Help with LDN and major depression, anxiety, fear of leaving house, and constant feeling of dread

Just wondering if anyone else is taking LDN for any of the above and their experience. I am taking 4mg at night - for almost 2 months now - I'm not sure if it's helping and whether it needs more time.....

[soupybp]

I replied to your question in the other post before I saw your question here.

healthunlocked.com/ldnresea...

Have you asked your friends and family if they are noticing any difference? Generally speaking, my daughter doesn't feel like the LDN is doing much for her, but everyone around her sees a difference. It is like a lot of what is changing is too subtle for her.

There is a very useful presentation on LDN in conjunction with mental health treatment that you should take the time to review:

ldn2016.com/sites/default/f...

Have you had your thyroid checked (not just TSH, but free T3 and free T4 and critical vitamin/mineral levels)? Have you had your estradiol/progesterone levels checked (if female)? The thyroid, especially, can result in that symptom profile, but many people/doctors don't know to look there.

[Hidden in reply to soupybp]

I have had my thyroid checked and minerals /vitamins - it is subtle maybe yes - i find that i have developed major anxiety/fear etc however...I used to only have major untreatable depression and now I have anxiety/panic/fear etc also - it makes living very difficult. Thank you for your response

[soupybp in reply to Hidden]

Did you start at the 4mg/night? Or did you work up to that?

[Hidden in reply to soupybp]

I started at 25 mg because my Dr. is unfamiliar. Then I got the LDN book and researched and just experimented until I felt that 4 ml (because I'm mixing a 50mg pill myself with distilled water), was a good dose for me but according to the article it should be a bit lower? I weigh about 117lbs. So I started high and had to go down because it increased my anxiety/fear etc. too much possibly.

[soupybp in reply to Hidden]

Just remember, I am not a doctor-just trying to figure things out just like you

Slide 41 says 3.1mg for 115lbs, 3.26mg for 120lbs is a "typical optimal dose". They also indicate that for mental health issues, split dosing seems to work better. Given the information in the presentation along with the symptoms you are describing and the discussions I have had with my daughter's doctor, this is what I would do for myself:

I would go down to 1ml in the morning when I get up and 1ml in the evening, about 12 hours later. I would stay on that dose for 10-14 days (or until the anxiety subsided...and if it wasn't subsiding, I might stop the LDN entirely for a period until it subsided and kind of start over).

Then I would increase the evening dose to 2ml and leave the morning dose alone for 10-14 days. If I wasn't having increased anxiety, then I would increase the morning dose to 2ml also so that I was taking 2ml 2x/day. I would hold at that dose to see how it went for a while.

[Hidden in reply to soupybp]

Wow - so you would dose twice a day but with a smaller dose....?

I did not take LDN last night but instead I took my full dose in the morning to see if that would help the panic/fear etc. - as I read on the link you sent - so that was 4ml and I don't think I should take more than that in one day do you agree? I find this so confusing with my already fuzzy head! I will try and wrap my head around what you recommend - is there a reason for the twice a day dose? And I thought it had to be taken at night because of feel good receptors needing to shut down so that it tricks your body into thinking you need more (serotonin?....or....),.....so very confused about day dosing and double dosing....

[soupybp in reply to Hidden]

It is on this thread, just a different group of messages....

Yes, I would dose twice a day but with a smaller amount. If you want to stay with the 4ml, then do 2ml in the morning and 2ml in the evening. I really wouldn't take more than 4 total for the day. And you may find that you should take less than that for a time until your anxiety settles down.

The once a day dosing seems to work well for immune system treatment and pain management. Mental health practitioners are finding that at least 2x/day dosing seems to be working better for mental health treatment...basically bumping that receptor activity two times per day. At this point in time, the mental health practitioners don't know if this would have the unwanted effect of reducing the effect on the immune system in someone who needs both issues addressed.

[Hidden in reply to soupybp]

I started the double dosing last night - 2 ml and then 2 ml this morning - I will see how this goes - I sure hope it can help/fingers crossed!

[soupybp in reply to Hidden]

I'm just checking in to see how you are feeling.

[soupybp in reply to soupybp]

Also, FYI, when doc increased daughter's dose to a total of 8mg/day across multiple doses (not sure why he wanted to go that high), she developed much increased anxiety, complete loss of appetite, nausea, and a sense of dread. Hopefully, your dose was just too high and on a lowered dose you are feeling better.

[Hidden in reply to soupybp]

I lowered my dose now to 3 ml at night only (this has been 3 nights now), I found that I was more shakey, anxious, etc, but I have always had this awful feeling of dread as soon as i wake up and of course the debilitating depression....

[soupybp in reply to Hidden]

Checking in with you again! I have been praying for a good outcome for you.

We have stopped daughter's LDN for a time. She just wasn't eating - and we are stopping the LDN to determine if that is the reason for her continued loss of appetite. She wasn't feeling a difference in her mood, but we were observing one.

[Hidden in reply to soupybp]

my family also noticed changes for the good in me while I did not necessarily. I do see subtle changes now for the better but it is very slow and subtle. I also have no appetite and get rather nauseous daily but I will keep taking the LDN for at least another month because I do think it is helping me.

[Hidden in reply to soupybp]

also I have dropped the dose to 3 ml - which seems to take away a lot of the anxiety/fear, and shakiness

[Hidden in reply to soupybp]

"Our treatment target is the direct management of hypervigilance, anxiety, etc., caused by present time opioid mediated dissociative reactivity, rather than autoimmune dysfunction. Therefore it is most helpful to take LDN in the morning and/or afternoon, rather than just in the evening.

This regimen makes the most of the 13 hour half life of 6β-naltrexol, the metabolite of naltrexone that passes the blood brain barrier.

Clinical judgment is needed to determine if a third evening dose is required when sleep is a problem. LDN usually improves sleep." This is from the info you gave me from the report - what I don't understand is that I thought it had to be taken at night because that's how it works...? Also if one weighs 117 lbs how much is the right amount ? And also it is not true about having to stop percocettes - I wish I could let the writer of this know my experience in case it can help someone else. Again - I thank you so much for your attention!

[Debbo04 in reply to Hidden]

Hi. Where would I find this report pls?

[Hidden in reply to soupybp]

Sorry one more thing - it states a 'third dose'? Does this mean I should be already taking it twice a day instead of once at night ? I am virtually doing this on my own as my Dr. knows very little about this but is willing to prescribe - but I am going in blind and just trying to see if and what about LDN can or may work for me...

[soupybp in reply to Hidden]

Most of the literature talks about single dose, after 9pm. However, there are references to morning dosing being ok. In my research, it seems that multi-dosing (at least 2x/day, if not 3x/day) pops up when working on mental health issues.

Are you saying that you are taking LDN at the same time as Percocet?

[Hidden in reply to soupybp]

I'm saying that I have taken percocettes with LDN for pain and have experienced no problem, no 'withdrawals, etc.

[Hidden in reply to soupybp]

I replied to you but i think it must be on another page...? I don't see it here now

[soupybp in reply to Hidden]

It's on the other thread. I just hadn't had time to reply.