Out of the Rabbit Hole: CBD/THC Oil for Fibromyalgia

"Rabbit hole is a term used to refer to a bizarre, confusing,
or nonsensical situation or environment,
typically one from which it is difficult to extricate oneself." lexico.com

Those of us with Fibromyalgia (and those treating us or living with us) quickly come to understand that it is a bizarre, confusing, nonsensical journey.  I have pain where I am not hurt.  One day it'll hurt all on the left side of my body for no reason that I can identify and the next day it's completely on my right side.  I have energy one minute and feel like I'm wearing lead boots the next. I am so tired all day yet keep myself up and about until bedtime, and then at bedtime, I'm awake and clear-headed having no ability to fall asleep. 

We also learn that this bizarre journey is really one we must go on our own.  There is not a one size fits all treatment for Fibromyalgia Syndrom (FMS). Slowly and not at all straight forward, I am finding my way out of the confusing, dark tunnels and into the light of being able to manage my symptoms.

At the end of July 2019, I explained how I had gotten to the point of wanting to try medical marijuana to help me manage my FMS symptoms. I was just coming off of withdrawal from Cymbalta (one of the three FDA approved prescription drugs for treating FMS).  If you haven't read it, it would be good to read: Down the Rabbit Hole: Could Medical Marijuana Help? 

First Time

Each container of 10-10mg gummies
cost $16.

I have no affiliation or kickbacks for mentioning these products.  
I am writing about my experiences only.

Just after getting a Michigan Medical Marijuana Permit (under the category of chronic pain), I decided to go to a local dispensary. My research on Leafly.com was helpful; however, the dispensary didn't carry what I had thought would be the best to try as reviewed on their site. I knew I didn't want to smoke or vape.  So, I decided to go with Wana edibles (sour watermelon and sour blueberry).

I was nervous about going to this new world of a cannabis dispensary and didn't quite know what to expect.  However, my nerves were calmed by the professional environment and the friendly people who worked there.  I stressed that I didn't want to feel "high" nor did I want to sit stoned on the couch craving munchies (all stereotypical ideas I've gotten from movies, etc). They steered me towards the two above edibles, one for day time use and one to help me fall and stay asleep.  

That first day, I decided to heed all the warnings to try just a bit, so I cut the "gummy" into halves. The directions say: Start with a low dose of 5-10mg (cut in half for 5mg). Wait at least an hour to feel the effect before consuming more product. Around 2pm in the afternoon, I ate the sour watermelon hybrid of sativa and indica half piece. The hybrid is supposed to give a more balanced effect. I was hoping for less pain and clear-headed energy. One hour later and beyond, I felt little difference besides a bit of light-headedness.  

That night, I decided to take the sour blueberry which has indica strain (which helps with falling asleep).  Because of the lack of noticeable effects, I took 10mg (so a whole piece) around 9:30 pm (so 7 hours after the first 5mg).  From what I've researched, the effects of edibles stay in the system for 6-8 hours.  So, possibly, I didn't quite wait long enough for the other to be fully out of my system. Or, the indica THC just had more of an effect on me.

I did fall asleep in short order.  However, I woke up, around midnight (just about the time the THC would have been highest in my blood system), to a scary sensation.  I felt like I was going to forget to breathe.  It felt like I was just going to stop.  Also, time felt out of whack.  This disorienting feeling lasted for an hour or so and then I fell back to sleep. 

I hate feeling out of control.  So, I put the gummies away and haven't tried them again....yet.

Two Week Trial

At the beginning of February, I found the tincture I had also bought at that July hid in my nightstand drawer.  It was recommended by the person working at the dispensary as well as leafly.com: Mary's Remedy by Coltyn (CBD/THC 1:1 tincture) for pain relief and help with sleeping.

Mary’s 100mg CBD:100mg THC tincture creates the “entourage effect” and utilizes a unique terpene blend that has the potential to reduce inflammation and improve digestion. The Remedy 1:1 by Coltyn utilizes a graduated dropper for accurate dosing. Just 0.25mL constitutes a dose, and there are about 45 doses per bottle.

I took the .25mL sublingually (under the tongue) before bed for two weeks. I'll be honest, the taste seemed like castor oil meets olive oil, so I quickly learned to wash it down with water.

This resulted in a solid night of sleep each night (fell asleep fairly quickly and stayed asleep). Those of us with FMS and other chronic pain issues know that sleep can be one of the major things affected. As my physical therapist says, "Sleep is when the body heals." So, loss of sleep compounds issues.

I also noticed less pain during the morning times (amped up again in the afternoons) as well as generally clearer thinking.  I did notice that if I took an additional dose in the afternoon (say by 1pm), I ended up getting a bit groggy.  I didn't try that out on a consistent basis, which I plan to yet do.

Results from my Informal Experiment

After the two weeks, I decided to not take it and note what changes I had.  I ended up doing this for only three nights.  That's because I had three nights of little sleep.  I took it the fourth night and slept soundly again.

Positive:

• Sleeping soundly. (By taking .25ml of Mary's Remedy by Coltyn 1:1 at 9:30, I've been falling asleep about 10:30 and sleeping until 7:30. If I do wake up to pee, I have been able to roll back into bed and go to sleep.)
• My head seems to be clearer during the day.
• Less pain in the morning.
• My overall mood is lighter.

Negative:

• If I take it during the morning or afternoon, I tend to get groggy.  However, I didn't try this consistently yet to notice if it was those harder days I took the extra, so the fatigue, weakness, foggy brain were already there, or was it from the chemicals of the CBD/TCH reacting with my body's makeup?
• It costs $45 a bottle ($1.00 a dose).
• It's not readily available in my area.

I did run out of the Mary's Remedy by Coltyn, so I ended up getting a bottle of Mary's full spectrum CBD tincture (tastes a bit of cinnamon) and Mary's THC tincture (tastes lightly of lemon). Using the measuring droppers (the CBD tincture didn't have a measuring dropper so I traded it with the original bottle's dropper).  I ended up taking .25mL of each before bed and am finding the effects to be the same. I have not yet tried it during the day, nor in the past few days felt I needed to.

Mary’s concentrated tincture is an easy way to add CBD to your daily wellness routine. With organic full-spectrum hemp extract with naturally occurring cannabidiol and THC, nutrient-dense sweet almond oil, hormone-balancing myrrh and the warmth of cinnamon oil, this soothing blend helps provide physical and mental relief. The Remedy packs 250 servings into just a half-ounce bottle, and each drop contains a 2mg dose of CBD. (Nut allergy)

Free of synthetic additives, Mary’s highly concentrated 1000mg THC tincture is made with high-quality, full-spectrum THC extract and comes in a lemon-lime flavor. Sublingual delivery of THC is easy to use, discreet and convenient.
Only available in Michigan and California.

As I am not a doctor and at this point don't have a doctor's guidance on this (I've let all my doctors know I'm doing this but they haven't weighed in at all with any advice), this is a report for how using cannabis has effected my Fibromyalgia symptoms.

Here are a few of the resources that I've used to help in my choices:

• Safety and Efficacy of Medical Cannabis in Fibromyalgia

"Our data indicates that medical cannabis could be a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of fibromyalgia, especially for those who failed on standard pharmacological therapies." 

• Study Finds Cannabis May Be Suitable Treatment Option for Fibromyalgia

 "Medical cannabis appears to be a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of fibromyalgia symptoms. Standardization of treatment compounds and regimens are required." 

• How Much CBD Oil Should I Take?

"If you’re trying to treat a situation involving pain, like chronic back pain, chronic joint pain, or recovering from a chronic illness, you may need a good bit more CBD, and the thing to do is titrate your dose up. Start with a lower dose of 10 to 15 milligrams, and increase it from there."

• How Long Do Edibles Take to Kick In?

"When taking edibles for the first time, start with a small dose and work your way up to a dose that produces the desired effect."


What are your thoughts or experiences with using cannabis for managing Fibromyalgia symptoms?  I'm hoping now that cannabis has been legalized, that there will be more research about its uses as well as educated doctors for guidance. 

Thank you for visiting my blog today. 

I am committed to posting once a week on Fridays.  

However, as you know, my new normal means that sometimes I have to listen to my body and am not able to follow through as planned.

Thank you for your understanding.

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Down The Rabbit Hole: Could Medical Marijuana Help?

I took this photo of 
Alice In Wonderland's Tea Party at
Fredrick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.

When I was 12 years old, the summer before I started 7th grade at Harrison Park Junior High in Grand Rapids, my mom gave me two books to read: Go Ask Alice by Anonymous and That Was Then, This is Now by SE Hinton.  Both were life-impacting books for me.  At that tender age, I vowed to myself that I would never get into drugs.

As an adult, I do not like ever not being in control of myself.  I also hate a foggy, unclear brain.  So, I never really got into drinking or drugs.  I won't say that I don't know what it is to be out of my head; my husband and I tried mushrooms one time when we were camping. His roommate had sold him some.  Mushrooms are from nature, right?  Well, while that is a very interesting story I have told very few people; it's not one we ever visited again.  I also know what a hangover is like.  I'm definitely a light-weight and after my three maximum drinks in an evening, I will be laid low for the entire next day if I have more, so I don't do that.

As I've stated in prior blogs, I was VERY opposed to taking Cymbalta, one of the three approved FDA pharmaceuticals for Fibromyalgia.  I finally gave in when I was so beside myself with pain, brain fog, and no strength or energy this past December.  From there, I was on it for 4 months (30mg), 2 months (60mg), 1 month (30mg) and then I stopped- cold.  This was a bad move.  I should have actually taken the 30mg every other day for a month, etc. to taper down. Lesson learned. 

I'm now two weeks into Cymbalta withdrawal and still feeling badly (mostly from withdrawal side-effects). However, the pain is there.  Currently, the left side of my body from foot to left eyeball is aching so much I'm nauseous.  When I wake up, my arms and legs feel as though their connective tissue has turned into wood.  It's slow going and painful to get them functioning for the day.

More Than I Can Handle

This weekend, feeling beyond what I could handle with my breathing, stretching, aerobic, and meditation strategies, I began to research medical marijuana (MM) in the state of Michigan.  I had a response from a reader of my blog Feeling Like #$%&*! replied that he was able to ditch Cymbalta (and other like-pharmaceuticals) by using marijuana transdermal patches.  I did bring this up to my pain doctor, but I could tell he wasn't willing to look into it after his comment that "there's not enough research".  However, after doing some of my own, I decided to get a Michigan Medical Marijuana Card to use if I couldn't handle things fully on my own after the withdrawal passed.  

This is a convincing video that has 
helped me open to the idea of MM.

To get a Medical Marijuana Card in Michigan, I had to locate a doctor who would recommend the card for me based on my diagnosis.  I found Healthy Partners and made an appointment without an issue.  I had my medical records with Fibromyalgia Diagnosis faxed to their office.  The DO I met with just verified my diagnosis and marked "chronic pain" for the reason, being Fibromyalgia isn't listed by name for the accepted reasons for the card.  (See list provided on Healthy Partners FAQ page.)  I then applied for the card online at LARA: Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.  This was about a 20-minute job once I had the paperwork from the doctor. The only other worker at the office was very informative, and I quickly found out that getting the card would be the least of my concerns.  

Need to Become Your Own Expert

Being the MM Card is a recommendation from a doctor and not a prescription, the patient is the one who needs to know what he/she wants and needs.  A quality resource that explains things fairly well is Leafly.com. Although, for someone who is totally new to using marijuana, it will take some trial and error.  My plan would be to go into it very timidly.

I want pain relief, clarity of thinking, and living my life productively.  This isn't what one stereotypically thinks of when referring to marijuana.  Turns out there are two types: Indica and Sativa. (Below a brief description from Leafly.com- Part 1, Sativa vs Indica: An Overview of Cannabis Types.  They also list a Hybrid of the two types.

• Indica strains are believed to be physically sedating, perfect for relaxing with a movie or as a nightcap before bed. 
• Sativa strains tend to provide more invigorating, uplifting cerebral effects that pair well with physical activity, social gatherings, and creative projects.

Next, the consumer needs to consider the strain. Leafly.com allows one to research based on desired effects for your treatment. I do not want side-effects that produce the  "high", munchies, tiredness, or paranoia. So, using the Advance Filter, I am able to look up specifics.  Also, I researched what other consumers and doctors are saying about MM and Fibro. 

My go-to blogger on for solid information on Fibromyalgia is Fedupwithfatigue.com.  Her article was just what I wanted: Fed Up With Fatigue: Best Strains for Fibromyalgia.  She's written several on the topic, and I've come to trust her factual presentation. 

Finding a Provider

Next, I have to find a provider.  (MRA-Licensed Michigan Medical Marijuana Facilities) I want a licensed (monitored) facility that I can rely on to have a pure, quality product.  Also, I don't want to smoke (or have the marijuana smell).  I'd prefer to find transdermal patches, but this looks like it might be difficult to find. The difficult part, after finding what sounds like the best fit strain and delivery system, is finding a place in Michigan that I can buy that product.  I can already see that I'm going to have to call and visit a few places.  The strains I'm most interested in: Harlequin (High CBD and lower THC)  for day time and then, Tahoe OG Kush for nighttime insomnia. The problem I'm encountering is that MI facilities don't have these specific strains in the exact delivery system I would like.  So, actual calling and visiting will be needed. 

Why I'm Considering MM

There are several reasons why I like using MM versus Cymbalta and like-drug. The main reason is that I can decide the dose.  I don't think I'll have an everyday need (we'll see).  I'm following the program that I got from my 10 weeks in Mary Free Bed's Fibromyalgia Program.  I'm continuing to grow in being present and meditation.  With Cymbalta (although the side-effects aren't major for me, they do impact my quality of life), it's an all or nothing commitment.  I have learned the hard way that stopping its use every day is very difficult for my body from which to rid itself. I also don't like feeling trapped by it.  

So, being I haven't yet tried MM, I can't say if it's going to work or not.  However, I'm finding good evidence to say it's worth a shot (and way less invasive than the prescribed pharmaceuticals).  I will keep you informed on what I find out and what happens if I choose to use it.

*If you are not in Michigan, I would imagine that the path you take would be similar.  However, Michigan has recently joined the states that have approved marijuana for recreational use.  

There are many resources to give you insight into the use of medical marijuana: 

• A Conversation with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Medical Marijuana
• Medical Marijuana (Cannabis) for Fibromyalgia
• Cannabis and fibromyalgia - My story for the CU School of Pharmacology

What are your thoughts of using THC? There isn't a lot of research on it's effects for chronic pain/Fibromyalgia, what there are is promising. Possibly more research will be coming since it's becoming legalized in many states.

Thank you for visiting my blog today. 

I am committing to posting once a week on Fridays.  

However, as you know, my new normal means that sometimes 

I have to listen to my body and am not able to follow through 

as planned. 

Thank you for your understanding.

Click link Subscribe to Pain FULLY Living Weekly Posts by Email