This is my first post on this forum so please excuse me if I am breaking any rules. Does anyone have any info on this......not necessarily personal experience of course. Our local radio station has just had a discussion on it. I have bad pain in my hands due to central sensitisation (which apparently is a malfunction of the central nervous system) I currently take Tramadol and Pregabalin which only slightly relieve the pain.
Medical cannabis: This is my first post on this... - Pain Concern
Medical cannabis
I would be interested in what the radio prog had to say.
As things stand in the UK cannabis is illegal. You can buy the seeds but it is illegal to grow them
There is a product called CBD oilswhich only has the cbd in it. The more harmful part of the cannabis plant - the THC is removed.
These CBD oils are fairly easy to obtain but a word of caution. They are expensive and unless you can be guaranteed a very good brand they are likely to be 'watered' down and have little effect.
Everyone has CBD receptors in their body so can 'digest' these iols.
I live abroad where cannabis is slightly legal! You can grow 3 plants per person so for my husband and I I can grow 6. It is also widely available as the raw flower buds. It can be bought. Oils with THC and many variations are widely available too.
I have always known the values of such a plant. It has been used in parts of the world for centuries. Some chew on the raw seeds.
Research in the UK ibto its nedicinal values are painfully slow. It has a unfounded bad reputation but when the 2 main parts are mixed correctly then it is completely safe
My Husband uses it for chronic lifelong pain - very successfully where other meds have ceased to work
x
Thanks for that info. I am so glad your husband has relief from it. I am certainly going to research it. According to someone who phoned in you can buy something from Holland and Barrett, a health food store in the UK. I searched it on line but couldn't find anything. Others were buying stuff illegally,mostly to use for cancer pain.
Medical cannabis is available in some states in the US. Some products, like the CBD oil mentioned by Paton, are available in the UK or for import and their quality is variable.
There is a prescription medical cannabis item in the UK but it is reserved for people with MS afaik and, even for them, it's heavily restricted. I gather the prescription price for the product is very high in the UK but a very similar formulation is readily available to those with an MM card in areas of the US for comparative buttons.
MS Trust's link about Sativex/nabiximols: mstrust.org.uk/a-z/sativex-...
I've no idea what the state of the research is for cannabis (in whichever formulation) and chronic pain as a consequence of central sensitisation.
There are a fair number of US blogs where the authors have chronic illnesses and MM cards and they have legal access to a wide variety of formulations and products (even sweets and other food items as well as forms for vaping, inhaling etc. etc.).
ETA: if you're familiar with reddit - there's a good CBD subreddit where the admins are knowledgeable and discuss whether or not there is good quality research to back up distributors' claims about strength, purity, and effectiveness (all too often, it seems that there isn't). Once you're in the correct subbreddit (/r/CBD) search for
uk pain
and it should bring up a number of relevant posts.
You need weed in high CDB form, low TCHQ (that is what gets you high) so stay away from Skunk as it is high TCQ so you will just high, has less pain properties.
I suggest you use only commercial weed or thia weed more mellow, less TCHQ.
I central sensitisation so I know what is like my back hurts, I'm driving a 120 mile round trip for work tomorrow! So anyways here what I suggest, as I have had every test, every scan ect so I am experinced in my medical issues lets say.
First of all stop Tramadol, opiate medication does nothing for this type of pain, your just going to get addicted to it, mess up your liver, also have problems having a dump. So stop it right now is my advice.
Where do you live? If your near me or put on to my physical therapist.
I have no clue where you live, but I would call your GP tomorrow, see him asap. Ask be sent to the RNOH;
rnoh.nhs.uk/our-services/ch...
I have just completed the pain management program there, totally amazing the staff there will know how to help you. They helped me, my pain is a lot lower than before I'm looking at now I say another 3 - 6 months to be back where I was again. It all hangs on now, getting of meds, losing weight, getting to work so I can buy my own place.
Sack of the weed it doesn't help this type of pain either, I was smoking that shit like everyday. I quit totally just over a month ago, I can think! I'm quitting all medication unless I need it for spefic reason normal when my pain boots up, but I'll be meds free soon I hope. All smoking weed is gonna do is mess you up. I have managed to fight back from substance abuse due to pain, I wasn't far off being an alcoholic either I have manage to get better, but when the door is opened to drug miss use it can never be closed again, what a head fuck that was I tell ya.
Oh if you must use weed, bake some cookies with it. Much better, clean high, but you get really high! Good time to watch cartoons! Though really as I said it won't solve your pain problem, just mask it.
Get a cat, we just got a cat highly recommend it.
Next I'd like to watch all videos please, it will explain what is going inside of you (me too!) when you watched them, come back to I'll point you in the direction of some other things, I don't want overload you. Just take it in, process it.
youtube.com/watch?v=RYoGXv2...
youtube.com/watch?v=8defN4i...
youtube.com/watch?v=lwwJ1ML...
Bottom line is that medication won't help it just props you up;
Here look into this;
Explain Pain Handbook
yoga
mediation
corrective exercise/physical therapy
I don't believe you can just STOP... Tramadol RIGHT NOW....
I believe your provider would taper you off over a brief time.
Stopping Taking Tramadol:
Configure a tapering schedule with your doctor. Stopping taking Tramadol “cold turkey” can produce particularly strong, potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms, including seizures. ...
Take care of yourself. ...
Use natural supplements to treat withdrawal symptoms. ...
Avoid alcohol.
Also to add weed damages the connection between the sides of brain, what my GP refers to a "Brain Rot" anyways is will just cause so many problems in the long term.
Medical paper on damage weed causes to the brain.
sciencedaily.com/releases/2...
You don't necessarily have to smoke weed to take it. Obtain oils high in cbd's and that are low in thc. After all the goal is to be pain free and not high.
By placing the cbd oil in a capsule it takes about two hours to begin working. It doesn't take a lot of oil. This of course is if it is legal in your area.
Hi I too take tramadol not much relief Yes I do use cannabis on &
off it does help me as long as I do not smoke to get high..I use the kind you can put on a vapor.. it does not stink ..I also use some form out local store .. and I they have a chart to help you pic exactly what which kind does what .. I live in WA. State it is legal here so I do not Need prescription .. I will say yes it does help if I am having a unbearable pain day .. The down side If I have to smoke it .. last for little while .. which in my case I am happy to have even a little relief does not take pain away but any help for just a bit is appreciated. I will say the smell of it if I smoke it is WHOA .. I have to take a shower and change my clothing before I go out in public.. I do not know if you do get a prescription if the Doctor would take away the Tramadol in that case my choice would be to keep the Tramadol.. Thanks
I use CBD oil regularly. I agree with Pat that there are some very inferior products out there. If you message me I will give you the name of the company I buy from. We did a lot of research on the product and although expensive very small amount ts are needed.
I also use a medi pen which is cbd oil in a vape.
Dee
Hi Dee, I have used 2 different, both supposedly reputable brands of CBD oil, and one seemed to work better than the other, could you message me where you get yours from? Thanks, Caron
Hello deejames, could you please send me name of CBD oil that you use and do you use Medline with it. I have been interested in both of these but have not tried them. I have suffered 33 yrs of constant chronic back and pelvic pain and never had anything to help. Thank you,Maureen
I live in MA, USA. I recently began using Medical Marijuana because I was at the end of my rope with doctors and pills. The docs won't prescribe the pills that work because people are killing themselves with the stuff. So they prescribe a bunch of junk like Lyrica that will not help. The medical marijuana (MM) is strong and works well. I have spinal stenosis, 5 neurological disorders, anxiety and depression. I am 60 years old. It's HIGH time we finally get to use MM without the stigma of drug abuse. I would highly recommend MM if you can legally use it. The only down side is you can't drive on it. It's very strong. It is relaxing and I don't feel pain when using it. Good luck, and God Bless!
I have been living no sorry existing with chronic pain for several years, I tried tramadol once but was projectile vomiting with it. I now am taking Zomorph, Oramorph and Zapain along with Gabapentin,Duloxetine,Amitriptylene and Clonazepam. I have recently been using CBD in the e liquids as I used to be a smoker so found that this was a better way for me to take it. I have found that it does ease the pain and also relaxes you more therefore I think the other pain medication tends to work better also. I wouldn't say it was expensive nor cheap really but if it helps a little then to me it's worth it. I pay £35 for a 15ml bottle which lasts about 15-16 days. You do not get a high from it and have read up about it which says that it's safe to use as we use CBD in our bodies anyway but just enhances it. A friend of mine who suffers from a number of very painful conditions asked her Dr about the prescription cannabis and was told that he was only to prescribe it to 3 types of people, Cancer, MS, and Parkinsons. Maybe as time goes by this might change as there is so many people living with chronic pain how can they say who needs it the most. Any best wishes to all.Lynne
Hello
Would you private message me with the brand you buy? I do buy a certain brand, I am wandering if your brand is the same, different/ cheaper?
thank you.
Hi Lynnha
Like you I have done some research into this as I only came across it a few weeks ago.
I have read and listened to what some people are proclaiming.
I would think that this is a very confrontational area to go into as so many people have mixed views about the different types of oil there are.
However I have done some research and will continue to do so because if we don't help ourselves then I am not sure that all the medication that is getting passed out is that good for people either.
I have never in my whole life taken an illegal substance. But why is this plant growing all over the world and it could be there to help with medicine that could help so many people.
I think that people should have a open mind and do as much research as possible. I am definitely not recommend this in anyway as the CBD oil on its own maybe the way forward to see if people can get help to reduce pain and help with other illnesses.
I truly wish you all the best of luck with your research and if on your travels with it if you find something interesting I would like to hear from you.
Take good care of yourself and I hope that you are feeling as well as you can be. xxxx