Fibromyalgia And Alternative Treatments

[EDDIEKIRK]

Cannabinoids for Fibromyalgia Syndrome

FibroAction has got an article discussing a recent journal article from Fibromyalgia Syndrome (Fibro) expert, Dr Roland Staud MD, and EB Koo, an undergraduate student at the University of Florida, discussing whether cannabinoids are a new treatment option for Fibromyalgia Syndrome. This is in light of the study by Skrabek et al, who carried out what was apparently the first randomized, controlled trial to assess the benefit of nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid, on pain reduction and quality of life improvement in patients with Fibro. FibroAction
is a new organisation, basd in the UK, which aims to make accurate, up-to-date information about Fibromyalgia Syndrome (Fibro) readily available, as well as raise awareness of the condition.

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Cannabinoids for Fibromyalgia Syndrome







An article has been e-published ahead of print in the journal Nature Clinical Practice. Rheumatology by Fibromyalgia Syndrome expert, Dr Roland Staud MD, and EB Koo, an undergraduate student at the University of Florida, discussing whether cannabinoids are a new treatment option for Fibromyalgia Syndrome. [1] Dr Staud, author of 'Fibromyalgia for Dummies', is Professor of Medicine at the College of Medicine and Director of the Center for Musculoskeletal Pain Research at the University of Florida.



The article discusses cannabinoids as a treatment option for Fibromyalgia Syndrome in light of the study by Skrabek et al, discussed in an article in the February issue of the Journal of Pain. [2]



Skrabek et al carried out what was apparently the first randomized, controlled trial to assess the benefit of nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid, on pain reduction and quality of life improvement in patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome. [2]



The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was carried out on 40 patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome. The primary outcome measure, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and the secondary outcome measures, number of tender points, the average tender point pain threshold, and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), were evaluated at 2 and 4 weeks into the trial and then again after a 4-week washout period. [2]



Skrabek et al's trial found that there were significant decreases in the VAS (-2.04, P < .02), FIQ (-12.07, P < .02), and anxiety (-1.67, P < .02) in the nabilone treated group at 4 weeks, and that after the 4-week wash-out period, all benefits were lost, with the nabilone treated group returning to their baseline levels of pain and quality of life. There were no significant improvements in the placebo group. The treatment group experienced more side effects per person at 2 and 4 weeks (1.58, P < .02 and 1.54, P < .05), respectively, and although nabilone was not associated with serious adverse effects, some patients did experience drowsiness, dry mouth, vertigo and ataxia. [2]



Skrabek et al said that:



"Nabilone appears to be a beneficial, well-tolerated treatment option for fibromyalgia patients, with significant benefits in pain relief and functional improvement. ... As nabilone improved symptoms and was well-tolerated, it may be a useful adjunct for pain management in fibromyalgia."



Nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid, is used to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients who do not respond well to other anti-emetics. However, it has also been studied for use in treating cancer pain and neuropathic pain.



Cannabinoids are chemicals that are structurally similar to cannabis or THC (the main psychoactive substance found in cannabis), or that bind to cannabinoid receptors.



References:





<ol style="list-style-type: decimal">
[*]Staud R, Koo EB. Are cannabinoids a new treatment option for pain in patients with fibromyalgia? Nat Clin Pract Rheumatol. 2008 Jun 3. [Epub ahead of print].
[*]Skrabek RQ, Galimova L, Ethans K, Perry D. Nabilone for the treatment of pain in fibromyalgia. J Pain. 2008 Feb;9(2):164-73. Epub 2007 Nov 5.
</ol>










Fibromyalgia and Alternative Treatments

From acupuncture to chiropractic, from massage to meditation, alternative treatments are in great demand. That's especially true for people with pain-related illnesses such as fibromyalgia. Alternative medicine, including herbal therapy and homeopathy, is a form of "drug-free" doctoring that views the mind and body as a fully integrated system.



For people with fibromyalgia, some alternative treatments work well. That's because holistic therapies influence your total being. In that way, they may allow you to reduce your medications and increase your normal activities.



Study findings show that standard acupuncture may be effective in treating some people with fibromyalgia. Both biofeedback and electroacupuncture have also been used for relief of fibromyalgia symptoms. However, before you try alternative treatments, talk with your doctor. Check to see what limitations might apply to you. Working with your doctor, you can find an acceptable way to blend conventional medicine with alternative treatments or natural remedies. When you do, you may be able to increase restful sleep and reduce your fibromyalgia pain.



Can acupuncture treat fibromyalgia?

With acupuncture, a practitioner inserts one or more dry needles into the skin and underlying tissues at specific points. Gently twisting or otherwise manipulating the needles causes a measurable release of endorphins into the bloodstream. Endorphins are the body's natural opioids. In addition, according to acupuncture practitioners, energy blocks are removed. Removing them is said to restore the flow of energy along the meridians, which are specific energy channels.



Studies show that acupuncture may alter brain chemistry. It appears to do this by changing the release of neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters stimulate or inhibit nerve impulses in the brain that relay information about external stimuli and sensations such as pain. In this way, the patient's pain tolerance is increased. One acupuncture treatment in some patients may last weeks to help alleviate chronic pain.



What is electroacupuncture?

Electroacupuncture is another way of stimulating the acupuncture points. It uses a needle hooked up to small wires connected to very slight electrical currents. Heat - moxibustion -- and massage - acupressure -- can also be used during this electroacupuncture process.



Laser acupuncture is yet another offshoot of this alternative therapy. It may occasionally be effective for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. While it uses the same points, there are no needles involved.



There are precautions to take if you want to try acupuncture. First, make sure you find a licensed acupuncturist who has a lot of experience. Also, make sure the acupuncturist uses only disposable needles.



There are multiple styles of acupuncture. The style used depends on where the practitioner studied. For instance, Chinese acupuncture depends on larger bore needles and the practitioner may be more aggressive with moving them. Japanese acupuncture uses thinner bore needles with a relatively gentle approach. You'll need to find the style that suits your fibromyalgia needs.



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Marijuana Ingredient May Cut Fibromyalgia Pain

Preliminary Study Shows Less Pain, Better Quality of Life in Fibromyalgia Patients Taking Nabilone

By Miranda Hitti

WebMD Health NewsReviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MDFeb. 19, 2008 -- Nabilone, a pain drug based on marijuana's active ingredient, may ease fibromyalgia pain.



So say Canadian researchers, based on a preliminary, short-term study.



The study included 40 fibromyalgia patients. First, they did three things:



Rate the intensity of their fibromyalgia pain. The rating scale ranged from 0 (no pain) to 10 (the worst pain imaginable). Their average rating was about 6.

Rate their quality of life. The rating scale ranged from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating worse quality of life. Their average rating was 66.

Get a check of their tender points -- parts of the body that are often sensitive in fibromyalgia patients.

The researchers then split the patients into two groups.



For a month, one group of patients took nabilone daily. The other group took a placebo pill. The patients didn't know which pill they were taking.



After a month of nabilone treatment, fibromyalgia pain was less intense and quality of life had improved. No such changes were seen with the placebo.



Nabilone treatment didn't affect the patients' number of tender points. And it didn't cure fibromyalgia pain -- when patients stopped taking nabilone, their fibromyalgia pain returned to its former intensity.



Nabilone was well tolerated, but side effects were more commonly reported in the nabilone group. Those side effects -- which included drowsiness, dry mouth, vertigo, and movement problems -- were "generally mild," write the researchers.



Longer studies are needed to track the long-term effects, note the University of Manitoba's Ryan Quinlan Skrabek, MD, and colleagues.



Their study appears in the February edition of The Journal of Pain.



source: http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/news/200...?src=RSS_PUBLIC





Pot Drug May Cut Fibromyalgia Pain

Preliminary Study Shows Less Pain, Better Quality of Life in Fibromyalgia Patients Taking Nabilone



By Miranda Hitti

WebMD Health News



Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD



Feb. 19, 2008 -- Nabilone, a pain drug based on marijuana's active ingredient, may ease fibromyalgia pain.



So say Canadian researchers, based on a preliminary, short-term study.



The study included 40 fibromyalgia patients. First, they did three things:



Rate the intensity of their fibromyalgia pain. The rating scale ranged from 0 (no pain) to 10 (the worst pain imaginable). Their average rating was about 6.

Rate their quality of life. The rating scale ranged from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating worse quality of life. Their average rating was 66.

Get a check of their tender points -- parts of the body that are often sensitive in fibromyalgia patients.

The researchers then split the patients into two groups.



For a month, one group of patients took nabilone daily. The other group took a placebo pill. The patients didn't know which pill they were taking.



After a month of nabilone treatment, fibromyalgia pain was less intense and quality of life had improved. No such changes were seen with the placebo.



Nabilone treatment didn't affect the patients' number of tender points. And it didn't cure fibromyalgia pain -- when patients stopped taking nabilone, their fibromyalgia pain returned to its former intensity.



Nabilone was well tolerated, but side effects were more commonly reported in the nabilone group. Those side effects -- which included drowsiness, dry mouth, vertigo, and movement problems -- were "generally mild," write the researchers.



Longer studies are needed to track the long-term effects, note the University of Manitoba's Ryan Quinlan Skrabek, MD, and colleagues.



Their study appears in the February edition of The Journal of Pain.



SOURCES: Skrabek, R. The Journal of Pain, February 2008; vol 9: pp 164-173.



2008 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.





source: http://www.rxlist.co...rticlekey=87306



Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD): can this concept explain therapeutic benefits of cannabis in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and other treatment-resistant conditions?



Russo EB.

Source

GW Pharmaceuticals, 2235 Wylie Avenue, Missoula, MT 59802, USA. erusso@montanadsl.net





Abstract



OBJECTIVES:

This study examines the concept of clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD), and the prospect that it could underlie the pathophysiology of migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and other functional conditions alleviated by clinical cannabis.





METHODS:

Available literature was reviewed, and literature searches pursued via the National Library of Medicine database and other resources.





RESULTS:

Migraine has numerous relationships to endocannabinoid function. Anandamide (AEA) potentiates 5-HT1A and inhibits 5-HT2A receptors supporting therapeutic efficacy in acute and preventive migraine treatment. Cannabinoids also demonstrate dopamine-blocking and anti-inflammatory effects. AEA is tonically active in the periaqueductal gray matter, a migraine generator. THC modulates glutamatergic neurotransmission via NMDA receptors. Fibromyalgia is now conceived as a central sensitization state with secondary hyperalgesia. Cannabinoids have similarly demonstrated the ability to block spinal, peripheral and gastrointestinal mechanisms that promote pain in headache, fibromyalgia, IBS and related disorders. The past and potential clinical utility of cannabis-based medicines in their treatment is discussed, as are further suggestions for experimental investigation of CECD via CSF examination and neuro-imaging.





CONCLUSION:

Migraine, fibromyalgia, IBS and related conditions display common clinical, biochemical and pathophysiological patterns that suggest an underlying clinical endocannabinoid deficiency that may be suitably treated with cannabinoid medicines.





Republished from

• Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2004 Feb-Apr;25(1-2):31-9.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome of unknown etiology. The disease is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and multiple tender points in the neck, spine, shoulders and hips. An estimated 3 to 6 million Americans are afflicted by fibromyalgia, which is often poorly controlled by standard pain medications.



Fibromyalgia patients frequently self-report using cannabis therapeutically to treat symptoms of the disease,[1-2] and physicians in instances where it is legal for them do so often recommend the use of cannabis to treat musculoskeletal disorders.[3-4] To date however, there are few clinical trials assessing the use of cannabinoids to treat the disease.



Previous clinical and preclinical trials have shown that both naturally occurring and endogenous cannabinoids hold analgesic qualities,[9-12] particularly in the treatment of pain resistant to conventional pain therapies. (Please see the 'Chronic Pain' section of this book for further details.) As a result, some experts have suggested that cannabinoids are potentially applicable for the treatment of chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia,[13] and have theorized that the disease may be associated with an underlying clinical deficiency of the endocannabinoid system.[14]



REFERENCES



[1] Swift et al. 2005. Survey of Australians using cannabis for medical purposes. Harm Reduction Journal 4: 2-18.



[2] Ware et al. 2005. The medicinal use of cannabis in the UK: results of a nationwide survey. International Journal of Clinical Practice 59: 291-295.



[3] Dale Gieringer. 2001. Medical use of cannabis: experience in California. In: Grotenhermen and Russo (Eds). Cannabis and Cannabinoids: Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutic Potential. New York: Haworth Press: 153-170.



[4] Gorter et al. 2005. Medical use of cannabis in the Netherlands. Neurology 64: 917-919.



[5] Schley et al. 2006. Delta-9-THC based monotherapy in fibromyalgia patients on experimentally induced pain, axon reflex flare, and pain relief. Current Medical Research and Opinion 22: 1269-1276.



[6] Skrabek et al. 2008. Nabilone for the treatment of pain in fibromyalgia. The Journal of Pain 9: 164-173.



">http://norml.org/library/item/fibromyalgia#b7">[7] Ware et al. 2010. The effects of nabilone on sleep in fibromyalgia: results of a randomized controlled trial. Anesthesia and Analgesia 110: 604-610.



[8] Fiz et al. 2011. Cannabis use in patients with fibromyalgia: Effect on symptoms relief and health-related quality of life. PLoS One 6.



[9] Burns and Ineck. 2006. Cannabinoid analgesia as a potential new therapeutic option in the treatment of chronic pain. The Annals of Pharmacotherapy 40: 251-260.



[10] David Secko. 2005. Analgesia through endogenous cannabinoids. CMAJ 173.



[11] Wallace et al. 2007. Dose-dependent effects of smoked cannabis on capsaicin-induced pain and hyperalgesia in healthy volunteers. Anesthesiology 107:785-96.



[12] Cox et al. 2007. Synergy between delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and morphine in the arthritic rat. European Journal of Pharmacology 567: 125-130.



[13] Lynch and Campbell. 2011. op. cit.



[14] Ethan Russo. 2004. Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD): Can this concept explain therapeutic benefits of cannabis in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and other treatment-resistant conditions? Neuroendocrinology Letters 25: 31-39.



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Cannabinoids and Pain







Although no cannabinoids are currently FDA-approved as analgesics, there is ongoing research on their efficacy. A recent study on use of nabilone in patients with fibromyalgia found a significant reduction in pain compared with placebo.² Patients receiving nabilone reported significantly more adverse effects, including drowsiness, but none of these were considered serious. Nabilone is also being studied in the United States for its efficacy in neuropathic pain associated with cancer chemotherapy.



Sativex, a combination of THC and cannabidol (the latter agent is not psychoactive), is in phase 3 trials in the United States for relief of cancer-related pain. Sativex is approved in Canada for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with multiple sclerosis and as an adjunctive analgesic for moderate to severe pain in patients with cancer who have pain despite strong opioid therapy. Unlike dronabinol and nabilone, Sativex is administered in an oral spray.



Both sides of the debate The use of marijuana itself as a medicine is controversial. Several states have approved medical marijuana use and others have considered approving it. However, so far, the federal government has remained unalterably opposed to its legalization, and it remains a Drug Enforcement Administration Schedule I drug.



The debate over whether marijuana should be available for the management of pain has centered on several issues. Those who support its use point out that there is much anecdotal evidence and some formal research supporting marijuana's beneficial effects. Regarding concerns about its potential for abuse, proponents counter that opioids, which also can be abused, are legal.



In addition to concerns about efficacy, opponents of the legalization of medical marijuana cite the lack of standardization of the ingredients or potency of the marijuana available in the states where its use has been legalized. Furthermore, there is limited information on optimal dosing. In Canada, where medical marijuana is legal, there is controversy over whether the government's recommendation that the dosage be limited to 1 to 3 g daily has a scientific basis.³



Smoking marijuana also carries the potential for lung damage. In addition, as previously mentioned, there is the debate over whether medical use of marijuana is simply an attempt to subvert the current laws on recreational use. There have been many reports that where medical marijuana use is allowed, some physicians who are recommending it and some providers of it are lax about confirming the medical conditions of the patients who request it.









more



How cannabinoids offer pain relief is still unclear, but several possible mechanisms have been theorized. Two cannabinoid (CB) receptors have been identified. CB₁ receptors are located throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems and many other tissues, while CB₂ receptors are primarily limited to immune tissue, including the spleen, tonsils, B cells, and T cells.⁵ It is thought that activation of CB₁ receptors may alter pain pathways, although the mechanism is unclear. These receptors are also linked to calcium and potassium channels, alterations of which have been implicated in the development of neuropathic pain.



Other potential sites of analgesia include the effects of cannabinoids on various serotonin receptors, anti-inflammatory effects mediated through the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis, the inhibition of glutamate release by presynaptic nerves, and an increase in dynorphin release.

[EDDIEKIRK]

Fibromyalgia (FM or FMS) is a medical disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and allodynia, a heightened and painful response to pressure.^[1] Fibromyalgia symptoms are not restricted to pain, leading to the use of the alternative term fibromyalgia syndrome for the condition. Other symptoms include debilitating fatigue, sleep disturbance, and joint stiffness. Some patients^[2] may also report difficulty with swallowing,^[3] bowel and bladder abnormalities,^[4] numbness and tingling,^[5] and cognitive dysfunction.^[6] Fibromyalgia is frequently comorbid with psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety and stress-related disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder.^[7]^[8] Not all people with fibromyalgia experience all associated symptoms.^[9] Fibromyalgia is estimated to affect 24% of the population,^[7] with a female to male incidence ratio of approximately 9:1.^[10] The term "fibromyalgia" derives from new Latin, fibro-, meaning "fibrous tissues", Greek myo-, "muscle", and Greek algos-, "pain"; thus the term literally means "muscle and connective tissue pain")



The brains of fibromyalgia patients show structural and behavioral differences from those of healthy individuals, but it is unclear whether the brain anomalies cause fibromyalgia symptoms or are the product of an unknown underlying common cause. Some research suggests that these brain anomalies may be the result of childhood stress, or prolonged or severe stress.^[8]



Historically, fibromyalgia has been considered either a musculoskeletal disease or neuropsychiatric condition. Although there is as yet no cure for fibromyalgia, some treatments have been shown by controlled clinical trials to effectively reduce symptoms, including medications, behavioral interventions, patient education, and exercise.^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14]^[15]^[16] The most recent approach of a diagnosis of fibromyalgia involves pain index and a measure of key symptoms and severity.^[17]



Fibromyalgia has been recognized as a diagnosable disorder by the US National Institutes of Health and the American College of Rheumatology.^[18]^[19] Fibromyalgia, a central nervous system disorder, is described as a 'central sensitisation syndrome' caused by neurobiological abnormalities which act to produce physiological pain and cognitive impairments as well as neuro-psychological symptomatology.^[20] Despite this, some health care providers do not consider fibromyalgia a disease because of a lack of abnormalities on physical examination and the absence of objective diagnostic tests.^[21]^[22]





Signs and symptoms

The defining symptoms of fibromyalgia are chronic widespread pain, fatigue, and heightened pain in response to tactile pressure (allodynia). Other symptoms may include tingling of the skin, prolonged muscle spasms, weakness in the limbs, nerve pain, muscle twitching, palpitations,^[23] functional bowel disturbances,^[3] and chronic sleep disturbances.^[24]



Many patients experience cognitive dysfunction^[6] (known as "fibrofog"), which may be characterized by impaired concentration,^[25] problems with short^[7]^[25] and long-term memory, short-term memory consolidation,^[7] impaired speed of performance,^[7]^[25] inability to multi-task, cognitive overload,^[7]^[25] and diminished attention span. Fibromyalgia is often associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms.^[7]



Other symptoms often attributed to fibromyalgia that may possibly be due to a comorbid disorder include myofascial pain syndrome, also referred to as chronic myofascial pain, diffuse non-dermatomal paresthesias, functional bowel disturbances and irritable bowel syndrome, genitourinary symptoms and interstitial cystitis, dermatological disorders, headaches, myoclonic twitches, and symptomatic hypoglycemia. Although fibromyalgia is classified based on the presence of chronic widespread pain, pain may also be localized in areas such as the shoulders, neck, low back, hips, or other areas. Many sufferers also experience varying degrees of myofascial pain and have high rates of comorbid temporomandibular joint disorder. 2030% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus may also have fibromyalgia.^[26]





Diagnosis

There is no single test that can fully diagnose fibromyalgia and there is debate over what should be considered essential diagnostic criteria and whether an objective diagnosis is possible. In most cases, patients with fibromyalgia symptoms may also have laboratory test results that appear normal and many of their symptoms may mimic those of other rheumatic conditions such as arthritis or osteoporosis. In general, most doctors diagnose patients with a process called differential diagnosis, which means that doctors consider all of the possible things that might be wrong with the patient based on the patient's symptoms, gender, age, geographic location, medical history and other factors. They then narrow down the diagnosis to the most likely one. The most widely accepted set of classification criteria for research purposes was elaborated in 1990 by the Multicenter Criteria Committee of the American College of Rheumatology. These criteria, which are known informally as "the ACR 1990", define fibromyalgia according to the presence of the following criteria:

• A history of widespread pain lasting more than three monthsaffecting all four quadrants of the body, i.e., both sides, and above and below the waist.
  
• Tender pointsthere are 18 designated possible tender points (although a person with the disorder may feel pain in other areas as well). The patient must feel pain at 11 or more of these points for fibromyalgia to be considered.^[103]
  
  

The ACR criteria for classification of patients were originally established as inclusion criteria for research purposes and were not intended for clinical diagnosis but have now become the de facto diagnostic criteria in the clinical setting. It should be noted that the number of tender points that may be active at any one time may vary with time and circumstance. A controversial study done by a legal team looking to prove their client's disability based primarily on tender points and their widespread presence in non-litigious communities prompted the lead author of the ACR criteria to now question the useful validity of tender points in diagnosis.^[104] Since the ACR criteria were originally published, research with mechanical devices that exert defined pressure indicate that diagnosis of fibromyalgia cannot be done objectively by machine and require a physician's subjective estimate of how much pressure should be exerted.



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See also

• Living With Fibromyalgia, documentary film

Check Your Fibromyalgia Symptoms

How Does Fibromyalgia Affect Your Life?



Fibromyalgia causes you to hurt all over. Fibromyalgia pain can come from painful tender points, aching muscles, chronic headaches, or neck and back pain. It also can cause fatigue, anxiety, and depression that affect your sleep, your career, or your ability to lead an active life. Take a minute to think about how you have felt over the last six months. Which of these statements describes how fibromyalgia affects your life?

Quiz


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Ease Your Pain

You can break the pain cycle.



You may feel that fibromyalgia pain has now become a part of your daily existence. See your doctor and ask about treatments to reduce your pain and help you reclaim an active life.



Pain from fibromyalgia is chronic and widespread. You may hurt all over -- from painful tender points, deep muscle pain, headaches, unending back pain or neck pain, or other muscle aches. The chronic pain of fibromyalgia also disturbs sleep, causing you to awaken frequently. Without good sleep, you may have increased achiness, morning stiffness, and daytime fatigue. In addition, about 30% of patients with fibromyalgia have major depression at the time of diagnosis.



While fibromyalgia is a chronic condition, by working with your doctor you can get relief of fibromyalgia symptoms and reclaim your active life. Eating a healthy diet, making sure you get enough sleep, and exercising also can help reduce pain. A physical therapist can help you design an exercise program that's right for you.

[EDDIEKIRK]

Fibromyalgia and Medical Marijuana

What the experts have to say about the use of marijuana for treating fibromyalgia. By Rebecca Buffum Taylor

WebMD Feature Reviewed by Matthew Hoffman, MD Fibromyalgia, a chronic pain syndrome, is hard to treat and impossible to cure. With pain so debilitating, patients may wonder about trying medical marijuana to ease their discomfort.



Still widely controversial, "medical marijuana" refers to the smoked form of the drug. It does not refer to the synthesized version of THC, one of the active chemicals in marijuana, that's available in a medication called Marinol. The FDA first approved Marinol (dronabinol) in 1986 for nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy. It later approved its use for nausea and weight loss from AIDS









The history of medical marijuana

Medical marijuana was prescribed by doctors until 1942. That's when it was taken off the U.S. pharmacopoeia, the list of commonly available drugs.



"Marijuana has been a medicine for 5,000 years," says Donald I. Abrams, MD. "That's a lot longer than it hasn't been a medicine." Abrams, who is an oncologist and director of clinical research programs at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine in San Francisco, is one of a handful of top-flight doctors in the country researching medical marijuana. "The war on drugs is really a war on patients," he says.



So why research medical marijuana when a pill, Marinol, is now available?



Marijuana -- the plant's Latin name is cannabis -- has a host of components called cannabinoids. These components may have medicinal properties.



"There are 60 or 70 different cannabinoids in marijuana," says Abrams. Marinol contains only one cannabinoid -- delta-9 THC. When THC is isolated from the plant, other ingredients are lost, including those that might be buffering any adverse effects of taking "straight" THC. "In Chinese medicine," Abrams says, "they prescribe whole herbs and usually combinations of herbs."



Abrams goes on to point out that, "In 1999 the Institute of Medicine did a report -- Marijuana and Medicine. And they said, in fact, that cannabinoids have benefit in relief of pain, increase in appetite, and relief of nausea and vomiting."









Resource

[EDDIEKIRK]

If you <strong>Fibromyalgia</strong> please contact me at ommpeddie@gmail.com. I was recently diagnosed with it and would like to share symptoms or any cures/medicines you are taking. ,

[EDDIEKIRK]

http://fibrocenter.c...bromyalgia.aspx

[mednurse]

I have fibromyalgia. I have heard from 3 people that they cured their fibro using rso/bho. Currently I am such a lightweight that I can't take the gram a day that they took. I am working on building some tolerance, but it is very slow. I am starting to feel better using 8-9 drops of bho a day so far. But far from being cured. Anyone else cured yet?

[gerric]

I was diagnosed about 6 years ago. I know when I went to Arizona for about a month (my daughter was having a difficult pregnancy) it helped me a whole lot. I know when I get the right sleep I do ok, and medical marijuana helps with that quite a bit. I am trying to wean myself off of reg prescriptions and just use med marij. but I'm having trouble finding someone with a constistent supply. I don't know about a cure, but I do know symptoms aren't as severe for me in a climate that's warm & dry.

[mednurse]

Juicing is making me feel better. Maybe it's coincidence. Regular supply is so tough. Networking helps so just keep coming to events and you may find more. Good luck to you and be well.



I find the coconut oil I use for my caps is helping me too. I feel a difference juicing high cbd plant vs. thc plant

[mednurse]

OK so I found out more specifics about juicing. I guess they used a strain of cannatonic. I have to get mine tested. It is not the same strain as yours (EQ) it is different so I need to get it tested. I am hoping that skunk pharm research will test my strain when they're ready. I also have a most excellent juicer for wheat grass and it works great!



So you need 15 leaves out of flower after 65 days(prefer 70) and mix with carrot juice 1 part to 10(carrots) and 2 large buds 2-4" drink 3 times a day and it needs to be fresh or fresh frozen. I hear it feels like you are on caffeine and energizes you.