Naltrxone vs Azathioprine

Posted by kak1601 @kak1601, Jul 30, 2023

I recently have been diagnosed with IGA Vasculitis and IGA Nephropathy. I’ve been given 25mg Losartin for the Nephropathy and 50 mg of Azathioprine for the vasculitis. Anyone else on a regimen like that? I’ve read the side effects of the Azathioprine and it’s pretty scary. I wonder if anyone is taking Naltrexone. My Dr. Said that’s only for pain associated with auto immune disease. I’ve read online otherwise. I don’t believe all that I read online so thought I’d check with this community. Thank you in advance!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Autoimmune Diseases Support Group.

@bayhorse

Hi, Kitty2. I was on Remicade for my UC, and it had been working well for me. Which is to say, I was pretty solidly in remission. Then for no apparent reason, I had a flare that just wouldn't quit. I had a friend with MS and found that LDN helped restore some of her hand function; she was the one who told me that it supposedly helped UC. My gastroenterologist was skeptical, but he checked the one article he could find in a bona fide medical journal, and decided it would be worth a try. The dosage for UC was 4.5 mg. I took the LDN for about 2 weeks and my flare resolved. I suppose it is possible that it might have resolved on its own, but symptoms lessened very quickly on the LDN. This all happened about 8 years ago, so there might be more current research re: dosage for UC.

Wishing you all the best...

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P.S. to Kitty2. That's 4.5 mg per day. You need a compounding pharmacy to make the capsules for you.

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@bayhorse

Hi, Kitty2. I was on Remicade for my UC, and it had been working well for me. Which is to say, I was pretty solidly in remission. Then for no apparent reason, I had a flare that just wouldn't quit. I had a friend with MS and found that LDN helped restore some of her hand function; she was the one who told me that it supposedly helped UC. My gastroenterologist was skeptical, but he checked the one article he could find in a bona fide medical journal, and decided it would be worth a try. The dosage for UC was 4.5 mg. I took the LDN for about 2 weeks and my flare resolved. I suppose it is possible that it might have resolved on its own, but symptoms lessened very quickly on the LDN. This all happened about 8 years ago, so there might be more current research re: dosage for UC.

Wishing you all the best...

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Hi..thanks for your reply. It was really appreciated. I have been in a flare since having covid december 2021. Nothing has worked. The drugs all caused major side effects and kept me very ill. The last one was Budesonide ...horrible side effects and then I finally found a doctor and he gave me a tapering dose so I could get off of it. They want me on Entyvio ..which scares me due to the risk of a brain infection and major loss of hair. Wondering about the LDN and side effects, I am a long hauler and dont want anything that will affect my UC. Thanks so much for your help. Kitty2

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@kitty2

Hi..thanks for your reply. It was really appreciated. I have been in a flare since having covid december 2021. Nothing has worked. The drugs all caused major side effects and kept me very ill. The last one was Budesonide ...horrible side effects and then I finally found a doctor and he gave me a tapering dose so I could get off of it. They want me on Entyvio ..which scares me due to the risk of a brain infection and major loss of hair. Wondering about the LDN and side effects, I am a long hauler and dont want anything that will affect my UC. Thanks so much for your help. Kitty2

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I’m not familiar with those side effects of Entyvio, but then again I’m not very familiar with Entyvio. I wonder how common they are. Maybe there are others on the forum who take it and could share their experience while you’re considering options.

I’m sorry this happened to you. For what it’s worth, I have long COVID and/or COVID exacerbated my existing conditions too =/

LDN could be worth a trial because there’s almost nothing to lose—it’s very unlikely it would make the situation worse, except delaying a medication like Entyvio if you really need it means your IBD could get worse… But there are very few side effects, the ones there are, are pretty mild, and it’s such a tiny dose and has a short half life that you can easily stop immediately and adjust after it’s out of your system in a few hours.

LDN is also being used for long COVID, so that’s another thing to consider—it might help if long COVID triggered the flare? There’s also a supplement called NAC my doctor told me about that’s being used for long COVID. It’s over the counter, taken 600 mg. There’s preliminary research out of Yale on it. They studied the benefits on brain fog, but NAC is an antioxidant so it’s possible it could be improving other things too and would be easy to get.

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I take LDN for inflammation due to
Hashimoto’s. No pain associated at all. I’ll be retested in about 3 months to see if the antibodies attacking my thyroid are reduced.

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I take LDN. My integrative medicine doctor prescribes it. I have rheumatoid arthritis, neuropathy and ankylosing spondylitis. I have been taking it for a year and don’t see any benefit from it. I may go off of it.

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@emo

I’m not familiar with those side effects of Entyvio, but then again I’m not very familiar with Entyvio. I wonder how common they are. Maybe there are others on the forum who take it and could share their experience while you’re considering options.

I’m sorry this happened to you. For what it’s worth, I have long COVID and/or COVID exacerbated my existing conditions too =/

LDN could be worth a trial because there’s almost nothing to lose—it’s very unlikely it would make the situation worse, except delaying a medication like Entyvio if you really need it means your IBD could get worse… But there are very few side effects, the ones there are, are pretty mild, and it’s such a tiny dose and has a short half life that you can easily stop immediately and adjust after it’s out of your system in a few hours.

LDN is also being used for long COVID, so that’s another thing to consider—it might help if long COVID triggered the flare? There’s also a supplement called NAC my doctor told me about that’s being used for long COVID. It’s over the counter, taken 600 mg. There’s preliminary research out of Yale on it. They studied the benefits on brain fog, but NAC is an antioxidant so it’s possible it could be improving other things too and would be easy to get.

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Thank you so much for getting back to me..where do you get the NAC 600 mg? Is there another name for it? They know the Covid probably caused the Ulcerative Colitis, I had been in remission for over 20 years and when I got covid it triggered my immune system to go go crazy and still is. Are you in the Mayo long haul program? I would prefer to use natural supplements and something that will not overload my gut. Thanks for your kindness. Kitty 2

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Hi, guys! I have long Covid and it has really messed up so much of my body. Right now I just tested positive for Covid again and I’m on Plaxlovid, actually this medicine is amazing and it’s the first time in a very long time that I have my sense of hunger back. It’s also helping me breathe better. And it took away my brain fog. I really am nervous about what will happen after this medicine is over. My oxygen levels are dropping low to the upper ‘80’s at times, yikes! I just now am putting everything together. I think I had Covid back in Jan of 2020…but I was never tested or treated (it was too early.). Things just got worse and worse from there on. It was harder and harder to work out…due to my lungs…my stomach and colon are all messed up…no hunger, sometimes gastritis, gerd, stomach cramps, nausea, throwing up…constipation. It’s been awful. I also have had terrible skin infections due to staphylococcus aureus…I’ve had to use hibiclens and antibiotics twice and get boils lanced…it’s also caused me great anxiety and depression, as well as brain fog, dizzy and severe vertigo. I also just had a ekg, and now I have a short PR on my heart ❤️ rhythm, which they are now calling abnormal. Ugh…this has been the hardest time of my life. I also couldn’t get the vaccine due to severe allergies. I’m hoping and praying this medicine stays in me and that I only get better and better. God bless us all!! 🙏🙏❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

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This is to Kitty2 and anyone with gut inflamation. Give LDN a chance. I am living proof. Went into remission with my Crohn's after 35 years (first diagnosed with UC) and I too was give Entacort along with pred. Tried LDN for a pain that wouldn't relent and Lo and Behold, my small intestine was healed! Had small blister-like ulcers for I don't know how long. Took 2 to 3 months, but it did heal. Now I can eat roughfage again. I can't go crazy with it (and I still stay away from pop corn- which I really miss) but at least I can eat it some. So, as I say, look at the research. It speaks for itself.

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