Thinking of trying this for pain but I am confused

[bluemonkey]

I am totally new to this idea but since the DEA is now controlling how many precoscet my primary care doctor can give anyone ( since she?s not pain management), I am considering weed since it?s legal here now. I was unaware that there are strains of it until today. So, if someone could offer some advice to a total beginner I would appreciate it. I am opiate dependent, if that makes any difference to what I should try/ avoid. By the way I am aware it won?t block withdrawals. I have a hip that is dislocated. So I have both pain and dependence to deal with and I am thinking that this could help with the former. Thanks

 

[Jibult]

Hey bud, I hate responding with simple links but I think this might help you a little bit:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322051.php



If you don't want to take the time to read that, the gist of it is:

There is limited research available on the use of specific marijuana strains for pain and other symptoms. As a result, strain-specific recommendations are not medically proven.

[...]

The researchers found that participants preferred indica strains for pain management, sedation, and sleep while they would opt for sativa strains to improve energy and mood.

Regarding pain management, participants reported a statistically significant effect when using indica for:

-non-migraine headaches

-neuropathy

-spasticity

-joint pain

It is, however, important to note that this study had several limitations. It was small in scale, anonymous, and asked people to self-report on their symptoms. Respondents did not use the marijuana in a controlled setting, potentially resulting in differences in drug composition, dosage, and potency.

 

[The Network]

I'd say primarily worry about THC to CBD ratio well before you start worrying about which strain is marginally better. Also keep in mind low doses tend to work as well or better than high doses for pain, as far as we know. Taking one hit and getting a little buzzed is likely to be better for actual pain than getting high out of your mind. The good thing about weed though is you can experiment and not worry oh shit am I going to be too hungover to work tomorrow or going to end up in the hospital... very safe, insanely high therapeutic index.

https://inhalemd.com/blog/are-low-doses-marijuana-more-effective-than-high-doses/

https://www.projectcbd.org/science/cannabis-dosing/cannabis-dosing-101 (note this one says a placebo worked at least as well as a high dose of THC for pain!)

I'm personally a fan of finding 2 strains, one each high in THC and CBD, rather than finding a strain/grow batch that's 1:1 on its own. It should have generally the same effect on pain though, either way. 1:1 works really great for pain the times I've had to use it for acute pain, basically completely erased the pain of getting stung by several wasps one night a couple months ago.

tl;dr is find some high CBD weed (10%+) and find some high THC weed and experiment! You may find different ratios work better for you than most other people, but combining THC and CBD will help much more than any strain differences in high-THC strains will.

 

[psychlo0015]

If you go to a dispenciary the "bud tender" will help you pick a good one out.

 

[The Network]

If you go to a dispenciary the "bud tender" will help you pick a good one out.

Taking advice from a budtender is like taking advice from a car dealership salseperson... they can maybe guide you in the direction within their selection but 90% of the time (100% for car dealerships I suppose) they're trying to upsell you. I've never had them recommend anything less than their most expensive tiers so I just don't ask them anymore.

 

[psychlo0015]

Taking advice from a budtender is like taking advice from a car dealership salse person... they can maybe guide you in the direction within their selection but 90% of the time (100% for car dealerships I suppose) they're trying to upsell you. I've never had them recommend anything less than their most expensive tiers so I just don't ask them anymore.

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Cars cost tens of thousands of dollars and don't grow on trees. Weed costs in the tens of dollars lol. It's part of a bud tenders job to be up-to-date on the strains and what they are good for. Worst case scenario the bud tender is dabbed out of his or her box and doesn't give the best answer he or she is capable of.

I did notice that the bud tender had no idea which bud was indoor and which was outdoor. Bud tenders don't buy the weed from suppliers they are more like the people at burger king making your burger. Basically, most of the bud will be from the outdoors. You have to look really close and use your own mind to decide if it's indoor.

 

[The Network]

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Cars cost tens of thousands of dollars and don't grow on trees. Weed costs in the tens of dollars lol. It's part of a bud tenders job to be up-to-date on the strains and what they are good for. Worst case scenario the bud tender is dabbed out of his or her box and doesn't give the best answer he or she is capable of.

I did notice that the bud tender had no idea which bud was indoor and which was outdoor. Bud tenders don't buy the weed from suppliers they are more like the people at burger king making your burger. Basically, most of the bud will be from the outdoors. You have to look really close and use your own mind to decide if it's indoor.

It's their job to make the company as much money as possible. I don't think you understand how dispensaries work. They're businesses made to turn a profit. There may be a few with integrity, but honesty doesn't sell, they'll always be small dispensaries without many visitors, few and far between. They can't compete with the ones who use misleading budtenders who just upsell top tier stuff.

 

[psychlo0015]

It's their job to make the company as much money as possible. I don't think you understand how dispensaries work. They're businesses made to turn a profit. There may be a few with integrity, but honesty doesn't sell, they'll always be small dispensaries without many visitors, few and far between. They can't compete with the ones who use misleading budtenders who just upsell top tier stuff.

I can honestly say that if you were a bud tender you would be fired.

A bud tender would point bluemonkey towards the highest quality specimens available at that location. Bluemonkey would say bluemonkey is in pain and then the bud tender would pick the best strain simple as that.

Oh wait that's bad because the shops for profit omg isn't that what a shop is for? To make some profit to pay for building rent, employees, products (weed), taxes, ect, ect... Hopefully I'm getting through to you.

Most of the profit comes from paying as little as possible for their supply and that usually means most of their bud is from the outdoors which is garbage in my opinion. I like the indoor grown in perfect conditions but you wont find that at any shops unless you're lucky.

 

[The Network]

Basically you're saying that you are better than a bud tender for advice on what strain to get to help with pain. I can honestly say that if you were a bud tender you would be fired if you tried saying what you said in your first post of this thread to bluemonkey. You didn't recommend a single strain or any clear concise advice. In fact you simply try to take down the only good advice bluemonkey has received (from me).

A bud tender would point bluemonkey towards the highest quality specimens available at that location. Oh wait that's bad because the shops for profit omg isn't that what a shop is for? To make some profit to pay for building rent, employees, products (weed), taxes, ect, ect... Hopefully I'm getting through to you.

Going by strains is for people who live in illegal markets where dealers don't analyze strains for cannabinoid content. He lives in a legal market, for pain unarguably is going to have a better chance finding a balanced CBD/THC strain to treat it than to worry about sativa 123 vs sativa 122 or whatever stupid meaningless comparison.

 

[Bagseed]

CBD and THC seem to be positive allosteric modulators at the mu opioid receptor. Maybe Cannabis can make your pill supply go further? No idea if that kind of interaction has been scientifically studied though...

 

[The Network]

CBD and THC seem to be positive allosteric modulators at the mu opioid receptor. Maybe Cannabis can make your pill supply go further? No idea if that kind of interaction has been scientifically studied though...

Completely anecdotal and no scientific evidence but people regularly post on /r/trees that they cut down or eliminated opiates by using weed.