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Post by Admin on Jun 11, 2019 16:30:17 GMT -4
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Post by Suzana Rocha on Jun 11, 2019 17:21:44 GMT -4
Opioids kills thousands of people every year, and is becoming an epidemic emergency. This "better drug" is highly addictive and we are all to blame for where we are today, starting with the pharmaceutical companies and doctors.
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Post by Aisha m on Jun 11, 2019 19:17:16 GMT -4
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Post by Aishat Mamman on Jun 11, 2019 20:16:22 GMT -4
I believe low dose naltrexone (LDN) is a great treatment opinion for chronic pain sufferers as it helps relieve pain and has no risk of addiction or dependence. Although naltrexone in full effect acts as an opioid antagonist hence blocking pain alleviation,LDN tricks the body into releasing more endorphins by negative feedback. This means that LDN indirectly produces more endorphins which activate opioid receptors and relive pain,they also help strengthen the immune system which is why they are used in autoimmune disorders like SLE. The articles show that a number of people have had great response to LDN. |
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Post by Adriana Roman on Jun 11, 2019 22:33:05 GMT -4
LDN is a very interesting option for pain management and autoimmune diseases. Scientists, doctors and pharma should become more open to this option because of the minimal side effects. The main treatment for pain management are opioids which have developed an epidemic in this country. The fact that LDN was developed for the treatment of addiction should not be a limitation to be used in other conditions. Gabapentin was made originally for seizures and now is mostly used for neuropathic pain. So, I believe LDN should get more attention as treatment for chronic pain and AI disorders and cases should be investigated further.
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Post by Julie Vokrri on Jun 11, 2019 23:25:03 GMT -4
LDN appears to be a great option for people who suffer with chronic pain, especially because it appears to have fewer side effects that traditional opioids. The evidence of superiority of LDN to industry sponsored medications seems promising. I hope that big pharma and the FDA will get on board with bringing this drug to the market and hopefully not at a ridiculous price!
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Post by Kyle Wilson on Jun 12, 2019 8:57:52 GMT -4
I think it is very interesting how the pharmacodynamics of low dose naltrexone act as a pause button for the body's pain receptors to allow the central nervous system time to catch up in order for the body's natural endorphins to be stimulated and exhibit more of an impact. Chronic pain has a devastating effect on an individual's everyday life and I am glad to see goal directed research in order to help those suffering from chronic pain as well as combating the rise in opioid misuse and addiction.
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Post by Shivaan Oomrigar on Jun 12, 2019 9:51:09 GMT -4
Opioids are an effective class of drug. Many physicians are minimally aware of their ‘off label’ uses when it comes to immune-related diseases. When used in low doses and in a controlled environment, LDN can provide a better quality of life for many people suffering from chronic diseases, such as SLE and HHD. At these controlled low doses, LDN it has a minimal risk of addiction/abuse and a positive effect at enhancing the body’s immune system.
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Post by Keyur Kurani on Jun 12, 2019 9:58:14 GMT -4
Based on these articles alone, LDN seems like a great option for people suffering from chronic pain and autoimmune diseases that have been unresponsive to other therapies. But with this new avenue, there has to be some research and evidence based backing before it should be the first or second line treatment. If it truly is as effective as these articles describe, it will become a staple in chronic pain on its own merit. With today’s opioid crisis, we must be careful of the adverse effects of LDN and that only comes with studies and research from pharmaceutical companies that aren’t willing to foot the bill.
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Post by Eva Khondaker on Jun 12, 2019 18:33:28 GMT -4
LDN carries several advantages such as "low cost" (arguable based on the consumer, keep reading) low side effects and no known abuse potential that make it an attractive treatment option, however, we are still grappling with the issue that most insurance companies do not recognize this drug under their insurance plan. The average total drug cost for generic naloxone under Medicare Part D in 2016 was $54 per claim, according to data report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. For the brand name naloxone products such as Narcan and Evzio, the average total drug costs can range anywhere from $100 and $4,000. As you can see this can make it a hard pill to swallow (no pun intended) for the average consumer who is not able to get this drug covered. Aside from cost, eventhough naltrexone has a long history of safe use with a wide range of large dosages, we know very little about the long term safety of the drug when used chronically in low dosages. The low dosage is often cited as a reason for clinicians and patients to not be concerned about safety. However, we must be open to the possibility that the unique clinical effects possible with the low dosage could also present new health risks.
I assume that while inhibition of immune system parameters could theoretically raise the risk of infections or cancer due to decreased immunosurveillance, there hasn’t been any reports of such side effects at any dosage of naltrexone to date, perhaps for the fact that we have yet to gather conclusive data over a longer period of time.
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Post by Sandrika Brown on Jun 12, 2019 21:06:02 GMT -4
Low dose naltrexone usage in pain management is new to me and does sound like a good alternative especially in this period of opioid crisis. Sadly, many people who could potentially benefit won't because of drug companies reluctance to market it for this purpose since they wouldn't gain maximum benefits.
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Post by Natalia Adorno on Jun 12, 2019 22:25:02 GMT -4
Low dose naltrexone seems to be a good option instead of the opioids, and most of the patients seem to like the results that it gave to them and the most important give them a better quality of life. On the other side since LDN is not that “popular” or known and only based on these articles it’s appears to be the best option but I think that more studies have to be done on this drug to know if the side effects and the possible outcomes are better that the ones that can be obtained with other medications.
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Post by Christy Schramm on Jun 16, 2019 15:51:36 GMT -4
I think that LDN is a great alternate to opioids. Because this drug is so expensive, there are many people that will not be able to use this drug. Many patients with chronic pain are on a number of other expensive medications that they can barely afford. If a patent has to choose between a drug that could cure their disease vs a drug that helps with pain, they may be more willing to pay for the drug that could help their disease. That leaves them with the option of trying to find a way to pay for LDN, dealing with the chronic pain, or going with an opioid that is affordable (even if it is addictive). Another thing to consider is the lack of research and reputation of LDN. Many patients are not aware of LDN, hopefully as more research gets out, Pharma will get on board and decrease the prices.
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Post by Jamal Shuja on Jun 29, 2019 11:43:07 GMT -4
Chronic pain is something patients may deal with to different degrees based on their pathologies. Opioids are commonly prescribed by physicians to these patients and while some report a better quality of life others go on to develop tolerances and develop addictions. I think using low dose naltrexone is a great idea and can be beneficial to patients by avoiding these long-term complications associated with chronic opioid use. Upon being FDA approved to treat chronic pain, low dose naltrexone options will become generic thus providing patients with a cheaper alternative to opioids.
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