I believe this is the link to an interview with Dr Skip Lenz (Pharmacist), where he explains the immune modulatory effects of LDN:

Scroll down to:

Health Talk, August 22, 2007
On this exciting episode of Health Talk, Dr. Hoffman is joined by Dr. Skip Lenz. They discuss Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN), how it works and who should be taking it.

http://wor710.com/pages/48794.php

(I haven't time to listen to it right now, but if someone who does will let me know if this is the right link . . . thanks!)

Cherie

I have really never seen anything about LDN and alchohol. Is that a potential contradiction?

If you take LDN, can you have a drink now and then? Does it mess with the effectiveness of the LDN?

In the higher doses of Naltrexone it's used to help you with your addictions of alcohol and opiads, but at the LDN doseage levels, it doesn't work that way. Of course you cannot drink to excess but a drink a day for a non-acoholic, is not going to hurt.

Serious question...how would you define excess? I would say that a few times a year I make up for that drink I don't have every day!

I really have been curious about this.

I've done that on a rare occasion (since MS) and have had no ill effects, but a hangover. Drinking a lot with any Med is trouble with a capital T, so always keep that in mind and try not to have any binges OK?

Naltrexone, at a dosage of 50 - 100 mg per day (we take ONLY 3.0 - 4.5 mg) is used to treat alcohol addiction.

At the much higher dosage:

"2. Why does naltrexone help for alcoholism?

First, naltrexone can reduce craving, which is the urge or desire to drink. Second, naltrexone helps patients remain abstinent. Third, naltrexone can interfere with the tendency to want to drink more if a recovering patient slips and has a drink."

11. Will I get sick If I drink while on naltrexone?

No. Naltrexone may reduce the feeling of intoxication and the desire to drink more, but it will not cause a severe physical response to drinking."

http://www.well.com/user/woa/revia/reviafaq.htm

In the following recent trial of Naltrexone (100mg) for alcoholism, obviously the participants were not required to quit drinking completely:

http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/con...tract/65/2/135

Alcohol can have a fair bit of yeast, which seems to be a problem for us with MS. That is one consideration. If you have liver problems too . . . but that is obvious no matter what drug a person takes.

I drink with the LDN. I lost the desire to get "drunk" in 2003, with a bad attack, but I have drank as many as 5 drinks in an evening. Otherwise, I drink one or two, every couple of days.

Cherie

Well, I'm not any meds right now except Synthroid but I must say that since my dx I don't think I've "made up for not having a drink every day" even once, LOL. But Sally, you know when I do I'll be having more than one martini!!

It's interesting though -- my hand trouble in the morning really comes and goes and there have been a few occasions where I've noticed it's not there if I've had a drink or 2 the night before. I've actually wondered about that.

As far as the few times a year I'm inclined to yell , this is good to know if I ever take the LDN plunge. A hangover I can deal with.

Yes, it is the correct link. Just search for the date 8/22/2007

Great link, Cherie, I've heard it before. There is also an interview out there with Dr. Bahari. Both interesting.

Everyone keep in mind, though, that Skip Lenz is not a Doc and even though it's true, he knows a lot about LDN, it's effects and mechanisms, and probably the best at compounding it, it is Dr. Gluck of the LDN.org who is the expert, as a Protege of the founder of LDN for MS, Dr Bahari.

Good luck with your Neuros and PCPs to write your Scripts.