Hi Everybody,

OK -- 303 days on LDN.   My last test cycle was 10/30/08.  The biggest change I made in this test cycle was that I switched my LDN daytime dosing to NIGHT-TIME dosing.  

I've been using my TPO and ANA antibody levels as the 'measurable indicator' of the effectiveness of LDN therapy.  Right or wrong --  it's the only trackable indicator that I know of to use.  Well, this testing round had both my ANA and TPO  HIGHER than the previous testing round!!   Ugh!   I wasn't expecting that. 

I realize that there are lots of variables involved in antibody production, so I feel pretty confident that the increase in antibodies was NOT the result of switching my LDN  dosing schedule...however, it is curious.  

Something else I need to consider is that this testing round I was NOT as consistent about taking extra niacin and extra selenium...which I had been taking more consistently in previous testing rounds....so that may be a factor.  However, before I took ANY extra niacin or selenium I was experiencing a drop in my antibodies... so geeeeez ~who knows ??  

Another test that I was curious to know the results was my '25, hydroxy vitamin D' -- I'm at 49...despite taking 5000iu D3 for almost the entire year.  My goal is to have my vitamin D much higher at around 80 so I will be upping my dose of D3 to 10,000iu -- perhaps just on M-W-F.

ANYWAYS...that's my update.  Click the link below for my lab results.

Best wishes,

Jann

BTW:  I think I will stay with night-time dosing for awhile longer even though my antibodies are higher this test round.   I like waking up to that well-being feeling  / more energy  -- it just feels more pronounced in the morning  rather than having it later in the afternoon which is when I would experience it when I was using day-time dosing.  

I had decided to try the night-time dosing again -- just to see if after being on day-time dosing for so long if I would experience the same sleep disturbance that I had before.   I had a few nights of waking up at 2am or so -- despite taking almost 10mg of melatonin and some Benedryl -- but that was about it.    I did NOT take that much melatonin when I first tried LDN so maybe it would have helped back then...???.... or maybe being on LDN for so long made the switch much easier...????   ~who knows. 

Hi Val,

 RE: BTW, correct me if I'm wrong, but that seems like a hefty dose of melatonin. The dosing is somewhat controversial, with some adamant about not taking more than 3 mg.

Yes...that's a high dose.  I wouldn't take that much on an ongoing basis and the only reason why I took that much at all was because my DIL doctor said it was OK for her to take that much for a few days.

RE: The real question is, would you prefer life with or without LDN?

Right now I feel pretty good -- so I wouldn't want to change too much of what I'm doing at this time.   Do I feel good because of LDN..??...Is it because I'm sleeping better..??... Is it because I've got my nutrition / supplements figured out ..???....  Is it because "D:  All of the above...??...

However, I do feel like there will come a point where I need to evaluate whether taking  [what is probably considered ]  a 'non-essential' drug to feel good aligns with my principals / value system.   This thought does occur to me at times.

Best wishes,

Jann

RE: Nevertheless, if LDN makes you feel better, I think that has merit. Isn't the goal to suffer less or not at all?  ....At some point, one has to cease being stoic and and attempt to live a life with as little suffering as possible.

Yes...this is true....who wants to suffer.    That's what a lot of folks that get addicted to drugs are after -- an escape of some sort.  However LDN is NOT an illegal drug and causes no harm that I'm aware of.   I do wish there was a better method of determining it's effectiveness.  ie; a blood test that determines homeostasis or ~whatever.  

I'll be seeing my doctor this week so I'll be asking her opinion based on my experience thus far.

Jann