Mental Health starting low dose naltrexone for depression

[Mysterie]

i'll be starting a trial of low dose naltrexone (ldn) tonight, taking 1mg an hour before i fall asleep.

i did some research on it and how some people report that it helps them with treatment resistant depression, and the possible side effects seem manageable and nothing that scares me.

it is supposed to build up efficacy over months of taking it, although people often report feeling chipper the day after starting it.

there is some comprehensive information on it here: Low-Dose Naltrexone for Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders

i'm curious if anyone has heard of this use of naltrexone, thoughts? i'll update the thread with my experiences as time passes. will probably increase dosage by 1mg every week or two until 4mg or until i feel i have reached the correct dosage which should be at 4.5mg or below.

i'm getting 1mg caps compounded at a pharmacy, although you can get 1mg dose from a 50mg tablet through this method:

Once you have a supply of 50 mg Naltrexone tablets, you can convert them as needed to LDN. To do so, fill a graduated cylinder with 50 ml of distilled water (unlike tap or spring water, distilled water contains no impurities that could potentially react with and thus reduce Naltrexone's effectiveness). Pour the water from the graduate into a 4 oz amber glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Then add a 50 mg Naltrexone tablet. The tablet will mostly dissolve in about five to ten minutes. Since not all of the tablet is soluble in water, instead of yielding a clear solution, the result will be a cloudy suspension. It must be shaken each time before use to evenly disperse all the undissolved particles. One ml of the (shaken) suspension will contain one mg of Naltrexone. Use a graduated baby medicine dropper to measure out the dose you need.

Once a drug passes from a solid to a liquid state, its shelf life can decrease dramatically. Therefore, do not make more than 50 ml of liquid Naltrexone at a time, store it in the refrigerator, and do not keep it for more than a month. The fresher the preparation, the better. Be sure to shake the liquid LDN well before using, and keep it from direct exposure to sunlight.

The medicine dropper should be available in the infant/baby section of your local pharmacy. If you ask politely and are lucky, the pharmacist may (as a gesture of good will) give you an empty 4 oz amber glass jar. Distilled water is sold by most pharmacies, as well as by supermarkets, hardware stores, and convenience stores.
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One precaution to the above. After initially dissolving the tablet in the specified amount of distilled water and shake it thoroughly to insure the Naltrexone is fully dissolved and disperesed in the solution, do NOT shake it anymore (as in prior to using it). The sediment - particles in the solution when you shake it - are binder substance compounds and several manufacturers use a dietary form of iron powder as one of their binding agent components and that can adversely affect Lupus patients and others with similarly related disorders.

it should be noted that i think it would put you in WD if you took it with opiates in your system (i think).

 

[checktest]

I did two courses of low-dose naltrexone, perhaps 4 and 5 months per each time, a few years ago. It seemed to help some with anhedonia (notably consummatory), but overall the effect was small. Guilt as well, although I can't say if that wasn't just a weird cycling thing. Maybe, maybe 5% difference, which was a fair amount considering I had fairly treatment-resistant depression that tended to be more melancholic in character. No side effects for me whatsoever. Honestly, my doctor just had me split up the pills because it was far cheaper, so it wasn't very exact.

I never was an opiate user. Also, had been consistently exercising and doing the usual good things for a fair bit of time, so there weren't any different behaviors that might explain it. I guess I'll add that I've never had any "runner's high" or anything, even with intense and long exercise. In fact, intense exercise tended to make my depression worse at the time. Who knows what that really means in regard to endorphins and HPA-axis stuff.

So, worth a shot. Give it some time, and don't expect miracles (though it could do the trick). Certainly not in the realm of proper antidepressant choice and dosing effects for me.

 

[Moreaux]

Great thread - thank you for posting. I have been very curious about this as well, but wanted to hear more experiences before trying it. I was on naltrexone off and on for a few years to help my alcoholism and found that it did lift my mood and help with anxiety, which is why I've been curious about trying low dose. Please keep us updated and I hope it works well for you.

 

[Mysterie]

so i am currently taking 2mg before bed, going to go to 3mg in a few days i think.

it is compounded by a pharmacy so i think it is slow release in comparison to other possible forms such as diluting a big pill in distilled water to titrate.

i've been taking curcumin (tumeric) capsules as an adjunct, and today i'm starting magnesium powder in the mornings.

it is either coincidence or LDN is definitely improving my mood gradually. very minimal side effects, so much so i am not sure they are side effects, just more difficult to get moving in the morning and had slight insomnia 1 night.

i have had the energy to start exercising every day, meditate twice a day, and prepare every meal with healthy food, very interested to see how the effects progress.

big thumbs up so far.