big john

I guess you've never heard of transdermal patches? Ever seen a nicotine patch?

TiHabanero

I have been taking CBD oil for the past two weeks. At first I thought the absence of constant joint aches was placebo affect, however 2 weeks later my shoulders don't wake me up in the middle of the night, my knee joints don't ache after a ride, and wrist pain is greatly reduced. Gotta also put in there my blood pressure is lower as well and I have a lot more energy, so much so that my wife said something about it the other day. In addition she said I seem to be in a better mood.


Yes, for my situation CBD oil works, and works quite effectively as I felt the difference the first day.

late

I haven't tried any CBD oil for the skin. I do grow and use medicinal pot, which is high in CBD and low in THC.

There are a number of strains that are good for pain. The stronger varieties usually have significant THC in them.
They can be quite effective.

Anyway, point is, that the skin treatment is new. But people have been using it medicinally for a couple thousand years, by taking it internally.

I'd love it if the government would allow the R&D to develop this into a proper and medically approved treatment. That hasn't happened, but I can tell you that it has helped me through cancer, and a number of other problems.

I don't think smoking is a good idea, but vaping does negligible damage. I do edibles, but tinctures are also a possibility.

John00

I've been taking CBD orally for about a month now. I can't say I've noticed any help. I'm sitting here 2 & 1/2 hours after taking 25mg of CBD and my legs are as sore as ever. I think 3 aspirin work better. Pot's legal here, there is a dispensary a few blocks from my house with the walls lined with glass jars full of different strains of pot in them, along with several glass displays full of edibles, some with THC, a few CBD only.
I was hoping for a cure, but I'm very disappointed. Maybe I should get some with THC in them, they'r actually a little cheaper. But I don't like the THC high.

late

What's the problem?

Has your CBD been independently tested?

You should be able to find strains or products that have similar amounts of thc and cbd. My experience is that they are better for pain. I am growing a strain now that is supposed to be 5-6% for both thc and cbd.

But that depends a lot on what you want. For severe pain, the guys I have 'talked' with on medical forums swear by strains that are high (20% fpr thc and several % cbd) in both. There are also other active ingredients that you need to pay attention to, when looking for a specific sort of effect.

qcpmsame 

Incorrect completely, how can pain relief patches, nicotine patches, and a host of other drugs administered by transdermal methods be so effective. Better than having an IV line or repeated injections, as I have had experience with several times following surgeries.

And the science behind cannabanoids in prescription drug use has been well sussed out in research trials. Would you deny a chlid with a seizure disorder the perscription for “Charolette’s web” that controls the seizure activity and no high from the drugs either. Check to scientific and medical journals rather than internet opinion sites.

rydabent

Altho im 79 I have very few pains. What few I do have a couple of asprin works just fine. Sorry but IMO only fools buy in to pot and the whole illegal drug crap. The end result in a high percentage of the time is an early death.

Cyclist OTOH are usually are pretty healthy and it is sad to see them get into illegal drugs. Look what happened to Lance Armstrong.

big john

Huh?

canklecat

Apparently, EPO=CBD=THC=LOL.

Dave Cutter

Interesting.... cyclists are well known for using embrocation oils and creams. So why would one more rub-on aid make any difference to any cyclist.

I sometimes use a little Blue-Emu..... or a baby aspirin. Or on a couple events... morphine. Whatever works.

realyfishy

You're stuck in the 50's. Comparing marijuana to EPO & steroids **********

TakingMyTime

My experience is if the doctors can't pinpoint the reason for your pain (as you describe) it usually means it is just basic muscle soreness, stress or just an effect of the aging process. More than likely they're just going to prescribe a megadose of some anti-inflammatory drug and send you home.

Rubbing something on an effected location and then feeling better in 1/2 hour sounds too good to be true. Possibly just laying still for 1/2 hour accelerated the improvement? Although I would consider a CDB topical treatment rather ineffective and would lean more towards the belief it was just a Placebo effect, I will not argue the fact that you said you had pain and it apparently worked for you.

With that said, what would be wrong with ingesting it in edible form and enjoying the light psychotic buzz from the other elements while it heals your pain?

late

Sorry, that was too good to pass up.

TakingMyTime

"Psychotic" may have been a bit extreme. I became of age in the 70's and my first hand knowledge of MANY drugs is well documented

billsatori

I believe CBD had definite analgesic properties. Tough to describe but make the body tingly like you are in water. I live in a legal state and able to purchase cannabis flower and oil with a 1:1 ratio of CBD to THC. Vaporizing in small amounts (micro-dosing) works well for me. A lot different than smoking large amounts of weed, overindulging and using it as a party drug like many of us may have done in our youth. It helped get me off SSRI's (Paxil) and works better for me for OCD, depression, anxiety. Improved my relationships with friends and family. Wife especially sees a big difference and she went from very strong critic to advocate. They main negative is the cost and stigma. Paxil is legal prescription that I got from my doctor and was one of the worse things I ever did. Nasty drug with bad side effects and made my symptoms worse.

Amittai

Hi guys. I just wanted to ask if any of you tried using medical marijuana for anxieties? I've been suffering severe anxiety for almost a year now and been given a prescription for Benzodiazepines for my medication. But i heard alot of people telling me that marijuana helps relieve anxiety but im not im not sure if its true so i came up to search something about this idea and came across this marijuana strain from blog.bonzaseeds,com/banana-kush/ it says that i can discard all forms of stress and its euphoric buzz it delivers often is useful in combating anxiety and depression. I wanted to hear your thoughts about this guys and if you can give me any tips that can help me with my anxieties. Thank you!

billsatori

I have. MMJ can be a double-edged sword for anxiety and can make worse for many people. Many Sativa strains are racy can can cause anxiety. I would recommend a Strain 1:1 CBD/THC ratio in small doses to test. Cannatonic is one I can get here. The Banana Kush is our other Indica leaning strains noted to reduce anxiety are worth trying. Go low and slow - 1 puff and wait 30 mins. Do not consume like you are at a frat party! I find less is better for anxiety and a surprisingly small dose helps.

late

I have PTSD and SAD. I prefer something close to a 1:1 ratio for THC and CBD. Problem is, people are wired differently, you have to try them to see what works for you. Some like strains that are high in both thc and cbd.

Vaping is a better choice, by far, than smoking.

https://herb.co/2017/04/22/cbd-strains-anxiety/

late

I have a small tent, and grow one plant at a time. It doesn't cost all that much, although there is the upfront cost of setting the thing up.

I don't think pot has the stigma it used to have, esp. for med users.

I used to hang out at a med pot forum, and a lot of the guys started using pot because their prescribed meds were killing them.

E53 

Back in the early seventies (or so), I can remember some old-timers talk about using WD-40 for arthritis pain. They swore by it! Then one day I was listening to a radio talk show that had a doctor who was talking about arthritis pain. Someone called in and mentioned WD-40, and the doctor replied that if it did anything at all it was because the skin was reacting to the petroleum, and producing topical heat in the area. Same as applying a hot towel.
Hey, at least it's legal in all fifty states!

qcpmsame 

@E53 Yep, I understand that WD-40 is a gateway drug to the hard stuff. That Liquid Wrench, penetrating oil, is some strong stuff.

Bill

Cyclcist11023131

Shhhh! We are all on Tri-Flow...

canklecat

Tagging onto this thread since it's a niche topic, rather than starting a new thread.

While my community health network has generally been fine for treating my recent shoulder injury and other health issues, they are badly lacking in pain management, possibly to the point of negligence (assuming federal/state standards since it's a tax-funded health system). I had what was labeled a 10 day supply of hydrocodone and cyclobenzaprine (muscle relaxer). It lasted me almost six weeks, since I seldom needed it.

The doctor suggested 800 mg of ibuprofen four times a day. That seemed excessive. I'll usually take two or three of the 200mg tablets in the morning with coffee, but if that doesn't work no amount of ibuprofen will help. Some days pain is just beyond NSAIDs. So occasionally the prescription meds were useful so I could get up and function. But the docs at this facility are no longer permitted to prescribe more than a 10 day supply or to authorize any refills. Exceptions are rare.

After 3-4 weeks I could tell the shoulder was healing slowly and still ached unusually. The fracture was healing fine according to X-Rays, but the dislocation wasn't pulling back together and ached constantly. Not much swelling so I figured it had to be inflammation. So I planned on getting a referral to the pain management clinic for anti-inflammatory injections. The ortho docs used to do that during routine visits. Then it was booted to the pain management clinic, which would do the injections on the first visit. Usually patients got into the pain management clinic within a week of calling for an appointment. And the staff used to be friendly and helpful.

But now there's a three month waiting period just to get into the pain mismanagement clinic, and all they do is entry paperwork and reschedule you for a followup visit 6 weeks later. That second visit is just a consultation with the doctor -- no actual treatment. The third visit is yet another 4-6 weeks later, assuming they've agreed to anti-inflammatory injections, nerve blocks or other procedures. That's 3-6 months dealing with chronic pain and no actual treatment. If they authorize any prescription meds at all it will be something like gabapentin for everything. They no longer prescribe any opiates, not even the mildest stuff like Tramadol and hydrocodone, unless the patient has been flayed alive or presents with multiple compound fractures.

And when I called for an appointment they were indifferent, if not outright rude. The person who answered the phone mumbled like he'd been awakened from a nap, didn't introduce himself or confirm the name of the facility. Just "Huh... yeah, what..." Then he got annoyed when I asked whether I'd reached the pain management clinic. "Uh... yeah." I asked for an appointment. "September." I said "Three months? You're kidding." "Nope, take it or leave it."
(Click.)

Which leaves most actual human patients seeking alternatives.

So I just began using CBD in powder form last week. Fortunately it's considered legal in Texas (by Texas, although the feds differ on the court interpretation about CBD from hemp being considered not a controlled substance) and readily available at some health food shops, so you don't need to furtively duck into a head shop and listen to terrible metal music while trying to converse with a guy behind the counter who mostly nods his head and says "cooool, bruh" to everything, while mispronouncing the names of his wares.

Too soon to say how effective it is, although after three days I noticed a significant decrease in my old and new shoulder and neck aches. Last week I couldn't sleep due to the constant ache all night. But I slept well this weekend. It still hurts if I'm not careful about turning or pressure, but the constant ache was significantly less annoying, down to a level 3 from 5-7 last week.

However my chronic pain levels vary quite a bit, often along with barometric pressure changes, so I'd need a few weather cycles to be sure. But we had a sharp pressure drop Saturday in advance of a t-storm, and those usually cause my joints to ache and sometimes a sinus headache from pressure. But this weekend hasn't been bad at all.

If I continue to experience less chronic pain in the neck and shoulder, after one or two more weather front barometric pressure cycles, I'll be satisfied that CBD appears to work as some folks describe. So far, so good.

For folks suffering from more severe chronic pain and have no alternatives, there is another option for quick relief: Mitragyna speciosa, commonly called kratom in the US, or ketum in some Asian countries.

You'll need to check laws in your state, county or city. It's banned in some states, but widely available for now. The federal government is considering regulations but apparently are giving it some serious study first because some medical professionals have urged the feds to adopt uniform standards that would make it available without a prescription (although it might require a signature, as with Sudafed and ephedrine). It's considered to be far less addictive than opiates and used in some places like methadone to wean addicts off opiates. Anecdotes indicate any addiction risk with mitragyna speciosa is roughly comparable to caffeine or chocolate, but not to the level of American cigarettes enhanced with chemicals to encourage addiction.

It's botanically related to the coffee bean plant and described as a mild stimulant comparable to ordinary tea. But it also has interesting properties that work with the body's natural opiate receptors, although the plant is not an opiate.

I can confirm that it works very effectively and quickly, within 30-60 minutes -- quicker if drunk as a tea. It's typically in herb form -- leaves or ground to powder -- although it may be available prepped in oil, since it's not readily water soluble and works better mixed in oil or fats (including milk cream or half and half, or coconut oil, or butter). It tastes grassy, like spirulina or just chewing on a blade of grass. Neither pleasant nor unpleasant. I brew it with strong tasting tea like chai and some sweetened creamer.

Most DIY tips online recommend up to 7 grams to start with. I found 2-3 to be plenty for effective pain relief with minimal side effects. Rather than a stimulant, it's more like taking a 3 mg dose of melatonin for sleep. Just very mildly relaxing, but not sedating. It's less sedating than taking 25-50 mg of Benadryl either as a sleep aid or antihistamine. The maximum 7 gram dose some sites recommend might be more sedating but I haven't found any reason to increase the dosage beyond 3.

So far it has reduced my shoulder and neck pain from a pain level of 7-8 on Thursday and Friday to level 2-3 (I had to ride the city buses both days for appointments, and after a 12 hour day my shoulder was aching badly). I've had daily pain around level 3 every day since a 2001 car wreck broke my back and neck, so while it's certainly not comfortable I've gotten accustomed to it. Going from level 7-8 to 3 within 30 minutes is a huge deal, especially if it can be done without begging for prescription opiates, an increasingly humiliating process for patients in chronic pain.

There's plenty of objective and subjective material online to read while deciding. And, again, check the laws in your area. Try to ignore the scare tactics parroted from some authorities by some media outlets. Regard kratom as you would using Sudafed, ephedrine, Bendadryl and other OTC medications that are useful for specific conditions, all of which carry significant risks and precautions, yet are not banned.

springs

Very informative post. Thanks.

Wheever

Ayup. 20 minutes at work and my back and hips stiffen up so much I can't stand up straight. Sitting for hours is the worst thing for my body.

I had an ongoing fight with a (now ex) girlfriend because while I could go ride 50 miles on my bike and feel great after, 40 hours or work left me feeling broken, achy, in pain, and sick. (I have health issues and was cutting back my hours because it was pretty much killing me.) She was really snotty about it because she was venal as hell, though pretty well off, and obsessed with money. I finally ended the argument permanently by saying "go find me ONE school of medical thought that says sitting at a desk is good for your health. Just. One. And I'll go back to working more hours..." Yeah, she didn't find one, and that was the end of that.