As more and more U.S. states pass laws legalizing the use of recreational and medical marijuana, people living with chronic conditions like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis are increasingly looking to cannabis as a potential solution in helping them manage their pain. And many others have used it to help with nausea, stress levels, muscle spasms, and other side effects of their condition or treatments.
We asked our readers: Have you ever tried medical marijuana to help manage your chronic condition? These are some of their stories.
“I have a family member who has PTSD from a violent sexual assault. She has tried several different pills to help her sleep at night and to keep her from having intense flashbacks in her dreams. So far, the only thing that has helped her sleep all night with no nightmares is medical cannabis. When she uses medical cannabis, she’s able to sleep the entire night and wake up rested with zero nightmares. She has severe anxiety because of the assault and as long as she uses the right strains she has no problems. She typically eats an edible because it’s easier to use that way, but she makes sure it’s in small doses. It’s all about knowing your medicine. It’s just like any doctor-prescribed drug. You should always research the product before using it to make sure it’s the right fit.”
— Bobbi P.
“Works for me! Certain strains actually give me energy to get up and get house cleaning done. Others are great for sleep. Either way, it does lessen the pain. Highly recommend it. (No pun intended.)”
— Becky G., living with rheumatoid arthritis
I tried medical marijuana for my MS. Here’s what happened
“I smoke an indica-dominant strain (plant or oil) if my mood is too elevated and I need extra help in bringing it down without a crash. This has been instrumental many times in stopping the onset of a manic episode. I more recently experimented with CBD (edible), and found that while I require a fairly high dose approximately every 18 hours, it is more effective, keeps me more stable than any medication I’ve tried … One important note: Quality matters a great deal. Low quality can even nullify positive effects and amplify already existing problems, in my experience. For anxiety and insomnia, smoking indica-dominant plant or oil solved both problems far better than any pharmaceutical I’ve tried.”
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