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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rovers95 on September 10, 2010, at 14:36:16
Anyone tried Naltrexone to augment antidepressants? is it effective long term?
cheers
rover
Posted by bleauberry on September 10, 2010, at 15:46:07
In reply to Naltrexone to augment AD's?, posted by rovers95 on September 10, 2010, at 14:36:16
Very good potential. Not just for depression itself, but a large array of things that cause the depression in the first place.
BUT...dosing is the key. Doses are a tiny 1.5mg to 4.5mg at bedtime. The lowest dose you can buy is 50mg. So it needs to be made by a compounding pharmacy. The fillers are important too, because you want immediate release. Some common fillers actually slow the absorption down, and that is not good.
The idea is to trick the receptors into thinking there aren't enough natural opioids briefly during sleep when production is at its highest. Opioid production speeds up. And from personal experience I can say with some confidence there is an indirect influence in boosting dopamine, as well as some unknown benefit in helping serotonin as well.
To learn more, type LDN into a google search box and find the LDN home page. You will find out everything there is to know there, including pharmacies that specialize in this.
Even by itself I found it to be a fairly good antidepressant...pro-motivation, anti-anhedonia, pro-social, anti-anxiety. Side effects are usually disturbed sleep and maybe some slight decrease in appetite for a few days. At such a tiny dose with so many potential benefits, I believe it should be standard protocol for everyone to try it.
It rarely turns out to be a miracle by itself. The vast majority of people who try it find it provides enough benefit in one way or another that they don't want to go without it. There are failures but they are not that common. People who use it for MS and other diseases commonly see their symptoms get worse for a few weeks before getting better....probably some bizarre immunopathology going on as the immune system first gets boosted and then second gets reset to normal.
Many years ago there was a fad here started by a doctor who was having success adding Naltrexone to SSRIs, primarily prozac, in doses of 25mg to 50mg. Some of us tried it and none of us got anything good from it. Now we know why. The dose was exceedingly too high...permanently blocking the opioid receptors. We only want to briefly block them at night for a few hours.
Posted by rovers95 on September 13, 2010, at 14:17:59
In reply to Re: Naltrexone to augment AD's?, posted by bleauberry on September 10, 2010, at 15:46:07
> Very good potential. Not just for depression itself, but a large array of things that cause the depression in the first place.
>
> BUT...dosing is the key. Doses are a tiny 1.5mg to 4.5mg at bedtime. The lowest dose you can buy is 50mg. So it needs to be made by a compounding pharmacy. The fillers are important too, because you want immediate release. Some common fillers actually slow the absorption down, and that is not good.
>
> The idea is to trick the receptors into thinking there aren't enough natural opioids briefly during sleep when production is at its highest. Opioid production speeds up. And from personal experience I can say with some confidence there is an indirect influence in boosting dopamine, as well as some unknown benefit in helping serotonin as well.
>
> To learn more, type LDN into a google search box and find the LDN home page. You will find out everything there is to know there, including pharmacies that specialize in this.
>
> Even by itself I found it to be a fairly good antidepressant...pro-motivation, anti-anhedonia, pro-social, anti-anxiety. Side effects are usually disturbed sleep and maybe some slight decrease in appetite for a few days. At such a tiny dose with so many potential benefits, I believe it should be standard protocol for everyone to try it.
>
> It rarely turns out to be a miracle by itself. The vast majority of people who try it find it provides enough benefit in one way or another that they don't want to go without it. There are failures but they are not that common. People who use it for MS and other diseases commonly see their symptoms get worse for a few weeks before getting better....probably some bizarre immunopathology going on as the immune system first gets boosted and then second gets reset to normal.
>
> Many years ago there was a fad here started by a doctor who was having success adding Naltrexone to SSRIs, primarily prozac, in doses of 25mg to 50mg. Some of us tried it and none of us got anything good from it. Now we know why. The dose was exceedingly too high...permanently blocking the opioid receptors. We only want to briefly block them at night for a few hours.Thanks for the info, do you rake it yourself then?
Posted by rovers95 on September 13, 2010, at 14:20:38
In reply to Re: Naltrexone to augment AD's? » bleauberry, posted by rovers95 on September 13, 2010, at 14:17:59
Does anyone use/know anyone who uses naltresxone or low dose naltrexone?
cheers
rover
Posted by rovers95 on September 13, 2010, at 14:34:00
In reply to Re: Naltrexone to augment AD's? » bleauberry, posted by rovers95 on September 13, 2010, at 14:17:59
Does anyone use/know anyone who uses naltresxone or low dose naltrexone?
cheers
rover
Posted by rovers95 on September 13, 2010, at 15:22:03
In reply to Re: Naltrexone to augment AD's? » bleauberry, posted by rovers95 on September 13, 2010, at 14:17:59
Does anyone use/know anyone who uses naltresxone or low dose naltrexone?
cheers
rover
Posted by Green Willow on September 14, 2010, at 13:18:29
In reply to Anyone use naltrexone (in low or normal dose)??, posted by rovers95 on September 13, 2010, at 15:22:03
I have been on LDN for about 17 months, 3 mg. For me it has been a miracle drug. Ask me anything about it, I can try to help!
Green Willow
Posted by Green Willow on September 14, 2010, at 13:41:10
In reply to Naltrexone to augment AD's?, posted by rovers95 on September 10, 2010, at 14:36:16
> Anyone tried Naltrexone to augment antidepressants? is it effective long term?
>
> cheers
>
> roverI was on Cymbalta 60 mg with serious depression, and LDN was added to treat my RA and spondyloarthropathy. Soon afte adding the LDN, I reduced my dose of Cymbalta to apprx. 45 mg (1 and a half capsules). Over time the depression eased, but I also had therapy and made some life changes. After using the Cymbalta and ldn together for about a year, I began tapering off the Cymbalta (long slow taper taking 4 months) and now I have been off the Cymbalta for a few weeks. I still have mild depression but nothing like before. Would I say the LDN was an effective add-on? Personally I can't say for certain but my heartfelt feeling is that it probably was not what helped ease the depression. But others may have other things to say about this. Good luck ~ Green Willow
Posted by rovers95 on September 14, 2010, at 13:42:02
In reply to Yep, I take low dose naltrexone, posted by Green Willow on September 14, 2010, at 13:18:29
> I have been on LDN for about 17 months, 3 mg. For me it has been a miracle drug. Ask me anything about it, I can try to help!
> Green WillowHaha, great! i didn't mean to post the message 3 times btw!! so what do you take it for...do you take AD's with it? How dose it feel and what symptoms has it worked on and what hasn't it worked on? Any side effects?
cheers
rover
Posted by Green Willow on September 14, 2010, at 17:55:35
In reply to Re: Yep, I take low dose naltrexone » Green Willow, posted by rovers95 on September 14, 2010, at 13:42:02
Rover, I take it to treat spondyloarthropathy and RA and the results are unbelievably good. Also, I have psoriasis and that is in remis, too. For the right things and the right people, it is really a blessing. Not so certain of it's effectiveness for depression though. I was on Cymbalta already when I started LDN and eventually I was able to wean off the Cymbalta, I don't really know if it had anything to do with LDN or just with time passing and therapy. I still have some mild depression even though I am on ldn, but nothing like before. In the past there has been other posters here writing about ldn for depression and the feelings were mixed if I remember right. Try googling this site and see if you can find them. GW
> > I have been on LDN for about 17 months, 3 mg. For me it has been a miracle drug. Ask me anything about it, I can try to help!
> > Green Willow
>
> Haha, great! i didn't mean to post the message 3 times btw!! so what do you take it for...do you take AD's with it? How dose it feel and what symptoms has it worked on and what hasn't it worked on? Any side effects?
>
> cheers
>
> rover
>
>
This is the end of the thread.
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