Cannabis Patient Views

In the 12th PD year, the patient has learned to be minimalist and patient and to avoid running after the miracle molecule of the month. So with cannabis the first learning step taken was to start with a pure CBD tincture at a low initial dosage of 10 mg. The experience was positive in two respects: Subjectively, the CBD makes the patient mellower and more relaxed without any stony edges or even any foreground awareness of an altered state. Objectively, there are two definite and measurable benefits: taken in the morning, CBD dampens the higher-frequency tremors in the hands, improving typing from very-terrible to merely bad, making the patient more functional. And it has essentially eliminated osteoarthritis, which formerly appeared episodically for 7-10 days at a time at unpredictable intervals. Given that every other substance recommended for “treating” osteoarthritis provided no more than palliative relief, this is a big deal for the patient.

Other cannabis explorations lie ahead, with further benefit expected.

I’m only 5 months in. My balance is horrible and I’ve fallen a few times. No tremor. I have muscle weakness and stiffness, mainly in my fingers and toes. I feel like I’m walking through molasses all day and I have 0 stamina. It’s definitely a nuisance. I got medical marijuana and use it for sleep. That’s a big improvement.

I’ve tried medical cannabis, and it’s pretty helpful. Unlike benzodiazepines, which can leave you feeling groggy and have a high addiction potential, cannabis offers relief without those side effects.

I have used cannabis for a few years and I find that it does not really impact my movement symptoms; however, it does provide some benefit for non-motor problems. At low doses cannabis improves my mood, lowers anxiety, and helps me sleep. I also find that it makes me more conversational in social situations and increases my appetite.

For me, higher doses of cannabis are not as helpful... if I take too much, I become less motivated and it curbs my activity level.

I have. Well its more like high CBD strains of dispensary Marijuana. I sometimes go for those because they seem relax me a bit more and its nice a nice smoke. I’ve noticed that higher THC strains make me shake upon first inhaling. Then after a couple of minutes the tremor seem to settle down. Or by then I don’t care lol!.

But that seems to happen with any Marijuana I smoke. Most the time it just help me not feel so self conscious about my tremor.

And it does help with sleep. But a word of caution or at least something to consider; you will build a tolerance to it and eventually need more to get the same effects. My advice is use if you like what it does for you but take breaks every so often and you should have a good experience.

Recently I’ve been alternating between Indica and Sativa oil mixed with coffee in the evening. It takes at least 2 hours to kick in. I limit it to once or twice a week because I find the effects to be pretty strong (I’m working to find the optimal dosage). I find that it impairs my balance a little, so I only do it when I know I won’t be moving around much for the rest of the evening (great for watching basketball games). I also find that I feel a bit too groggy to drive the following morning (but I use the subway, so no issue). However, several upsides:

• Great sleep • Great performance in Spin class the following day • Temporary respite from hand tremor while under the influence

Recently, I started a medical cannabis treatment, and it’s been two weeks since I began using it. During this period, I’ve noticed a slight improvement in my pain and symptoms associated with Parkinson’s. I hope that by the end of this treatment, I’ll feel as good as possible.

I live in the UK, and I’m following the Parkinson’s disease medical cannabis treatment from Releaf, a clinic specializing in this, which handles everything online and delivers directly to your home. This was very convenient for me because I dislike hospitals, especially the atmosphere there.

I’ve included the link in case anyone in the UK is reading this and is interested in the treatment I used.

CBD by itself, not much effect. WITH THC, yes. I was against it at first. In fact, I voted against it when the option came to my state. It took my doctor over a year to talk me into trying it. Thank heaven I came here anyway. It helps me with shaking, muscle cramps, and overall pain. It also helps me sleep. I use a 2:1 CBD:THC. I try not to take it every day. I end up taking it about 2 to 3 times per week. I would advise experimenting with ratios. I have tried everything from 4:1 to 1:1. Good luck.

Like Parkinson’s, Cannabis can have different effects on individuals. I smoke the Sativa variety because it has a peppy aspect. It doesn’t do anything for my symptoms, but I find that I’m not as annoyed about having Parkinson’s.

My date of diagnosis is March 25, 2014. I take 10mg of Sinemet 3 times a day. I still have tremors during the day, but no freezing of the gait to indicate it’s worn off so can’t say that it hasn’t been helpful. Marijuana doesn’t really do much for symptoms, but it puts your mind in the moment, so you tend to focus on what’s going on around you.