International LDN Awareness Week eBook - User Control Panel

The next visit he confirmed the diagnosis of MS and he wanted to start me on steroidsright away to settle things down. He had his MS nurse discuss the so-called CRABdrugs with me and I went home with the literature to make my decision.On my next visit, the neurologist asked me if I had decided which of the CRAB drugs totake. CRAB is an acronym for MS drugs… Copaxone, Rebif, Avonex and Betaseron. Itold him I still had not decided what I wanted to do and that I did not want to rush in to adecision, since I did not get this MS overnight.I spent an untold number of hours on the computer trying to learn all I could aboutmultiple sclerosis. That was when I came across the lowdosenalxtrexone.org web site.After reading their wealth of information, I now had the answer to what I wanted to do.Now I had to find a doctor to prescribe it for me, and a pharmacy to compound it.I first asked my neurologist if he would write me a prescription for LDN, but he refused.He told me LDN was not an FDA approved drug for MS. Well, it is an FDA approveddrug, but it’s approved at much higher doses, primarily in the management of alcoholand opioid dependence. Just like Sinemet is FDA approved for Parkinson’s Disease,but was then found to help RLS patients like myself.My next appointment with my Primary Care doctor was coming up, so I took her someliterature and explained to her why I wanted to try the LDN. She glanced over it briefly(with much interest) and said she didn't think she'd have a problem with it, but she'd getback to me after checking it out. My next appointment with her came up about a monthlater. She told me she did not have a problem with writing me a prescription for LDN(which she did), as she saw nothing in it that could hurt me. I was more than happy tosign a waiver for her.Next I had to find a compounding pharmacy. Lucky for me I ran in to my former boss atthe grocery store, and in our conversation she mentioned she had to have somethingcompounded and told me where to go. The pharmacy was only a few miles from myhome! I think they mentioned that I was their first customer to request LDN. I began myLDN at 3.5 mg in Nov. 2008, then increased it to 4.5 mg 2-3 month's later. The costwas $40.00 for a month's supply. My cost was only my co-pay of $15.00 for a once anight capsule, AND NO INJECTIONS!!!Now it was time for my next appointment with my neurologist, and I had to tell him I’dstarted taking LDN. He was silent for a few moments and I thought he was going to tellme to find another doc, but instead, he asked me if I wanted my PCP doctor to treat me(his MS nurse was also surprised he didn't tell me to find another doctor!). I said to himthat I would love for both he and my PCP doctor to work with me as a team... to let mebe his guinea pig. It would help both of us. He agreed.Almost immediately I began seeing many of my symptoms either improve or disappearcompletely. The feeling of ‘cement’ and that tight, heavy feeling in my stomach andthighs, and the spasticity in my legs was nearly gone in one leg, and all gone in theother. My energy level increased tremendously, and the pain and numbness in my leftjaw and neck disappeared.I am still taking LDN. The constant tremors in my left shoulder and arm now only occuronce in a while and very mildly, to say the least. My bladder control has improvedconsiderably. What used to be hourly trips to the bathroom became only 2-3 times thewhole night.Produced by LDN Research Trust for International LDN Awareness Week 19-25 October 2009© LDN Research Trust 200936