CBD...does it help? should it be avoided with Pred? - PMRGCAuk

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CBD...does it help? should it be avoided with Pred?

howtotaperdown profile image
13 Replies

I seem to remember early on in the PMR journey that CBD was advised against, but the night pains are worse and have run out of previously useful sleep remedies ! any advice on CBD and possible PRED reaction and as useful for PMR pains and sleep issues?

thanks

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howtotaperdown
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13 Replies
DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer

Most opinions seem t be doesn't help with PMR as such, but may help with sleep etc, but not really recommended -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

Twopies profile image
Twopies

some people swear by it but where I live (USA) the biggest and most highly rated cbd oil company will not sell it to you if you are on prednisone. That said, as Dorsetlady said, some people here swear by it.

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Twopies

Actually I don't think I said some people swear by it, however some do think it helps with sleep... but my view - was and is, is not alongside Pred...

Blearyeyed profile image
Blearyeyed

You have to be incredibly careful taking CBD , in fact , now that it is being advertised on TV and is so openly available over the counter, I think it should have one of those written disclaimers on the screen reminding people that they need to check with a chemist or GP if the CBD will interact with your other medication.The reason CBD products are not advisable is because the CBD is processed by the same pathway in the liver as many medications including steroids, antidepressants, statins and many heart , kidney and liver medications.

This interaction can cause a reduction in how quickly the body can process the medications meaning that the medication is not absorbed at the dose level required and can lead to a build up of your medications in your system. Both possibilities can make you feel unwell and rather than the CBD reducing your pain it can eventually cause more. In some cases it can be very harmful.Even with the UK varieties which have much lower active ingredient in them.

What types of sleep remedies have you been using which have stopped working , were they over the counter or prescribed?

Are there any particular symptoms which you feel are new or worse and causing you a sleep problem?

Do you have difficulty falling to sleep , or do you keep waking up?

Do you follow any form of sleep routine to help?

If you could give more details members may be able to give some suggestions that would be more suitable for you than CBD . I will look out for your reply , Bee

agingfeminist profile image
agingfeminist

you mention pain at night as causing your sleep problems. If the pain is PMR related then nothing but pred will deal with it. But you need to identify the cause of this pain..where it is, what exacerbates it. The use of CBD doesn't as a sleep enhancer doesn't have any reliable scientiifc backing...but all pain medications etc have a strong placebo effect. However, pred and CBD is not a recommended duo. Try to identify the cause of the pain, perhaps with help from your doc. Then you will have a better idea how to treat it. I do hope you sort this out soon...poor sleep really wrecks one's life.

Ridge profile image
Ridge

I really recommend Audible for sleep problems; pain or no pain. It has been my life saver. It stops the mind from wandering over problems and you can drift off into the land of nod. I recommend the Seven Pillars of Wisdom! Nothing beats the description of riding a camel through beautiful dessert landscapes. Avoid the fighting bits.

howtotaperdown profile image
howtotaperdown in reply to Ridge

yes audible has been great for me...but it is always a struggle to find the place the next day and I listen to many parts again, I put it on 30mins sleep turn off usually, nothing too exciting of course and test the voice before hand by listening to an extract...I can recommend so many but then this list might start looking like 'Goodreads' !

Ridge profile image
Ridge in reply to howtotaperdown

Two sorts of Audible books. One sort for the day and the other for the night. The Seven Pillars is a night time one. It doesn’t matter where abouts in the book you are, in fact best not to know. A few chapters to be avoided like Lawrence’s capture and his massacres of the Turks but the rest is so descriptive you can almost hear, smell and feel the desert.

When I started steroids I had such a difficult time. Various pills and remedies were recommended. All had side effects. The less sleep you have the more tense you get about it. Audible turned out to be a wonderful solution!

Wizards profile image
Wizards

Hi thereIt seems alot of people on this site are anti cbd.

Personally I was prescribed THC&CBD by my Dr.

I did alot of research 7 yrs ago about cbd and the main researcher back then saw that it boosted your immunity.

I suffered like you with more pain in the evenings so what cured that was splitting my dose and taking 1/2 at 3pm.

I also had problems reducing and mood swings and the cbd straightened that out. I can't say over night but a month down the road I noticed a difference. I also found that CBD helped me reduce.

I take THC for sleep and it helps alot.

I have had a Dr. who specializes in THC and CBD for the past 5 yrs prior it was my Gp. I get medical not what you now can by in a store legally in Canada.

I do not take any CBD & THC with prednisone, I take it at bedtime. My journey was 8 yrs and I've been off prednisone since January 2023.

I hope this helps.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply to Wizards

People are not "against" CBD but the reality is that the vast majority of us are not in countries where you can get it - legally medically or recreationally. Those who have tried have pretty much all found it didn't help the PMR or GCA problems although some found it helped another aspect of their chronic illness.

Even taking it at a different time from a pred tablet is unlikely to alter the interaction - though the purpose if to use it as a steroid sparer by enhancing the effects,

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Wizards

Hi thereIt seems alot of people on this site are anti cbd.

Not necessarily, but you have to remember not every country has the same rules regarding it - and any other medication/supplement needs to be monitored. As yours is prescribed by your doctor presumable it is, but that is not the case if it’s purchased over the counter.

Joseph14612 profile image
Joseph14612

I consumed cbd/thc gummy bears(10-20 mg) early on. It did help with sleep when I was on 50 mg prednisone and no problems. I didn't know about the warnings while on prednisone and my GP (US) was fine with it. I am now on 20 mg prednisone and find I don't need them anymore, so I quit. But that is just me, everyone is different. Here in the US they are coated with sugar and that is the only issue I had with them...I think they increased headaches while taking them, even though I rinsed the sugar off before consuming.

Wizards profile image
Wizards in reply to Joseph14612

I too don't care for all the sugar. I use medical oil which I like. I use to vaporize but now oils.

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