Marijuana Rated Significantly More Effective in Treating Fibro Symptoms than FDA-Approved Drugs

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Iquitos

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http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ma...approved-drugs-global-survey-finds-2014-04-21

GOLDEN, Colo., April 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A survey of 1,339 people with fibromyalgia conducted by The National Pain Foundation and NationalPainReport.com, revealed that those who have used marijuana to treat their symptoms find it significantly more effective than any of the three drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat the disorder.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140418/76548
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140418/76547
The three drugs approved for the treatment of fibromyalgia are Cymbalta (Duloxetine); Lyrica (Pregabalin); and Savella (Milnacipran).
How Cymbalta Performs for Fibromyalgia Sufferers (N=960)
  • 60% say Cymbalta does not work at all
  • 32% say Cymbalta helps a little
  • 8% say Cymbalta was very effective
How Lyrica Performs for Fibromyalgia Sufferers (N=860)
  • 61% say Lyrica does not work at all
  • 29% say Lyrica helps a little
  • 10% say Lyrica was very effective
How Savella Performs for Fibromyalgia Sufferers (N=387)
  • 68% say it does not work at all
  • 22% say it helps a little
  • 10% say it was very effective
How Marijuana Performs for Fibromyalgia Sufferers (N=379)
  • 5% say it does not work at all
  • 33% marijuana helps a little
  • 62% say marijuana was very effective
Comments from survey respondents regarding the use of marijuana to treat Fibromyalgia:
  • "I've found nothing that has worked for me, apart from marijuana."
  • "Nothing but medical marijuana has made the greatest dent in the pain and mental problems."
  • "Marijuana does help a LOT, it numbs the pain. But, it doesn't last long and it makes your brain foggy."
Ninety-six percent (96%) of survey respondents were females. About half (49%) were diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 34, while 38% were diagnosed between the ages of 35 to 49. Only 12% were diagnosed at the age of 50 or older.
Forty-four percent (44%) lived with Fibromyalgia for more than five years before receiving a diagnosis. Only 11% were diagnosed within one year of experiencing symptoms.
Four out of ten (43%) of fibromyalgia sufferers feel their physician is not knowledgeable about the disorder. Over a third (35%) feel their physician does not take their fibromyalgia seriously. And 45% feel their family and friends do not take their fibromyalgia seriously.
About The National Pain Foundation
The National Pain Foundation is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization that is addressing the critical public health challenges attributed to pain on a global basis.
CONTACT:
Doug Lynch
304-876-1677
Read more news from The National Pain Foundation.
SOURCE The National Pain Foundation
Copyright (C) 2014 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
**********************************************************************

I post this because I'd like to hear from others who are using medical marijuana or have tried it.

I live where both medical and recreational are legal. I don't smoke anything -- tried that and don't like the side effects: sore throat, smelly...

I have a Colorado "red card", the license to buy, possess and/or grow up to an ounce, or 6 plants. So far I have only purchased my herb from a dispensary in my county. I have been making an herbal tincture similar to other herbal medicines. I made some of my last purchase into the tarry oil that is mentioned all over the web, but I didn't like it so I re-dissolved it in grain alcohol and added some canola oil and water to make another type of tincture.

I haven't slept this well, nor suffered so little pain in my hip joints and back, in years. So my usage is for pain and sleep and I'm finding it very effective.

It has side effects I don't like. It makes me feel a bit dizzy for an hour or two after I take it so I don't take it and drive or plan to go up and down stairs or much of anything beside sitting or lying down. On days that I need to leave home, that means I can't take my mmj tincture until I've done with travel. OTOH, I seem to be developing a tolerance for the THC in this tincture; it seems to affect me less strongly as time goes by.

I have ordered the seeds to grow my own. The varieties I've ordered say they will produce 7% of each THC and CBD for one and 4-10% THC plus 15% CBD. The varieties I can currently purchase have much higher THC, around 20%, and lower CBD and other cannabinoids, so once I grow my own, I can medicate with less of the psychoactive effects. Some THC is probably good, as a balance, but I want a lower percentage than what I can buy right now.

Anyone else, with ME/CFS and/or fibro trying this remedy?
 
liverock

liverock

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Regular users of Marijuana have to balance any positive effects with the long term effects on the brain even even in low dosages.
A recent study on young occasional users found structural changes in the brain structure,grey matter,amygdala and hypothalmus.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/823730
 
heapsreal

heapsreal

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What has happened to the pharmaceutical drugs they made from pot. If pot works I don't wwant to smoke anything and destroy my lungs. I would rather take a pill with the active ingredients in them??
 
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Valentijn

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heapsreal said:
What has happened to the pharmaceutical drugs they made from pot. If pot works I don't wwant to smoke anything and destroy my lungs. I would rather take a pill with the active ingredients in them??
Click to expand...
You could also make a tea from the leaves. Just needs a tea-ball or similar.
 
peggy-sue

peggy-sue

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I don't believe the active stuff is water soluble, @Valentijn.

Michael just bought himself a tea-ball and some fancy tea. The tea-ball is too big for our mugs, which are tankard shaped.:rolleyes:
 
I

Iquitos

Senior Member
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liverock said:
Regular users of Marijuana have to balance any positive effects with the long term effects on the brain even even in low dosages.
A recent study on young occasional users found structural changes in the brain structure,grey matter,amygdala and hypothalmus.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/823730
Click to expand...
Of course, before trying this I did a lot of research about it. The best research comes from Israel where they have been publishing research on this subject since 1960.

The study you reference here? I read the whole thing and I came to the conclusion that it's BS. But it has been splashed all over the internet and misquoted a lot. In fact, it doesn't really prove a thing. Not a thing! And in the body of the "research" they admit that they found "changes." So what? Does "change" imply damage? Apparently, to those who already wanted to jump to that conclusion. And all the sources of medical marijuana that I know of recommend that no one younger than 21 use it, unless, of course, it's a baby that could die of Davet's Syndrome, a deadly form of epilepsy.

As the next poster says "Consider the source!"

And since I'm 66 and my ME is progressing, I do not care what some anti-marijuana activists say about it.
 
I

Iquitos

Senior Member
Messages
513
Location
Colorado
heapsreal said:
What has happened to the pharmaceutical drugs they made from pot. If pot works I don't wwant to smoke anything and destroy my lungs. I would rather take a pill with the active ingredients in them??
Click to expand...
I don't smoke anything. There are many ways to get the cannabidiols as well as the THC without smoking. Some use a vape pen (a vaporizor) that heats the herb without combustion, papers or lighters.

Some use a "hash oil".

I make an herbal tincture, just like I do for other herbal medicines (learned how from Steven Buhner's books on herbal mediciane). I use grain alcohol and water for my solvents. It works great!
 
I

Iquitos

Senior Member
Messages
513
Location
Colorado
peggy-sue said:
I don't believe the active stuff is water soluble, @Valentijn.

Michael just bought himself a tea-ball and some fancy tea. The tea-ball is too big for our mugs, which are tankard shaped.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Apparently some of the active stuff is water soluble, just not as easily isolated. I've seen it written that there are at least 80 cannabinoids in these plants, each with its own chemical composition.

There are videos on youtube showing how some people juice the raw leaves and other videos of how to make other concoctions out of the whole plant. And there is a whole new industry in Colorado, of making "edibles" with mmj as one ingredient.
 
B

brian&ME

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4
I use cannabis oil as seen in the rick Simpson video on YouTube "run from the cure"
It is in a syringe and best description is a green tar which I put onto a cigarette paper then swallow and I've cut my pain meds by half so far as I'm try to get the amount of cannabis oil I need so I don't get stoned
At the moment I'm using about the size of a quarter of a rice granule and slowly building up to half a rice granule taken at night as it helps with sleep as well
I would definitely recommend this if you suffer pain from ME/CFS
 
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