Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)?

[luckypenny]

I don't generally post on the immune issues board, however I thought someone over here might have heard of Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN). My husband and I are using Creighton Model and NaProtechnology. I had a follow up with my doc. yesterday after doing a diagnostic cycle. Basically all of my blood test results were in the normal range, and I ovulated (I did cycle monitoring), so we are unexplained. The doc. gave me a prescription for progesterone (I have physical sypmtoms of low progesterone, even though my blood tests were actually pretty good). She also suggested that I could try Low Dose Naltrexone. She said they have success with this drug when the diagnosis is unexplained, but that the women tends to be stressed (I fit this description -I just generally don't deal well with stress and tend to percieve stress in situations that others might not. Infertility certainly isn't helping). She also said that in cases when there are immune factor issues they will sometimes prescribe this drug and the patient will continue to take it for the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.

Has anyone heard of this drug for fertility? Has anyone used it to get pregnant? Has anyone continued use during pregnancy?

[BC-Tabithalyn]

lucky... never heard of hte drug off to do some explorign on it... hoping that it is helpful for your situation...

please let us know..
Ally

[BC-Tabithalyn]

I found out that this drug is generally used to combat opiate addiction?? I know that some docs do give out like Paxil (kinda the newer and better form of Prozac) as there have been indications that low level seratonin can affect fertility.

I'm not sure about this low dose therapy but hey, if the doc thinks it has been successful and you have researched any side effects to your satisfaction, then I guess trying would not be out of order?...
best of luck again...
Ally

[Linzec]

Hi, I am new here and also wanting to know about being on LDN while pregnant. I am currently on LDN for Multiple sclerosis and am trying to get pregnant. I did not even realize that there are benefits to being on LDN while trying to conceive. I also want to know if it is safe to stay on it during pregnancy. any info would be great.

Lindsay

[luckypenny]

Hi Linzec, welcome to FT! I actually discontinued the use of LDN after two cycles. I hadn't noticed any improvement in any of my symptoms, in fact the LDN had a negative impact on my cervical mucous. I discussed it with my doctor and she said if it was going to have a positive impact it would have already, and that I could stop taking it.

In terms of whether it is safe during pregnancy - this was definitely something I worried about, and couldn't find much information about. LDN for infertility is an off-label use and as such no formal studies have been conducted. However, here is a link to the information my doctor gave me about the use of LDN for infertilty: http://www.fertilitycare.net/documents/LDNInfo_000.pdf.
It says Naltrexone has been shown to dramatically improve severe premenstrual symptoms and increase fertility rates as well as reduce the likelihood of miscarriage, when used as part of a comprehensive NaProTECHNOLOGY 2 fertility programme as in Dr. Hilgers practice. Naltrexone has also been given safely during pregnancy at a dose of 50mg daily without causing any adverse effect to either mother or
baby. (The pamphlet also talks about Dr. Bernard Bahari,using Naltrexone to treat patients with AUTOIMMUNE diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohns Disease, etc., which you are probably familiar with).

Hope this helps a bit.