Two physicians, one from Stanford and one from Chapel Hill, NC (Dr Richard Semelka) suggested, and then prescribed LDN for me for a scenario that also altered my immune system.
Like the covid vaccine, and covid itself does, I retained gadolinium, a heavy metal, contained in contrast dyes, in my system following a mri w/contrast.
It caused me a great many problems; that was in 2017; doctors denied that I would have retained the dye in my system if I had only one dose of the dye for the procedure, and then a million other reasons why I would not have retained the contrast dye in my system, DEPSITE the fact that when I walked out from the procedure, I couldn't function, my brain wasn't functioning, I was off balance and depth perception, etc, was off, and the issues continued to grow. My doctor told me they didn't teach them about these things in medical school, the neurologist said I looked fine; nothing wrong with me, and the radiologist told me that it was good contrast dye, wouldn't cause those issues, that I would have to have had a lot of procedures with the dye for it to stay in my system, but I had not.
Finally, after my own research as I wasn't getting any help, I found Dr Richard Semelka in Chapel Hill and consulted with him. I eventually started travelling to NC to get chelation therapies to pull the nuclear contrast dye out of my system. Got a bunch out, but over time acquired multiple more issues, issues in bones and muscles, shortness of breath, metabolic syndrome; although I walked all the times; several miles a day, wasn't losing any weight, and was very, very tired.
We have removed a lot of the contrast dye, and I never got the vaccine since they told me that my system was already compromised from the contrast dye, but I did get covid one time.
I am now realizing that some of my symptoms that I had acquired more recently were most probably from covid, but this scenario has gone on from 2017 when I retained the contrast dye to now; I got covid in 2023.
I was in a study at Stanford and continued seeing Dr. Semelka; both recommended LDN, starting at 1.5mg and tritrating up to 4.5mg. I am at 3.0 mg now and I am greatly improved. The first thing I noticed was that I felt amazing when I woke up, and within a week several other things happened, a shortness of breath that I had had, went away, aches and pains went away, my sinus cleared up (except for pollen season, which is normal), and I started losing a couple of pounds which told me that my metabolism was functioning well again.
I did a lot of research before I started taking the LDN, but found really great information that was encouraging, and most recently echoed by functional medicine doctors and many others.
LDN Research Trust has tons of information, along with three guides, one for; one for patients, one for physicians, and one for mental health; they have been incredibly helpful.
@lesligirl02 This PDF is very helpful. There are many different groups within this Mayo Post Long Covid Recovery main group that can benefit from this document about LDN. Perhaps you can take that piece of your post and add it to the various posts so more sufferers who haven't read this particular "LC and Compromised Stress Hormones' posting can study LDN as a treatment option. Thanks.