I know, it’s unconventional and for the most part illegal in most of the US to smoke weed. But for those who have/could potentially have a medicinal marijuana card, what kind of relief do get from it? What strands are best for pain relief? What are the adverse side effects?
3 Likes
I tried smoking marijuana for pain relief, and it didn't help me at all. In fact, it made my pain worse. I think it was because I started focussing on the pain more and that made it more noticeable and made it feel more intense. It works for a lot of people, I guess I am just not one of them.
1 Like
Marijuana is one of the key drugs I rely on for my fibromyalgia and anxiety. Unfortunately I live in a state where marijuana is still illegal, even medical, so I have no control over what strain I end up with at any given time. I have found that certain strains change my pain from pain to mere sensation; it's still strong, but it's just *there*, not painful any longer. It also calms me down a great deal, and doesn't have the crazy awful side effects of literally knocking me out for a day. There are strains that give me the giggles, and some that make me insanely thirsty or hungry, but the best one I've found so far starts with a tingling in my forehead, and makes me happy (not giddy, just cheerful), and changes my pain to sensation. I can't drive anyway, so I won't try either high or not, and I do not go to work on a full hit. If I am in lots of pain and have to go to work, i'll take a resin hit, which hits me differently than a 'real' hit, and that will carry me for at least an hour, so that I can get a little work in. It does not make me irresponsible, it does not interfere with my life; in fact, it makes it so that i can walk to the grocery store and back without breaking down crying from the pain. I only regret that i have to keep it a secret and can't bring it with me if i go somewhere and would like it for the walk home.
So there's a good experience for contrast, but your experience may vary widely, especially depending on the level of paranoia you have about trying it. I wish I knew the names of the strains that have helped me out the most, but, as I said, my source credentials are not...uh, policed, to turn a phrase. :)
3 Likes
Sandy, I feel like once it becomes a more socially-accepted medication, you will no longer have to hide. I hope that eventually people will not have to be ashamed of something that helps them. What do you do now as an alternative?
1 Like
I have experienced that with some strands as well. Thank you for keeping an open mind about its potential for others 
1 Like
I feel like I could use it a lot more to my advantage if I could have a reliable source of a specific strand that provides the right combination of feelings. I’ve tried different types and prefer some to others, mainly the ones with the best anti-inflammatory effects are the most helpful with my pain.
1 Like
I think that weed should be legal, definitely. I smoke it because it helps make my muscles relax because I suffer from muscle stiffness and spasms. It's also great for sex because sex is often times painful to me if I don't smoke.
My favorite strain would have to be White Widow. Unfortunately I live in a state that does not recognize the medicinal benefits of cannabis so I don't often have the luxury of knowing which strain I have :(.
As far as side effects go, I get dry mouth and the munchies, but that's it. A much smaller list of side effects than most of my legal drugs.
I'm glad you brought this up, Molly. I think cannabis has a negative old fashioned stigma that needs to be reconciled NOW.
~Laura~
2 Likes
I would love to try marijuana for my pain and anxiety with this fibromyalgia. How do I go about getting it? I hear more and more positives everyday . Especially ingesting in other ways if you don't want to smoke. Has anyone else seen that great special that Sunjay Gupta did recently called WEED or Morgan Spurlocks special? They were both great. I'm going to be 50 on Monday and it would be terrific to use less pills with bad side effects and try marijuana for this next decade of my life.
Thank you all for being here
Ahava
1 Like
I used to sometimes use it for sleep but I do not live in a legal state, so finding a kind that was good for pain was next to impossible. Most strains actually made it worse, but I only got cheap stuff from a relative. I am certain there are some kinds that help pain, you really need to be in a state with a good dispensary so you know what you are getting. It helped tremendously for sleep.
As for anxiety, years ago it had helped, but for some reason it began to make it worse for me. Again, probably the strains available.
I had to stop using it for sleep about a year ago after a urine test, doc said ‘I can’t give you pain meds if you do that’. So I chose. I can’t take sleeping pills due to side effects, so it’s melatonin 10 mg and poor sleep for me.
1 Like
I’ve not actually introduced myself since joining just a few hours ago, but after reading through discussions I happened upon your question and it’s something I know a bit about. My husband and I spent last year helping a group attempting to get a ballot initiative to legalize cannabis in Missouri. Unfortunately, the effort failed but I do see it happening before too very long now…nationwide.
Strains that work well for pain related disorders such as FM would be on the indica side as those strains contain much higher levels of CBDs (cannabidiol) rather than the high THC levels of the sativa strains. The ‘Kush’ and ‘Skunk’ names are usually a safe bet as being higher in the desirable CBD content. Hybrids of both indica and sativa would be preferable during times you must be awake and functioning - though I absolutely do not advocate or approve of driving under the influence (and that is a whole other conversation).
For those finding themselves more giggly or feeling more alert, they have likely acquired a sativa strain and are not going to feel a medical benefit as far as FM goes. In fact, THC in higher amounts can have exactly the opposite effect and make the pain feel more intense. This is the difficulty in its illegal status - we know it works and which varieties work for which diseases/disorders, but because it is still largely illegal in the US finding the appropriate strains in a safe quality to use medically is virtually impossible. The reality is - when you find the correct strain/dosage/method of ingestion - you will likely have very little feeling of being under the influence but more a blissfully normal feeling. It isn’t uncommon for patients using cannabis to miss the relief aspect and assume it’s not working because they don’t feel high but the normal feeling is the relief to hope for, expect and remember to recognize when it hits.
I also believe that Fibromyalgia is as much (or more so) a neuro-muscular disease and we are very aware of the neuro-protectant qualities of cannabis. Its use in treating MS, epilepsy and other neuro/neuro-muscular diseases is well documented.
Thank you for bringing up the topic.
Pom (Jamie)
4 Likes
You can be sure, if it is legalized in this state I will be the first in line to try. I would rather be goofy that in horrid pain all the time. I do not relish the thought of raiding the fridge at all, I weigh way too much as it is. lolol
1 Like
I know its been a year since this discussion but wanted to see if anyone new/established has relief with using medical marijuana (legal or otherwise) to treat their fibro pain and fog. My main problem is as a nurse, I cannot use it and work. However, if it takes away my pain, I am willing to change careers. Any advic on correct strain/dosage/method of ingestion?
1 Like
Thanks, again… If anyone would like to share that information I would be happy to email outside of this forum for this “private” matter. Please message me for my email.
1 Like
Just recently they have legalized cannibis in concentrated oil form where i live. You use it in a vapor pen. I think this is a very good way to go help fibro. They oil that has a higher CBD content works best for me. Also, the edibles are awesome. They take longer to work but they work longer. I have gone off all my fibro and neuropathy medicine except pain medicine. It takes awhile to find the right combination works best but it really helps. The one negative is that when you find one or two that work, they are not always available. The dispensaries usually can help you figure out what will help you best.
1 Like
The medic cannabis has been beneficial to me. I also am I a state where medical laws are a short time away, but have a good connection 2 quality strains, edibles (which I also make) and concentrates. I notice others saying it doesn’t eliminate the pain but changes the sensation of it and I agree. It lessens the attention to the pain and takes your mind away from it. It greatly reduces my anxiety and makes me a lil more tolerable to my wife and daughter during flares and painful days. I used to be an outgoing person, loved to be with friends, family, gatherings etc which has done a 180°turn for me and the medicine makes it easier to go to the grocery store or even Christmas shopping that we all just had to endure. (Just don’t go to the store with the munchies or your register reciept could be shocking lol). I’d be happy to discuss further with anyone if they wish more privately especially due to the legal issues that still loom for hopefully not much longer!
1 Like
My take on medicinal marijuana for fibromyalgia.
There are two main strains of weed. Sativa - this gives you an 'up' feeling, it's more focused in the head rather than in the body, tends to have lower amounts of munchies associated with it. Indica - This gives you full body relaxation, higher rates of munchies, buzz more focused on the body than in the mind. Most strains you will come across will be a blend of these two. It's rather rare to find one that is purely indica or sativa. The way I remember which is which is by thinking, "indica will have me indacouch".
There are also two big chemicals that play a part in pain relief and other benefits. Those are THC and CBD. A lot more research has been done on CBD showing it to have great benefits in various areas, including pain. If a strain is high in CBD, it will be low in THC. If a strain is high in THC, it will be low in CBD. The two chemicals often work together to create the benefits.
I personally prefer sativas. I tend to have a lot of fatigue and find that I need help getting up and moving. Sativas, or at least strains that are sativa dominant help me get up and go. I prefer them for daily use. The do help with my pain levels, but more so that I'm not focused on the pain than I normally am. Which is still great pain relief to me! Blue Dream and Sour Diesel are two of my go tos.
I use indicas for high pain days. They totally relax me, causing me to find any position comfortable. They also make me sleepy and eat like my stomach has no end. I don't use these often!
I have tried high CBD, low THC weed, called Sour Tsunami. It worked well for pain, but didn't give me the boost like sativas do. So while I was in less pain, I was still tired.
I think for me, a blend of a high CBD strain and a high THC sativa is perfect.
I have smoked, used a vaporizer, and eaten it. I prefer smoking it, either in a bowl or a water pipe. Eating it didn't seem to have much effect on me, so until proven otherwise, I'm not a fan. Vaping makes me cough like my lungs are on fire.
I don't know how many of you have a high tolerance for pain meds, but I do. This means in order to get the full benefits, like any drug, you need more or something stronger than the "average" person. This will take time to figure out what works best for you personally.
My next step is to learn to grow my own. I know the basics of genetics, thank you Mendel hehe. I can create my own perfect strain! It'll take me that long to come up with a fun name for it.
1 Like
Thanks for the advice, I wish you success in your breeding efforts. -Heather
As a quick note to my previous novel, I will go from crying and depressed to happy and upbeat after a mere bowl of weed. It helps me so much with the depression that comes with fibro.
1 Like
I have to agree. When I first tried it I actually cried because my body was out of pain. It has not been pain free for as long as I can remember. Wish I could do it at work. Boy o boy would I get a lot done. With so many ppl that have this terrible disease you would think more would be done to help us. And God knows we need help. I will get a spurge of energy one day and clean my house like a crazy lady, but I sure do pay for it the next day or sometimes even that night. Thank God I have an amazing husband that understands I hurt.
Is this available in the UK xxx