Does medical marijuana work for chronic pain?

Posted by mmoss @mmoss, Mar 27, 2021

Does Medical marijuana work for chronic pain. Looking for alternatives to Vicodin.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

@chuck406

Just started Buprenorphine. My pain is drastically reduced below 2/10 and sometimes zero. Used to sit at 5-7/10. The real test will be storms and temperature fluctuations that change rapidly.

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You are blessed u can take Bupremorphine without allergy symptoms. I agree that abrupt weather changes and Barometric falls will be the real test. Those are very painful times for me as is after eating meals also.

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@frobvt

Hi Jenatsky,

No I haven't, and didn't know what it was until I looked it up. I'm certainly not interested in that, and have never had an opioid in my life!

That said, thank you for the information.

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There's nothing wrong with taking an opioid for pain. Don't let bad press scare you away from something you might need. No one gets addicted by taking a medication for pain. When your pain causing problem is gone, you won't want it anymore. People become addicted when their lives are unhappy. ... I'm a nurse, retired from working in a public, teaching hospital. I have both education and experience with addictions and pain relief.

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@artscaping

Good afternoon @irr4et. Thanks for joining the discussion. I haven't seen that name for a while. I am not a medical professional so I cannot diagnose conditions nor prescribe medications. I have some experience with Ambien (Zolpidem) for pre-surgery pain. I found that getting off of it post-surgery was a very scary experience. As we all realize, everyone is different, especially with medications,

I did review your posts and found that you were on different medications back in March, except for Lyrica. Did you make some changes then?

Here's the deal!,,,,,, as they say on TV. In my experience, finding workable sleep patterns is sometimes quite difficult and requires a rather strong commitment to making it work. That is especially true when we are dealing with multiple conditions and four or five different medications.

My issue is that I get caught up in activities, and find that the time between 9 pm and 2 am is devoted to Mayo Connect. When my morning starts early I always feel draggy in the afternoon and generally nap. After a while, I have established a sleep pattern that is not the most supportive.

I also use medical cannabis as a sleep aid......it works at a 2:1 CBD/THC or sometimes a 1:1 CBD/THC. If I overdo it then I sleep until 10 or 11 in the morning. Unfortunately, then I play catch up all day which leads to anxiety, etc., etc. If I am having difficulty getting to sleep, I do some mindfulness meditation practice. That also works for me.

So.....you are in control. You can define when you choose to sleep so that you are refreshed and prepared for the next day. Then, you need to embrace that pattern and stick to it. When you have the answer, please share it.

Do you think you need both the Indica and the Ambien? Does your clinician know about your medical cannabis use?

May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris

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Artscaping, I have been wary of my use of 3 mgs of Zolpedim after Indica has taken effect, to fall asleep after lying there awake too long. Last night I skipped the Zolpedim and used 1/2 capsule (5 mgs) of CBD in MCT oil under my tongue. I’m glad to report that I did fall asleep after only 10 min 😊.
I have a ? on different topic to ask. I have CSS and am troubled by lots of burning nerve pain in my head and back of neck and upper back after I eat a meal. This pain lasts the rest of the day Do u know of CSS doing this?

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@irr4et

You are blessed u can take Bupremorphine without allergy symptoms. I agree that abrupt weather changes and Barometric falls will be the real test. Those are very painful times for me as is after eating meals also.

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Yeah, the barometric changes, temperature drops of 30 degrees or so, and weather patterns typically destroyed my life to the point where intermittent FMLA was a 3x a month ordeal. Praying I won't need to use it anymore. Am working out quite a bit now doing everything they taught me through years of physical therapy.

Have you tried naltrexone?

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@chuck406

Yeah, the barometric changes, temperature drops of 30 degrees or so, and weather patterns typically destroyed my life to the point where intermittent FMLA was a 3x a month ordeal. Praying I won't need to use it anymore. Am working out quite a bit now doing everything they taught me through years of physical therapy.

Have you tried naltrexone?

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What is FMLA please? Sorry you had such a traumatic experience with it.

Strangely Naltrexone made my head, neck and upper back burning worse, even at 1.5 mgs and higher. I was so hopeful.

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@chuck406

Had to do quite a bit of reading to understand the entourage effect. Basically speaking, the ratio of THC and CBD among other compounds creates a therapeutic response.

When you are talking about agonist and mu receptors I am a bit confused, but will do more reading on it.

I saw you use tinctures mainly. What dose is normal for you versus micro-dose? Do you get into CBN? My doctor supports marijuana for ways of alternative pain relief too. Curious with your regiment for possible trials on my end. Thank you.

Last night I used mixed flower Jokerz and Breath Taker. Then laid a 6 second vape of Groove Solventless Rosin Oil Blueberry Muffin vape at 83.40% THC. I slept almost 10 hours.

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Sounds like you found a sleep regime that benefits you! This will assist re: buprenorphine, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4675640/..
Obtaining a higher dose CBD is currently challenging. I was using a 24:1 CBD:THC tincture but no longer available. So I found a high dose full spectrum CBD:THC 100mg:2mg and I combine with Organic Remedies THC 4.986% 3x daily. For sleep I use Ilera Ease tincture and a max strength PurePenn Apple Cider 3.17% THC. All my tinctures contain CBN and CBG to some extent. I use various vapes that contain CBD but currently they are few in dispensaries in PA throughout the day. I don’t worry about getting high as I don’t any longer which is fine. I’ve been able to stop using oxycodone for breakthrough pain after 15 years. It took me a year to establish my sweet spot and I adjust as supply changes.

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@irr4et

What is FMLA please? Sorry you had such a traumatic experience with it.

Strangely Naltrexone made my head, neck and upper back burning worse, even at 1.5 mgs and higher. I was so hopeful.

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Family Medical Leave Act: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_and_Medical_Leave_Act_of_1993

The FMLA is a life-saver when flare-ups come at work. I haven't taken Naltrexone but was leaning towards it prior to being prescribed the Buprenorphine from the Tylenol 3.

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@jenatsky

Sounds like you found a sleep regime that benefits you! This will assist re: buprenorphine, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4675640/..
Obtaining a higher dose CBD is currently challenging. I was using a 24:1 CBD:THC tincture but no longer available. So I found a high dose full spectrum CBD:THC 100mg:2mg and I combine with Organic Remedies THC 4.986% 3x daily. For sleep I use Ilera Ease tincture and a max strength PurePenn Apple Cider 3.17% THC. All my tinctures contain CBN and CBG to some extent. I use various vapes that contain CBD but currently they are few in dispensaries in PA throughout the day. I don’t worry about getting high as I don’t any longer which is fine. I’ve been able to stop using oxycodone for breakthrough pain after 15 years. It took me a year to establish my sweet spot and I adjust as supply changes.

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Thank you for the weblink. I hadn't read that one before. I'm convinced that this medication is the way to go. I have extensive medical history with pain killers and this feels like a winner. I still have burning sensations but the pain attached to it like stabbing and sharpness are gone. I can handle the burning though and if that's what I'm stuck with then so be it, it's the pain that was getting unbearable.

Next time at the dispensary I will have the full spectrum and/or CBD pen conversation. I have no reason to go at the moment due to being supplied on flower, vape, and edibles for the time being.

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@irr4et

Artscaping, I have been wary of my use of 3 mgs of Zolpedim after Indica has taken effect, to fall asleep after lying there awake too long. Last night I skipped the Zolpedim and used 1/2 capsule (5 mgs) of CBD in MCT oil under my tongue. I’m glad to report that I did fall asleep after only 10 min 😊.
I have a ? on different topic to ask. I have CSS and am troubled by lots of burning nerve pain in my head and back of neck and upper back after I eat a meal. This pain lasts the rest of the day Do u know of CSS doing this?

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Well @irr4et, I am happy to hear that sleep came much easier. Will you try it again? Did you wake up raring to go? (Teasing you a bit.). CSS is well covered by my fellow mentor, @rwinney, can you find some time to respond to @irr4et? Perhaps she would benefit from the video you have access to from your experience.

Have a great day and a very sleepy night.
Chris

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@artscaping

Well @irr4et, I am happy to hear that sleep came much easier. Will you try it again? Did you wake up raring to go? (Teasing you a bit.). CSS is well covered by my fellow mentor, @rwinney, can you find some time to respond to @irr4et? Perhaps she would benefit from the video you have access to from your experience.

Have a great day and a very sleepy night.
Chris

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I have watched the most recent video lecture and learned much! I admired the dr doctor’s determination to explain this awful disease syndrome of the Central Nervous System. In addition to neck surgery nerve damage, I have angry/painful nerves in my brain, neck, upper back, feet and T5 area. In summer, my pain level falls to about 5 but I still so easily flare. And in winter it’s torture bc I stay in a flare. Im awfully grateful that in my state Medical Cannabis is legal.
Chris do you know if medical cannabis (1:1) one third of a gummy would mix well with 1.5 mgs of sublingual Melatonin?

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