LDN

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS)

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Fibromyalgia is a rheumatic syndrome in which there is widespread muscular pain on movement, excessive tiredness and sleep disturbance. There are many other symptoms that can also be attributed to this condition and these include:-depression, migraines, irritable bladder and/or bowel and joint pain and stiffness

LDN from Dicksons

Thursday, October 22, 2009

0 Comments

Dickson's Pharmacy For those of you pondering whether to try LDN, the big question is 'where will I get it from?' Your GP may give you an NHS prescription – but then again he/she may not. Some GPs have not even heard of it. The medication has not been licensed in treating multiple sclerosis for various reasons – but then neither have other drugs often used in treating MS, such as Gabapentin and Amantadine. Try to ensure that you take what information you have, to familiarise your gp with LDN. But once you have a prescription where do you go? One port of call for either the capsule or liquid form of LDN is the family-owned firm Dickson Chemist in Glasgow (telephone 0141 647 8032) One month's supply on a private prescription will cost £27.00 for either 3mg or 4.5mg in capsule form. Liquid form is cheaper at £15.00 for one month's supply. Dickson Chemist also supplies many specialist MS medications throughout the UK, and works alongside Dr Tom Gilhooly with many UK patients – for medicines like LDN, Aimspro and dietary supplementation (Omega-3 etc). Pharmacist Stephen Dickson, it's proprietor, said: "Tom first phoned me in 2005, to see if we could make an LDN product more cheaply than he was being quoted from other sources. Within two hours I had made a sample and sent it to his surgery for his perusal; the cost has varied from the initial £10.00 to the current £15.00 We have had various struggles along the way: fights with local pharmacists, saying we are providing it too cheaply, phone calls to America, fights with the Royal Mail, and so on. Through Linda Elsegood and the great contacts we have developed in the last year or so, we have managed to overcome all of the problems. I have a great personal interest in MS, so we are ecstatic to be able to provide something like LDN at a very reasonable price. It has been a steep learning curve, but if we don't know the answer to something then we do our best to find out and let you know. Anyway, I look forward to hearing from anyone currently paying more than the amounts quoted above, or new patients trying LDN for the first time. My assistant Paula is really very helpful, and her sole job Monday-Friday is to support our LDN clients."

Thursday, October 22, 2009

0 Comments

What is LDN? LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone) is a treatment for MS that has been used in the USA since 1985, but is relatively new to the United Kingdom. This method was devised and developed by Dr Bernard Bihari, a neuro-physician in New York, and he has described the beneficial effects of LDN on a variety of diseases: Alzheimer's Disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Ankylosing Spondylitis Autism Spectrum Disorders Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy- candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) Behcet's Disease Bipolar Disorder Cancers Celiac Disease Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CREST Syndrome Crohn's Disease Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Depression Endometriosis Fibromyalgia HIV/AIDS Infertility Irritable Bowel Syndrome Multiple Sclerosis Murine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Parkinson's Disease Pemphigoid Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) or Syndrome (PCOS) Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS) Psoriasis Rheumatioid Arthritis (RA) Sacoidosis Scleroderma Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE) Transverse Myelitis Ulcerative Colitis Wegener's Granulomatosis How Naltrexone Works: Naltrexone is prescribed as an opiate blocker for heroin addicts in doses of 150mg a day. Its benefits are due to the temporary inhibition of brain endorphins (a natural pain-killer, produced in the brain). This results in an increase in the production of endorphins, resulting in the reduction of painful symptoms and an increased sense of well-being. Usually, 3 mg of LDN is taken for the first month and 4.5 mg thereafter. It has been reported that after an initial dose of just 3 mg per day, people have experienced a range of benefits including a reduction in spasms and fatigue, improved bladder control and heat tolerance, as well as improvements in mobility, sleep, pain and tremor. In mainstream medicine it is only the symptoms of MS that are treated, and mainly with drugs that have not been clinically trialled for MS. LDN can be of benefit at whatever stage of the MS, whereas the non-interferon drug Copaxone, and the interferon drugs Rebif, Avonex and Betaseron are available only to a few people that meet the strict criteria. These drugs are very toxic, have numerous side-effects, and work only for 30% of the people taking them. Of that 30%, the best that can be expected is a reduction in the severity and number of attacks of up to one third. The cost of interferons range from £8,000 - £12,000 per person per year, whereas the cost of LDN can be from as little as £15 a month. Anecdotal evidence from over 16,000 US users suggests that LDN has a 98% record at preventing further MS progression, and many users have experienced considerable improvements in their condition, often within days or weeks of beginning the treatment. LDN is neither a miracle drug nor a cure; the aim of LDN is to stop progression by helping to improve symptoms (for most) and, as it is at such a low dosage, there are little to no side effects. Any that might appear are normally gone within the first few weeks. LDN is a drug that is working for thousands of people throughout the world. It greatly helps with MS at whatever its stage, but because it has not been trialled for MS, very few GPs are prepared to prescribe it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr Bihari is qualified in Neurology, Psychiatry and Internal Medicine, but has recently retired from practice. The main LDN website HomeLog InContact UsGift Aid FormSurveyTermsMy OrdersMy ProfileShopping BasketSite Map©2007 LDN Research Trust - Website by LWR Online : Norfolk Website Hosting & CMS Websites