Kelly, You get the optimal benefit from 2 to 4.5mg....whichever is your dose. I was on 3mg for 3 yrs, before being able to go up to 4.5mg.

With LDN, more is not better. As a matter of fact, if you go over 5mg, for instance, it would be counterproductive, as your endorphins would be blocked for too long of a time and endorphins would not reproduce.

LarryLDN has been on LDN for over 5 years and he stayed at 3mg. 4.5mg was too much for him.

Go back to 3mg, where you are comfortabvle and don't worry about going up, until or if you are comfortable with it.

I agree with Sally, Kelly . . . EXCEPT as I understand, we must be on a minimum of 3.0mg. Maybe someone can ask Skip the next time they talk to him, if that has changed over the last few years.

I use 4.5mg because I can without causing any problems. Most men and small women (under 100 lbs) only use 3.0mg.

If you are going through other issues right now, Kelly, knock it down and try again when you are stable.

Cherie

Cherie, I believe that it reads that no benefit can be seen at less than 1.75mg. It's always been that way, unless it has recently changed.

3mg was Dr Bahari's original optimal dose but he changed that to 4.5mg, about 5 years ago. But, I believe, for those very sensitive to meds, 1.75-2mg would be ok, if they find that 3 is too much.

Okay, girls. I'm officially confused.


Quick! Somebody call Skip!

"The introductory dose is just 3 mg for the first month of treatment. It has been reported that those receiving this drug in the treatment of MS experience a range of benefits, including reduced spasm and fatigue, and improvements in bladder control, heat-tolerance, mobility, sleep, pain, tremor and others. After this period (in the absence of any introductory side effects), and for greater therapeutic response, the dose can be increased to the current maximum recommended dose of 4.5 mg per day, to be taken between 9 at night and 3 in the morning.

For those unable to tolerate even the 3 mg dose, lower doses of 1 or 2 mg are available. Such doses are intended to introduce the therapy more slowly, allowing more time for the necessary endorphin response to develop."

http://www.ldnresearchtrust.org/default.asp?page_id=77

"What dosage and frequency should my physician prescribe?

The usual adult dosage is 4.5mg taken once daily at night. Because of the rhythms of the body's production of master hormones, LDN is best taken between 9pm and 3am. Most patients take it at bedtime.

Notable exceptions:

People who have multiple sclerosis that has led to muscle spasms are advised to use only 3mg daily and to maintain that dosage.

For intial dosage of LDN in those patients who have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis with hypothyroidism and who are taking thyroid hormone replacement medication, please read Cautionary Warnings, below.

Rarely, the naltrexone may need to be purchased as a solution — in distilled water — with 1mg per ml dispensed with a 5ml medicine dropper. If LDN is used in a liquid form, it is important to keep it refrigerated.

The therapeutic dosage range for LDN is from 1.75mg to 4.5mg every night. Dosages below this range are likely to have no effect at all, and dosages above this range are likely to block endorphins for too long a period of time and interfere with its effectiveness."

http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/#Wh..._and_frequency

.... so, I guess there isn't a straight answer out there.

Cherie

Thanks, Cherie, this is exactly what I was trying to get across..

So, 3mg is a good theraputic dose for many, with no need to jump up to 4.5mg and 2mg can also be theraputic for a few very sensitive patients.

No confusion, Twink.. It's what your body can tolerate. With LDN, more is not always better.

They haven't tested LDN for dosages, so I guess it's hard to know how low we can go.

What we do know is that 4.5mg is optimal, and 3.0mg is fine for those who can't tolerate more. They don't "think" going lower then 1.75mg is going to have ANY effect . . . so I would say that 1.75mg is still very much on the border line. No doubt it is better then nothing, but I don't think those people will experience the same protection (relapses and progression) as those of us who are at 3.0+mg.

... bearing in mind we are all supposed to be trying to get to 4.5mg, if possible . . .

Cherie

Sorry, Cherie, I don't agree with you on this..

Ok, but what part don't you agree with?

"What is the best dosage of LDN to begin treatment with?

For an adult who is not significantly below the normal weight range, the optimal dose of LDN is 4.5mg, taken each night at bedtime; i.e., between 9pm and 3am. One can begin at this dose level. If one were to develop persistent sleep disturbance (i.e., a sleep disturbance lasting longer than 10 to 14 days) after starting LDN, which occurs in less than 2% of users, then the dose may be decreased to 3mg or 2mg.

People who have multiple sclerosis that has led to muscle spasms are advised to begin treatment with just 3mg daily and to maintain that dosage"

http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/further_q_and_a.htm

All the links I've posted say most of us should be on 4.5mg.

All say that 3.0mg is sufficient if that's all a person can tolerate (due to side-effects).

One says 1.75mg to 4.5mg is therapeutic . . . but dosages below or above are not recommended.

Ultimately, we want to aim for 3.0mg - 4.5mg though . . .

Like I said though, they've not tested a lower dosage . . . so in fact maybe it would be sufficient. But, to quote Dr. Agrawal "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

http://www.acceleratedcure.org:8080/node/1581

Cherie

The biggest part, with which I don't agree is, that we should all be trying to get to 4.5mg LDN. Not true...some of us never will. You'd be surprised how many are on 2mg LDN and doing very well.

We should all stay or, after trying the higher dose, go back to the dose (higher than 1.75mg) that is right for us.

When I could, finally, tollerate 4.5mg, I noticed absolutely no difference in efficacy. I stayed there because I could tollerate it but some never will.

So, to tell someone that unless they go to 4.5mg it's not working as well for you, is just wrong.