Marijuana + Spasticity

[Tiberious]

My legs are crazy stiff even WITH my baclofen pump. Pain is NOT an issue, only function, so my neurologist recommended medical marijuana. If anyone is having success managing spasticity using THC/CBD, please reach out with info/dosing! Thank you!

[greaterexp]

It’s a tough thing to go through, and I’m sorry your meds are not working well for you. I’m surprised your neurologist didn’t make recommendations or refer you to a pain clinic to help with dosing. It seems that trial and error may be what you must go through to find what works best for you, since everyone is so different. I’d say start with small doses and gradually increase THC/CBD levels until you get relief or find that you develop unwanted side effects. If you choose a shop over prescription formulas, the shop workers can probably make recommendations.

Please let us know if you find relief.

Also, you might try to search box to locate other posts on this, since it comes up fairly often.

[ahrogers]

In addition to Greaterexp suggestions I would start with low or no THC and mostly CBD to avoid the buzz and slowly Increase THC until you get effect. I don't enjoy the buzz of Marijuana, or at last I didn't way back when 😁. Also, I went to a nursing conference and someone spoke on THC/CBD use. There are different strains that help with different things so you have to pick the right one. I would check to see if there is a provider at least somewhat close to you to consult with at least once. It can also be taken in different forms such as inhaled, edibles or tea.

I have not needed this yet but that is what I would do if I did.

Good luck!

[Cutefreckles72]

I have the same problem with my right leg. It is stiff and I take Baclofen 3 times a day and my leg is still stiff. I may try THC/CBD to stop or slow down the spasticity. It is CRAZY.

[normwithms]

I stopped Baclofen years ago because of the side effects. I found a way to use Marijuana without the high or its side effects. Most of the stiffness in my legs is gone and I can sleep all night and be rested in the morning with a clear head. I am 67 and work a 10 hour day 5 days a week so I can't afford the buzz. I buy a 24 FL OZ bottle of organic cold pressed hemp oil from Amazon ( I use nutiva). I put about five large buds (flowers) in the bottle and put it in the fridge for a week or two. You must always keep it refrigerated and never heat it or let it get warm. It goes off (tastes bad) pretty fast and it can spoil. Shake the bottle every once in awhile each day. Then I take a table spoon of the oil at night right before bed. Because I live in Washington and I have a medical Marijuana card so I can grow my own. I don't know the THC/CBD levels in my home grow. For me the strain or the strength of the Marijuana does not seem to make a difference.

I have bought strains of different THC/CBD like AC/DC on the milder side and Girl Scout Cookie and Granddaddy Purple which is much stronger. They seem to have the same effect in the oil. If I smoke a bowl of the later I will be high for hours but most of the stiffness will go away fast. When I get high the stiffness does not matter because all I can do is sit and do nothing. I wish you luck and if you try the oil I hope it works for you.

[Tiberious in reply to normwithms]

Norm - you are my hero! I too have a medical marijuana card, went to a dispensary, got gummies, took 1/4 and studied the crown molding in our house for hours...total waste of a day! I am so NOT interested in a buzz...just in getting my legs un-stiff!

So, I've started CBD oil (CannazALL Hemp CBD Tincture). I began with 0.5 ml ea day before bed. After a month with no improvement, I moved it up to 0.75 this week...we'll see how it goes.

My plan if it doesn't work is to start adding a small amount of gummie or THC to the CBD and take it before i go to sleep -- which if i understand correctly -- is what you've created.

I also looked into Sativex, which appears NOT to be available in the US as it has CBD and THC. I'd love to go to the pharmacy and get some as our dispensary is pretty sketchy and they seem only focused on pain -- and clueless on spacticity.

And other advice much appreciated...thank you so much!

[normwithms in reply to Tiberious]

Tiberious-Glad to be of any service to you I can. Awhile back Robin turned me on to leafly.com they are very informative. I use myself as a lab rat and tried many different things, smoking, different strains, topical creams, CBD oils, alcohol tinctures, THC/CBD ratios, butters and edibles. I spent a lot of time experimenting and watching U-Tube (sometimes I got pretty stoned). What I discovered was the whole plant is much more than THC or CBD. The plant has been used in its whole form as a medicine for thousands of years. Because I grow my own, the cost of experimenting was naggable. I found the dried flowers are oil soluble so I could get everything from the plant. I also found if I do not heat the plant no THC is formed and I do not get high. (Note: It will relax you to the point you should not drive or do anything dangerous, I am still testing but I can't seem to get past the 45 minute nap.) That is how I came up with the recipe for the oil. I have been using it for about a year now and it still seems to work for me. Good Luck

[Tiberious in reply to normwithms]

Norm - thanks to Amazon Prime, I will see the 24 oz Nutiva hemp oil tomorrow, then i'm off to the dispensary to get my buds per your recipe. You said to wait a week or 2...am i waiting for something particular to happen?

I'm in Ohio where med marijuana just happened recently, so my hope was to find someone or some resource who was further down the path so I didn't have to reinvent the wheel. Sounds like you're way further...yay and thx again for sharing!

So my situation is PPMS which i've had for nearly 30 years (I'm 57). I'm super fortunate that it's really only affected my legs in the last 10 years and i'm still able to work and do most everything...just a tad slower and clutzier ; )

[normwithms in reply to Tiberious]

Hi Tiberious- The only reason to wait a week is to give the oil time to break down the buds a little (the shaking helps a little to). I am glad you are giving it a try, I hope it works for you as well as it has for me. I to have had the symptoms from the early 70s. Good luck

[Tiberious in reply to normwithms]

hey there Norm! So I've just moved from a teaspoon to a tablespoon of the "Mix." I'm not seeing any changes just yet, but I'm sticking with it. My question...is this stuff really gross??? It's a green concoction that pretty much makes me gag... which is fine if it will keep me walking, but I just wanted to check. Also, do you have any recall on how soon after you started you began to see results?

thanks so much!

[normwithms in reply to Tiberious]

Hi Tiberious, ya it is a bit hard to swallow at first. I started with about a tablespoon at night and after about a week, I noticed I could sleep through the night without leg spasms waking me or not letting me go to sleep. After that my stomach would worked better. If I take another table spoon in the morning the stiffness in my legs would relax a little but it makes me want to take a nap. The nap helps if I can get one. I still have foot drag but the tension in the back of the legs is gone until later in the afternoon when I am tired. A couple other people with MS have tried this with different levels of success. About half have told me it relieves the tightness in different parts of their bodies as well as the legs. I hope that helps.

[Tiberious in reply to normwithms]

thanks Norm...really appreciate the info!

[Larochka in reply to normwithms]

may I ask. what side effects you experienced from Baclofen? I just stated a few weeks ago, pelvis, leg spasticity, it helped initially, now I developed gluteal amnesia.. not sure if it related, or due to the “adjustment” by osteopath I had last week, severe lower body muscles weakness as result

[normwithms in reply to Larochka]

Hello Larochka-Baclofen was bad for me because it seemed to shut down my internal system. I had bad constaption, trouble with my digestion, night cramps in my legs, problems with urination and just felt bad all the time.

[Larochka in reply to normwithms]

thank you so much for elaborate response, dear normwithms !

[IFwczs]

I have read here that only marijuana in pill form works for us. I am managing my spasticity with Ampyra.

[IamGroot61 in reply to IFwczs]

Not true

[IamGroot61]

It depends on your sensitivity to meds.

Get the under the tounge spray, it works quick. Google Berkley cannabis lab they have a detailed list of strains and the effect. Sativa is stimulating good for fatigue. You want a clear Indica level 6, it relaxes muscles. To much and you have jello legs. It is NOT addictive.

If your Christian be a compassionate one not a judgemental one. If you want to try just CBD then go to Realm of Caring site the Stanley brothers created a strain for Little Charlotte who had 500 seizures a week. See YouTube CNN Charlotte. 3 part series on cannabis.

Good luck. Try a Hybrid, sativa Indica mix. The drs. can tell you which strain to use for your symptoms. Trial and error but it is the best medicine for this disease and others...a lot of ignorance in or society thanks to government disinformation. Your on the right track keep going

[Tiberious in reply to IamGroot61]

thanks so much... really appreciate your sharing your experience!

[tnolan2006]

My way is using a decent vape for ground up flower. I find it easier to monitor the dose this way. I don't quite like edibles or extracts . I prefer THC containing product for reducing spasticity / stiffness & otherwise use aroma for selection. I find low doses to feel pretty pleasant. vapecritic.com

[Tiberious in reply to tnolan2006]

Thanks for the info! So when you say that you use aroma for selection, does that mean you can tell how effective it will be based on its smell?

[tnolan2006 in reply to Tiberious]

Just taste preference for me.