← Return to Low Dose Naltrexone and Prednisone for PMR?

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@pkalkstein

A while back I posted that I would be trying low-dose naltrexone and would report the results. Here is an update after one month of LDN. I began taking 1.1mg of LDN in addition to my regular dose of prednisone. I had just tapered slowly to 12 1/2mg, taking 5mg at 2 AM. After a week I noticed no effect of the LDN and began taking 2.2mg of it. After another week, still no perceived effect, so went to 4.5mg, which was one tablet of LDN. After trying various time and dose combinations, I decided to try to taper the prednisone to 10mg. I took the prednisone, one 10mg tablet, at noon, and 4.5mg LDN at 11:30PM. For the first two days I woke with a feeling of mild euphoria, but still could feel the PMR in my left bicep and shoulder. On the next day there was no pain or stiffness, and for the last two days I have felt like there was no PMR at all. I plan to keep to this regimen for a week and then try to continue the prednisone taper, slowly. It is early days and who knows if this success will hold. My hope is that the LDN will help me taper more easily than I could without it. My second hope is that I can eventually stay on a maintenance dose of LDN instead of prednisone. Whereas prednisone does the job on PMR, it suppresses the immune system and comes with negative side effects. LDN, on the other hand, works by bolstering the immune system and should have some power to bypass or mitigate disease. I have done a great deal of reading about LDN and recommend the several books and many pages of web material. So far, LDN looks promising, but we have a mystery disease and the future is unclear.

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Replies to "A while back I posted that I would be trying low-dose naltrexone and would report the..."

So glad to hear this. 👏Today is my 52nd day with PMR and 20 MG prednisone. 3 weeks ago I started taking LDN @ 2.25 Taking both at the same time just after bf on a full stomach. Now about to finish 1 week of LDN@ 4.5 This dose has helped the ringing in my ears and the headaches and the loopy feeling all become less. Still on 20 gm prednisone. This disease is such a mystery! Pain levels upon waking are all much better approx 0-2 It was my excellent naturalpathic Dr. Who put me on Naltrexone. I still have quite a few side effects from the prednisone. I am going today to ask my Dr if we could pls start tapering down soon. I feel like it's kind of by guess and by golly. Back in the beginning of February My inflammation levels were: Sed rate 77 CRP 4.55 I'm not sure if I have GCA but since I started on the Low dose Naltrexone I have less headaches. In 3 weeks We will be going to Antelope Canyon and I would so like to be able to climb up and down the ladder steps.🙏🏻

My husband has been on prednisone for 2 1/2 yrs, each time he tapers down to 1 mg then the pain returns. We asked about trying LDN but his rheumatologist was not in favor. Can you provide the name of the books you mentioned in your post, and possibly some good links to bolster the argument for trying this? TIA