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Low Dose Naltrexone

DOCS Outside the Box utilizes many approaches and tools to help you achieve better health, such as Low Dose Naltrexone, depending on your personalized health needs.

What is Naltrexone?

 

Naltrexone is a FDA- approved medication that has been in use since 1984 for the treatment of addiction to alcohol and opiates.

The dose of naltrexone used for addictive behavior is 50-100 mg daily.

 

What is Naltrexone NOT?

 

Naltrexone is NOT AN OPIATE

Naltrexone is NOT A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

Naltrexone is NOT HABIT FORMING

 

Why and what is low dose Naltrexone?

 

At much lower doses, (1.5-4.5 mg daily) naltrexone has been shown have a beneficial effect on immune regulation.

Our internal opioid and endorphins have an important effect on the immune system. It is now understood that various immune cells have opioid receptors on their surface.

It is the ability of LDN to block opioid receptors, specifically between 2 and 4 am that produces the beneficial effects on the immune system.

Blockade of opioid receptors in this manner increases the body’s endorphin and encephalin levels.  These are powerful modulators of the immune system

Autoimmune diseases are associated with decreased levels of endorphins.

The typical dose of LDN is 1.5-4.5 mg daily.

It is this dose specifically that naltrexone has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.

 

Who should not take low dose Naltrexone?

 

LDN is not for everyone

 

Do not use Naltrexone if

1) You are allergic to the drug

2) You have an organ transplant and are taking anti-rejection drugs

3) You have advanced liver or kidney failure.

4) If you are pregnant or breast feeding, you should consult your physician before using.

5) You are regularly using high doses of opioid analgesics or narcotics.

 

What side effects are possible with low dose Naltrexone?

 

Most patients take LDN without side effects.  The following is a partial list of side effects, there may be others.

 

1) Difficulty sleeping.  This is usually just for the first week or so.

2) Vivid dreams.  This is seen in up to 37% of LDN users and generally decreases over time.

3) Headaches.

4) Loss of appetite

5) Rare side effects include: anxiety, increased heart rate, fatigue, nausea, mood swings, and disorientation.

 

What tests are needed before starting LDN?

 

We run our standard labs which include thyroid function tests, metabolic panel, complete blood count, hormone profile, and inflammatory markers.

 

What drugs interact with LDN?

 

Other than opiates, there are no significant drug interactions.

 

Where do I get my prescription for LDN filled?

 

LDN must be compounded properly.  Your prescription will be sent to 

 

Bay Life Pharmacy and Compounding

5665 Park St N

St Petersburg, FL    33709

727-216-6374

 

Once Bay Life receives your prescription, you will be contacted.   Please call us if you have not heard from the pharmacy within 24 hours of your visit.  A delivery service is available. 

Ready to get started? Call to schedule an Establishing Appointment.

holistic care st petersburgg fl

References:

 

Treatment of psoriasis vulgaris using low-dose naltrexone.

Bridgman AC, Kirchhof MG.

JAAD Case Rep. 2018 Sep 18;4(8):827-829 

 

Low Dose Naltrexone and Lung Cancer: A Case Report and Discussion.

Miskoff JA, Chaudhri M.

Cureus. 2018 Jul 5;10(7):e2924. doi: 10.7759/cureus.292  

  

Low dose naltrexone for induction of remission in Crohn's disease.

Parker CE, Nguyen TM, Segal D, MacDonald JK, Chande N.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018 Apr 1;4:CD010410. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010410.pub3. Review.

 

The Safety and Efficacy of Low-Dose Naltrexone in the Management of Chronic Pain and Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Crohn's Disease, and Other Chronic Pain Disorders.

Patten DK, Schultz BG, Berlau DJ.

Pharmacotherapy. 2018 Mar;38(3):382-389. doi: 10.1002/phar.2086. Epub 2018 Feb 23. Review.

 

The Safety and Efficacy of Low-Dose Naltrexone in the Management of Chronic Pain and Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Crohn's Disease, and Other Chronic Pain Disorders.

Patten DK, Schultz BG, Berlau DJ.

Pharmacotherapy. 2018 Mar;38(3):382-389. doi: 10.1002/phar.2086. Epub 2018 Feb 23. Review.

 

Emerging Unconventional Therapies for Alopecia Areata.

Atanaskova Mesinkovska N.

J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc. 2018 Jan;19(1):S32-S33. doi: 10.1016/j.jisp.2017.10.012.

 

Long-term treatment with low dose naltrexone maintains stable health in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Ludwig MD, Turel AP, Zagon IS, McLaughlin PJ.

Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin. 2016 Sep 29;2:2055217316672242. doi: 10.1177/2055217316672242. eCollection 2016 Jan-Dec.

 

 

Combination therapy for obesity.

Wilding JP.

J Psychopharmacol. 2017 Nov;31(11):1503-1508. doi: 10.1177/0269881117737401. Epub 2017 Nov 13. Review.

 

Novel Treatment Using Low-Dose Naltrexone for Lichen Planopilaris.

Strazzulla LC, Avila L, Lo Sicco K, Shapiro J.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2017 Nov 1;16(11):1140-1142.

 

The Use of Naltrexone in Low Doses Beyond the Approved Indication [Internet].

Ringerike T, Pike E, Nevjar J, Klemp M.

Oslo, Norway: Knowledge Centre for the Health Services at The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH); 2015 Apr.

 

Randomized, proof-of-concept trial of low dose naltrexone for patients with breakthrough symptoms of major depressive disorder on antidepressants.

Mischoulon D, Hylek L, Yeung AS, Clain AJ, Baer L, Cusin C, Ionescu DF, Alpert JE, Soskin DP, Fava M.

J Affect Disord. 2017 Jan 15;208:6-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.029. Epub 2016 Oct 1. Erratum in: J Affect Disord. 2017 Oct 27;227:198.

 

Naltrexone at low doses upregulates a unique gene expression not seen with normal doses: Implications for its use in cancer therapy.

Liu WM, Scott KA, Dennis JL, Kaminska E, Levett AJ, Dalgleish AG.

Int J Oncol. 2016 Aug;49(2):793-802. doi: 10.3892/ijo.2016.3567. Epub 2016 Jun 7.

 

Low-Dose Naltrexone: A New Therapy Option for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I Patients.

Sturn KM, Collin M.

Int J Pharm Compd. 2016 May-Jun;20(3):197-201.

 

Off-Label, Low-Dose Naltrexone for Refractory Painful Diabetic Neuropathy.

Hota D, Srinivasan A, Dutta P, Bhansali A, Chakrabarti A.

Pain Med. 2016 Apr;17(4):790-1. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnv009. Epub 2015 Dec 7

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