CBD for Fibromyalgia – Is the new wonder drug worth it?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I’m sure you’ve heard at least a little about CBD in the past months. It’s a legal cannabis derivative that has been advertised as a cure-all miracle. I have to say I was pretty sceptical. For some reason my body seems to struggle with medications, they either have little to no effect (which is most common for me) or too much of an effect.
Having spent a lot of money in the past on herbal supplements claiming to rid every person of pain, anxiety and a multitude of ills, I was doubtful it would work. I’ve seen supplements advertising to rid one’s life of pain or more worryingly to cure cancers or other life threatening illnesses without medical intervention. For these reasons I no longer tend to buy into promises made by manufacturers of herbal remedies.
I know there are many that can help but I no longer clutch on desperately to the ideas of a ‘miracle cure.’ A few months ago I decided to try turmeric capsules, the reviews were excellent, but from experience I knew to lower my expectations. The smell and taste is horrible. A little bit of turmeric in one’s food can be delicious, but a whole heap of it placed inside a capsule is enough to make me gag.
Nevertheless, I persevered, and I was delighted to find it made a difference. Although the change was slight it still felt like a big success to me. I was a little more mobile, a little more agile. I still experienced a lot of pain but it was a start at least. After taking the turmeric for a while, I decided to give the CBD capsules a go as well. It was definitely more pleasant taking these than the turmeric.
They had a slight sawdust scent and taste, and they looked like they were filled with dried up grass. I expected them to smell and look more unappetising but having experiencing the overwhelming odour and taste of the turmeric capsules, the CBD slipped down my throat with ease. I took them for a few weeks without much success, but I think that was down to user error.
I took them sporadically, I forgot frequently. I didn’t give them the chance to get into my system and work. The directions said to take them with food, but I was at the time taking antibiotics and hour before food as well as my daily morning and night medications. It just proved too much for me, I couldn’t remember or organise so many different things. It’s hard enough to remember my regular medication, even with a reminder set on my phone. I was now restricted to when I could and couldn’t eat and had to remember to take the CBD after eating.
I just couldn’t do it. So inevitably the capsules did nothing for me. Once running out of the capsules I decided to try the oil. My mother had told me that a few drops under the tongue daily is supposed to be better and act more quickly than the capsules. I wasn’t too bothered about giving it ago. I didn’t have my hopes up and I wasn’t concerned about taking the oil either. I was mistaken. The moment I unscrewed the lid of the bottle the smell hit me. I’ve always been sensitive to smells so it might just be me, but the smell was overwhelmingly disgusting. My stomach turned and I had to fight against the gag reflex, but I was willing to give it a go.
The smell had made me fear the taste. I now dreaded it. My mother helped me put one drop under my tongue. The taste wasn’t bad but I could almost feel the smell fill my mouth. After giving it a couple of seconds to be absorbed, I had a drink. That is when the taste hit me. I’m not sure why I thought the taste wouldn’t be as bad the scent. It tastes exactly the same as it smells. I gulped down some squash as quickly as I could, then put two mints in my mouth. Luckily this took away the taste. It was horrible but at least it didn’t last long.
The next few days I tried to figure out the best way to reduce the taste. I tried keeping a mint in mouth before taking the oil. I tried drinking orange squash with mints in my mouth. A combination familiar to anyone that has tried to drink orange juice after brushing your teeth. Even that taste was preferable to the taste of the CBD. During one very unfortunate experiment, I took my CBD whilst having three mints in my mouth and gulping down liquid. Unsurprisingly, I ended up swallowing a mint whole.
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I could feel it traveling down my oesophagus, which was deeply unpleasant. Eventually I got used to the experience of taking the oil. I now take two drops every morning, followed by a glass of squash or juice to take the taste away. I didn’t notice the CBD working, but everyone else did. If pain eases over time it’s more difficult to spot it. I didn’t really notice but I was told I seemed to be moving around with more ease, and I could walk further. If I’m honest I thought they were imagining the effects, a bit like a placebo.
They were so desperate for me to be in less pain, they perceived my pain as waning. whereas I saw it unchanged. Now I can see it really has made a difference. I wouldn’t call it a miracle cure, but it’s definitely worth putting up with the taste. It’s not cheap but I’d say it’s worth it. After a day of shopping (with lots of breaks) I would like down and not be able to get back up, unless it was for the toilet. Even then I used to think can I hold on? Am I desperate? The journey consisting of about twenty steps was painful and difficult. Now it’s much easier.
After a long rest I can get back up and move about a bit. I’m still always in pain, but it’s a bit more manageable. It keeps the levels cope-able. I definitely am glad I gave it a go, and I will continue to use it. It worked better than I expected it to. I would still advise you to be wary of the idea it will completely cure you. It won’t. But it will help. If you can afford it, I would recommend trying it, it’s worth a go. I base that solely on my experiences. It may work better or worse for other people. Whatever the outcome, I think this is definitely something all fibro warriors should try.
What are Cannabinoids??
Cannabinoids are large class of chemical compounds produced by the cannabis plant. Scientists have identified over 113 different canabinoids in the marijuana plant. Each interacts with the endocannabinoid system in different ways. Cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid system through the CB1 and CB2 receptors.
This alters cellular functions in the body to create a diverse range of effects. The endocannabinoid system is a key mediator of homeostasis, or balance, in the body. Most of the cannabinoid compounds in marijuana are non-psychoactive. This means that do not produce a euphoric high when consumed. THC is one of the few cannabinoids in the plant that causes a high.
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What is CBN?
Cannabinol is one of the lesser discussed cannabinoids found in marijuana. Even so, it is an important component of the plant. Unlike THC, CBC produces very minor, if any, psychoactive effects. This is because CBN molecules do not fit very well into the CB1 receptors in the brain. It also has trouble binding to CB2 receptors, but binds better to CB2 than CB1 receptors. There has been a lot of buzz in our fibromyalgia community lately about the use of CBD oil products.
We have been doing a lot of research and soliciting feedback from our community members. Two things have become apparent to us: 1-feedback from those who have tried CBD oils has been overwhelming positive, and 2-there is still of a lot of confusion and misinformation out there about these products. Below are 5 important facts about CBD oil products that we thought our community would find helpful and informative.
Fact#1:
CBD (short for cannabidiol) is one of 85 chemical compounds known as cannabiniods that are all found in the cannabis plant. CBD can be extracted in oil form from either marijuana or hemp, both of which belong to the cannabis genus. CBD oil from marijuana is still legal in most states where it is a schedule I drug. Conversely, CBD oil from hemp is currently legal in all 50 states since it is extracted from hemp and not marijuana.
Fact#2:
CBD products will not get you high. THC is the psychoactive ingredients in marijuana that produces effects such as feeling “high” or feeling anxious or paranoid. CBD is non-psychoactive so won’t get you high and studies have suggested that CBD actually counteracts the anxiety or paranoid that can be caused by THC. Since CBD hemp oil products that have no or only a trace amount of THC, it’s unlikely (but not impossible) that a person us-ing them would test positive for THC in a standard drug test.
Fact#3:
CBD products come in several different forms, including drops (tinctures), capsules, vape oils, gummies and topical creams. Based on the feedback that we’ve received from community members, the drops have been the most popular with capsules being the second most popular form for personal use.
Fact#4:
The effectiveness of CBD as a treatment option for disease and medical conditions has not been scientifically proven by U.S FDA standards. CBC products are also not currently regulated by the FDA. We expect there to be more research and scientific studies into CBC in the near future as the number of people using these products continues to increase.
Fact#5:
The quality of CBC hemp products for sale online can vary. Those looking to try CBD products should be sure that they are buying them from a reputable company because there are scams out there. In each of the last 2 years, the FDA has sent warning letters to some companies that were deceptively marketing its CBC products and selling products with little or no actual CBD.
Related Article: Can you fail a drug test due to CBD
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References:
- 5 Facts about CBD oil and fibromyalgia by MG Rana,MD via Fibromyalgia Resources
- Beneficial effects of turmeric for treating fibromyalgia pain via fibromyalgiaresources.com
- Could Endocannabinoid deficiency causes fibromyalgia? by Naomi Prex Arbaa,MD via Fibromyalgia Resources
If you would like to hear more from me about Hannah story and take on living life with Fibromyalgia please check out her blog “The Pain Princess” .If you enjoy it please subscribe and share. – much love to you all ?
~Hannah-Eleri~
