 5,000 and that's in the last three to four years.

Basically LDN is compatible with most medications that you're on for a chronic disease. It just means sometimes it needs to be done in a slightly different way or taking a different way or your medication that you are taking altered slightly to enable you to take it.

The obvious exception to that is on the very strong opiate medications. You really have to be very careful not to take the two of those together if you are on a sort of long term, strong opiate painkiller, not because it's going to do any major harm or stop the LDN potentially from working but actually, because the Low Dose Naltrexone stopped the painkiller from working.

Now that doesn't mean that you can't still do that. You just have to be quite clever with your timing and that's where your pharmacist or your doctor can help you with that.

Another one of the questions with interactions, we get very frequently is: "Can I take LDN with Interferon or Tysabri or any of the newer sort of MS drugs?" And certainly there isn't really any logical reason why you can't take the two of them together.

I think what we're finding as time has gone on is that both drugs, Interferon and LDN are modulators of the immune system, but they don't necessarily work in the same subsets of cells or the same receptors and therefore can theoretically compliment each other.

Regarding steroids, there is no direct relationship between steroids and Naltrexone. For example, the main steroids is Prednisone alone and there's no direct interaction between those.

And we certainly tell people that you can continue to take LDN during the whole period of being on a course of steroids, for example, for a chest infection or for a flare up of Emma or for anything.

There's no reason to stop taking it.

People ask what happens if they need to go to the dentist and have a filling or go to hospital for an operation. If you're going into hospital for an operation, we would normally say to people to stop LDN two or three days before you go in. The absolute latest, you would stop with maybe 24 hours before.

And that's not really for any reason other than to make it more simple for your doctors in the hospital. If you were to, for example, taking LDN and you were in a car accident, the amount of opiate painkillers give you in order to relieve your pain if you had a broken leg or something, would still work. They might need to give you slightly more, but it's still complicated. I wouldn't really consider stopping taking LDN before going to the dentist.

The dentists are very limited and the opiates that they can use, generally, if you're having an operation  they'll use a mild sedative and that's via drip, or we'll use an injection, which is a local anesthetic.

LDN has gone from being something that we were very skeptical of initially used in a small number of people with Multiple Sclerosis to something that I'm convinced as a very positive effect in a large number of autoimmune diseases.

One of the most amazing things with LDN is that with people with Fibromyalgia  you would never have thought, I certainly would never have thought would have responded.

I'll never forget the patient who looked at death's door, just absolutely dreadful.

She was exhausted, had been off work for months and months and she just looked terrible. Basically Dr. Tom had given her LDN. Three, four months down the line and the woman was back at work.

It felt great. It looked fabulous. I couldn't believe that something had such a marked effect.

Also the people with Psoriasis, which is like a skin auto immune disease. They tried every cream lotion portion and then eight weeks on LDN and it started to clear up.

These are things that we just don't normally see in a normal practice.

So I'd certainly say LDN for me, it's been very exciting, very interesting.

Now there are over 300 doctors on our database who prescribed LDN in the UK. S couple of years ago, that that was about six, so I think the LDN research trust has been doing an incredible job of promoting awareness of this cause.

And it's something that we hope to continue to be able to support for a long time.

Summary of Pharmacist Stephen Dickson's interview. Listen the above video for the full interview.

Pharmacist Dan Karant, LDN Radio Show (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Pharmacist Dan Karant shares his Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) experience on the LDN Radio Show with Linda Elsegood.

Dan Karant is a pharmacist at, and the current owner of, the Medicine Shop in Northern Ohio, the United States. Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) has been incorporated into his treatments for as long as he can recall and has had a great deal of success.

Throughout his career he has predominantly specialised in fibromyalgia, finding that LDN can be incredibly effective in relieving the pain and other symptoms inflicted upon his patients by the autoimmune disease.

In this interview Dan explains how he personally prescribes LDN and how to achieve the best results.

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

Paul - England: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Linda Elsegood: I'm joined by Paul from England and Paul uses LDN for ME. Thank you for joining me, Paul. Could you tell us when you first noticed the symptoms of ME? 

Paul: For me, it started, I would say, um, in my early teens, um, I was involved in a hit and run car accident when I was four, and it left me with quite a serious head injury.

And as I got older, I certainly started to struggle with flu symptoms, but specifically a lack of, uh, of stamina and energy. 

Linda Elsegood: Goodness. And how old are you now? If you don't mind me asking? 

Paul: Yeah. I'm 57. 

Linda Elsegood: Oh, goodness. So you've had it a long time. 

Paul: Yeah, a long time., 

Linda Elsegood: So how did your life between your early teens and now? Well, before you started LDN, let's go up to, from that point to your

pre- LDN days. 

Paul: Yeah. Um, I think, uh, perhaps by the time I was 30, I was really starting to suffer to the point where I was, I was desperately searching for some help. And that was living on painkillers to combat the flu symptoms. Um, of course, the doctors really thought that there was nothing. Well, they couldn't understand what was wrong with me, but they would say that painkillers don't do any good

And of course, the traditional action was mentioned. So I was put on antidepressants. Um, that's not to say there wasn't some psychological issues in my life because like, sadly everybody, we lose loved ones. And, uh, as an only child, I had to deal with quite a lot of responsibility. Um, and just the frustration of not understanding what was wrong with me.

Um, And sadly holding a job down for a while became difficult. So, um, I'm sure I did become depressed but it wasn't depression first; it was definitely, um, some damage done to my nervous system. I thought so anyway. 

Linda Elsegood: So, could you describe before you, um, started LDN? What a typical day for you was like?

Paul: Right. Um, waking up at any time of the day. I mean, sometimes I'd be waking up very early. Sometimes I would sleep till late afternoon. Um, the cycles weren't sort of, um, they weren't regular or regulated, so I would wake up quite exhausted. Um, and sleep was definitely not refreshing sleep. And if I did any sort of exertion during the day, it wasn't, I could pay for it for several days, if not a couple of weeks, depending on what I did.

So I was living in constant exhaustion and this isn't tiredness; it's a deep exhaustion that takes your mental capacity. Um, physical, so it's a bit consuming, um, cause you don't really have an answer to 

this. And until I got a diagnosis, which took ever so long, because obviously, like many other ailments ME wasn't recognised.

Uh, certainly not in this country so well, um, but once I did get some recognition I started to take my health more seriously because I knew it was an actual problem and what it was so I could focus. Um, but yeah, the mental fog was  terrible because you didn't have the capacity to read or to watch telly. The attention span was ever so short.

Um, sheer exhaustion rather than lack of interest.

Linda Elsegood: And how did you hear about LDN? 

Paul: Yeah, it was about ten years ago. Um, I did some research, so I had been doing research on my condition anyway, but certainly, um, my immune system was bad. I had struggled from a very early age with a bad immune system. So I was looking for things that might help, and LDN certainly came up on the internet and, um, I watched, you know several home grown films if you like, but lots of people were saying then that it was certainly helping them for various things as we know.

Um, but I never actually had the confidence to go and ask my doctor. Um, so this was ten years ago, and I actually forgot all about it until about six or seven months ago. And it came back to me because of becoming more aware of my own body and certainly becoming a bit more desperate because I was picking up one cold after the other. I was having antibiotics one course after the rest and i thought, "This can't carry on because the ME won't tolerate that. Um, so I, uh, I found a reference to a certain chemist in Scotland. And, um, I got the, and they were a compounding chemist and from there we went through a private doctor who sort of spoke to me in detail and eventually was happy to prescribe.

Um, it's been four months now I've been on LDN. 

Linda Elsegood: And what's your experience been so far? 

Paul: Right. I think the first night that I took, uh, because, uh, patients, um, and people with a damaged autoimmune system, which is obviously covering lots of things, but they said to start on perhaps 0.5mg. So I did, but when I woke up the next day, I actually felt quite.

elevated. I was very calm. I'd had a cold sore for weeks and the doctor was going to prescribe a tablet that you can take as you perhaps know, to dry this up, to stop the virus This had dried up overnight. So that was my first understanding that this has actually got something about it.

Um, over the next few months - oh -  initially weeks I started to increase the dose, um, and I got to about 2.5 to three milligrams, but then it was also causing some side effects, which was the increased flu symptoms. So I took it back again to perhaps one milligram. And now, four months later, I've slowly brought it up to the point where my tolerance is, is fairly good.

It's about two milligrams, and I've never had a cold in all that time. So. Um, little cuts and scratches that would take possibly a week to heal, virtually the next day. Um, I can guarantee a little cut will be not healed, but on its way to healing. This evidence is amazing , um, that in itself, um, for me, was enough evidence to continue taking it.

Um, and it's very affordable. So. You know, um, it's something I'm going to continue to take for the rest of my life. I'm guaranteed  this sort of, uh, response, which is helping my health. It's no Maricopa, but it's definitely offered me something, and it's helping my immune system. I can feel it. 

Linda Elsegood: And what about your sleep?

Are you sleeping better? Are you feeling refreshed? 

Paul: I wouldn't say things have gone quite that far because my ME has gone unchecked  for decades. So I've gone a little bit too far for some things to help that quick, but I am feeling a difference. I am. I mean, I can think, um, and that can vary of course, but there is a definite  increase or improvement in my cognitive abilities and I feel confident maybe six months, maybe even towards a year of taking this I feel that that will improve certainly to some level because I already feel it has, it's generally better. And my cognitive ability, I certainly have a broader span of it, you know, instead of it being like 10 minutes which sounds ridiculous to anybody that's healthy.

And now I do feel that I can take on so much more. I'm still tired, but I am actually doing something. Yes. The LDN definitely helped, um, with my sleep pattern initially, um, I started to sleep a little bit better. Um, it's always been erratic for me, and then it would go in, um, small bursts of oversleeping and then no sleep at all.

So it does seem to have balanced out, um, the fatigue. I can't say that it's made a massive difference, but I've taken a lot more on recently. Um, and I've actually sustained that as in, yes, I've been exhausted; it might have knocked me back a few days, but I've actually been able to stick with whatever I was doing.

Um, instead of previous times it would be so overwhelming that I would have had to sort of decline any offer of whatever. Now I'm actually able to face those things, knowing that I will have a little bit more stamina. And, um, I've got the benefit of achieving  something as well. So I do feel there's been an improvement and I think by the time, maybe six months to maybe even towards a year of taking LDN, I think I will see, um, a steady improvement in that area.

Linda Elsegood: Well, I personally improved for 18 months. I carried on improving, but as you were saying to actually be able to do something, to achieve targets and goals and aims that you set yourself. Not only does it make you feel good, um, you know, your, your self-esteem goes up. Uh, your quality of life goes up, and you generally feel so much happier that you've achieved something, even though it makes you tired, you know, going to bed, feeling tired.

Better than going to bed, feeling totally exhausted isn't it? It's a different thing.

Paul: Yeah.

Linda Elsegood: It is, and it's very reassuring to hear you talking like that, you know. Yes. If you overdo it you have to pay the penalty. It's a, it's a balancing act, isn't it, of listening to your body and knowing when you've had enough, but I'm sure you're on the right road, and it's very early days for you.

So it'd be interesting to speak to you maybe next year, this time and see how you've continued getting on. 

Paul: Yeah, I'd love to do that because there are not many things I've had sent in, you know, regards treatments because there hasn't been virtually anything  for people suffering  from chronic fatigue syndrome, ME but we know fibromyalgia now LDN is, is certainly mentioned as a treatment.

So hopefully, you know, this is going to increase to the point where it's a standard treatment, even if it just brings a normalized  immune system, you know, but I also have a friend, a close friend and she's actually started on it, and she's had her thyroid removed, and it's made a difference very quickly for her, you know. Her skin's improved.

Um, She even feels her eyesight improved because the Graves disease  that certainly came after the thyroid toxicity caused terrible things to her eyes, but it's has been a massive change to her. So there's two of us, you know, genuinely see a difference. And there's a non-toxic drug at the level we take it that you feel safe.

Linda Elsegood: Yes. Thank you very much for sharing your story with us Paul 

Paul: Thanks, Linda. I look forward to talking to you next year

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.

Pat - England: Fibromyalgia, Pain, Fatigue, Hormone Balance, Depression, Skin Issues (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Pat from England takes Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) for fibromyalgia. It has helped with her pain, fatigue, hormone, balance, depression, and skin. She was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in her mid-twenties after suffering with symptoms. Other symptoms included chronic pain and feeling depressed and in pain all the time.

4 years ago, at the age of 45, Pat found Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) after research. After speaking to her GP about the medication, the surgery was not prescribing it.

After being able to try the Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN), Pat noticed fast results, she stated that her pain was more kind to her, her mood was improved and her concentration was better.

Pat rated her quality of life a 4 out of 10, everything - at the time - was at a minimum for her, and now, after using the LDN medication, it has shot up to an 8 / 9 out of 10.

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

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

Noor - Netherlands: Fibromyalgia, Thyroid Issues (low dose naltrexone, LDN) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

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

Noor first noticed symptoms of Fibromyalgia around the age of 30. She has struggled with a loss of energy for over 20 years since, limiting her ability to continue her gymnastics.

Luckily, Noor discovered Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) around 10 years after noticing her symptoms, which has significantly improved her health.

“I have more energy, I’m able to do stuff that I wasn’t able to before. I can make the days longer and I’m forever grateful for finding LDN.

If you’re thinking about trying LDN, give it a chance. You must have patience as you may not see the benefits straight away, but it’s so worth it in the long run.”

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

Nancy - Australia: Relapsing Polychondritis, Sjögren's Syndrome (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Nancy from Australia takes Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) for Relapsing Polychondritis and Sjögren's Syndrome.  Nancy had symptoms for 5 years and was diagnosed four years ago when she was 68. Nancy had just finished a year of treatment for breast cancer and suddenly got pericarditis, which is inflammation of the pericardium around the heart. Her daughter was told that her diagnosis was hopeless. 

With conflicting advice from her immunologist and her doctor, Nancy did her own research and found an article about Low Dose Naltrexone.  Nancy had to source the LDN herself as her doctors were unwilling to prescribe it but once she had it she very quickly felt improvements in her symptoms. She had more energy and less pain, the inflammation beginning to subside. Nancy’s advice to anybody with autoimmune problems is to give it a try, it’s made a big difference to Nancy’s quality of life.

Monica - ME,CFS - Low Dose Naltrexone - UK from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Monica from England shares her Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME) and Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) story on the LDN Radio Show with Linda Elsegood.

Monica was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME) in 1988 but prior to that she was a successful GP. However, one day she developed a serious headache which developed and led to her admission into hospital and diagnosis.

She was then unable to eat and go to the toilet without assistance, and importantly was unable to look after her six-year-old daughter. Monica was largely restricted to the inside of her home, suffering from great fatigue.

After finding Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN), Moncia’s health began to improve instantly following her optimal dose. She is now able to walk to the shops and spend time with her daughter without even having to think about the effects of CFS/ME.

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

 

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

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

Michelle had been experiencing muscle pains since she was a young child when she fell one winter and broke her tailbone. Yet, it wasn't until her late teens that she began to experience daily chronic pain. After experiencing this pain for over 15 years, Michelle decided to search for a solution and found Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN).

“My fatigue has been cut in half since starting on LDN, I feel so much better. My inflammation has calmed down also and no longer have muscle spasms, meaning I can get back to exercise. I’ve got a life again and I can’t stop smiling.”

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

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

Michelle from Australia has Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 41, and first started noticing symptoms ten years ago, and has only been diagnosed for a year with MS. Michelle noticed a deterioration in her right leg and right hand.

Other symptoms were tiredness, very fatigued, and also experienced foot drop.

After much research and asking friends with similar problems, Michelle found the LDN website and told her GP, where he gave her the go ahead to try the Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) medication for herself. Now, her tiredness is better, as well as her quality of life. 

She advises people to take a proactive approach to it, not just sitting back and accepting it. As well as saying that the internet is a really good resource to find information on it, and people’s experiences with the LDN medication.

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

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

May - US: Fibromyalgia, Hashimoto’s, Asthma, Allergies (LDN, low dose naltrexone) from LDN Research Trust on Vimeo.

Mae from the US takes Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) for Fibromyalgia, Hashimoto’s, Asthma and Allergies.

Mae started having skin issues as a teenager and at 37 was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Her rheumatologist put her on amitriptyline and after two weeks she started losing her vision. Mae tried diet changes, elimination of certain foods and additives and managed to get control of her migraines. Feeling a little better but not as well as she could have been she was prescribed prednisone which made everything worse still. 

Feeling at her lowest she admits to feeling suicidal and finally found mention of Low Dose Naltrexone in a blog and she researched it. Mae got a prescription from her doctor and took her LDN the first night and woke the following day feeling better than she had in a long time. Within three days of taking LDN she felt better brain function, less pain and stiffness and she had renewed hope for the future.