Anyone here go ahead an take LDN while taking immune suppressing drugs?

I have tried and tried to stay off what I consider toxic, garbage, immune suppressing drugs, but given that I have indefinitely rejected surgery (my UC is simply way too indeterminate for my liking, for one thing, and as many as 10% of confirmed UCers turn out ti have crohns after surgery, for another) and have failed to get total flare free remissions for very long after trying everything from multiple worm therapies, to oral and transdermal LDN, to enteruc phosphatidycholine, to lots of probiotics incl VSL3 and mutaflor... The list goes on and on. So, for the time being I am going to give azathioprine (Imuran) a chance, while continuing to try alternative therapies (I have been paleo for years as it reduces my symptoms the most vs every other diet I have tried including vegan, macrobiotic, standard american, SCD, zero carb, you name it). I had an 8 month med free remission a year back that haloened after I quit Humira and started LDN, so I think that thee is something to LDN but it is rather weak vs heavy hitter meds.

In theory, LDN is contraindicated while on more than 5 mg pred or on biologics or imuran or 6MP- but I seem to recall many here who felt it heled them even while on such meds. Can anyone with such experience chime in?

Post Edited (Probiotic) : 1/30/2013 3:26:56 PM (GMT-7)

Yes you can. I emailed Jill Smith's office and Ian Zagon and they both seem quite irritated by this idea and both were clear that it was fine to do it. I can dig up Zagon's email (it was a couple of years ago ) if you want it, or you can drop him/ JIll smith a line yourself. I know there's conflicting advice about this but Zagon is "the ldn guy" so I just went with what he said.

Killcolitis- thanks, that makes more intuitive sense to me than the "cancel each other out" theory- after all, the immune system is exceedingly complex, and nothing is cut and dry binary as being either an immune suppressor or booster, since the immune system is not monolithic. My theory is that if I can't get on a high enough dose of aza. Or 6MP due to tolerance/side effect/blood toxicity issues, then keeping LDN in the mix, not to mention my many natural therapies, probiotics, turmeric, etc, may allow a lower dose of imuran to have some efficacy... Additionally, if I end up failing on Imuran due to side effects say, I have a base of anti-IBD fighting power in me as a plan B.

Will see if I can get ahold of this LDN guru for additional information.

Kill- thanks; feeling great after quenching a flare with a pred boost; looking to phase out pred though- at east anything aive a physiolgic dose. The new non-systemic steroid for colon, due in March, sounds very appealing.