What to avoid when taking low dose naltrexone?

Self-administration:

Many individuals have the tendency to overlearn, don’t think they know how to manage naltrexone, and never self-administrate. Don’t change the dosage; start or stop the dosage by yourself. Self-administration of naltrexone can create multiple adverse effects as you are not the better judge of your overall health. Whereas the health provider has spent time and the knowledge to assess your health conditions through physical check-ups and some test reports. If you have recovered from the condition, take naltrexone and know how to take the medicine; even then, don’t self-administrate for others.

Abrupt discontinuation:

When you are on naltrexone, after a while, you will start feeling good, and your dependency on alcohol or opioids will reduce drastically. At this time, you will feel free to stop and discontinue the medicine, but that would be an extremely wrong discussion. It could not just create side effects, but because you are not fully treated, your craving for alcohol or opioids might reverse back badly. The best advice for you would be to complete the course and visit the health provider for further guidance.

Irregular visits to health providers:

Visiting your health provider is a must; you just cannot miss it at any cost. Your health provider needs to meet you and observe with expertise how you and your body are responding to the condition and naltrexone. Based on the assessment, your health provider adjusts the dose and continues or stops the medicine. If you avoid the visit or are irregular in visiting a health provider that will bring side effects and your recovery will be delayed unnecessarily.

Losing confidence and hope:

Naltrexone treatment may take longer time for some patients as the condition might be severe for some people. This time will be difficult, but continuing to take the medicine and not losing confidence and hope are equally important. It is just that medicine will have different effects on different people, and this is a very natural process. Gradually, the result will be positive if you keep patients and continue taking naltrexone.

Other general things to know:

• If you have any other health conditions your health provider must know
• Pregnant women must inform their health provider regarding the condition
• Know which medicines and food interact with Naltrexone

Should I take low dose naltrexone in the Morning or at Night?

This question arises in many individuals minds, and they get confused. Moreover, they forget to ask the health provider, and the prescription says to take the medicine as they are comfortable, which increases the confusion. But there is a clear science behind taking naltrexone; yes, health providers are right that it can be taken at any time. But why take low dose naltrexone at night can be described as a step toward faster and more accurate recovery. When someone takes this medicine, which is also called LDN (low dose Naltrexone) at night between 2 am and 4 am, it promotes neurotransmitters called endorphins that manage the pain through the brain. Moreover, endorphins also help in mood swings, triggers of depression, and overall pain triggers.

Opioid or alcohol reduces the production of endorphins, but naltrexone blocks those receptors and increases the endorphins by up to 300%, according to some research. For some individuals, LDN might not work as they could experience insomnia, disturbing dreams, and other similar issues. Furthermore, some individuals may work the night shift, so LDN may not suit them. Ultimately, your health provider will be the best judge to decide when to take the medicine, but you, as a patient, need to explain your routine and health history in detail.

What is Naltrexone?

Naltrexone can be described as a medicine approved by the US FDA for both alcohol use disorder (AUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD). The medicine comes in capsule form and should be consumed with a prescription only through an authorized health provider who will assess the condition of the patient and then suggest dosage and duration. The following image shows the structure and formula of the Naltrexone.

Naltrexone was developed by Endo Laboratories in the early 60s, and later in the same decade, it was acquired by DuPont, which got US FDA approval in 1984. The medicine, since its approval, has been prescribed and shown great results among all adult age groups.

How does naltrexone work?

It works differently with different people, but generally, it blocks the reaction of opioids and alcohol, which gives a sedative effect and controls the brain’s normal working. As an alcohol and opioid antagonist, the medicine stops the craving for alcohol and opioids by increasing endorphins in the brain. The user of the medicine with the right naltrexone dosage will feel less craving gradually, and the dependency will be over, but only if used regularly and as suggested by the health provider.

Image courtesy – psychscenehub.com

Low-Dose Naltrexone Uses

Naltrexone is used in both alcohol use disorder (AUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) conditions as it is an antagonist for both.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD)

Alcohol is an addictive and easily available drink, and most of the patients who use this medicine have alcohol use disorders. Naltrexone for alcohol is one of the most prescribed medicines in the related disorder and to decrease the craving.

Opioid use disorder (OUD)

Opioids like heroin, charas, morphine, cocaine, and oxycodone are some of the names of opioids. They are the most addictive material on earth; once consumed, a person will crave it till death. Addressing medicine like LDN at the right time is the best way to come out of its addiction.

Chronic pain

Chronic pain is related to MU receptors, and the medicine blocks them to signal the brain regarding the pain, and this is how low-dose naltrexone for pain is used.

Sleep disorder

When a person is going through chronic pain, microglia get released, which causes sleep disorders. Naltrexone stops the production of microglia, and that way helps in sleep disorders and related anxiety, mood swings, and other disorders.

Autoimmune conditions

Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) has not been approved by the US FDA for use in autoimmune conditions, but many researchers have proven the fact that it can bind opioid receptors on immune cells, which signals the brain to produce more.

What happens if you drink on naltrexone?

The medicine will not omit the effect of alcohol or opioids on the human system, so if you drink while on this medication, you will feel dizzy, excessively sleepy, and lack alertness, and concentration. This effect may last for hours for some individuals as alcohol interacts with the medicine heavily.

Low-dose naltrexone benefits

Image courtesy – richardlipmanmd.com

There are multiple physical and psychological benefits of Naltrexone that one can experience during the course set by the health provider. Not only the patient but the close ones and relatives will also feel the patient’s journey from an addict to a self-controlled person. To understand the benefits of LDN, the below image will be a helpful tool that clearly shows the effect of alcohol and then naltrexone in the brain.   

The patient will experience the following benefits:

• The craving for alcohol or opioids will decrease and gradually vanish.
• The person will think less about consuming alcohol and opioids.
• Consumers of the medicine will focus more on other things and start working on self-improvement.
• The family of the patient will relax to see their loved one getting back on life’s track.
• The patient and the family will have a life-changing experience.

Low-dose naltrexone side effects

There are some chances of side effects while using LDN, as follows. The side effects could be gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, and sleep disorders-related issues like anxiety and depression, especially for those who work in shifts. To avoid them, you should explain your complete health history to the health provider along with all the previous and current test reports. The second most important thing would be to follow the prescription, like it is in your Bible, along with following a diet and maintaining self-control.  

Conclusion

What to avoid when taking low dose naltrexone or LDN is one of the most important questions you have to know the answer to get the desired results. There are plenty of things you should avoid, like self-administration of the medicine and not following the prescription, abrupt discontinuation, irregular visits to the health provider, and losing hope and focus on recovery. With these points, we also learned how the medicine works, its benefits, side effects, and many other things. Hopefully, the information shared here will help you.