CBD Cannabidiol Oil A Major Breakthrough In The Struggle Against Nerve Pain

Today's post from peoplespharmacy.com (see link below) illustrates just how far we've come in finding solutions for neuropathic pain. Who would have thought ten years ago that marijuana and its derivatives would be able to play a major role in reducing severe pain (and...just as important, be sanctioned by the authorities because it helps in the current and over-hyped: 'war on opioids'). I can actually speak from personal experience regarding cannabis oil (CBD oil). I never expected it and was roundly skeptical but after a few days of 2 drops under the tongue, twice a day, my symptoms also reduced significantly. Now here I need to add a disclaimer:- my experience and the experience of those mentioned in the article, have absolutely no bearing on how you may react. As you probably know, neuropathy is a disease that is peculiar to each individual and each individual reacts differently to different treatments. Why do you think doctors are scratching their heads in frustration at not being able to provide a 'cure' or often, even help with the symptoms. There are over 100 sorts of nerve damage and over 100 causes - add that to over 100 potential treatments and you have one of the most frustrating and serious diseases on earth. This blog is aimed at providing information about as many options as possible but you still need to seek advice from your doctors and do your own research. An article such as this one below, needs to be looked at objectively and not jumped upon as being the 'elixir of life'. But you know all this don't you!

Cannabidiol Oil Solved Severe Seizure Problem and Painful Neuropathy Joe Graedon December 5, 2016 Diabetic Neuropathy (nerve pain)
 
Medical marijuana is now legal in many states but many people are unaware of the pros and cons. Does cannabidiol oil work for hard-to-treat pain and epilepsy?

Many doctors are skeptical about the benefits of medical marijuana. That’s because they did not learn about this “herb” in medical school. If it was discussed at all, the likelihood is that the lecture would have been part of a class on drugs of abuse rather than therapeutic benefits. Sadly, there has been relatively little research on medical marijuana. This reader shares a poignant story about cannabidiol oil.

Q. My 19-year-old son had intractable seizures starting at age 12. At age 17, he was up to 9 seizures a day despite taking three different meds (29 pills a day). The side effects were awful; he got so skinny that the doctors considered inserting a feeding tube.

Two years ago, I started him on cannabidiol oil (CBD). In California, you go to a special doctor who asks lots of questions to decide if you’d benefit from it. You get a special card for a dispensary.

We had to experiment to see how much he needed. We were able to gradually decrease his pills.

His neurologist was horrified at the idea two years ago, but he has watched in amazement as my son reduced his medication without a single seizure. CBD has made a world of difference in my son’s life!

A. Many states have approved the medical use of marijuana compounds. Cannabidiol oil does not cause the high associated with marijuana. Research is beginning to show benefit for some people with hard-to-treat epilepsy (Pharmacological Research, May, 2016).

A study in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology (Sept. 30, 2016) also reported improvement:

“Novel antiepileptic compounds with new mechanisms of action, fewer side effects, and better safety and tolerability profiles have been approved over the last years. However, although more than 20 different drugs approved for the treatment of epilepsy exist today, around 30% of patients continue to have seizures…

“The medicinal effects of cannabis in epilepsy have been known for centuries and, nowadays, the anticonvulsant properties of its components have received increasing attention…

“The present report is in line with pre-clinical and preliminary clinical data suggesting that CBD may be effective for some patients with epilepsy.”

These researchers call for randomized controlled trials. We couldn’t agree more!

Stories from Readers About Cannabidiol Oil:
Ellie in Connecticut:

“Were it not for medical marijuana, I’d be taking opioids regularly to deal with my chronic pain. The world of med MJ is indeed a whole new world.

“Initially I stuck very closely to only oil based tincture strains that were very high CBD, with virtually no THC (the pyschoactive element in MJ that gets people high). Now I’m realizing that a small amount of THC along with high CBD produces the pain relief I’ve been looking for.

“Yes, I had to literally jump through hoops to become certified to purchase medical MJ in my state but it’s all been very worthwhile. Does the marijuana totally eliminate my pain? No, it doesn’t. But what it does is ease it back to a far more manageable level. I’m delighted to have this option to control my pain.”

David reports:

“My wife experiences relief from stroke related pain with oral CBD oil: an eye dropper full under the tongue when stomach is empty. She has experienced no adverse effects. It has a pleasant taste. CBD oil is derived from non-THC hemp and doesn’t get people high.”

Brian in California reports on cannabidiol for diabetic neuropathy:

“My diabetic neuropathy came on suddenly and without warning. The severity is such that I’ll literally scream out, even in a public place like a restaurant! The pain is very sharp but only lasts about a second. Sometimes it pulses. I’ve even been prescribed narcotics (opioids) but they don’t even touch it. Neurontin (gabapentin) doesn’t work, even after taking it for months.

“When I tried Marijuana it worked immediately and the relief lasted 3-4 days!

“Now, I make my own tincture and take about two dropperfuls every three days or so. If I forget, the pain will return to remind me, but if I have the tincture handy, it takes care of it immediately with NO side effects. I’m sure it is high in CBD but it also has some THC in it and I think a bit of THC is necessary for this purpose.

“I’m a retired Chiropractor with an additional degree in Natural Medicine. The synergy of the two substances working together is very important in natural products.”

A Doctor’s Perspective on Medical Marijuana:

If you would like to learn more about one physician’s experience with medical marijuana, we recommend our one-hour radio interview with David Casarett, MD, MA. In it you will learn about the use of cannabidiol oil and medical marijuana to treat neuropathic (nerve) pain. Dr. Casarett also explains how medical marijuana may be helpful in calming the agitation experienced by some patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Here is a link to the show.

https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2016/12/05/cannabidiol-oil-solved-severe-seizure-problem-and-painful-neuropathy/

Stop The Stigma Against Chronic Pain Sufferers

Today's post from paincommunity.org (see link below) is another very forceful article from Teresa Shaffer on behalf of chronic pain sufferers. Many people living with neuropathy fall into that category and should read this article if they feel doubted, demeaned or belittled by others, especially medical professionals and the media. She encourages people to be more proactive in fighting back against such stigma and she's quite right. Well worth a read.

Now is the Time to Scream, Holler and Shout!
Posted by Teresa Shaffer | August 19, 2014

I recently wrote a blog titled, Enough is Enough! Stop the Stigma Against People Living with Pain. This is the second entry sharing the frustration that I, along with other people living with pain, face every day. I am angry, fed up and I am not afraid to talk about it. Now is the time for me to scream, holler and shout!

I am sick to death of the media playing havoc with our lives with articles that are meant to cause fear and written with poorly researched information. I am sick to death of reading article after article written because someone who is out for political gain or to advance their own agenda. I am sick to death of their walking on the backs of people living with pain in order to achieve fame, power or other forms of influence.

From all of this biased and what I consider sloppy media coverage you would never know that there have been some really great advances in the science of pain and pain management. Pain continues to be misunderstood, untreated, undertreated or improperly treated and poor media coverage deserves to “take it on the chin” as they have contributed to this situation. Their sham journalism continues to deflate any hope that is out there and makes the situation seem dire for those living in pain.

People living with pain: You do have some wonderful allies out there like, The Pain Connection, the State Pain Policy Advocacy Network (SPPAN), National Pain Report, US Pain Foundation and The Pain Community (TPC) just to name a few. We need to step up and help those who are trying to help us. We can no longer hide away and wait for someone else to fix this problem.

We are being blamed for drug abuse in this country and this must stop. People living with pain are being used as stepping stones to move forward personal causes and political agendas.Are we to believe that this pretense is just about drug abuse?

Come on, really? Were we born yesterday?

Yes, absolutely there is a drug abuse problem in this country. Yes, people are dying from drug abuse. Yes, it is heartbreaking for the loved ones left behind to carry on. I can say without a doubt that I, along with most people living with pain, feel sadness for those families who have been affected. People living with pain do not want to hear of anyone dying from abuse just like we do not want to hear of people with pain who give up and commit suicide. Like chronic pain, addiction is a disease which deserves to be treated as such. Changing the formula of all the pain medications to try to make them tamper-resistant is one step forward but that is not going to stop drug abuse. Someone who is fighting the demons of abuse will always find a way to get what their body is craving. Treatment of the problem is key; the elephant in the room is that those who choose to abuse medications must receive treatment to help break the cycle of abuse.

We must use education and treatment to help curb the start of abuse. We must use education to stop young people from participating in “pill parties or pharm parties”, where all types of over the counter and prescription medications are placed in a bowl and people take them to get high. For some, the pills they take cause overdose and death. It is the behavior that is at fault, yet no one wishes to face this and take on the responsibility of dealing with the cause directly. It is far easier to demonize the medication, rather than the activity. Parents need to be better informed about these dangers.

Look, we should be working together to start moving forward and making a difference rather than against each other. We must start treating those who abuse so they can take back their lives and allow people living with pain to once again find healthcare providers willing to treat them. Do I need to remind you that chronic pain is a real and complex disease too?

So, stop putting the issue of drug abuse on the backs of people living with pain and start making a difference by treating addiction as a disease. Those who abuse do so to escape from the stress of life and to do that they seek an altered state of mind. People living with pain are not looking for that “high” or means of escape. We are desperately trying to find at least a brief moment of pain relief. We only want the chance to be able to participate in life with family and friends and to be able to continue to work and support our families.

To each of you who live with pain, I must be frank. We can no longer afford to sit back and complain behind closed doors about how stigma and discrimination is affecting us. We must stand up and be heard. Who has become my health provider nowadays? I ask this because it sure seems like my well-being and health care has been taken out of the hands of my health care provider or should I say stolen. Politicians, law enforcement, journalists and others with narrow points of view and self interest are the thieves. Their motives have nothing to do with what is in my best interest; I can assure you of that! My optimal health care depends on my health care provider and me! We need to tell these encroachers to butt out of our pain care!!

Do you honestly think that these “journalists” care about us, the ones living with pain? They would rather talk to self-proclaimed experts who spout unsubstantiated claims and pass it off as the truth. They don’t care that they are making it harder and harder for legitimate people living with pain to receive the care that is needed to live our lives with less pain. We are merely the “unintentional consequence”—the nameless, faceless statistic that is frequently misinterpreted or maligned. The almighty dollar is what serves as master. They aren’t living with pain so it is not hurting them. They have they own agenda, sell newspapers, magazines and get those hits from the internet, in other words, keep their jobs. So, articles are badly written, “facts” are not verified, stories are slanted to one-side to ensure those that read it become more fearful. These articles rarely tell both sides of the story which would be the right thing to do, take time to develop and result in what is considered good journalism—a fading talent.

Please don’t take the following statements wrong; I would never ever wish a life of chronic pain on any one. However, I have often wondered:
How fast these news articles would change and both sides of the story would be told IF the editors and/or writers were suddenly thrust into a life of pain.
To those politicians and others who are advocating for medications to be taken off the market: How fast do you think the tables would turn if it was you or a loved one dealing with pain?

I bet we would hear the person with pain’s side of the story then and the politicians and the media would move heaven and earth to ensure they or a loved one had access to all treatments available, including opioid pain medications. Gosh, insurance companies might even start paying for appropriate pain care! That would be a novel thought.

Here is reality. Those of us living with pain are not asking for special treatment; we only wish that we can have our pain treated with appropriate treatments including pain medications when/if appropriate. We are only asking, no we are begging for the right to be able to see a healthcare provider who is not afraid of the DEA breaking down his/her door. We are asking, no begging that we are able to go into a pharmacy and to fill our lawful prescriptions without the stares, without being “outed” in public that we are taking pain medication or the interrogation from pharmacists who are trying to decide if we are legitimate human beings or not.

Until you have lived with never-ending pain that literally takes your breath away and makes it impossible to sit, stand or lay down for any length of time, please stop thinking you know what is best for us. You, who live without pain, have no idea what a life of pain is like and I hope those of you who call yourselves experts in these media articles never do feel the pain I live with 24/7.

Please hear me. Stop the mistruths, the propaganda and promotion of your personal agenda. Start trying to make a difference in lessening drug abuse and improving pain care, in an effective way, that is guided by public health solutions and critical research rather than sanctions and policing. Work together with all interested parties and educate about medication safety. Stop the fiction and biased articles and start telling both sides of this story. Currently, we are just running in circles and chasing our tails. Drug abuse has continued on like a moving target while legitimate people living with pain are running head on to more and more barriers in care. People are being hurt on both sides of this issue. People are dying on both sides, too.

In the words of Forrest Gump, “Stupid is as stupid does”. I am tired of stupid, aren’t you? Now is the time to scream, holler and shout!

http://paincommunity.org/now-time-scream-holler-shout/

HEALTHY LIFE STYLE MAY BUFFER AGAINST STRESS RELATED CELL AGING

A new study from UC San Francisco is the first to show that while the impact of life's stressors accumulate overtime and accelerate cellular aging, these negative effects may be reduced by maintaining a healthy diet, exercising and sleeping well.

The study participants who exercised, slept well and ate well had less telomere shortening than the ones who didn't maintain healthy lifestyles, even when they had similar levels of stress," said lead author Eli Puterman, PhD, assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at UCSF. "It's very important that we promote healthy living, especially under circumstances of typical experiences of life stressors like death, caregiving and job loss."

The paper will be published in Molecular Psychiatry, a peer-reviewed science journal by Nature Publishing Group.

Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that affect how quickly cells age. They are combinations of DNA and proteins that protect the ends of chromosomes and help them remain stable. As they become shorter, and as their structural integrity weakens, the cells age and die quicker. Telomeres also get shorter with age.

In the study, researchers examined three healthy behaviors -physical activity, dietary intake and sleep quality -- over the course of one year in 239 post-menopausal, non-smoking women. The women provided blood samples at the beginning and end of the year for telomere measurement and reported on stressful events that occurred during those 12 months. In women who engaged in lower levels of healthy behaviors, there was a significantly greater decline in telomere length in their immune cells for every major life stressor that occurred during the year. Yet women who maintained active lifestyles, healthy diets, and good quality sleep appeared protected when exposed to stress -- accumulated life stressors did not appear to lead to greater shortening.

"This is the first study that supports the idea, at least observationally, that stressful events can accelerate immune cell aging in adults, even in the short period of one year. Exciting, though, is that these results further suggest that keeping active, and eating and sleeping well during periods of high stress are particularly important to attenuate the accelerated aging of our immune cells," said Puterman.

In recent years, shorter telomeres have become associated with a broad range of aging-related diseases, including stroke, vascular dementia, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis diabetes, and many forms of cancer.

Research on telomeres, and the enzyme that makes them, telomerase, was pioneered by three Americans, including UCSF molecular biologist and co-author Elizabeth Blackburn, PhD. Blackburn co-discovered the telomerase enzyme in 1985. The scientists received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009 for their work.

"These new results are exciting yet observational at this point. They do provide the impetus to move forward with interventions to modify lifestyle in those experiencing a lot of stress, to test whether telomere attrition can truly be slowed," said Blackburn.

Co-authors include senior author Elissa Epel, PhD, department of psychiatry, Jue Lin, PhD, department of biochemistry and biophysics, both of UCSF and Jeffrey Krauss, MD, division of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Stanford University. Lin, Epel and Blackburn are the co-founders of Telome Health Inc., a diagnostic company measuring telomere biology.

The study was supported by the Baumann Foundation and the Barney & Barbro Foundation. Puterman is supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

Is Marijuana Effective Against Neuropathic Pain

Today's post is from scientistlive.com (see link below) and is yet another article about the benefits of marijuana for neuropathy patients. It's based on another small study by researchers at San Diego School of Medicine but the 'cannabis as analgesic' evidence is mounting with time. Others are also working on cannabis derivatives which don't give the high and don't require you to smoke, which could be beneficial to ex-smokers and people who aren't keen on getting stoned. An extract of cannabis has been developed into a drug for multiple sclerosis called Sativex. This is taken as a spray under the tongue. An artificial form of cannabis’ active ingredient delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is also licensed, as dronabinol (Marinol). These preparations do not cause the ‘high’ of the illegal drug.
*The biggest problem for neuropathy patients who wish to go down this road, is the legal one. It's then a lottery as to where you live and what the laws are but wherever that may be, let's hope that it doesn't lead to what happens in tomorrow's video post, which may put you off forever!

Marijuana effective against HIV pain 
  

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the impact of smoked medical cannabis, or marijuana, on the neuropathic pain associated with HIV, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that reported pain relief was greater with cannabis than with a placebo. The study, sponsored by the University of California Center for Medical Cannabis Research (CMCR) based at UC San Diego, will be published on line, August 6 in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

Led by Ronald J. Ellis, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of neurosciences at UCSD School of Medicine, the study looked at 28 HIV patients with neuropathic pain not adequately controlled by other pain-relievers, including opiates. They took part in the controlled study as outpatients at the UCSD Medical Center. The proportion of subjects achieving pain reduction of 30 percent or more was greater for those smoking cannabis than those smoking the placebo.

"Neuropathy is a chronic and significant problem in HIV patients as there are few existing treatments that offer adequate pain management to sufferers," Ellis said. "We found that smoked cannabis was generally well-tolerated and effective when added to the patient's existing pain medication, resulting in increased pain relief."

Each trial participant participated in five study phases over seven weeks. During two five-day phases, randomly selected participants smoked either cannabis or placebo cigarettes made from whole plant material with cannabinoids (the psychoactive compound found in marijuana) removed, both provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Outcome was tested by standardised tests measuring analgesia (lessened pain sensation), improvement in function and relief of pain-associated emotional distress.

Using verbal descriptors of pain magnitude, cannabis was associated with an average reduction of pain intensity from 'strong' 'to mild-to-moderate' in cannabis smokers, according to Ellis. Also, cannabis was associated with a sizeable (46% versus 18% for placebo) proportion of patients reporting clinically meaningful pain relief.

The study's findings are consistent with and extend other recent research supporting the short-term efficacy of cannabis for neuropathic pain, also sponsored by the CMCR.

"This study adds to a growing body of evidence that indicates that cannabis is effective, in the short-term at least, in the management of neuropathic pain," commented Igor Grant, M.D., professor of psychiatry and director of the CMCR.

http://www.scientistlive.com/European-Science-News/Pharmacology/Marijuana_effective_against_HIV_pain/20850/

HUGS HELP PROTECT AGAINST STRESS INFECTION

Instead of an apple, could a hug-a-day keep the doctor away? According to new research from Carnegie Mellon University, that may not be that far-fetched of an idea.

Led by Sheldon Cohen, the Robert E. Doherty University Professor of Psychology in CMU's Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the researchers tested whether hugs act as a form of social support, protecting stressed people from getting sick. Published in Psychological Science, they found that greater social support and more frequent hugs protected people from the increased susceptibility to infection associated with being stressed and resulted in less severe illness symptoms.

Cohen and his team chose to study hugging as an example of social support because hugs are typically a marker of having a more intimate and close relationship with another person.

"We know that people experiencing ongoing conflicts with others are less able to fight off cold viruses. We also know that people who report having social support are partly protected from the effects of stress on psychological states, such as depression and anxiety," said Cohen. "We tested whether perceptions of social support are equally effective in protecting us from stress-induced susceptibility to infection and also whether receiving hugs might partially account for those feelings of support and themselves protect a person against infection."

In 404 healthy adults, perceived support was assessed by a questionnaire, and frequencies of interpersonal conflicts and receiving hugs were derived from telephone interviews conducted on 14 consecutive evenings. Then, the participants were intentionally exposed to a common cold virus and monitored in quarantine to assess infection and signs of illness.

The results showed that perceived social support reduced the risk of infection associated with experiencing conflicts. Hugs were responsible for one-third of the protective effect of social support. Among infected participants, greater perceived social support and more frequent hugs both resulted in less severe illness symptoms whether or not they experienced conflicts.

"This suggests that being hugged by a trusted person may act as an effective means of conveying support and that increasing the frequency of hugs might be an effective means of reducing the deleterious effects of stress," Cohen said. "The apparent protective effect of hugs may be attributable to the physical contact itself or to hugging being a behavioral indicator of support and intimacy."

Cohen added, "Either way, those who receive more hugs are somewhat more protected from infection."