Has anyone tried LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone)?

I have not been able to do much of anything due to side effects for two months, and only a few days that I've felt competent enough to drive, but everyone is an individual and may have different responses. I'm sure additional therapies I use are influencing and likely exaggerating my response to the Naltrexone. It's taken three prescribed stages for me to arrive at the correct dose and it's taken me about 10-14 days to get used to the side effects at each stage. Remember, everyone is an individual and my experience may not match that of others. Also, it depends on the dose you're prescribed. If you are troubled by side effects, check with your pharmacist about how to offset them. That's been enormously helpful to me.

The original question indicates hope of not having to deal with pain centers. Personally, I wouldn't care to have anyone but a pain specialist administer this therapy. I'm very fortunate to have found the best clinic I have ever worked with. If you're not satisfied with your current care, talk to your insurance company. I found my present provider from my insurance company. Use them as an information resource and allies. Get your money's worth! Talk to experienced pharmacists. They are often great resources about doctors as well as meds. Shop around. Advocate for yourself. Become an expert on your condition. Find organizations that help patients with your condition and find out how they can help and support you. Research things out for yourself. There's so much available on line that there's really no excuse not to do it. Get doctors/providers who will explain things to you and answer your questions. If they don't/won't, junk them if possible. If you don't already, make a list of questions and topics to discuss and take notes, then save them in a file to refer to later. Doctors tend to take patients who prepare more seriously. Take a trusted friend or family member along to appointments to help clarify and ask/remember things. Empower yourself as much as possible. Be open to reasonable alternative therapies as well as what doctors suggest... after appropriate research and inquiry for any suggested treatment of course!! Doctors are highly trained but are still human beings who may not think outside the box of "usual" treatments unless they're prompted by your questions. Ask what other things are available to treat your condition. Pay attention to your nutrition and avoid unintended self-sabotage by poor eating habits. For instance, I've found that sugar aggravates my pain levels terrifically. I may enjoy ice cream for 15 minutes, but it's not worth the price of even more agonizing pain I experience over the next 36-48 hours. One upside of avoiding sugar is that I enjoy the natural sweetness of fruits and vegetables without having to add artificial sweeteners or sugar.

Again, we are each responsible for our own health. Doctors and others help, but ultimately the responsibility belongs to each of us. In nearly 40 years of seeking help for pain, etc., no MD has EVER asked me what I eat. It astonishes me that it's not considered important enough to talk about or to teach MDs who do not choose to be specifically trained in food and nutrition!

As for the Naltrexone, I've only been at my therapeutic dose for about 2-1/2 weeks, but I'm encouraged. I have yet to try much activity so I'm curious to see how the Naltrexone stands up to activities of daily life and how much functional improvement I'll receive. This is a preliminary evaluation but I hope it's helpful to you and others. Good luck!