PHIL HERNON
Banned
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- Jun 6, 2002
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Has anyone here used Naltroxone in low doses as a cancer preventor? To help boost immune system??
curious as to how you guys are gonna feel....i was taking i beleive 20mg, i dont remember and i was sleepy all day...i was taking it for the fact that it doesnt allow the user to feel the effects of alchol or opiates...so, if i drank i wouldnt get drunk..ill try and find the dosage i took, but it made me so tried all day
I was on Naltrexone in 2004. I can't recall dosage, but it had to be made at a compounding pharmacy. Above that 4.5 dosage, below 50 I would assume as they have those available.
In my case, it was to prevent/treat a recurrent rare form of carcinoid cancer. I had cancer of the appendix/distal ileum in '01. A tumor of 1.5 cm was removed with appendix. I was considered surgically cured after a number of surgeries. In early '03 I started feeling pain on my right side. My blood/urine levels were high for serotonin, carcinoid tumors secrete serotonin, and I started consulting with the head of the carcinoid foundation in Manhattan as my cancer was so rare.
I was put on strange combo of naltrexone, thalidomide, and an experimental drug called LAN.
The thinking with Naltrexone, if I recall correctly, was that an opiate antagonist would hopefully shrink a potential tumor. As anyone who has ever had a relative pass of cancer knows, when all hope is lost, they up the morphine as it serves to make them comfortable, but it also quickens the tumor growth by binding with opiate receptors, thus hastening the bad last weeks. As an antagonist, the Dr. explained that this would hopefully do the inverse, and hopefully shut down the opiate receptors of the tumor which exist in certain types of cancer.
The problem was that an actual recurrent tumor had yet to be seen on various scans, they were simply following the protocol because my levels were showing one likely to be present.
I had no adverse effects from Naltrexone felt upon starting it, but I can't speak to it's efficacy because I didn't have a tumor to measure. I spoke to others at the time, and they had success with slowing the spread of their cancer. I continued on in pain, and my doctor eventually pulled me off. With me, if a tumor had came back, the 5 year survival was 0 % anyways, and being in a ton of pain, he pulled it and treated the pain. Even if successful, it was going to be the difference between living to around 37 in a ton of pain, or 35 in comfort. I chose the latter, and he yanked me off.
The bad/good part is the problem ended up being internal adhesions from the multiple surgeries rather than cancer. Adhesions are essentially an over-reactive immune system reaction that actually ended up binding my organs in places to a nerve wall. So taking a medication that improves the immune system, when the problem was created by an overreaction of the immune system, ended up being not such a great idea, and one that left me bedridden for the better part of 3 years while they figured it out. That said, it was still a good medical decision, and I think it's an effective medication, I just got unlucky to fall into a quirk where it didn't help, but possibly hurt.
My feelings are for the average person, a responsible dose is likely very beneficial. It's going to help immune system, and protect against certain types of tumors. Mine was a neuro-endocrine cancer, and I think it's probably beneficial in various types that involve the endocrine system and disorders that are immuno supressant. I'm still on a google group e-mail list and I read the updates, it's still part of the protocol in carcinoid cases with pretty solid success.
There are a few places where I think I'd avoid it. If I was a young, otherwise healthy guy going in for a routine surgery, it might cause excessive scarring. I'd get off it for the duration of surgery/recovery. I would certainly avoid if I was a healthy woman going in for anything in the pelvic region where excess immune system internal scarring is a prevalent issue.
Right now, it's use is mostly forward thinking doctors, and even then, after a problem. Then you are dealing with what's worse, pain ? or a chance at stalling onset of tumor or condition. As a preventative measure is definitely preferrable.
One thing I'll say, it's a true antagonist, so if an excrutiating accident would occur, it's going to be a long painful few days until it clears your system and painkillers work. You don't want to get a kidney stone or shoot yourself in the hand with a nail gun on Naltrexone, you in trouble then.
I think it's a medication that will be really useful in the future as genetic markers point to future maladies that it's use would prevent. It also has some effect on estrogen, i believe it lowers it,but I can't recall the specifics. I remember them taking tests on my thyroid to make sure it wasn't low. You're not supposed to take it with a low thyroid if I remember correctly.
I wish I could still take it as a preventative measure, but the surgery for my adhesions may have to be repeated in the future and I don't want to hasten the need for it.
NO... But I am cancer free so maybe you don't need it...LOL J/KHas anyone here used Naltroxone in low doses as a cancer preventor? To help boost immune system??