Medical cannabis

Hi Brian,

I've not tried medical marijuana for migraine pain, but there is talk in NYS about making this legal. Of course that still means using it is a federal crime...

Have you been to see a true expert who treats migraine and headache disorders rather then just a general neurologist who says they are 'headache specialists' because there is a big difference. Migraine/headache disorder specialists have extra board certification in headache medicine and while neurologists may be fine doctors they have a hard time being experts in one area because they treat so many different conditions like multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, stroke, Parkinson's and others. Here is information on what makes these doctors so special and how to find one; https://migraine.com/blog/how-are-migraine-specialists-different/ and https://migraine.com/blog/looking-for-a-migraine-specialist/. You are in luck, there are at least five of these board certified doctors in TN!

Nancy

Brian T,

I have no personal experience, however at a meeting got into a discussion with a famous researcher/Migraine specialist about it. In his experience, some patients do well, others don't. Like everything else, it is different for each person. I've talked to some patients it helps, others it doesn't. There are different species and different chemicals, so the different results could be based somewhat on inconsistency for those reasons?

I do know there are two basic chemicals in MMJ, and the species you want has not got high levels of THC which is what makes you high. It's the other chemical that helps with pain. If you get Netflix, there's an interesting documentary there that explains much about it's use for pain and other medical purposes, as well as dispensing, etc out of California at least. It's called (I hate this title) Weed Wars.

~Ellen

Hi Brian,

I just got my medical cannabis card actually, but have yet to start medicating. I live in CA, so the process to get a recommendation and then a card was very easy. It was my idea to try this route as I haven't had success with prescription meds. I've been trying natural remedies to relieve my pain, but so far nothing has really worked. I've tried accupuncture and although it may have very slightly helped, it was expensive. My diet change hasn't helped much (gluten free and pretty much refined sugar free). I followed the diet in the book, Heal Your Headache, The 123 Program. I've also read the Magnesium solution and tried a citrate form for a month, but that didn't help either. I may try a chelated form of magnesium to see if that helps at all. I'll keep you and the community posted on my results from the medical cannabis.

By the way, I have a friend with MS who says medical cannabis really works well for him. He's had a card for a few years now. It's worth a shot!

Nancy, Ellen & awest, thanks for the feedback. I spent Feb trying the FAILSAFE diet from Australia, it's designed to find food sensitivities in children suffering from ADD, ADHD, autism, etc. But it was recommended by several here as a quick way to eliminate all preservatives and some other chemicals from your diet, unfortunately it didn't change my daily chronic migraines (not the classic hide in a dark room and pray for a comet strike kind, but definitely obnoxious). March has been Magnesium month and I started feverfew and butterbur in the middle of the month, along with switching to magnesium citrate, so I'm in this holding pattern for at least 2 months. I've lived with waking to a daily headache for 19 years now and I've decided to give legally unrestricted therapies until Dec 2015 to find an efficacious treatment. Jan 2016 will find me trying cannabis regardless of the impact on my job or location and Jan 2017 will find me trying more restricted psychoactive substances regardless of the legal implications.