Could lowering LDN (Naltrexone) exacerbate withdrawal

I'm currently tapering Valium for the second time after an unsuccessful attempt last year.

 

I've been taking LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone) for over 18 months to see if it would help with fibromyalgia pain etc.  It had no obvious benefit for me during that time - if anything it made things worse - and so I'm following my naturopath's advice to also come off it.  Apparently Valium and Naltrexone interact and he suspects I'm feeling a drop in Valium dose when I lower the LDN.  It's certainly feeling that way to me. 

 

Anyone have any ideas?  Not coming up with much information on interactions with google searches.

hi thisbe,

 

i am currently on the ultra low dose of naltrexone. i am looking forward to getting on the LDN. but i first have to get off the suboxone medication because you can't take any opiates while taking the LDN since it also acts on the opiate receptor and will cause severe opiate withdrawals. but the ultra low dose is supposed to help with 'tolerance' of the opiate whatever that means, i don't really know?

 

but when i read the book of the miracles of LDN i was completely hooked on the fact that it could potentially help to heal the leison's on the brain in MS sufferer's and i do have a few leison's. i also have spoken with a few other women on here who claim that the LDN have been helping their benzo withdrawal symptoms. they have been swearing by it which i don't understand because it just acts on the opiate receptor but since it is also supposed to help the immune system by creating more endorphin's--maybe it does help with the body as a whole.

 

maybe it's just not a good thing to take while your tapering from the valium? what mg are you taking? maybe you could come off it for now, and then try it later when you are completely benzo free?

Hi Pretty

 

I never got a notification about your reply for some reason.  Sorry!

 

I'm off the LDN now but it was a bit of a bumpy ride.  It seemed to increase withdrawal symptoms as I lowered it.  Probably should have taken it even slower but got to that 'really just need to be off it' stage. 

 

It certainly has a lot of hype surrounding it, and seems to help a lot of people.  But for me - largely because it didn't obviously help - I'm going to stay clear of it for now.  There are enough other things going on in my poor body and I just want to have the clearest picture I can of what is changing or improving. 

hi thisbe,

 

i was just talking about the LDN on my blog. i am still interested in taking it. i'm sorry it increased your withdrawal

symptoms. i really thought it would be a good thing. i am actually going to stop the uldn. it's expensive and i don't think

it's doing anything for me at all.

 

i should also aks my friend Jack Hobson Dupont how he is doing with the LDN. he's the one who told me about it.

 

so you're still having lot's of symptoms? i sure am! in some ways, it feels worse, but i know i am a little better. this is

really slow.

 

pretty

So slow!  I just want to be 'away' from it all and to have it behind me.  As I'm sure every single person in withdrawal does.

 

How long have you been on the LDN/ULDN for?  And what dose?  I think 'they' say to give it six months to work, although many see changes immediately.

So slow!  I just want to be 'away' from it all and to have it behind me.  As I'm sure every single person in withdrawal does.

 

How long have you been on the LDN/ULDN for?  And what dose?  I think 'they' say to give it six months to work, although many see changes immediately.

 

i just was writing on another thread about all my benzo, opiate and soma use and the two different times i've been on all this stuff and all the c/t's i've done and it does make sense that it's going so slow for me and that i'm kindling. and that my brain feels totally blown out in this one corner that has a deep and very uncomfortable vibration. but i am pretty sure i am still healing which is also a very good thing despite everything i've done.

 

i've been on the uldn for a little over 3 months and i'm on the lowest possible dose. something like 000.1mg --\

but i think since it's a little costly i will stop it for now and just continue tapering from the suboxone and then spend my money on the LDN.

 

my friend Jack Hobson-Dupont who wrote "The Benzo Book" is on about 3mg LDN and he just told me that it really messes with his sleep but he wants to get to the right dose for him. i have to ask him again why he's taking it. i'm sure it's for his immune system since that is really waht it's supposed to help the most. i will let you know all that he says. he took about 5 1/2 years to "feel like himself" and heal from the benzo's.

Just skimmed read Hobson Dupont's book entirely online for anyone interested.  It's all there; quite a read.

 

Curious - did that amount of 5 1/2 years, till he felt like himself, include his lengthy taper?

the ultra low dose is supposed to help with 'tolerance' of the opiate whatever that means, i don't really know?

 

The idea is that since opiate agonists (morphine/codeine/tramadol/suboxone/etc) cause tolerance by downregulating opiate receptors, taking a small dose of an antagonist (naltrexone) causes upregulation of the same receptors and reverses the tolerance. I think it is an interesting idea. If it's shown to work safely and reliably, it's probably only a matter of time before we see the same principle applied to benzos.

the ultra low dose is supposed to help with 'tolerance' of the opiate whatever that means, i don't really know?

 

The idea is that since opiate agonists (morphine/codeine/tramadol/suboxone/etc) cause tolerance by downregulating opiate receptors, taking a small dose of an antagonist (naltrexone) causes upregulation of the same receptors and reverses the tolerance. I think it is an interesting idea. If it's shown to work safely and reliably, it's probably only a matter of time before we see the same principle applied to benzos.

 

oh, thanks for explaining that. i had stopped the ultra low dose naltrexone but got another prescription and will be starting it again in hopes that it will calm down that storms of glutamate i've been feeling.

Prettydaisys - I just found the old thread about naltrexone. Did you take it for benzo withdrawal and how did it work for you? My psychologist is recommending it while I taper, but I'm finding conflicting reports.

 

Thank you,

MirandaJane

mirandajane,

 

i was actually taking the ultra low dose naltrexone when i was still on the suboxone opiate because my doctor said that it might help with the tapering process. i didn't stay on it that long.

 

i really don't know if LDN will help with benzo withdrawal? i am still planning to take the LDN when i am more healed to see if it will help to heal leison's that they saw on my brain when they diagnosed me with MS. but now i don't know if i have MS at all but however i got the leison's whether it was from the benzo's or not, i still would like for them to be gone.

 

the LDN could possibly help with some of the symptoms from benzo withdrawal. i heard that at fisrts it messes with sleep so be cautious.

Prettydaisys - thank you for your response. Most of what I've read on this forum about LDN has been negative. My psychologist recommends it. I keep looking for ways to easy this withdrawal misery and finding none.

 

I hope you are doing well.

 

MirandaJane

Prettydaisys - thank you for your response. Most of what I've read on this forum about LDN has been negative. My psychologist recommends it. I keep looking for ways to easy this withdrawal misery and finding none.

 

I hope you are doing well.

 

MirandaJane

 

 

Mirandajane,

 

about 2 years ago i read this book about LDN that Jack Hobson Dupont - author of "The Benzo Book" gave to me as he was taking LDN and told me many good things about it except that it was interfering with his sleep.

but i think the way it acts on the opiate receptor is a positive thing that can possibly help the whole immune system to heal. i think it's a good thing but the doses probably need to be changed with since it does probably interfere with sleep.

Thank you daisys. I have read his book and he doesn't mention it. Was he taking it during withdrawal or afterward?

 

MirandaJane

no, he doesn't talk about it in his book. this was just about 2 years ago that he started on the LDN.

Thanks, daisys.

If you know the name of the book, I'd like to read it.

 

MirandaJane

Jack's book is just called "The Benzo Book" i believe. it's by jack Hobson Dupont. it's a good book. he goes into the gaba receptor's and the gaba subnuits.

Just wanted to post about my mom's experience with LDN.

The first week, she was getting nauseous daily, so I only gave it once every 3 days.

By the 3rd week, I started giving it daily and no nausea.

It doesn't appear to be causing any issues nor does it cause her any vivid dreams.

I just hope it doesn't interfere with her immune suppressant, cellcept.

She is only on .1mg valium, so not sure for those on higher doses.

 

She is on 1.5mg LDN and will double it in a month.