A quick question: can you take ambien or a similar sleep med while taking LDN?

Barb, I asked the doctor about Trazodone and he said that one of the OTC brands are better to take (Tylenol PM, Sleepeez, etc.) while on LDN. I didn't ask about Ambien.....maybe Sally knows?

From everything I've read about Naltrexone (usually stated for the higher dosage of 50+mg), the main concern with taking other drugs with Naltrexone is that it may block the effects of the other drug. There is nothing particularly dangerous about that, in and of itself, except that this may result in people taking more and more to get the effect they are looking for out of the added drug . . . AND THAT IS DANGEROUS!

To the best of my knowledge there are no known "contradictions" with LDN (at the dose we take it), but anyone treating us (for pain, etc.) needs to know WHY these other drugs might not work for well for us when we are on Naltrexone. What the concern is, is that someone looking to get the relief out of narcotics (codeine, booze, etc.), may be tempted/lured into take more because the Naltrexone is blocking the effects.

This reminds me of a German Shephard I had in my 20's. She was a high-strung dog, and when we took her in to get her fixed, she did not take to the anesthesia. They kept giving her more and more (thinking she was just exceptionally tolerant), and they eventually OD'd (killed) her. In her case she was just exceptionally tolerant . . . but in our case, the "tolerance" is based on Naltrexone having the potential to block the effects of the other drugs.

Perhaps sleeping pills are one of the things that Skip knows LDN has the potential to block the effects of . . . and he doesn't want people taking more and more to get the desired effect, ie. OD'ing on sleeping pills, putting undue stress on the heart, liver, kidneys, etc . . .

So . . . LDN, in and of itself, does not have any known "contradictions" so long as the other drugs taken are not abused.

If anyone gets a chance, could you please discuss this with Skip (confirm my understanding, and report back).

Cherie

When I talked to skips a few weeks back they had said, that you had to watch the pain meds such as those with an opium base, those they told me not to take because of what you mentioned Cherie, it blocks it and you would take more than you should because the effect of the opiate is lessened

Thanks, Frank. I think this is the ONLY worry with LDN and the use of most any other drug, especially those that could damage or kill us if took too much to get the desired effect.

Cherie

So I took my first 3mg LDN last night. Am I an anecdote yet?

Cherie

Cherie....I was referring to Trazodone - not Naltrexone in my comments. I've never taken Naltrexone and I'm pretty sure it's not a sleep aid but I could be mistaken.

I'm so confused.

I was trying to respond to Barb's question and your response . . . but maybe I misunderstood.

(Trazodone is sometimes used as a sleep aid) . . . but either way, and I thought you were telling Barb (in response to whether it is ok to use a sleeping med with LDN), that Skip told you an OTC sleep aid was better to use when on LDN. . .

My response is for the use of ANY drug with Naltrexone.

Where'd I go wrong, or did I?

Cherie

Kelly, just an FYI.. Naltrexone is LDN (low dose naltrexone.