#LDN as treatment- 4 #Fibromyalgia - Positive Results in Trial

Published in February 2013, study to determine the effectiveness of naltrexone in low doses for fibromyalgia has again displayed positive results as a good treatment option for this condition.  Low Dose Naltrexone showed significant reduction in baseline pain, improvement with general quality of life and also mood improvement.  

Abstract of study is below.

Low-dose naltrexone for the treatment of fibromyalgia: Findings of a small, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced, crossover trial assessing daily pain levels.

Arthritis Rheum. 2013 Feb;65(2):529-38. doi: 10.1002/art.37734.

Younger J, Noor N, McCue R, Mackey S.

Source

Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California. jarred.younger@stanford.edu.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To determine whether low dosages (4.5 mg/day) of naltrexone reduce fibromyalgia severity as compared with the nonspecific effects of placebo. In this replication and extension study of a previous clinical trial, we tested the impact of low-dose naltrexone on daily self-reported pain. Secondary outcomes included general satisfaction with life, positive mood, sleep quality, and fatigue.

METHODS:

Thirty-one women with fibromyalgia participated in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced, crossover study. During the active drug phase, participants received 4.5 mg of oral naltrexone daily. An intensive longitudinal design was used to measure daily levels of pain.

RESULTS:

When contrasting the condition end points, we observed a significantly greater reduction of baseline pain in those taking low-dose naltrexone than in those taking placebo (28.8% reduction versus 18.0% reduction; P = 0.016). Low-dose naltrexone was also associated with improved general satisfaction with life (P = 0.045) and with improved mood (P = 0.039), but not improved fatigue or sleep. Thirty-two percent of participants met the criteria for response (defined as a significant reduction in pain plus a significant reduction in either fatigue or sleep problems) during low-dose naltrexone therapy, as contrasted with an 11% response rate during placebo therapy (P = 0.05). Low-dose naltrexone was rated equally tolerable as placebo, and no serious side effects were reported.

CONCLUSION:

The preliminary evidence continues to show that low-dose naltrexone has a specific and clinically beneficial impact on fibromyalgia pain. The medication is widely available, inexpensive, safe, and well-tolerated. Parallel-group randomized controlled trials are needed to fully determine the efficacy of the medication.

Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Rheumatology.

PMID:

 

23359310

 

[PubMed - in process]

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Low-dose naltrexone for the treatment of fib... [Arthritis Rheum. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI:

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The Epoch Times Highlights 7 Diseases That Will Increase Drug Companies Profits - They Hope & Pray That You Have At Least 1 Of Them.

This article covers several different conditions and health problems from depression, to arthritis that are big money makers for the drug industry.  Conditions that can be easily categorized into a "treatable" (meaning you will be prescribed expensive medication to manage your condition) diagnosis which then allows the $$$ to come pouring in!
I have included some highlights from 1 of 3 and 2 of 3 and include the link below each highlight.  Next week I will post the 3rd and last article.
(This posting is not focused directly on Crohn's Disease and digestive diseases, however the the medications they discuss are used for some patients with Crohns, UC ect.  Also, more times than not, people have a dual diagnosis or more than 2 and are taking medication to treat the condition.  Due to the fact that these articles discuss several conditions and medications, I thought it would be worth posting to educate and expand awareness.
I like to draw attention to articles that touch on the motivations of the big pharmaceutical companies and the FDA.  When it comes to health care in the US, the system is highly flawed.  I've figured that out by reading and researching Crohn's Disease and it has lead me to read some very eye opening articles (yes they are reputable). I'm not frowning upon all drug companies and medications, I just want to inform people to be cautious and not so trusting of our medical system.  Being skeptical is being smart.

HIGHLIGHTS I COULDN'T RESIST POSTING _

"Supply-driven marketing, also known as “have drug, need disease and patients,” not only turns the nation into pill-popping hypochondriacs, it distracts from pharma’s drought of real drugs for real medical problems.

Of course not all diseases are Wall Street pleasers. To be a true blockbuster disease, a condition must meet certain criteria" 

read more............
seven-diseases-big-pharma-hopes-you-get-in-2012 1OF3

"In 2008, the FDA announced that 45 people on Humira, Enbrel, Remicade, and Cimzia died from fungal diseases. The FDA also investigated Humira’s links to lymphoma, leukemia, and melanoma in children.

This year, the FDA warned that the drugs can cause “a rare cancer of white blood cells” in young people, and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) warned of “potentially fatal Legionella and Listeria infections” from the use of these drugs."

read more............
seven-diseases-big-pharma-hopes-you-get-in-2012 2OF3