I wish someone else would jump in here and tell you more about LDN, but here goes I'll try.
It is a prescription drug - Low Dose Naltrexone, it has been around since the 80's and was used to get addicts off of Heroin at 50 mg/day. There have been some limited trials showing that it works for some people for auto immune diseases, but it is difficult to get because it is not FDA approved for Crohn's (or any other autoimmune disease), also because it is only prescribed at 4.5 mg / day the drug companies will not fund trials for it, it's 20 year patent has run out - so the drug companies do not make much money on it- again no funding for trials.
When I went to my son's GI with info on it in August I was told he didn't recommend it but would look into it, never heard from him again. I ended up getting it from our Naturopath but because the way the health system works here in Canada I had to pay for it out of pocket (about $57/month). If I get it through the GI my hubby's health care picks up the bill.
Back to the GI yesterday, Mitch's blood work is SO much improved, the interesting one is the imflammatory markers. In March they were 82, in August they were 46, yesterday they were 12 - normal range is <12. Also his white blood count has come down into normal range. The only thing slightly high is his Total Protein, but even that has come down significantly.
Also his abscess has changed from a very swollen 5 cm to a flat 1 cm. Still draining, but again so much better.
So the GI gave us a prescription for 7 months and we are to check back with him at that time.
From all my reading and research it takes about 4 weeks to kick in and can cause some very vivid dreams, Mitch had a few of these, also if you have an overgrowth of yeast it does not work as well (if at all), so address this first.
We used a product called Candacin, by Seroyal (purchased from the Naturopath) and it has helped immensely - I also have yeast problems from time to time and have been on all sorts of rx for it, this has worked the amazingly well for me. We put Mitch on it before starting the LDN just to make sure the LDN had the best chance possible.
I have also read if you have a gluten allergy (not just an intolerance) LDN will not work for you, I don't know how true this is, just what I have read.
So, that's our experience with it, *fingers crossed* that it will help get rid of this abscess and fistula as this is the last of Mitch's problems (right now).
Mitch is also on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, very committed to it, as I've said before I think it helps when someone else does the cooking for you and you just eat what's put in front of you, the only thing we cheat on is chocolate chips - I make them from pure unsweetened chocolate add honey and coconut oil then spread it out in a pan and freeze it, break it up and use it in muffins. My kid cannot live without his chocolate - but sugar really messes him up. Hopefully he will get to a point where he can cheat occasionally, but not right now.
Sorry for the ramble.
Donna
