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Naltrexone is an FDA-approved medication used at a standard 50 mg dose. Low dose naltrexone (LDN) refers to much smaller doses, typically 1.5 mg to 4.5 mg. No manufacturer makes those strengths, so LDN is compounded: prepared for an individual patient, on a prescriber's order, by a compounding pharmacy.
At these lower doses, naltrexone is thought to act differently than it does at the standard dose. Researchers believe a brief, low-level blockade of opioid receptors may prompt the body to increase its own endorphin production and modulate immune system activity. That's one reason LDN has been studied in conditions involving inflammation and chronic pain.
LDN is prescribed off-label, which means prescribers apply their clinical judgment beyond the medication's approved use. These are the categories where prescribers use it most often and where published research has focused.
Prescribers have used LDN for patients with autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Crohn's disease, and multiple sclerosis, and it has been studied in several of these areas.
Fibromyalgia is among the most-studied uses of LDN, and prescribers also use it for certain other chronic pain conditions.
Because researchers believe LDN may modulate immune activity, prescribers sometimes use it for conditions where inflammation plays a role.
More recently, prescribers have used LDN for post-viral fatigue, including long COVID, and research in this area is ongoing.
Whether LDN is appropriate for any condition is a decision for you and your provider. Everything we prepare is made as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
As a 503A compounding pharmacy, we prepare every LDN prescription for one specific patient, to the exact strength the prescriber writes. Nothing is made in bulk. All of our LDN preparations are oral and non-sterile, made by hand in our on-site lab in Lititz. Every ingredient is documented, our processes follow USP compounding guidance, and a pharmacist performs a final check on each preparation before it leaves the lab.
The most common form
Prepared to your prescriber's specified strength
When a prescriber orders a modified release
Release profile prepared to the prescription
For patients who have difficulty swallowing capsules
Liquid form, measured by volume
Every preparation is checked by one of our pharmacists: Chet Patel, PharmD, RPh; Vishesh Patel, PharmD, RPh; or Brian Bradshaw, RPh, who brings more than 30 years of compounding experience to the bench. You can read more about them on our Meet the Pharmacists page.
LDN is one of several preparations we make here. You can see the full range of our compounding services, from hormone therapy to veterinary formulations.
LDN requires a prescription. If you and your provider decide it is worth trying, they will determine the right strength for you. If your provider has formulation questions, they are welcome to call us before writing.
Your prescriber can e-prescribe, fax, or call it in to (717) 626-2222.
Our pharmacists compound your preparation by hand in our Lititz lab, to the exact form and strength written, and a pharmacist checks it before it is dispensed.
Pick up at 100 East Main Street in Lititz, or ask about delivery options within Pennsylvania. Refills after that are a phone call or text away.
Lititz Apothecary is licensed to dispense prescription medications throughout Pennsylvania. The pharmacy is at 100 East Main Street in Lititz, where you can pick up in person, and we offer local delivery in the Lititz and Lancaster County area. Because we're licensed statewide, a prescriber anywhere in Pennsylvania can send a prescription here.
Prescriptions are a Pennsylvania-only service, and we don't ship them out of state. Supplements are different, and those ship nationwide. If you're elsewhere in Pennsylvania, we can ship your prescription to you. Call and we'll walk through the details.
Questions
Prescribers use LDN for autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Crohn's disease, for chronic pain and fibromyalgia, for inflammatory conditions, and for post-viral fatigue including long COVID. These are off-label uses, which means the decision rests on your provider's clinical judgment. Anything we compound is prepared as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Yes. LDN is compounded only on a prescriber's order, for a specific patient. That is what patient-specific 503A compounding means. If you are a prescriber with formulation questions, our pharmacists are glad to talk before you write.
We prepare LDN as capsules, slow-release capsules, and oral suspensions, each made to your prescriber's specified strength. All forms are oral and non-sterile. Your prescriber determines the strength and any adjustments over time; we prepare to their order.
Yes. Call or text us with your current pharmacy's name and phone number and we will handle the transfer for you, including the call to your old pharmacy.
Yes. Lititz Apothecary is licensed to dispense across Pennsylvania. The pharmacy is physically in Lititz, with local pickup and delivery in the Lancaster County area. If you are elsewhere in Pennsylvania, call and we will talk through the options. Prescription services are Pennsylvania-only.
Any medication can have side effects, and your prescriber is the right person to explain what to watch for with LDN. Once your prescription is here, our pharmacists are happy to answer questions too.
It depends on the strength and quantity your prescriber writes for, so there is no single answer we can put on a page. Call us with the prescription details and we will walk you through it before we fill anything.
Call (717) 626-2222 during business hours and ask for a pharmacist. They'll walk you through the next step, whether that's a new prescription or a transfer.
Compounded medications are prepared to a licensed prescriber's order and are not reviewed or approved by the FDA for safety or effectiveness. Nothing on this page is medical advice.