Originally Posted by MelodyL (Post 1272489)

All I can say is I don't believe any of this. My husband has been taking CBD for about 3 months now. Maybe longer. The benefits outweigh any possible risks. .

He also uses medical marijuana. He is completely off of Tramadol. Never thought I would see the day. And get this. He has suffered from severe (and I mean severe) psoriasis for years.

Today, I looked at him in awe and said "Alan, look, your psoriasis is gone". He said 'isn't that something?"

He isn't taking anything for his psoriasis. All I can say is wow, nothing more to be said.

Originally Posted by IPN1967 (Post 1272588)

DavidHC

Thank you for your contributions on this topic as it is very comforting that we have a CBD SME (subject matter expert) on this forum. :)

While reading through this thread I read that buying CBD isolate is much cheaper than buying the liquid version and I discovered on-line that 1 gram of CBD isolate equals about 1,000 mg of CBD.

One clarifying (silly) question:

Is one mg of liquid CBD is the same as one mg of CBD isolate?

Originally Posted by MelodyL (Post 1272705)

Hi. I am still learning about the dosing (of both medical marijuana and the cbd oil). I give Alan two dropperfulls (actually they aren't completely filled) so when you think of it, it's actually one complete dropperful of the cbd oil. I got the 1000 bottle from Lazarus. I take this amount also for bed at night.

I hope this dose is okay because no one seems to know exactly how much I'm giving him. I can't see the measurement on the dropper. I had an eye stroke and have no depth perception in my left eye. I get injections once a month.

Now here's my question about medical marijuana (if anyone knows, just educate me please). I got some samples of the medical edibles. It says 400mgs of THC on the upper left of the bagl. These are watermelon candies. The person said I could cut them in threes. But Alan needs a whole one when his neuropathy hits. So I am giving him a whole watermelon gummy thing. I don't have any more or I would tell you what the bag said. Alan does quite well on one whole piece. No side effects, no getting high, no nothing, it just takes all the burning out of the feet. Anyone else use medical edibles and how much do you use for neuropathy? I have no knowledge of this and am learning every day. Here's something interesting. I took a third of the candy at night for my arthritis pain. It did nothing and I never got to sleep. Alan is the opposite. He takes one piece and is out like a light in two minutes. I thought the THC in medical marijuana was supposed to give a person some kind of high? Oh, I have a question. How much is too much medical edible to give someone?

I was told one whole piece of the edible is just fine and that's what I now give him (when I had some I mean). Can a person ever take more (at one time I mean?? Thanks much if anyone can educate me on these questions.

Oh one more thing. I recently purchased some CBD edibles from the vape store around the corner. The bag says 1000 mg CBD edible. It contains ten pieces (gummy bears). I take it to mean that the whole bag is 1000 cdb and one piece of candy is 100 mg of cbd edible. Is that a lot? The vape store lady said I could cut it in half (it's not a big piece, believe me). So what am I giving Alan, 50 mg of cbd? Is this the same size as the one dropperful I give him at a time. Could I ever give him one whole piece of cbd edible which would be 100 mgs. Could I take one piece before bedtime? I really don't know anything about this. I really could use some good explanation about dosing?

Sincerely, Melody

Originally Posted by DavidHC (Post 1266072)

The impact on my health was immediate. The depression and anxiety lifted, my energy and motivation noticeably increased, and I felt positive about life for the first time in years. My pain significantly reduced, there were no blood pressure issues or heart palpitations, and a number of my other symptoms disappeared entirely. This includes my worst symptom, the shaking/tremors, which shouldn’t be surprising given how effectively CBD works for epileptics. My sleep, focus and memory all dramatically improved. The stiffness and horrible aching pain in my joints and the numbness in my feet and hands lessened, which is likely partly because CBD is a vasodilator. Actually, when I’m on it, my joint pain disappears entirely.

Originally Posted by tnthomas (Post 1273123)

I could certainly use some relief from the conditions you listed, that I marked in bold.

I'm not sure how/where to buy CBD, but here in California both medical and recreational use is legal.

Originally Posted by tnthomas (Post 1273123)

I could certainly use some relief from the conditions you listed, that I marked in bold.

I'm not sure how/where to buy CBD, but here in California both medical and recreational use is legal.

Originally Posted by onmynerves (Post 1273462)

Thanks DavidHC for your detail re CBD. I have Sever Axonal Loss, and Sensory Motor Polyneuropathy due to a form of Spina Bifada. I am on Gabapentin, Paracetamol, Morphine. I have Lumber Epidural and Medial Branch Injections twice a year. The Gabapentin I am on is a maximum dose and is effecting my short term memory quite bad so keen to find an alternative to deal with the nerve pain. I would prefer to take capsules but confused with the various types of CBD which are available. I have started to take two a day CBD Capsules 5mg from Holland and Barratt (Can be found on their website) but I dont think these are strong enough. I am on my second day and not noticed any change. I would be gratful for any advice on what to take with my condition as Drs in the UK are not able to prescribe or have knowledge of it to discuss, however it is legally available.

Originally Posted by IPN1967 (Post 1273484)

Onmynerves - Sorry to hear about your health issues. 5mg's of CDB via a capsule is almost nothing when you factor in bioavailability (see below) and when you consider you were taking the maximum amount of Gabapentin.

Bioavailability is the percentage of CBD that is actual absorbed and introduced into the body. Edibles have the lowest bioavailability with ranges from 4% - 20%. Sublingual (under tongue for two minutes) is much higher bioavailability with ranges from 20% - 35%.

Dosing it different for everyone, but you should start with a much higher dose (IMHO) based on the items you mentioned. I would start with 25 - 50 mg's of CDB oil (Sublingual) three times a day for a couple of days and increase as needed

Let us know how it goes and best of luck to you

Originally Posted by beatle (Post 1273526)

I’ve experimented with both CBD and THC separately and together and in my experience, CBD alone is not at all effective but THC is effective for pain relief with the added benefit of mood elevation.

Pain sucks. Seek relief.

Originally Posted by beatle (Post 1273526)

I’ve experimented with both CBD and THC separately and together and in my experience, CBD alone is not at all effective but THC is effective for pain relief with the added benefit of mood elevation.

Pain sucks. Seek relief.

Originally Posted by DavidHC (Post 1273141)

Then it's worth giving CBD, both isolate and full spectrum a try. Lazarus, Fully Activated and Blue bird are all reputable and of quality. I hope it helps you.

One thing to note, in California CBD sourced from hemp is either illegal or in a weird zone right now precisely because of MJ legalization. Though many people in states where all cannabis is banned do just fine ordering online from one of the places I mentioned. The one thing you likely can't get from MJ oil is CBD isolate, but you can likely get a 20:1 CBD to THC oil that is like a full spectrum hemp based oil with very low amounts of THC.

Originally Posted by jurgen975 (Post 1275383)

Hi david

Can you recommand or publisch your list of companies
That have good products and do you now know any of them how are located in europ

Originally Posted by tnthomas (Post 1275595)

Well I stopped by a CBD + vape shop today while I was down in the city. The young man behind the counter was very informative about the Cannibals products and the maze of laws governing their sale in California. I bought a 30ml bottle of 600mg strength,full-spectrum, CO2 extracted. The products that contain THC are available at a "dispensary' that is licensed by the state, to the tune of about 1/2 million $$.

Anyway, I bought this CBD oil with the hope of reducing pain and anxiety.

I dosed with about 1/3 of an eyedropper, I believe that in fact there was a noticeable quieting of my busy, anxious limerent mind.

The muscle pain/stiffness that's usually present in my upper back seemed to be less than is typical.

Originally Posted by GeorgeQ (Post 1276713)

Hey guys.. excellent thread.. I am waiting for an official SFN diagnosis.. I am from Costa Rica and I am thinking to get the CBD oil from Amazon.. however something has me confused.. does hemp oil contain CBD.. because that is what you can get from Amazon.
Thanks

Originally Posted by DavidHC (Post 1276731)

Hi George,

Hemp oil is not the same as CBD oil. They both come from the same plant (hemp) but from different parts of it. Hemp oil will have next to no CBD oil and Amazon does not sell any CBD oil so avoid using Amazon. Try contacting Fully Activated in Colorado to see if they can and do ship to Costa Rica. Let me know how it goes and hopefully you can get what you want. Isolate and full spectrum are both worth trying.

Originally Posted by GeorgeQ (Post 1277025)

I have bought the isolate tincture from fully activate.. i wanted to know how much do you use.. a full dropper each time? And how many times a day???

Thanks.

Originally Posted by GeorgeQ (Post 1277025)

I have bought the isolate tincture from fully activate.. i wanted to know how much do you use.. a full dropper each time? And how many times a day???

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Sassafrass (Post 1277036)

It doesn't remove the pain for me. I don't disbelieve those who claim that it does, but expectations are a big part of our response to CBD.

Originally Posted by GeorgeQ (Post 1276713)

Hey guys.. excellent thread.. I am waiting for an official SFN diagnosis.. I am from Costa Rica and I am thinking to get the CBD oil from Amazon.. however something has me confused.. does hemp oil contain CBD.. because that is what you can get from Amazon.
Thanks

Originally Posted by DavidHC (Post 1266072)

I haven't posted much of anything on here for a long time. But I’ve been wanting to write this very long post about cannabidiol or CBD for a while but I’ve held off for two reasons. One is a simply that I’ve just been very busy with work and getting things done that I haven’t been able to get to for months, and sometimes for years. This is actually because of what CBD has done for me. The second reason is that I wanted to have enough time and data before I wrote anything.

First some background/context. I have full body idiopathic small fiber neuropathy, but that’s just a formal diagnosis. In addition to this, with all the sensory and autonomic issues, I clearly also have large fiber involvement, since I have tremors or shaking and muscle weakness. Multiple attempts to pick up on the large fiber involvement has failed, but all of them were about 3-4 years ago, and my neuropathy has definitely progressed since then. My disease has progressed overall but at a moderate pace.

To give you some idea about what life is like for me on a day to day basis, I’ll list some things. Sometimes I drop things, sometimes I feel some burning, sometimes I have heart palpitations and difficulty catching my breath, and then there is the skin damage, muscle weakness, tingling, numbness, and much more. The worst symptom to me is my constant tremors or shaking or vibration, however you want to phrase it. It happens throughout my whole body and it gets worse when my body is stressed, so when I’m tired, angry, hungry, and so on. There are other symptoms, but I don’t want to go on and on.

In addition to the nerve related issues, I have been depressed and anxious for years, even before my diagnoses, but likely concurrent with when the disease started without me knowing it had started. My life has gone nowhere for years even though I’m in my 30s and in the prime of my life. I have felt no desire or motivation for anything, but instead I’ve been living day by day. This is partly because I have no energy, but also because I was severely depressed. As many of you know, this is a common symptom of chronic conditions, especially ones that are left undiagnosed and degenerative.

I write all this by way of background/context, so that it becomes clear what CBD has done for me. Over the years I’ve taken every supplement under the sun. Now let me get to the point. About 3 months ago, I began taking CBD derived from hemp. I had smoked marijuana for years, but only recreationally and sometimes as a sedative for sleep. But as my anxiety and depression worsened with my disease, THC caused me more problems than it did good. I also knew my fair share about CBD and other cannabinoids. But I had never thought to take CBD in its pure form or that it was available in this form, and shamefully I didn’t know that many (though by no means all) of the medicinal benefits of cannabis were from CBD and crucially and embarrassingly that it was not psychotropic, that it didn’t get you high but quite the opposite.

The impact on my health was immediate. The depression and anxiety lifted, my energy and motivation noticeably increased, and I felt positive about life for the first time in years. My pain significantly reduced, there were no blood pressure issues or heart palpitations, and a number of my other symptoms disappeared entirely. This includes my worst symptom, the shaking/tremors, which shouldn’t be surprising given how effectively CBD works for epileptics. My sleep, focus and memory all dramatically improved. The stiffness and horrible aching pain in my joints and the numbness in my feet and hands lessened, which is likely partly because CBD is a vasodilator. Actually, when I’m on it, my joint pain disappears entirely.

I had read about all these things, having read all the animal and human studies I could find, which are thin to be sure given the idiotic, politically driven and unscientific prohibition of Cannabis throughout the world but especially in the states, where so much of the research funding originates. But I didn’t believe it could be such a panacea! Who could? But it turned out it’s all true.

A few months in and it’s clear that CBD is a game changer for me. Sometimes I notice how effective it is when I’m not on it, when I miss a dose because I’m out or can’t get to it. I start shaking, my temperature starts changing, my hands and feet hurt and feel stiff and numb. The tingling and sharp needle like pain returns. I start to shake and to feel joint pain again. I could go on and on.

I’ve since also met about a dozen neuropathy sufferers in person and online who have seen similar results, some even better than mine. Two people have seen an almost complete reversal of their neuropathy over 2-3 years of daily use. Others have at least seen their symptoms lessen and their quality of life improve. It’s too early to tell for me, but at this early stage I’m at least in the latter camp. I wish I had started earlier, I wish I had known about CBD in this pure form before. But I’m grateful I am using it now. I’m thinking long term, since nothing changes overnight. The best results I’ve seen are from people who have used it for many months and years and who have been patient. One person I spoke to felt nothing for an entire 2 months until she started to feel the benefits. Most people feel it immediately once they have figured out the right dose for them.

You can get hemp derived CBD in many countries in the world, certainly in the states, Canada, and most European countries. The legality of it is unclear in many places, but it’s sold and shipped to every corner of the USA, Canada, and again most of Europe. In some of these places it’s also entirely legal. It’s not like marijuana in that hemp has a legal amount of THC so to speak. That is, what qualifies as hemp are cannabis plants that have less than .3% THC, and often less than .2 or even .1 percent THC. Some of the best companies for quality CBD are in the states, so Americans have it good. Canada, where I am, is more complicated, and I’ve had to work hard to find a quality affordable product that is effective. I don’t know Europe as well, but I’m happy to help with suggestions where I think I can help. Any Canadians out there who need help, should send me a message. Things are more complicated in Canada but we have a few options including legal ones.

Here are a few important facts for those considering CBD:

1. There are two main kinds of CBD, full spectrum and isolate. Full spectrum is about 90 or so percent CBD and 10 percent or so other phytochemicals, so other cannabinoids and terpenes, including trace amounts of THC (not nearly enough to have any psychotropic effect even if you consume massive amounts). A few preliminary studies seem to show that full spectrum is more effective in various ways, because of the so called entourage effect arising from the other phytochemicals. For example, CBN, CBC, CBG and even THC have all been shown in preliminary research to have immense medicinal benefits of their own, not to mention some of the terpenes and their medicinal properties. However, I’m one of the few who tolerates CBD isolate much better. In fact, for whatever reason, two thirds of the neuropathy sufferers I’ve spoken to have all had the same experience and so use isolate. My suggestion would be to try both. Also, it’s important to know that every full spectrum product from a specific plant/farm is like a unique strain or combination of phytochemicals, so if you can’t tolerate one full spectrum oil, it doesn’t mean you can’t tolerate them all. I’ve actually found one full spectrum product that I like at times. But I still use isolate 90% of the time.

2. Dosing is complicated and specific to each person. CBD can have a biphasic effect. Low doses work as stimulants and high doses can lead to drowsiness and a good night’s sleep. I take lower doses in the morning and afternoon when I need to be energized and focused on my work, and higher doses in the evening when I need to relax and wind down for bedtime. What constitutes a low dose and what a high dose will be specific to each person. There are a number of factors, such as weight and what you’re treating. This is very important. Depending on your condition, you may require higher doses, so pain requires higher doses, whereas relief from anxiety requires much lower. These general principles are for the most part true across the board, but you will still have to experiment and figure out your own high and low doses on your own.

3. CBD is unregulated in most places including in Canada and the states. I can recommend CBD companies (all online) that are excellent, and there are a number of them, so feel free to ask me. But as a general rule, what you want and what makes the companies I use good, is transparency. You want third-party testing for as many markers are possible. Testing for potency, residual solvents and heavy metals are ideal. Some places have these and also testing for pesticides and microbes. This is rare because it’s expensive to do. But at a minimum you want testing for potency (and for residual solvents for CBD isolate at least). There are lots of places selling dangerous and often synthetic things so be careful. You don’t want to be consuming chemicals and you don’t have to if you attend to what matters and make sure the company is properly vetted. There are also lots of places that have terrible markups. CBD is not that expensive, so you don’t need to pay high prices for a quality product.

There is so much more to say, so below are some articles you can read. These are the ones that make the rounds on CBD forums, and they will have links to a few studies. One of them is a survey of side effects. So I also include something on the side effects, which are minimal. Even at very high doses CBD is very well tolerated by humans and animals. The few side effects are almost always reported at very high doses, often thousands of mg per day, and in a small minority.

What Are The Medical Benefits of CBD? - Leaf Science
Why Doesn't CBD Do Anything For Me? | POPSUGAR Fitness
Does CBD Make You Sleepy or More Alert? - Leaf Science
An Update on Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol: A Review of Clinical Data and Relevant Animal Studies
What Are The Side Effects of CBD? - Leaf Science

I don’t want to give anyone false hope. Lord knows I experienced my fair share of false hope over the last few years. I had given up and had zero expectation when I tried CBD. And so the story goes. I very much hope that CBD can help some of you out there as it has helped me so much. Just know that you have to give it a real chance and experiment with different forms, brands and doses. I use a tincture and a topical (for neuropathic itch and muscle/joint pain), but you can also vape or ingest it. You have options. The tincture works the best for most, because it’s safe and gets into your blood stream immediately. In the end, all you need is time and patience to experiment and see what works for you. The first product or two (or even three) may not be effective for you, but then you may find one that changes everything. I had to try a few before I found what worked for me.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by beatle (Post 1278127)

I’ve tried high quality CBD a number of times and in my experience, it was no more effective than water.

I find THC is much more effective and helpful with pain management.