Health Organization for Pudendal Education

ESR = erythrocyte sedimentation rate. This is a basic marker for inflammation. It does, however, vary with age and sex, and CRP is usually measured as well. (CRP = c-reactive protein, this is another basic marker for inflammation.)

What this study found is that it could be predicted quite accurately (80% accuracy) which patients would respond well to LDN. The patients who had good results from LDN were the ones with raised ESR, in other words, measurably raised levels of inflammation.

My point was that PN is not generally associated with systemic inflammation, and that as LDN seems to act by reducing inflammation, then it probably wouldn't help us - at least not through that particular mechanism. Also, I was wondering whether anyone knew of cases where elevated ESR (or CRP) had been connected with PN.

I think we know that LDN might be helpful taken in conjunction with opiates - as with Oxytrex, which is still being trialled. (I'd like to try that particular med.)

Does anyone know of other mechanisms by which LDN might be helpful?

Nyt, we finally got these attached. Sorry it took so long.
Violet

Thanks Violet.

Thankyou for posting those, Violet, and thankyou for sending them in the first place, nyt. They are both very interesting - in particular the first one, I think.

It seems that a distinction is drawn between low dose naltrexone - 4.5 milligrams per day, which is effective in autoimmune conditions and reduces inflammation - and ultra-low dose naltrexone - 1 or 2 micrograms each day, which enhances the action of opiates.

How fascinating that there is this alteration of action, with the reduction in dose. But the method of administration also seems to affect this. It is important, I think, to notice in the summary towards the end, that a larger dose (0.25 - 1mg) when combined with an opiate did not show any beneficial effect when taken orally, but when used in a spinal anaesthetic 0.2mg naltrexone did enhance the effect of morphine.

I shall be looking into the possibilites of the ultra-low dose naltrexone. It would be wonderful to have something that actually made the pain go away completely, without having to worry about tolerance (or indeed addiction) developing.

I have been on 4.5 mg Naltrexone since July. I know the study stated that only the ultralow doses seem to have a synergistic effect with opiates but from my experience I take my Naltrexone at night with 1/2 tab of Lortab and my Lortab gives me much more pain relief during the night than before. However, when I first started the Naltrexone I had terrible insomnia for several weeks and made my aching pain and spasms worse. I almost stopped taking it but from my reading on the LDN forum this is not unusual so I stuck it out. I would say after about 3 months was when I noticed that: 1) the spasms had gone back to baseline along with the aching pain, 2) my flares aren't as bad when they happen and 3) my bedtime dose of opiate works better. I started taking it for inflammation as some of the literature suggests that CRPS may be mediated by the immune system and some CRPS doctors are trying it on their patients with some success.

Some individuals on the LDN forum have found it has reduced or eliminated many of their seasonal allergies. I have not found that so far.

Another thing that is talked frequently on the LDN forum is the need to eliminate wheat from the diet because if one has any intolerance to gluten then you can not get the full beneficial effect of the LDN. My plan is after the first of year is to go gluten free for 8 weeks to see if I notice any difference. An interesting book written by a physician called "Wheat Belly" talks about the generic changes in wheat that have increased the presence of gluten sensitivity in the general population. I am not talking Celiac Disease but a sensitivity to wheat. That is another subject for another thread.

That's so good that you are finding it helpful, nyt. This medication seems to have so many uses. I shall have to go and look around some of the LDN forums, I think. Is there one in particular that you would recommend?


By the way, with regard to wheat, I can completely believe it. We haven't eaten anything with wheat for quite a long time now and certainly don't miss it. In fact we don't eat starches or grains of any sort now, and we don't have sugar in the house either.

(For those of us who, like me, have no idea what Lortab might be - according to drugs.com it is a combination of paracetamol/acetaminophen and hydrocodone. It is available in various strengths from 2.5mg up to 10 mg of hydrocodone, all are combined with 500mg paracetamol/acetaminophen.)

I am on the LDN forum on Yahoo. If you scroll part way down the link below you will see a place to enter your email address to join the yahoo group.

http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/

Thankyou very much, nyt. I've applied to join that group now. Have just been discharged by the surgeon, nothing more can be done surgically to reduce the pain so am back to pain management again...