Is it possible to mix CBD use with other prescription medications ( I’m taking about proper CBD not small tinctures)?
Im particularly talking about Statins and blood pressure pills, I know some people use CBD but are you also on other meds from your GP.?
i worry that they may not be compatible and one may cancel out the other for example, like grapefruit and antidepressants don’t mix.
I imagine the best person to ask is your gp or pharmacist, rather than chat to random strangers on a forum. Both have spent years learning about drugs and their effects/reactions.
I have been taking high concentrate CBD paste for well over a year now in conjunction with prescription medication for raised blood pressure, with no ill effects. My GP is aware and has raised no issues.
I do agree that you should seek a professional opinion if you have any concerns.
Alun
I am carer for my wife, who has SPMS. Over the last couple of years her mobility has begun to deteriorate quite markedly. We have had no help from the medics and this, and to an extent, recent publicity has lead me to wonder if there are any potential benefits from the use of CBD’s. I have done some research on line, but before taking it any further l would like to hear some evidence from people in a similar position to my wife as to what, if anything, works for them. I would be grateful for any feedback.
Hello BigT,
I have PPMS and I take no prescription medication for it. In fact nothing is available although Ocrevus is being reviewed for PPMS by NICE, having finally approved it for prescription funding for RRMS.
To answer your question, the following works for me:
CBD paste taken three times a day. I use a high concentrate paste with 16% content. It helps improve sleep patterns, bladder control, reduces neuropathic pain and is excellent for general wellbeing.
300mgs Biotin every day. There are no current trials, I believe, but it is thought to aid regeneration of the myelin sheath. I use a Pharma grade concentrate sourced from the USA. See the following link:
Vitamin D – 5000iu daily
A dairy and egg free diet supplemented with oily fish. Essentially, either the Swank or Jelinek diet. Plenty of fruit, vegetables, pulses and grains.
Following a course of exercises set by my physiotherapist.
Having my house assessed by an OT therapist. They provided many grab rails, perching stools and raised toilet seats. Life around the house was a lot easier after that.
I also take Floradix tonic twice daily.
The above combination, in my view, has slowed down the progression of the disease and improved my quality of life in many ways. I am able to walk short distances, when I am at my best, and my mind is generally clear and alert. The latter is a godsend as I love to read, and I am still able to go to concerts and to the theatre.
Best to wishes to you and your wife, and I hope the above is of some help.
Alun
Hi Alun
Many thanks for your very comprehensive reply.
There is an additional complication to my wife’s situation, in so far as she is very conservative in her outlook. By this l mean that she puts her ultimate trust in the medical profession and, as a consequence, any potential treatment that has not been prescribed by her GP or Consultant is alien to her. Needless to say l don’t necessarily share her confidence in the Medical profession, and am more inclined to the view that the annual appointment with the Consultant is little more than a box ticking exercise.
As an example you mention the Jelinek diet. I got a copy of his book a couple of years ago, and took the view that diet was a major part of his seven point plan. I encouraged my wife to read the relevant parts of the book and to consider changing her diet accordingly. All to no avail.
The reason l relate this is that, in order to convince her to try an alternative therapy l really need to (a) keep it simple and (b) try something that will produce a tangible result, (on the basis that if it does’nt she will probably reject it - as a consequence, convincing her to try something else will be even more difficult!).
On the plus side, she does take vitamin D daily, and has pretty regular Physio sessions with at a specialist Nuero Physio clinic which are physically beneficial and the staff are very supportive.
Based on the above, I am inclined towards giving the CBD paste a try, and having checked, think l have identified the product that you are using. Are you able to advise the recommended dose, and how long, for example 10ml syringe would last?
Thanks again for your reply and l would be happy to hear your thoughts on the above.
best wishes
Big T
First of all, you are in an unenviable position, and you have my sympathy. There are many advantages in following these alternative approaches but, as with these things, results or improvements are rarely immediate and a certain degree of application and will power is required to give them a decent chance.
I agree that seeing my neurologist is now a futile exercise undertaken to satisfy his criteria, whatever they might be, rather than offering a service to me. There and back is a two hour journey for a 10 minute consultation that generally consists of pointless banalities. The same desultory result could be achieved using Skype or Facetime, with less inconvenience all round. That, of course, is fantasy consultation for an organisation that is so archaic that it is still a major user of outdated technology such as fax machines.
In terms of practical help, I receive a Rolls Royce service from my physiotherapist, my Occupational Therapist, my GP and the practice nurse.
To augment what I wrote in my last post, I can offer this personal testimony. Before taking CBD and Biotin on a regular basis, I was taking the following prescription medication. Darifenacin for bladder urge incontinence and Gabapentin, the medic’s analgesic of choice, for neuropathic pain. I experimented, by weaning myself off these drugs in a controlled way, and found that CBD controlled the pain by and large, and that the Biotin improved my bladder control and retention. A year has elapsed since then and the same still applies.
CBD paste. A 10ml syringe should last about 2 months if a single dose, about the size of a long grain rice, is taken three times a day. Finding the right dosage is a process of experimentation.
As a guiding principle, I believe that taking control of my MS is at least a psychological boost even if, ultimately, the best I can do is to stave off its excesses for as long as possible.
I have said enough now and risk sounding pompous and self-righteous. What works for me may not work for anyone else. However, I am happy to help as much as I am able.
Best wishes,
Alun
Alun
Far from sounding pompous and self righteous, you offer an invaluable opinion based on real life experience.
l thank you for your time and input. I will discuss the issue with my wife and, subject to her agreement will progress accordingly.
In the meantime l wish you continued success in your efforts to take control of your condition.
Very best wishes
Big T
i agree that CBD eases pain.
i took myself off all neuropathic painkillers because the side effects were messing with my head!
3 drops of cbd oil under my tongue helps me to sleep and calms the nerve pain down.
if it’s a placebo effect, so what!
it is relatively inexpensive and just being able to get to sleep - wow!
Big T,
I would like to add “ditto” to Alun and CatWomanCarole’s comments. I have been medically weaned off Gabapentin by my GP following advice from MS Nurse as it didn’t work with me to affect the pain at all and the side effects weren’t nice. My MS Nurse is also aware that I use CBD purple paste 16.4%. The benefits of CBD now seems to be officially recognized by most medics Like Alun I also take 3000 Vitamin D (as advised by Neuro), Biotin (added bonus of excellent for hair, skin and nails!). One other thing I take is a spoonful of Lions Mane powder mixed into morning orange juice. Recognized by Chinese herbalists as excellent to help the brain.
Coming off Gabapentin was the best thing I did but while I was on the meds there were no obvious effects by using CBD paste at the same time. If you do get some CBD paste and your OH isn’t keen on the taste I started by putting it on a tiny piece of chocolate which I then placed under my tongue to melt.
All the best
Tippy
CatwomanCarole and Tippy
Thank you for your comments, which both add too and reinforce Alun’s view.
l am particularly interested in the point that you both make re Gabapentin/neuropathic painkillers. One of the few positive outcomes of our most recent annual rendezvous with my wife’s neurologist was that he agreed to my suggestion that we start to wean her off Gabapentin, subject to there being no detrimental effects. Unfortunately, not long after starting that process, she did start to complain of increased pain and we went back to the previous dose. Tippy’s comment that the CBD did not seem to be effective whilst remaining on Gabapentin suggests that the best course of action would be a straight swap.
I think we are ready to move on.
Many thanks again to you both for your input and l wish you both all the very best.
Big T
PS. May be you can help with a small admin matter, l sent a reply to Alun last night, but note that it does’nt appear on the thread. I think l may have clicked “reply” rather than “post”. Do you know if this means that it does’nt appear on the thread? #newbie!
Big T,
Admin!! You may have used Send a Message which would be private and not appear on the thread. You could try again if you wish your post to appear in the thread i.e. click reply, compose message and finally click Post which is below what you’ve composed.
Ex-PA Tippy!
Since 2014, I have had to use a cane, and had deteriorating mobility. During my decline a neighbor in the country I was living suggested I try some of his medical marijuana, which was prescribed there for MS suffers (and epileptics, and seniors, etc.). What a huge difference it made! I turned out a lot of my mobility problem was spasticity. A few puffs a night before bed and voila, I walked much better the next day or two or three. It also helped with my bladder problems. I told a UK NHS neuro physio therapist this, and she said that bladder was also related to spasticity, and that soon, the NHS will prescribe cannabis to more people (probably in CBD form). Here I don’t have access to CBD oil, though I did try this in my prior place of residence, and I found it relaxed my muscles too much. The inhaled form was just enough. Someday soon I hope to be in a country where I can use medical cannabis again. I do hope the many UK MS sufferers are able to access medical cannabis soon.
Anu Maire
Thanks for your input, which generally chimes with the comments from Alun, Tippy and CatwomanCarole.
We will be guided accordingly and I’ll feed back how it goes via this thread.
All the best
Big T
Hi Alun
I noticed a few others as well as yourself have said it helps with neuropathic pain.
I find this very puzzling because generally it is known that cannabis does not help neuropathic pain.
I used to smoke cannabis at night, getting it from whatever source I could. I am not a smoker,
I smoked it, not to directly tackle the pain, but as a means of getting to sleep despite the pain (and the pain actually increased when I smoked - apart from one type, definitely skunk, bright green but an easy smoke and unusually not heightening the pain.
I found i had to really concentrate on not allowing to let my thoughts become distressing but to go doown the other route of pleasant thoughts and also relaxation breathting and countdown from 10 to let it take me to sleep.
As it’s a muscle relaxant it actually increased how often I needed to urinate at night.
It didn’t help pain directly so there was no temptation to smoke in the day.
It probably helps with spactisity but my main pain is intense neuropathic burning both legs and feet.
My palliative care consultant got me Sativex, which I only use at night and it generally helps get me to sleep, not directly addressing the pain, but I do not necessarily all through the night.
I sometimes take Lorazepam in the evening if my pain is making me feel frenzied and as that is a relaxant it helps my body release some tension as the body tenses so much in extreme pain and that actually heightens it.
I have no idea why you, and others think CBD oil helps with your neuropathic pain and bladder function - this is counter to my experience of cannabis and sativex. And to official guidance, which also says it can help with spasticity but is not useful for neuropathic pain.
It may depend what the symptoms people are experiencing that they classify as neuropathic pain and to it’s severity.
Mine is extreme and I am on lots of meds, which are probably making no difference, but I guess there’s a niggle - say they are a bit and it gets even worse if I come off? I am trying to wean off them - particularly the 12mg (twice the top rate) of Pregaline. This is a nasty drug. I have used it for… I cant even remember how many, probably 10 years. I also take Lacosomide and quinine.
So my question to you and others, if thats ok, is where do you get this high content CBD and do you take orally?
I’m just going to open another thread about cannabis and Big Pharma
Susi,
To answer your direct question, I obtain my paste from CBD Brothers. As I have stated in a previous post in this thread, I use the paste with a 16.4% CBD content.
I am bemused by some of your comments, however. There does seem to be good evidence supporting the use of Cannabidiol for neuropathic pain.
The APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group) for Drug Policy Reform based its recommendations for reform on a study by Professor and Doctor Barnes (May 2016). In the Barnes Report much is made of the medical properties of CBD.
You mention Sativex. This is approved in many other countries, such as Israel and Canada, not only for MS spasticity but also neuropathic pain relief. The thinking, if I am right, is that the THC enhances the efficacy of the CBD element. The balance of CBD to THC in Sativex is 1:1, and the CBD element apparently reduces the psychoactive effects of the THC.
I am sorry that it has not worked for you well as you might have expected.
Alun