All you need to do is a quick internet search for Low Dose Naltrexone MS and you will quickly find forums and chat areas filled with patients extolling the virtues of LDN, which is the commonly used acronym for Low Dose Naltrexone MS therapy. It has an almost cult-like following similar to using Medical Marijuana. So why don’t more doctors prescribe Naltrexone Multiple Sclerosis therapy for their patients? There are a few reasons that seem obvious.
First of all, it is an off label use of the drug. Naltrexone is actually an opiate antagonist and it is FDA approved for use in helping people addicted to opiate drugs like Morphine, Percocet, or even Heroin. It also works to help alcoholics. By blocking the Opiate receptors, cravings are reduced and thus the addiction is eventually beat.
Secondly, there have been no Phase III type controlled trials or studies done so most physicians are reluctant to prescribe it. Afraid of lawsuits, or just unconvinced of the effectiveness of Low Dose Naltrexone MS treatment, they are reluctant to prescribe it and you would be hard-pressed to find a doctor that would suggest it unsolicited.
Finally, since Low Dose Naltrexone Multiple Sclerosis treatment is not FDA approved, there are no drug manufacturers making the drug in a pill or capsule that has the correct dosage for use with MS. In its label use as an opiate antagonist, the dose prescribed is 50mg to 100mg. For treating MS, the dosage commonly used is no more than 3mg daily. So to use Naltrexone as an MS treatment, a patient will have to find a pharmacy that will compound the drug for them. That means finding a small pharmacy willing to compound for an off label use, as none of the national chain pharmacies do compounding anymore, and it would be unlikely to be covered by anyone’s insurance.
Does Low Dose Naltrexone MS therapy work?
Proponents and anecdotal evidence suggests that it does. Patients that have tried it and doctors who have prescribed it say it stops the progression of the disease. In fact, one survey of users reports 99% say it stopped the progression of their disease. It is also reported to prevent relapses and relieve symptoms like fatigue, spasticity, incontinence, depression and cognitive dysfunction. But the flip side of all this anecdotal evidence is that there are no placebo groups to compare with. And many of the claims seem just too good to be true. The real answer is that nobody knows. It may be something you want to discuss with your doctor.
But then again, with no real science to back it up, you may just want to try diet modification and nutritional supplements. Lots of people have had success with this approach. And there are no unwelcome side-effects to improving your diet.
