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Topic: Cannabis Basics

Forum: Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment — Complementary medicine refers to treatments that are used WITH standard treatment. Holistic medicine is a term used to describe therapies that attempt to treat the patient as a whole person.

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Posted on: Dec 26, 2019 09:04PM - edited Feb 27, 2023 11:43AM by exbrnxgrl

Posted on: Dec 26, 2019 09:04PM - edited Feb 27, 2023 11:43AM by exbrnxgrl

exbrnxgrl wrote:

I have been using cannabis for the past few years. My main goal in using this is pain relief, de-stressor and for sleep. I have read some stories of using cannabis to cure cancer, but there is simply not enough data for me topursue it's use for that purpose.

Let me start by saying that I live in a legal state, both medical and recreational. My purchases and self experimentation are just that, my own personal experience. Your experiences may be different. If you're wondering why there isn't more scientific based research on weed, it is still completely illegal on the federal level, so not many research dollars available.

Cannabinols are the active ingredients in cannabis. With some variations, the major cannabinols are CBD and THC. CBD is not psychoactive, THC is. Cannabis plants fall into two major categories, Sativa and Indica. Indicas are known to be more sedating. This is the stuff that creates “couch lock". Sativas are thought to be more energizing. It gives more of a giggly high and is less sedating. On top of this there are many hybrids.

In addition to knowing if your weed is Sativa or Indica, different strains within each category will have varying amounts/ratios of CBD to THC. If you live in a legal state, this information should be available on the packaging. Other very important info on the packaging will be percentages of these ingredients. For instance, due to my high tolerance, I generally look for products that are at least 20% THC, 5% CBD , though for sleep I prefer a 1:1 ratio. The higher the CBD level to THC, the less “high" you will feel.

Strains... what can I say except there are hundreds, especially with all of the hybridization and mixing of strains. Here are some favorites:

Sativa- Durban Poison, Jack Herrer, Lemon Haze

Indica- Gorilla Glue, most Kush strains, Zkittlez

I have tried most, but not all, of the available forms cannabis come in. Edibles are great but for me, the time from consumption to onset of effects has been very inconsistent. Some of the edibles such as cookies and candy bars are so delicious that you can wind up eating lots of sugar! Vaping was ok, but gave me a sore throat so I no longer vape.

I prefer capsules or sub-lingual drops and use a 1:1 CBD/THC ratio. This is what I usually take about 90 minutes before bed or even earlier. For immediate effects, I find there is no substitute for smoking a joint.

My only advice for those who are interested in cannabis is to go low (dosage) and slow(wait some time before taking more). If you have access to a legal dispensary, the bud tenders are usually quite knowledgeable and can advise you. In the end, it boiled down to a lot of self experimentation and too many Kiva brand dark chocolate bars 🤣. BTW, if you consume too much THC, i.e. you get too high, CBD can help counteract that.

While not an expert, I have years of personal experience under my belt and am happy to share what I have learned. As with anything that has psychoactive effects please do not drive or do anything that requires an unimpaired state of mind to do. I should add that I only use cannabis at night as I still work full time*. Lastly, if you are not in a legal state or simply choose not to use legal dispensaries there is no way to know what you're getting. In my state, the legal dispensaries are very expensive due to high taxes, but I am willing to pay that because I know what I'm getting (this includes if it is organic, indoor or outdoor grow etc.)

* I'm now retired! 6/4/21

Surgery 9/1/2011 Mastectomy (Left); Mastectomy (Right) Radiation Therapy 11/1/2011 Other part Hormonal Therapy 12/1/2011 Arimidex (anastrozole), Femara (letrozole), Aromasin (exemestane) Dx IDC, Left, 4cm, Stage IV, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Dx DCIS/IDC, Left, 4cm, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
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Dec 27, 2019 05:05PM - edited Dec 27, 2019 05:09PM by exbrnxgrl

flashlight,

Do you live in a legal state? If so, it should be available in your local dispensary. If you do not live in a legal state, I am not sure how you can obtain it 🙁. Many dispensaries have websites with some even offering delivery! Here is the website of one of the dispensaries I often use, to help you see what kind of products are out there:

https://www.airfieldsupplyco.com/

Edj3,

Totally understand! There is no one thing that works well for everyone. Have you tried products with only CBD? CBD is not psychoactive but can be helpful to many


Surgery 9/1/2011 Mastectomy (Left); Mastectomy (Right) Radiation Therapy 11/1/2011 Other part Hormonal Therapy 12/1/2011 Arimidex (anastrozole), Femara (letrozole), Aromasin (exemestane) Dx IDC, Left, 4cm, Stage IV, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Dx DCIS/IDC, Left, 4cm, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
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Dec 27, 2019 05:13PM - edited Dec 27, 2019 05:19PM by exbrnxgrl

flashlight,

Just did a quick google search and found this. Hope it's helpful.

https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/programs/Medical%20Marijuana/Pages/Dispensaries.aspx

I also looked at the online menu for one of the PA dispensaries and although the product brand names are unfamiliar to me (because of it being illegal federally, brands tend to be local) there were tinctures and capsules available in familiar formulas/ratios.

Surgery 9/1/2011 Mastectomy (Left); Mastectomy (Right) Radiation Therapy 11/1/2011 Other part Hormonal Therapy 12/1/2011 Arimidex (anastrozole), Femara (letrozole), Aromasin (exemestane) Dx IDC, Left, 4cm, Stage IV, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Dx DCIS/IDC, Left, 4cm, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
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Dec 27, 2019 05:22PM edj3 wrote:

exbrnxgrl, no I haven't. Fortunately I am not in pain, so for now I'm good. Should things change, I will be pinging you for more information!

Tried the tamoxifen, no thanks. Dx 4/9/2019, IDC, Left, <1cm, Stage IA, Grade 2, 0/1 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-, Dx 5/6/2019, LCIS, Left, <1cm, 0/1 nodes Surgery 5/6/2019 Lumpectomy; Lymph node removal: Sentinel Radiation Therapy 6/3/2019 Whole breast: Breast Hormonal Therapy 9/23/2019 Tamoxifen pills (Nolvadex, Apo-Tamox, Tamofen, Tamone)
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Dec 28, 2019 01:42AM coraleliz wrote:

I'm in California, so I can get just about anything(i guess?)

My orthopedist told me some of his patient's have had good results with CBD for pain. I've heard that cannabis is tightly regulated in this state. It will have the amount of THC the (label?) says. Anyone know if this goes for CBD in topical lotions?

I'm not sure what form my doctor thought I might want to try with his pseudo recommendation. I was thinking a cream, but now I'm not sure.

He did suggest I stay away from products with THC. So, maybe he didn't mean topical.

Thanks for the above information. It gives me more options.

Dx 2/28/2011, IDC, Right, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 1, 0/5 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Dx 3/15/2011, IDC, Left, 1cm, Stage IIA, Grade 1, 2/4 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Surgery 4/15/2011 Lymph node removal: Left, Right, Sentinel; Mastectomy: Left, Right
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Dec 28, 2019 07:41AM flashlight wrote:

exbrnxgrl, Thank you for your help!! I will look into those sites.

Dx 11/15/2018, IDC, Left, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 2, 0/1 nodes, ER+/PR-, HER2- Dx DCIS, Left, <1, Stage 0, Grade 1, 0/1 nodes, ER+/PR-, HER2- Hormonal Therapy Tamoxifen pills (Nolvadex, Apo-Tamox, Tamofen, Tamone) Radiation Therapy Whole breast Surgery Lumpectomy; Lumpectomy (Left)
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Dec 28, 2019 10:39AM exbrnxgrl wrote:

coraleliz,

Yes, the dispensaries in CA are well regulated as I imagine they are in any legal state. CBD is non-psychoactive and you can find CBD products in many places that are not dispensaries. I recently saw CBD oil for sale at World Market! That being said, I would recommend going to an actual dispensary if you want to try it. High quality CBD products are pricey but at a dispensary, you will know exactly what you are getting and the bud tenders can advise you. All products sold in legal dispensaries are clearly labeled with respect to CBD and/or THC, provenance etc. CBD is available in all forms as are THC products. The form they come in has little to do with the CBD or THC content.

Personally, topicals did nothing, but many find them helpful. Drops, capsules or tinctures work for me, but I find that THC enhances the effect. You can easily find products with just a bit of THC, such as a 25:1 or 18:1 formulas that won't make you feel stoned or just try straight CBD. I think that your doctor simply doesn't have enough info to have been more specific with you. Remember that there is precious little science based research on cannabis due to it being federally illegal. So, I think your best bet is to find a local dispensary and have the staff help you out. If possible find a dispensary that caters to medical use patients as well as recreational users. I hope this helps


Surgery 9/1/2011 Mastectomy (Left); Mastectomy (Right) Radiation Therapy 11/1/2011 Other part Hormonal Therapy 12/1/2011 Arimidex (anastrozole), Femara (letrozole), Aromasin (exemestane) Dx IDC, Left, 4cm, Stage IV, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Dx DCIS/IDC, Left, 4cm, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
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Dec 28, 2019 11:25AM ninetwelve wrote:

Thanks for starting this thread. Medical MJ has been a "treatment buddy" for me since my diagnosis. I like the Indica hybrids for all around mood elevation and relaxation, to help me sleep, and to help with pain. One piece of advice I've had from budtenders that has served me well is, if you get too high for comfort, you can eat something. One effect of marijuana is to lower blood sugar, and getting some food in you when you're too buzzed will help with the buzz and the low blood sugar. (Eat something delicious, though, because the sense of taste is elevated, and you might as well enjoy your snack.) Another tip, which is probably very obvious is, when watching television, try to avoid upsetting dramas: nature, art, and history documentaries are generally safe, and sometimes I learn something.

12/15/20 - Progression to liver. Tx changed to Xeloda. Dx 9/12/2014, IDC, 4cm, Stage IV, Grade 2, mets, ER+/PR+, HER2- Hormonal Therapy 9/15/2014 Tamoxifen pills (Nolvadex, Apo-Tamox, Tamofen, Tamone), Zoladex (goserelin) Hormonal Therapy 10/1/2014 Dx 7/2016, IDC, Stage IV, metastasized to bone/lungs Hormonal Therapy 8/16/2016 Faslodex (fulvestrant), Zoladex (goserelin) Targeted Therapy 8/16/2016 Ibrance (palbociclib) Chemotherapy
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Dec 28, 2019 01:08PM - edited Dec 28, 2019 02:00PM by exbrnxgrl

NineTwelve,

Thanks for your post! I hope you will continue to contribute some tips and experiences. I did forget to mention that since I am having some difficulty eating, cannabis helps tamp down my nausea and stimulate my appetite. May I ask why watching upsetting dramas is not recommended?

Since some states now have both legal and recreational use, I think it's important to understand what medical marijuana means, which may vary by state (non-CA residents in legal states, please chime in!). In CA, the products themselves are not different regardless of use. Those who have a medical card do have access to products with higher percentages of THC. For example, when the state was medical only, my favorite chocolate bar 🍫 contained 160 mg of THC (No, I didn't eat the whole bar at once! Each square was 10 mg and that was a “dose".). Since I did not renew my medical card, that same chocolate bar is now available to me in only 100 mg total. Medical card holders can purchase larger quantities in a 24 hour period than recreational users ( rec. users can purchase up to an ounce in 24 hours. That is a lot !!) . The biggest advantage is that taxes are lower for medical users than for recreational users. Not surprisingly, some brand packaging is geared more to medical users i.e. packaging is more serious looking, more like OTC medicines. Other brands are definitely aimed toward rec use.

The marketing aspect is fascinating. I have seen brands come and go, watched packaging evolve, seen promotions geared toward specific demographics etc. It's incredible to watch the birth of products which were illegal not too long ago. Different brands hold promotions quite regularly at my preferred dispensary. They give out non-psychoactive samples of edibles, lighters, stickers, T-shirts etc. Before rec became legal, they were allowed to give out psychoactive samples as all of the customers were medical patients! I kind of miss those days as it was a great way to try before you buy 😊

My main point is that “medical “ is no different from recreational marijuana in legal states. I think this is important to understand because I have run across a few folks who have insisted that mmj is different from recreational weed. There is no difference other than the quantity and percentage of THC contained in a given product. The best comparison I can make is to prescription vs. otc ibuprofen. OTC ibuprofen is available in 200 mg tablets, prescription strength can be much higher ( I have had 800 mg tabs after surgery) but the active ingredient is the same. None of this applies to the illegal stuff, of course.

Surgery 9/1/2011 Mastectomy (Left); Mastectomy (Right) Radiation Therapy 11/1/2011 Other part Hormonal Therapy 12/1/2011 Arimidex (anastrozole), Femara (letrozole), Aromasin (exemestane) Dx IDC, Left, 4cm, Stage IV, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Dx DCIS/IDC, Left, 4cm, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
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Dec 28, 2019 02:16PM - edited Dec 28, 2019 02:19PM by exbrnxgrl

As we are all on this learning curve, convoluted by not enough research, differing state laws and federal illegality, please feel free to contribute any informational resources you run across.

Here is a link to the dispensary I use for delivery. If the link doesn't bring you to the “learn" page, just click on learn in the top bar. Good info!

https://elementalwellnesscenter.com/learn/cannabis-research

Oops! Sorry, link is limited right now as the “Find your strain” tab is not currently working.

Surgery 9/1/2011 Mastectomy (Left); Mastectomy (Right) Radiation Therapy 11/1/2011 Other part Hormonal Therapy 12/1/2011 Arimidex (anastrozole), Femara (letrozole), Aromasin (exemestane) Dx IDC, Left, 4cm, Stage IV, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Dx DCIS/IDC, Left, 4cm, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
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Dec 29, 2019 01:22AM coraleliz wrote:

Thanks exbrnxgrl for helping me fill in some gaps.

Recreational dispensaries have been slow to open where I live. City & county & public interference. There is only 1 recreational dispensary that I know of.

DH has a card, so I sent his to a nearby medical dispensary to get a product I saw on their website. He came home with a different product that they recommended to him. Medical dispensaries will not let me in(no card).

DH says the medical dispensary is cheaper than the recreational dispensary. He says because it's not taxed as high.

Since I'm mainly interested in CBD at this point, my concern was that if I went to GNC or the market I shop at(kinda of like a small & cheaper Whole Foods) & purchased the CBD products, they might not contain much if any CBD. But heck, I bought a $10 small size of CBD lotion at the market to try.

I guess I'm in the very early stages of experimentation.


Dx 2/28/2011, IDC, Right, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 1, 0/5 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Dx 3/15/2011, IDC, Left, 1cm, Stage IIA, Grade 1, 2/4 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Surgery 4/15/2011 Lymph node removal: Left, Right, Sentinel; Mastectomy: Left, Right

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