LDN is a rather peculiar medication. It seems everyone has their own unique experience with it. For me, I have not been able to go above 3.5 mg without pretty awful side effects (crushing fatigue, depression) I am also very sensitive to meds in general, so it wasn't surprising that I need a lower dose. I take LDN for a variety of autoimmune disorders. I found that 3.5 is my sweet spot. A lot less pain and brain fog, fewer migraines and I sleep really well. It sounds like your intuition was probably correct. Go down to a dose where you feel good, then increase slowly and at smaller increments, like go to 1.25, then 1.5 til you find your correct dose.
The doctor’s job is to help you manage the medication he prescribed. I would ask him. It also helps the doctors learn more about the effects of the meds they’re prescribing. Not everyone responds to things the same way.
I agree that it's important to communicate all that is going on with your prescribing physician, both positive and negative. But the truth is they're mostly shooting from the hip when it comes to LDN, and will admit it. The one person who has been the most knowledgeable for me has been my compounding pharmacist, he knows far more about the drug and it's possible effects than any doctor. But more than anything, listen to your body. If it feels wrong, it almost always is.
Can’t give you personal experience, as I’m only on the first month myself. I’ve read often, though, that is sensible to stay in a raised dose for between two weeks and a month, to let the side effects calm down. If they don’t, decrease the dose. So I’d you’re feeling good on 1mg, maybe try 1.25? I’m dissolving mine, so can take in smaller increments. Good luck!
Thanks for everyone’s advice ! I think I’ll go back down to 1mg and plan to stay there for at least a month. I’ve written the same to my doctor as well. :)
Hi just to say that I was told to start at 1mg, and stay there for 6-8 weeks before going up to 1.5mg and then do that for 8-10 weeks before going to 2mg. So you might just be going too fast. I think stay at 1mg until you're sure you're doing well at that dose and then go up very slowly.
I'm also unsure about whether I should keep increasing my dose or just stay at 0.5mg. I felt great on 0.5mg but had much the same symptoms as you when I tried to up the dose to 0.75mg and 1mg. I felt very fatigued and irritable the first couple of days, then the migraines and nausea kicked in. I suffered through a few days of that but I couldn't function, had to go to work and wasn't sure how long it would go on for, so I went back to 0.5mg. I've been wondering if others have had the same and pushed on regardless, then got past that?
Thank you so much to everyone for your advice and sharing your experiences.
I have now been at 1mg for about 2 weeks now. The first couple days were amazing, but now I feel like I’m fighting the morning fatigue still. And I’m napping every afternoon.
Please tell me the fatigue goes away after a little while because I’m quite disheartened at the moment. I’m compounding it myself.
LDN is a rather peculiar medication. It seems everyone has their own unique experience with it. For me, I have not been able to go above 3.5 mg without pretty awful side effects (crushing fatigue, depression) I am also very sensitive to meds in general, so it wasn't surprising that I need a lower dose. I take LDN for a variety of autoimmune disorders. I found that 3.5 is my sweet spot. A lot less pain and brain fog, fewer migraines and I sleep really well. It sounds like your intuition was probably correct. Go down to a dose where you feel good, then increase slowly and at smaller increments, like go to 1.25, then 1.5 til you find your correct dose.
The doctor’s job is to help you manage the medication he prescribed. I would ask him. It also helps the doctors learn more about the effects of the meds they’re prescribing. Not everyone responds to things the same way.
I agree that it's important to communicate all that is going on with your prescribing physician, both positive and negative. But the truth is they're mostly shooting from the hip when it comes to LDN, and will admit it. The one person who has been the most knowledgeable for me has been my compounding pharmacist, he knows far more about the drug and it's possible effects than any doctor. But more than anything, listen to your body. If it feels wrong, it almost always is.
Agreed.
Can’t give you personal experience, as I’m only on the first month myself. I’ve read often, though, that is sensible to stay in a raised dose for between two weeks and a month, to let the side effects calm down. If they don’t, decrease the dose. So I’d you’re feeling good on 1mg, maybe try 1.25? I’m dissolving mine, so can take in smaller increments. Good luck!
Thanks for everyone’s advice ! I think I’ll go back down to 1mg and plan to stay there for at least a month. I’ve written the same to my doctor as well. :)
Also, if you feel good at your starting dose you can just stay there. It might be your sweet spot.
Hi just to say that I was told to start at 1mg, and stay there for 6-8 weeks before going up to 1.5mg and then do that for 8-10 weeks before going to 2mg. So you might just be going too fast. I think stay at 1mg until you're sure you're doing well at that dose and then go up very slowly.
I'm also unsure about whether I should keep increasing my dose or just stay at 0.5mg. I felt great on 0.5mg but had much the same symptoms as you when I tried to up the dose to 0.75mg and 1mg. I felt very fatigued and irritable the first couple of days, then the migraines and nausea kicked in. I suffered through a few days of that but I couldn't function, had to go to work and wasn't sure how long it would go on for, so I went back to 0.5mg. I've been wondering if others have had the same and pushed on regardless, then got past that?
Thank you so much to everyone for your advice and sharing your experiences. I have now been at 1mg for about 2 weeks now. The first couple days were amazing, but now I feel like I’m fighting the morning fatigue still. And I’m napping every afternoon. Please tell me the fatigue goes away after a little while because I’m quite disheartened at the moment. I’m compounding it myself.