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After finishing my first 3-month supply of LDN I phoned in my refill to my compounding pharmacy today. The pharmacist asked me how I felt and I told him that since I started taking LDN I have had no MS symptoms and my energy levels have returned to normal. I also added that I understand that this could be totally normal in RRMS and LDN may or may not be attributable to my symptom improvement. The pharmacist said that "It's really amazing how this drug seems to work on the immune system.....we're not sure how, but it does work". He then added that he couldn't understand why it is not prescribed more frequently for autoimmune conditions.

I'm not pushing LDN on anyone or touting it as a miracle cure, but I did want to share those comments from the pharmacist. Many pharmacists know these drugs better than the doctors so I was very interested (and pleased) with his comments. I wish more studies would be conducted on LDN and MS, as this inexpensive, safe drug could make a difference to many of us.

Brownsfan

It’s terrific you’re doing well on LDN, whether or not it is due to the LDN as you so carefully noted. I think there are ongoing efforts to initiate a LDN study. Here’s an abstract that you might want to share with your pharmacist: LDN Therapy in MS . It presents a hypothesis about how LDN may work in MS.

the excitatory neurotoxicity of glutamate on neuronal cells and oligodendrocytes via activation of the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionic acid class of glutamate receptor is prevented. It is crucial that the medical community respond to patient needs and investigate this drug in a clinical trial.

And, trying to connect some dots, here’s a quote from the news Dunmann posted yesterday.

The researchers showed myelin contains specialized receptors for glutamate, a neurotransmitter that transmits signals to brain cells. They also found chemicals that block the receptor can reduce myelin damage. "Such a mechanism may represent a potentially important therapeutic target in disorders in which myelin damage is a prominent feature,"

My interpretation is that there’s a definite connection between yesterday’s news and the hypothesis about how LDN may theoretically work. The research suggests blocking glutamate receptors may reduce myelin damage. The LDN hypothesis is based in part on preventing glutamate neurotoxicity on neurons and oligodendrocytes. I think oligodendrocytes are the myelin forming glial cells in the CNS. I’m not a scientist at all though so maybe one of the members more knowledgeable about LDN will comment. There is a need for LDN clinical trials and maybe yesterday’s finding will kick the impetus for those up a notch.

A safe, effective and relatively cheap drug that can make a difference to people with MS is definitely in order. I hope you continue to do well on it.

Sharon

During the course of the last almost 4 years of my interest in and use of LDN, I have often wondered this same thing. Surely if people knew there was something that could help ease the suffering of people with MS they would be compelled to make every effort to guide it along but that is simply not the case. Big pharma is just too big...there are too many people that are making big money off of MS patients. Whether it is the neurologists, the technitions that read MRI, people that raise money via MS walks...etc....Therefore, it is my opinion that unless we (all of us MS patients) raise up and make it happen via supporting our own clinical studies and raising our voices...it's just not gonna happen. That is why I totally support the fund raising going on over at the accelerated Cure Project site who has organized that fund for the ldninfo.org gang. My eyes have been opened to just what is making the world go round and it is unhealthy people with chronic problems, plain and simple.