Compounding Pharmacy
Naltrexone for Autoimmune Diseases
Are you tired of living with chronic pain or fibromyalgia? There are 3 letters you need to know… LDN.
We move from acute to chronic pain when the nerves in the central nervous system become inflamed. This leads to increased sensitivity at the nerve endings and increased sensitivity to pain. The typical treatment involves either an anticonvulsant to help with the nerve pain or an opioid to help with the pain. As many are aware, these medications can have significant adverse effects and there is currently even an opioid crisis in our country. There has to be a better option. Well… maybe there is.
Low-Dose Naltrexone, or LDN for short, has been studied in numerous autoimmune diseases with good results. Of particular interest, it has been shown to decrease pain in patients with minimal, if any, side effects. Naltrexone is a commercially available drug that was licensed as a drug in the 1980’s for opiate addiction, but later studies found that low doses of naltrexone bind to opioid and endorphin receptors leading to changes in the immune system.
Additionally, LDN binds to receptors that lead to a decrease in inflammation, particularly inflammation in the central nervous system.
LDN is a compounded medication that requires a prescription.
LDN is typically started at a low dose (around 1.5mg) and titrated to the most effective dose. It is available in capsule or liquid dosing tailored to your preference. It’s most commonly prescribed in the evening but also has good results in the morning.
Pharmacists at Flourish Pharmacy are equipped to help you optimize your LDN therapy. Call us today and we can help you and your doctor learn more about LDN to see if it’s the right move for you.
