Biologics and LDN

[lrobertson]

Well, as much as i hate to do it, my RA is getting so bad so quickly with degeneration and pain, i am starting Orencia injections soon. I am currently on LDN and wondering if the two are compatable? quite frankly, I’ve been on biologics before and even methotrextae and have gotten infections. i am low weight and am afraid of a full dose of biologic anyhow, so if the LDN worked a little against the biologic that would be fine with me. Just started minocin 50mg MWF last week, but cant afford the body parts to wait months to see if the monocin alone is working. Damn I hate this disease!

[PhilC]

Hi Laura,
@lrobertson wrote:

Well, as much as i hate to do it, my RA is getting so bad so quickly with degeneration and pain, i am starting Orencia injections soon. I am currently on LDN and wondering if the two are compatable?

Yes, they are compatible. How much LDN are you taking?

Phil

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[lrobertson]

I am taking 4.5mg at night. Not sure if it is helping, but doesn’t seem to be hurting either.

[PhilC]

Hi Laura,
@lrobertson wrote:

I am taking 4.5mg at night.

According to the latest info, your dose is too high. See: How LDN works

You mentioned that your weight is low. That being the case, the optimum dose for you
might be 3 mg or even less. Something to discuss with your doctor…

Phil

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[lrobertson]

Thank you so much Phil. I will let my doctor know about dosage. One more question, I have a local compound pharmacy make the pills. Would you say that pretty much wherever I got it would be the same quality? It’s a good pharmacy, but like minocycline, the source seems to make a differnece for some people. Also I heard that taking ALA with LDN is helpful. Have you heard such a thing?

[PhilC]

Hi Laura,
@lrobertson wrote:

One more question, I have a local compound pharmacy make the pills. Would you say that pretty much wherever I got it would be the same quality?

No, unfortunately. I think it would be better to get your LDN from a pharmacy that specializes in LDN or fills a lot of LDN prescriptions since there’s a much better chance that they will prepare it properly.

Here’s some information that may be helpful: Reliability Problem With Compounding Pharmacies
Warning: Some of the information (about LDN) on that website (http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org) is outdated.

There’s another list of compounding pharmacies here: LDN Compounding Pharmacies (World Wide)
I would more inclined to trust the list of compounding pharmacies found at http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/index.htm#pharmlist, but the above list may be more helpful for people living outside the U.S.

@lrobertson wrote:

Also I heard that taking ALA with LDN is helpful. Have you heard such a thing?

Yes, I have heard about that. I doubt that the alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) actually helps the LDN, but since it is an antioxidant it probably helps with inflammation.

Phil

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[vera]

Hi Laura,

I am on both Enbrel (for PsA) and also LDN. I tried going off the Enbrel but my pain got so bad I couldn’t walk. I had heard that a person couldn’t take both the Enbrel and LDN because the Enbrel would essentially cancel out the LDN. Enbrel may reduce some of the effectiveness of LDN, but at least in my case, it works just fine for me. I forgot to take the LDN one night, so I decided to skip a couple more nights after that. I got so sick!! I consider LDN an indispensible part of my protocol, ESPECIALLY since I am on Enbrel which can affect the immune system.

Lori

[PhilC]

Hi Lori,
@vera wrote:

I had heard that a person couldn’t take both the Enbrel and LDN because the Enbrel would essentially cancel out the LDN.

That’s actually false/outdated information. You’ll find similar information throughout the web, though, because it will take some time for the word to get out and websites to be updated.

Can LDN be combined with other medications, drugs, vitamins or food supplements?

LDN should not be taken at the same time with opiate-type drugs as it will stop them from working for a number of hours. With regards to other medications/drugs/vitamins in the clinical trials conducted to date, no problems have been seen when LDN was combined with other medications being taken by the studies

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[vera]

Hi Phil,

Thank you for your input! That’s very good information and I’m glad to read that both work together. When I made the decision to take both, I figured I’d see whether the Enbrel ‘cancelled’ out the the LDN or not. While I have no way of knowing how much the Enbrel reduces the effectiveness of the LDN, after not taking LDN a few nights and getting dog sick proved it’s doing something!!

By the way, I am trying to reduce the number of shots of Enbrel by gradually extending the shots by one day. Normally you take it once every 7 days but now I take it every 9 days. Doesn’t sound like a big deal but instead of 52 shots a year, it’s about 41.

Lori

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