After I came off Tysabri last year, I tried low dose Naltrexone (LDN). For those that don't know, Naltrexone is an Opiate antagonist. In other words, it is given to heroin addicts (and other opioids) to stop it from working. It is believed that the feel good hormones it creates helps with the 'cold turkey' the addicts endure coming off their preferred choice of drug.
Trials were done with Naltrexone in low doses in MS, but from what I gather, the results were inconclusive, so it wasn't adopted as a treatment for this illness. That means they never licensed the drug for MS so you can't get it on the NHS.
I was on it for about 4 months. The increase of serotonin in my brain was nice and the world was a much brighter place. Did I say the words 'at first' in that last sentence? Well I should've done. Other than the initial rush of Euphoria, it didn't do anything to help with this disease.
I know people that swear by LDN, they say it has done wonders for them, so just like we all know about MS - we're all different, and what works for some, doesn't work for others. Story of my (MS) life, unfortunately. As LDN isn't licensed in this country, it isn't easy to get. Some GPs will prescribe it, but most won't.
I had to pay for a private prescription and pay for a pharmacy that dispenses it to post it to me. All sounds a bit 'cloak and dagger' but it ain't. It's perfectly legal and you don't know if it is going to help you or not until you try it. The cost is minimal - about 20 quid a month.
I was going to give it a bash for 6 months, but in June, I fell over and broke my arm. I was taken into hospital where they gave me morphine, but I was still in pain, so they gave me some more. After the third dose they had to stop. I should've been as high as a kite, but I was still in a lot of pain. It was about a week later that I realised the LDN (an opiate antagonist, remember?) would've been stopping the morphine from working. I haven't taken it since.
I can't believe I've spent this whole blog talking about LDN? I don't have any news about Gilenya. It seems to be stabilising me(ish), and that is all I am after. I haven't done my core stability, or my leg exercises for a few weeks, so I need to knuckle down and get back into them, as there has been a bit of a dip in my physical well being.
That progression calculator really pissed me off. Made me a bit angry with the world, but I'm over that now, so onwards and upwards. And all that.
I've got a photo of my X-ray, and remember: paracetamol is all had for it.
Regards,
Dan
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