LDN.

What the heck is LDN you ask? Its Low dose Naltrexone. (Imagine me saying this as a game host)

https://ldnresearchtrust.org/can-ldn-cause-anxiety-and-depression

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-020-00898-0

If you don't want to read the articles here is a summary:

Summary

Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) has shown promise to reduce symptoms related to chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel conditions, and multiple sclerosis. The mechanism of LDN appears to be modulation of neuro-inflammation, specifically, the modulation of the glial cells and release of inflammatory chemicals in the central nervous system. These effects appear to unique at low dosage compared to dosage for food and drug administration approved use for alcohol and opioid dependence. We review the evidence that LDN has shown more than promise and should be further investigated in clinical practice.

Some diseases LDN may help with

And I went ahead and downloaded a pdf version of this study, just for you!

Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN)—Review of Therapeutic UtilizationDownload

So, back to my actual blogging. I decided I wanted to get back into physical therapy and try to get back into shape and the only way I can safely is with physical therapy. Well, I am so glad I did. Finding a functional doctor was one of the best decisions I've made in my life.

Yeah, im overweight. Before my daughter I was about 135 lbs. For a 5 foot 3 inch woman its a good healthy weight. Well since getting pregnant with my daughter I have slowly accended to 185 lbs. I am going to be honest. For someone who never struggled with my weight I never thought this was going to happen to me. But I got sick with pneumonia while pregnant and after she was born I was the one stuck in the hospital while she was cleared to go home.

Of course they let her stay with me, but man....if it weren't for modern science and medicine I really don't think I'd be here today. My lungs were severely inflamed. I coughed hard enough that I unknowingly broke my water. The night before I seriously thought I just peed myself. I mean, that is what 8 to 9 month pregnant women do. You hear me ladies, right?

Well I went back to bed not thinking anything of it. Woke up, felt a bit tighter but nothing too terrible. It was actually mothers day, 2017. May 14, 2017. We went to eat breakfast as a family and I just had this feeling something wasn't right.

I decided to be cautious and go ahead and get checked. Well guess what?? Amniotic fluid was leaking and no contractions all night. Emergency c-section here we go. The nurses didn't say emergency but saying ill be in surgery in about 20 minutes I think is considered emergency. We didn't even have bags in the car, etc. My partner he went to take our boys home and stay with his parents. He drove back just in time to come to my side before surgery.

I'm fairly certain he had to of been speeding and freaking out at the same time. None of us were expecting this.

My mommy instincts started to worry. If my water had broke the night before and no contractions that could be very dangerous for the baby.

Well we ended up with a healthy 6 lbs 8 oz baby girl. 18 inches. She was a tiny little thing with jet black hair. Looked just like her daddy with Puerto Rican vibes about her. (Now she is blonde ha!)

I was so happy to see her and not be pregnant anymore. I could finally get on hard-core antibiotics and the 9 yards. They stitched me up and put a band around my waist to keep me from ripping my stitches everytime I coughed.

But, that was the beginning of several long difficult and painful years.

Within 3 years I will have gotten graves disease and had a total thyroidectomy and total hysterectomy. All inflammation present. Before my daughter I had my gallbladder removed due to it not functioning at all. Yes, I got the functioning test. My body was nearly depleted.

All this said, pregnancy nearly killed me and exasperated my inflammation. My weight is a big factor. I cant exercise like a normal average person because if I do my inflammation gets worse and then I feel like I have the flu the next several days. I remember when I was younger how exercising felt so good the next day. The satisfaction of the soreness you got after a good days work out. Something to remind yourself that you didn't stay on the couch and play final fantasy or assassins creed all day. You got your ass up and moved.

But for people like I am today...its just not possible to work out and not feel sick, flu like. I want to exercise. I want to loose weight. But the damn inflammation is so strong. (Just got a vision of Luke Skywalker being strong in the force. Hey you can't blame me for trying to be funny every now and then).

My point is this: Inflammation sucks and its something LDN may help with.

My story with LDN is after 2 weeks I felt less fatigued and less in a fog. A fog I didn't even realize I was in. The way I felt before I got pregnant with my daughter. I know that sounds so bad but its true. I can think more clearly and I have more energy. Im not talking about fatigue from taking care of a baby. Fatigue is when you sleep for the whole day and you still feel like you can't move around. It is no matter how much chocolate your partner may be bribing you, you still don't want to get up and move. And its not from depression! Although having depression as a secondary condition is likely. Which makes it all a big circle that never ends.

I started at 1mg of LDN, I had to have it compounded. Currently I am moving up to 3mg tomorrow. It will have been nearly 2.5 months since I started it. Huge difference. I figured, hell, ive tried so many things, why not LDN?

I wrote a book. More tomorrow.