Considering treating your migraine or headache disorder with medical marijuana? It’s a complicated topic with a variety of perspectives, so I’ve tried to distill some of the most important information below. I hope it’s a helpful guide.
Marijuana’s Efficacy for Migraine or Headache Disorders
Because laws make research of medical marijuana very difficult, there have been no blinded studies on its use for migraine or headache disorders. Anything you learn about it for migraine or headache is based on anecdote (or extrapolated from a small amount of research on rats). I’ve asked multiple headache specialists for opinions and have been told repeatedly that patients are pretty much evenly split between those who get relief and those who feel worse after using it. My discussions with patients are along those same lines. Its strongest track record is with treating nausea, which can be as debilitating as the pain for some of us.
Efficacy of Different Strains
There are hundreds (may be even thousands) of different marijuana strains, all cultivated to have different effects and address different symptoms. If the marijuana that your brother’s friend’s cousin got for you didn’t help (or made you feel worse), a different strain may still be effective. You can look up many of the strains on Leafly by condition or symptom that they treat, including migraine, nausea, anxiety and insomnia. Leafly also displays the most commonly reported adverse effects of each strain. Not all of these strains will be available at your local dispensary, but dispensary employees can give you recommendations for which might be most useful for you.
Rebound Headache Risk
A couple headache specialists have told me that they don’t know for sure, but believe that marijuana has a similar risk for rebound (medication overuse) headaches as opioids do. It’s best to follow the same rules for opioids (no more than 10 a month) and use as little as possible each time.
How Much to Use
There are no set guidelines for how much to use, though starting with a very small amount is probably wise. Watch your symptoms carefully to see if you feel better, worse or about the same, then decide if you want to try more. If you smoke (or eat) too much, there’s a chance you’re not actually treating the migraine or headache, but getting so stoned that you don’t notice it very much. That may be what you’re going for, but remember that the more you use could increase your risk of rebound headaches.
Smoking/Vaporizing vs. Eating
The two main ways to use medical marijuana are to smoke it or to eat it. The differences are akin to those of oral triptans vs. injected triptans.
Smoking gets the marijuana into your system the fastest and you can quickly see if you need more. Smoking anything can be harmful, although a recent large-scale study found marijuana to cause less lung damage than tobacco. (Using a vaporizer has similar advantages to smoking, but is thought to be less potentially damaging to the lungs. Vaporizers are expensive, so you may not want to invest in one until you discover if marijuana is even helpful for you.)
If you eat marijuana, it will take longer to take effect and your digestive tract may not process a second dose in time for it to be effective. Gastric stasis (delayed emptying of the stomach, which is a migraine symptom) could also mean that you don’t absorb as much as you need when you need it. And, of course, if you vomit during your migraines, you may not absorb much at all.
A friend who was using Marinol (prescription THC capsules) for chemo-induced nausea told me its effects were highly variable. Sometimes it did nothing, other times it helped tremendously. It depended on how how long it had been since she’d last eaten and how effectively her digestive tract processed the drug that day.
Depression and Marijuana
Although depression is one of the many conditions that marijuana is purported to treat, some research indicates that people who use marijuana are more likely to be depressed than those who don’t. However, this could be coincidence rather than causation. As the Mayo Clinic says, “Marijuana use and depression accompany each other more often than you might expect by chance, but there’s no clear evidence that marijuana directly causes depression.”
Legality
Different states have different laws and restrictions governing the use of medical marijuana. Even if it is legal in your state, the regulations may make it undesirable. (In Arizona, for example, employers can check a database of all registered medical marijuana users… if you’re not OK with your employer knowing that, you probably don’t want to get registered.) In your research, check both official statutes and news articles. The official statutes provide the legal framework, while the news stories tell you how the law is being implemented. Whatever the laws, it’s better to investigate exactly what issues you might encounter rather than stumbling into a mess.
I have had miagranes since I had my last child in 2015. It’s debilitating at times. Also, I shake in my hands arms even my tounge shakes at times. I see a psychiatrist in Memphis,TN but I live in Alcorn County MS. Is this leagelfor me to try?
Hi Cynthia, I’m not familiar with all state laws. Your best bet is to search for medical marijuana laws in Mississippi for details. Best wishes on our treatment.
Take care,
Kerrie
I came across this article and even when it shows some replies from 2014, I am hoping someone can give me some advice about their experience and how they all been doing with medical marijuana. I have suffer from migraines since I was 11 years old, and as I gotten older, they have been getting worse. I was told that after you get a hysterectomy things get better, but I don’t think that is the case. I am 46 and I take a preventative medication (Topamax 100-125ml) daily and Imitrex when I get a bad headache. Also fioricet which can be used along with Imitrex, but even with all this medications, I am always dealing with a headache. If is not a migraine that last for 2-3 days or more, is a headache that I get after a migraine. I also get botox treatments every 3 months. This use to work but I feel like I took a step back and I am back to having pain all the time. I am always feeling sick from all the medications, and also feeling depress and lack energy. My quality of life is pretty much non existent. I avoid a lot of things, hoping this will help avoid a headache, but in the end I always end up getting one. Sometimes I get so frustrated because I end up with one on a Friday after a long week of work, and that means, me being in a dark room all weekend, and that is so incredibly sad because I have no social life, and I feel like even my husband who I’m thankful is so understanding had to suffer this with me. I am now considering going to see my doctor to talk about medical marijuana, I feel like I am now taking not only medication for migraines, but also for depression. I had put weight on, I can’t exercise and all of that is really making me feel completely sad and I feel like this is no way to live life. I would like to know if someone can give me information about what has work for them, what should I start using and what they suggest, I don’t care where do I have to travel to go get it, or how much I need to spend. I just want my life back. I am 46 and I feel like I have lost so much laying in a bed. My kids now teenagers are soon going to be out of the house and don’t want to miss anymore time feeling this way.
Thank you!
Ingrid
My mother is very “doctors orders” about her medications, and it’s hard to get her to stray from that. But she was gifted a topical roll on bottle of BioCBDplus from a work friend. It became her favorite thing to take the edge off of headaches. She rolls it behind her ears when she needs to for quick relief. – Cindy
I’ve been taking migraine meds for years now. My headaches were pretty much under control. I’ve noticed though since I got my medical marijuana card, that I’ve been getting alot of headaches lately, and my insomnia is getting worse. Any suggestions as to maybe what strain I should look for, or what???
P.S – smoking so much cannabis may have dampened my symptoms instead of treating it outright, without me noticing. But with the advent of the new medical marijanna bill in South Africa, I may be able to finally speak openly with my doctor about the link between migraines and cannabis as treatment.
Hi, I found this article incredibly interesting.
My father gets migraines and when I was 12-13, I got my first one while playing a PC game. They occurred at least once per month and at worst several per week, but this was variable.
My older brother does not get migraines at all.
I continued to display hemiplegic migraine symptoms, until a random friend at the age of 16 urged me to try smoking marijuanna for the first time [for recreational purpose]. I did, and soon smoked at least once a day for that year. The next year [at 17y.o] I stopped until my matic year. I then started smoking a lot more, and I have to admit that yes, it did in fact affect my developing mind at that time in my life.
Only when I was almost out of university did I fully realize that I have not gotten any migraines for a couple of years now!
I am currently 24, still smoking cannabis every day, and still I have thankfully been migraine free to this day.
I do not know if I am treating it with cannbis or if I am a part of the small percentage of individuals that stop getting migraines when they reach adulthood, but I suspect the former.
I mean to take a break from smoking for at least a few months, for my health and, to see if the symptoms would come back. Time will tell, I guess 🙂
But thank you for the concise and educational article!
-Etienne
I believe you need a RX from a special dr an go buy it in the state. of FL Just remember
the kinds that are available in Colorado, NV, CA you have way more kinds to choose from.
They have not legalized in FL which is on the voting ballot this time vote yes to legalize in FL.
How old is your son?
I wish you well.
has anyone out there tried the oil? My son gets migraines the last anywhere from a few hours to a few day. He has fallen out several times this passed week. Where can I find this oil called Charlotte or something like that. We live in Florida.
Hi LINDA and anyone else!! I have never written on a website like this and wouldn’t be BUT,living with migraines maybe I can share some info from the research I have done and some things I have tried and please believe I call it as I see it good bad indifferent. Let me please make it clear I am not a doctor nor am I giving anyone any medical instructions or advice.Everything I have used is legal in the state I live in and in quantities used(disclaimer). First I have never done CND oil without THC so I don’t know if it works BUT I have usedCBD with different amounts of THC. Does it work for a full blown sometimes and usually more often then not. At first I thought it was a miracle. After a few times it didn’t work got upset and realized all migraines aren’t the same. At times I can do a few drops of a light THC mixture and usually I can function almost normal. With a killer headache I can’t keep the drops down and they can make me well you know!!! I have found flower very high in CBD with very little THC which will get me under control. And then we have the I want to die headache for that I have mixed CBD flower with the strongest strain I can find Indica (Sativa no no) and use it til I become really ummm stupid and I mean really really stupid as in sleep needed. I hope this helps answer some of the questions that I have read about. My thoughts and only my thoughts I truly believe if people are having success with pure CBD oil and I didn’t live in a MM state and please don’t sue me but what the heck would I have to loose by trying it as long as I wasn’t allergic or any other disclaimer crap. Most of all GOOD LUCK I hope you find answers. I wish I could say that xyz works all the time but neither does imitrex
Just now seeing this site. I have been wondering about MM for quite some time. Have had mig’s for 43 years and have been through every medication and in week long treatment programs 5 times, botox, acupuncture, herbs etc… Everything! I was given a CBD oil from a friend to try, but I don’t know it’s composition or how much to take or how to take it. Seems like a lot of people are trying the patch from Mary’s Medicinal’s, but I don’t know if they will send it to Texas. I think the oils are about to become legal, but not yet. Any advice on if I should take what I received or how to take it. Thanks everyone!
I stumbled on this yesterday and have been reading. Biggest problem is no testing due to the Feds. Great information is available from Magill University in Canada also a lot of testing being done in Isreal. I have had migraines since 15 ish. I have learnt a few things over the years. Found that marijuana helped migraines when I was in college. Thanks to a roommate that proberly just wanted to shut me up but, it worked. Ahh the Woodstock generation. Then opioids and triptens. Jump to 2015 got my mm card. I have tried at least 18-20 strains and researched about another 50. Never found any Sativa that helped either indica or hybrid. Have used THC and CBD in different ratios. I found not every strain works for different people and just because a write up on the internet says good for migraines, try buying small amounts to see if that strain works. If it does invest because the despensaries might not have that strain the next time you go. Hope somebody got a smile from ramblings. And most important GOOD LUCK TO ALL
John, you are never alone!
It must be so hard to keep trying new options, new combinations… esp when you don’t want to just stop anything you’re already doing that “sort of” helps. But there are obviously many, many people here who know all about the kind of relentless pain you’re experiencing, John. Having company can’t remove pain, but it does round off some of the lonely edges. Good luck to you, don’t give up!
THANLS ALOT. HAVE TRIED SOME OF THESE BUT NOT ALL .THANKS AGAIN.SOMETIMES JUST KNOWINGTHAT SOMEDODY CARES HELPS.
Dear John,
Have you tried St John Wort (herb) it helps relax you comes in a capsule and Malc Acid
Works good for back pain have tried in several friends in bad shape. Takes about 20 minutes to kick it. A lot of headaches, neck or any back pain make you tense up so relaxing is important and Magnesium/potassium (minerals) you can buy at most vit stores. Skullcap (can help some pain) is an herb also. Feverfew helps some people. By the way the homeopathic Hypercum 30Cis the same of St Johns Wort. So you only need to take one of the 2. Try a massage with a therapeutic degree by a professional who is gentle, or try a Cranail Sacrial Dr
who Is a DO. It could you help your headaches it balances you body. This is there specialty. You just want to make sure they have the 100% rating my dr. I can give you her phone # or email and she can look in her membership books who are the best in your state. Gentle malipulation is very safe and may help you. when you are in bad shape you
may need 2 treatments a week untl you are better and drink lots of filtered water. And most important rest and try not to get stressed out. Rest.
You have to keep trying and call your friends, family church to help you in your time of need. and drive you to get you help.
take care Marie
fms and headachs for 45 yrs. 81 yrs old and in harrible pain 24 hrs a day. cant find help. feel like giving up. but keep trying to find help.
try a herb called Jamacian Dogwood, it might help your pain.
So glad to see this site is hopping with great info and kind input. I’m struck by how we have to fight off the image of Marijuana as just an excuse to get high (and why don’t we think of a beer at a picnic that way, any way?!), when really learning the ins and outs can apparently bring such tremendous relief. I am 63 as of 19 minutes ago, and am confident that in a hundred more years, we’ll be much, much better at making excellent use of the myriad ways that Marijuana can help all sorts of ailments. More power to all of you here, who persist and hang in there and always keep hope close at hand. All the stories of what helps are so encouraging!
Oregon just went legal and out of desperation I broke down and tried THC/CBD strains and then high CBD for headache, nausea and backpain. I am 58 and dislike the idea of getting stoned or drunk so I was dragging my feet. Not only has a 15 year cycle of pain and inflammation been broken, I found just the right strains for headache and nausea relief. I had also developed exercise intolerance due to pain and inflamation, all gone. I invested in a MM card to allow for higher CBD products such as oils and tinctures. I did try a couple of only CBD products from Hemp which are legal nationwide, and for me these are Snake Oil. I am so glad I finally listened to a friend and did the reseach, and then actually tried a few strains from dispenseries where the products have been tested and quantified for potency. I am not burning it, but vaping for flareups and using tincture for control and to nip it in the bud you could say. Life-changing at 58 who woulda thought.
please try to help me
80 yr old male. 45 yrs headacghes ans fms.so much pain i can haedly type this.
Just sending words of encouragement to Steph… there is obviously a wealth of knowledge (tempered by many fears and misconceptions, PLUS the reality that one body is not exactly like the NEXT body, so why would one pill affect the next person just like it does us?). The key ingredient seems to be hope, peppered with persistence and the belief that things CAN get better. I was listening to an NPR special, and they were working with monks who had mastered special meditation (not medication!) techniques, and found they could see on a brain scan when they requested that these monks try to feel only “some compassion” in their brain, – this was actually documentable. Our collective brains continue to try to learn about the brain, but we have far to go. Keep on keeping on!
Have any of you gotten your daith piercings? I got mine just before Christmas and I’ve only had a handful of migraines since.
So glad I found this site! So much helpful info. I am in my bed, in my dark room, with sumatriptan, promethazine, and oxycodone running thru my system. So, I’m loopy, sleepy, and not very functional, and STILL in pain. Going to research all the info I read and see if I can try some of the recommendations. Really starting to hate my “bat cave”!
Thank you EVERYONE for your help and sharing your wisdom!
yw anytime
As always, I am struck at trying to fathom what it may be like for people wrestling every single day with obstacles I can’t even begin to understand. An important step, I think, is just admitting that I have no idea, but realizing it must be incredibly daunting. Every bit of health and wellness and contentment should be savored, and my heart goes out to those of you trying to handle chronic pain. Hang in there! Maybe one of these days something can change. (And thanks, Glen, for your ideas. Will take the website you recommend and take a look at it.)
In bed as I write. New York now. Leave for Florida Monday. Had two new SPG treatments this week. These at least make rescue med sumatriptan injections now usually effective. However, still getting migraine 4-5 per week. Still using topamax, tried to titrate off but side effects horrible and long lasting with no sign of abatement after weeks. Back on 175 mg per day, even though no longer effective. Discontinued botox, continue nerve block. Does it help? Who knows. Disgusted with attitude in NY and Fl.
Darlene
I am new to Medical Marijuana and have a few questions… the doctor recommended some types through Tweed (in Canada) that were low in THC and high in CBD – as I do not like the feeling of being “high” – but someone told me that strains with higher CBD are known to cause rebound headaches… I would be interested in knowing what people’s experiences are with this. And if they have had success, if they would mind sharing the specific types of MM that helped with their migraines. I also have insomnia frequently…
Glad I could help. I am member of National Access Cannabis in Ottawa Canada. They have come up with 3 strains of their own. You just have to find the right balance for yourself as you said. If you would like there website for more info and research let me know!
Regards Glen
Thanks, Glen…that is helpful information. It seems that, like many things, different things work for different individuals, and then together we build a workable body of knowledge about what works and perhaps why. I will pass your input on! Best, Carol
I am using a strain now with a combination of THC and CBD’s. 8.65% and 5.85% It takes care of the headache and the pain together. It is relaxing but leaves you still able to function very well. I have also tried 13.% and 15.6% THC- 0% CBD’s They also work very well
Thanks, Beverly. I’m curious if you’ve tried any various combinations of THC vs CBD. I think we know more about the history of THC and it is more often recommended for headaches (?), but current practitioners seems to like CBD for its effectiveness treating pain and for being less hallucinatory. The person I’m talking to about reducing her headaches and pain likes the THC far better, and she says it doesn’t take much to have a great and fairly rapid effect. Any thoughts, anyone? Thanks, all of you, for this great place to learn and explore!
I’ve had chronic daily headache for 24 years – 24/7. Like many of you, I’ve tried everything. I live in Alaska, which voted for recreational use In November 2014. While marijuana use was legal last February, there still aren’t any places to legally buy it – that’s expected to happen anywhere from May to July of 2016. I started using a vaporizer last July and buying medical marijuana on the blackmarket. I use it at night before I go to bed. What a difference it has made in my headaches! Through the years they have gotten steadily worse. It really affected my sleep, which again, made the headaches worse. I find that by using marijuana, I can sleep at night and the headaches are slowly getting better. I have to say I really disagree with the headache specialists who say it may cause rebound headaches. Since the mechanism is NOT the same as opioids, it doesn’t work like opioids. I have had absolutely no problem with rebound headaches using MMJ, and I sure did with other medications. And I would be VERY surprised if there was ANY research out there that says it can cause rebound headaches. Again, I’m not using it for pain, I’m using it to sleep. But better sleep has meant less pain. I’m up for anything that works on the whole system.
Dear Carol,
Thanks for your kind response. Have tried feverfew, to no avail.
Darlene
So sorry there is so little relief for you, Darlene. I am not an expert on this at all, but also exploring the possibilities. If you haven’t already, you should read all the posts preceding mine in Dec of 2015… there seems to be lots of helpful anecdotal information from individuals regarding what they’ve tried that may or may not help. I am in California, where we have interesting new laws allowing use of Marijuana for pain, etc. I didn’t see anyone on here mention the herb Feverfew (I learned about it from a radio show by Dr. Dean Edell many years ago), but I recall that double-blind studies seemed to show it could really help with Migraines. I think it is commonly available and also legal everywhere. Good luck with your search, and here’s hoping 2016 offers you some relief and some comfort! Carol
Already commented , forgot check ‘NOTIFY’ BOX. sorry.
Chronic migraine 30 yrs. Tried everything legal. Resident 2 states: New York, unbelievable, med. marijuana for chronic migraine NOT approved, and Florida also defeated.
Meds on currently: topiramate, (topamax), levothyroxine (antidepressant), imitrex 100 mg tablets-allowed only 9 per month for 3-4 migraines weekly. Neurologist also able to get sumatriptan injectable 3per month. Medrol steroid pack for inflammation, zofran for nausea, 60 mg toridal i.v which only takes slight edge off and too often emergency room for i.v. narcotic which causes rebound, but when you’re that desperate you’ll take even a few hours relief. Recently, new research study in Buffalo, New York, called SPG. Oh, also botox and nerve block.
Desperate. What can I legally get on-line?
Hi Darlene,
I too have struggled with chronic migraine for 25+ years. I too continue an endless search for anything that will help with the almost daily migraine, daily nausea, daily sickness, with some days being better than others. I am prescribed 6 tablets of Relpax and 8 sumatriptan injections a month. The Relpax is not very effective but the injections are a godsend. Unfortunately,, the 6 Relpax tablets and the 8 injections are not nearly enough to cover one month of misery for me. I went online and did a search on where to order sumatriptan tablets. I order them from Kiwi Drug. They are expensive – 100 50 mg. tablets for around $179 or 100 100mg. tablets for $350. They last me 4 to 6 months. I order them without a prescription. On the order information form, it asks medical questions and then it asks me for my physician’s name, phone number and fax number. I just type in none for each of these and it goes through. It takes several weeks to a month to arrive so I make sure that I order them in far enough advance before I run out. Besides being physically and emotionally draining, migraine is financially draining. Since we both ended up on this MM site, we must both be considering using MM for these migraine beasts that stalk and torture us. I live in MN and have been doing some research on MM in this state. I see that MM can be prescribed for someone with intractable pain. Will need to look into that further tomorrow. I also looked on Mary’s Medicinals website and I can order hemp under the Mary’s Nutritional section. I am including a link for you from Migraine.com that tells the experience of one migraine suffer’s experience with hemp and THC – https://migraine.com/topic/cbd-hemp-oil/ I sure wish you the absolute best with your health in 2017. Bonnie
I am working with a young woman who has herniated discs, who had a TBI, and who has regular migraines, which she experiences with no pain but accompanied by debilitating nausea. She reports that THC seems to help considerably more with the nausea than the less hallucinogenic CBD. Does anyone here have experience with preferring THC or with finding some workable balance between THC and a lesser amount of CBD? I promised her I would learn more about what might truly help her, and am eager to learn from anyone here who can instruct or share their experience. Thanks!
I am 39 yrs old at 13 was given a dx of bi polar ocd ptsd anxiety and depression I tried 2 commit suicide my mother tried all the medications the dr suggested none worked…I then started partying started smoking weed and instantly felt like a new person..I smoked for 20 years and quit when I went back to school to get my nursing degree and now it has been 6 yrs since Ive smoke and now in the last 3 yrs old been dealing with dr after dr and pill after pills to the piont now I am currently taking 9 pills a day and still no relief,.so I truly believed that smoking helped alot more then all these pills..what do u guys think
Here is good resourse book PROLO YOUR HEADACHES AND NECK PAIN AWAY
Curing Migraines and Chronic Neck Pain with Prolotherapy
BY Dr. Ross Hauser MD and Marion Hauser MS RD
They have a good website have offices in Chicago Ill and Fort Meyers Florida
I just found your website. I have had terriable headaches since 1990’s from 2 bad car accident. I have tried narcotics, asprin, caffine , many natural things, celibrex. Cranial Sacrial adjusting by a DO, and massage therapist with 2 degree that was helpful., Prolotheraphy. thee provided some relieve Some things have helped but nothing cured the problem. My feelings are if the drug or meds does give you any relief immediately do not take it. Some of the things reg dr recommend have more side effects than help. The whole purpose is to have a life and function. would love to try the med majuhuana. in food or whatever might work. The states I have lived in have 2 states that have a hatred of things that work.especially med majahauna if the FDA or CDC or AMA did not approve it. All gov agencies hate the use of natural thing they can’t make money or control . The only things that work are narcotics, I hear that pain dr ony give you antidepressants. It does not work every one all the peopleI I have meet who have terriable pain.
I have recently been diagnoised with several tick diseases that dr who practice problem orientated medicine, I got by way of comtaminated blood transfusions from a surgery 8 years ago. who botched the whole thing and made me worse I have been medically misdiagnoised for 8 years by many dumb dr. . I have been on antibiotics for1 1/2 years and still trying to rid my self of this. Try watching that Animal Planet show Monsters Inside of me and you will see how bad med dr in diagnoising or dealing with serious med problems. Includng Migraines,,,, One teenager had terriage headaches who has West Niles Virus. Her mother took her to 20 dr before that figured out this. Pretty sad. I have taken vit that have keep me healthy or would of passed away years ago. I have found there is always some medical treatment or dr that claims to help and take advantage of people suffering and take your money and put you through hell. So a be careful. Tried the tens unit that made every thing worse..
I hope that we get the med majhuana that will help us get a life. I feel for alll those who suffer Marie
I have seen the wonderful show by Dr.Gupta on medical maujhauna for 2 hours very good informationan on how it helps all sorts of med conditions.
I have suffered for 4 years steady now with migraines. Before, in my early 20’s I had them but happily they went away. I have tried 8 different meds from the Neurologist and even Botox. The meds gave me reactions ranging from rashes to the inability to swallow. The Botox gave me relief for maybe 8 days but then they came back even more severe. I haven’t worked now in over a year and am just taking 450 mcg of Magnesium. It takes the edge off of daily headaches but not migraines. I have been thinking of trying out marijuana but hesitant. As a kid, I hated the effects and being such a control freak, didn’t like how I felt. Now, I feel that I should at least try it. So many Doctors have told me there is no proof that it will help, yet reading this page proves that there are. Thank you everyone for posting your stories, nice to know that I am not alone in this struggle. Kerrie, thank you for your research and your kindness.
Hello fellow websters,
My mother has dealt with migraines since I was a little kid and she tried all the medications that the docs signed to her. She stop taking them medications due to the side effects of her sleeping all day or make her drain to do anything at all. I was thinking if marijuana might help her with this problem of her, I have looked into biofeed back and other ways of easing her off of migraines. I haven’t found the answer yet and now, that I read few of these stories and I probably ask her if marijuana can help her out. thanks.
I had a bad fall last Sept. I had a moderate to severe concussion. Since then I have had dizzy spells and was diagnosed with Basilar Type Migraines. My neurologist put me a something called Verapamil. Not even after 2 weeks I felt worse than before. It gave me multiple episodes on a daily basis. I am now weaning off of it as per Dr. instructions. Before I started the verapamil I did some research and experimenting. I decided to try the cannabis for a few days. I could not believe the difference. I smoked 1/2-1 joint in the evening. After the first evening I could not believe the relief it gave and so quickly. No dizzy spells and was able to function the next day normally and for the next 3 after that. I told this to my neurologist…he seemed surprised but was also amazed how quickly it worked. I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will help me out with my medial card. He has helped other patients with MS and it works for them also.
Just exploring options. I feel like i have been on every prescription drug known to man with little or no success. Ive had headaches since i was about 8 in highschool i had terrible insomnia so i started smoking pot to sleep then recreationally. One day i woke up and just quit….shortly after that the migraines started but id just take ibuprofen and deal. In my early 20s they got really bad and after having one for over a month that ended with me puking in a garbage can at work and pins and needles in both arms elbows to fingers for hours i told my doc he needed to check it out. I had a ct scan done that showed abnormal so had an mri and was eventually diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus. The neuro put me on 75mg effexor twice a day as a preventative. That worked most of the time until this past year ive been almost every day with either a bad headache or a migraine. Waiting to get back into neuro for at least 6 months last mri showed no changes but im popping ibuprofen like its candy just to function.i cant take other nsaids because for some reason im allergic. Stress does me in the worst and often have migraines worse after fights with the ex. Im a single mom to one sweet girl i work 2 jobs and one of those is school bus driver.so obviously i wouldnt use mm if i had to drive unless there was a cbd only way but is it even feasible to get an mm license and be able to keep my b license without penalty?
Thanks b
Why does marijuana relieve headaches and prescription and non prescription drugs do not?
Eriberto, prescription and nonprescription drugs do relieve headaches for many people.
Take care,
Kerrie
I’ve been a 30-yr sufferer from migraines. I had a “smoldering” type that was constant and daily, like a low-grade fever, and then it would periodically rage for 3-4 days straight. I found relief through acupuncture — don’t know how or why, but it worked. But, what remained after my “cure” were my weather headaches which feel like a different kind of migraine. Imitrex sometimes gives me relief, but not always. I saw one comment mention weather headaches specifically. Is there anyone else out there who has had success countering these with MM?
I started the MM process two months ago, shortly before I began working with my headache specialist. Although I am on lyrica and verapamil and depakote for preventative reasons by the new Drs request, I am almost 100% sure my use of MM has made the most difference. For the past three years, I had some form of head pain every single day. It was unbearable. I was even given 4 mg dilaudid oral capsules to take for pain (they don’t relieve pain 1/100th the amount a 4 mg shot of dilaudid through an iv does). I have since quit my pain management dr. No more hydrocodone. No more Tylenol 3; just my MM and 24 fioricet and permission to use stadol for one migraine a month.
But even when I used the stadol last weekend during my first real migraine in almost a month, it wore off quickly and left me weak and disoriented. I couldn’t sleep. But my 17 year old very supportive son told me to go try my MM, and I started feeling better that very night.
I use oil concentrates instead of vaping the flowers. That was, the only thing you inhale is the vapors from the purified extracts in the plant. The one thing about CBD only meds is that CBD needs a little THC to help with the pain relief. I currently use a concentrate oil that is 92% THC and 3% CBD. I don’t feel psychotropic feelings because I highly monitor and track my intake, but I get quick-acting and long-lasting pain relief this way. Unfortunately, I’ve tried edibles from several sources on several occasions and they’ve had no effect on lowering my migraine pain.
So glad I came across this site. I have been suffering from vestibular migraines for 14 months now and am at my wits end. The vertigo is so debilitating. I can’t work or drive and I just want my life back. I’ve been considering options such as cannabis oil, but as I live in Australia it would come with risks (it’s illegal here). Loved reading everyone’s response and am now thinking that having quality of life far outweighs the risks. Thanks guys xx
Hi, first, great article. I just forwarded it to my wife for her to read. If I am correct though in Arizona (I’m from there), an employer can not just look you up by name to see if you are on the list. Actually, the employer needs to have the patient’s ID number, and then he can look them up. Arizona actually has one of the best laws on the books protecting the patient’s rights. Just my 2 cents.
Joe, thanks for the clarification. I may have misunderstood the article I read.
Take care,
Kerrie
I’d like to share my story with you. Kerri, I’ve visited your website a bunch of times for other tips and tricks on migraine relief, but it wasn’t until I was doing “another” search that I cam across this article.
My parents were potheads my whole life. It caused a lot of bad blood between me and them. My father died 6 years ago with some of that bad blood still there – forgiven, but never forgotten. I’d never smoked the stuff and swore I would never start.
I have had migraines since I was 15 (I’m 41 now) and they’ve increased in both severity and frequency since then. At first, triptans and ibuprofen worked. Then that wore off and it had to be injectable triptans and toradol in the urgent care. Then I was getting migraines that lasted multiple days and kept me home from work. I went to a neurologist at this point and was introduced to preventatives and fioricet. I stayed here for about 10 years, alternating neurologists and preventatives and slowly increasing the number and frequency of migraines I got until I was a monthly regular at the urgent care for a morphine shot (and I HATE morphine). Then I got my new neurologist, who I’ve had for the past four years. He introduced me to botox every three months (didn’t work after three years of trying), testing, and after two years, my miracle drug, butorphanol (Stadol). It’s a Schedule IV medication (not a big deal, right? WRONG!!!!!). I’ve used it successfully for two years. Why am I posting here, then? The standard is 4 bottles a month. I got my doctor to raise the script to 5 bottles a month because I kept running out at the end of the month. Then my insurance company swooped in and said that they thought it wasn’t “medically necessary” for me to use more than 2 bottles a month and wouldn’t pay for my meds. It took my neurologist to write 7 letters to the appeals department of the health insurance company to get my script approved for one year.
After all that, I started looking for something they couldn’t take away from me. Plus, the stadol was awesome, but it only lasted 2-3 hours (hence, why I was running out of it all the time). I wanted something that lasted longer for the pain.
SO here I am. I live in a medical marijuana state. I am going to the doctor this week to secure a MM card making me legal. I *not legally* purchased some edibles off craigslist, the only place I could buy them, and they smelled up the whole house (even when I opened the airtight container) but I ate a whole brownie each time and waited and no pain relief and I felt nothing. So my friend says I probably got crap herb. So when I’m legal, I’m looking forward to questioning the dispensary employees on which herb to use for my condition. Due to gastric issues, I think I will be vaping outside the house for pain relief. I’m the mother of two teenagers, and this is a touchy subject. How do we tell them mom needs to do something we’ve told them for many years is really bad ? They know just how much pain I’m in – I was hospitalized in February for a hemiplegic migraine – a migraine that features paralysis. I woke up one morning between headache days only to find out I couldn’t move my left arm. It’s been two months, and I still have a hand-sized section of my upper arm completely numb with a ring of painful pins and needles around it.
Just think – I got that from a migraine – paralysis for two days!
So I am ready to take the medicine, to tell my children that the drugs shouldn’t be taken by them, but I need it because I’ve suffered in severe pain for 25 years, and I think I’ve paid any debt I owe. And I don’t know about the high, but I suspect what it might feel like. When I take my stadol if makes me feel relaxed and utterly and blissfully at peace and calm because I have absolutely no head pain. It’s like a sun shining through the parting clouds moment.
TO the people worried about sobriety: my father entered treatment (and the family was immersed in the AA family of programs) when I was 16. He never took another drink or did another mood-altering drug until he became ill with cancer and the pain started to come. He went to his priest (we’re Catholic) and I don’t remember exactly what this lovely man said to my father, but my father left the church assured that his sobriety was intact, started morphine pain therapy, and never uttered another word about it before he passed on. And if he had any concerns about his sobriety, he had about 18 months to voice them. He never did. So I guess I’m saying that you can consult with your pastor, church leader, higher power, doctor, or sponsor and see how you feel about MM and your sobriety.
Michelle, thanks for sharing your story. I hope your children can understand that there’s a difference between using a drug recreationally and using it as medicine to treat a specific illness. And I hope this provides you with some relief.
Take care,
Kerrie
I have suffered migraines my whole life however, until this past year they were mostly manageable without seeing a doctor. I finally went to see a headache specialist who just put me on a low dose of Topamax. The topamax intensified my headache so bad, I had to stop taking it after three days. 3 other sets of Triptans, and all other OTCs have not been able to put a dent into the pain I had for 10 straight days. Unable to eat, walk, or basically function, my sister handed me a joint. For the first time in months, I could function, do some work and stayed focused for longer than 10 minutes. However, I can still feel the deep pain of whatever is causing my headaches going on in the background. So after two relatively okay days, I’m going to stop smoking marijuana. It definitely helped me function for a little bit but not to the capacity that I need to, like work out daily and actually be pain free. The more I read about others and their migraine journeys, the less hope I have for ever maintaining a normal life again. Though medical marijuana is legal in my state, I’m afraid to ask for it. Though so far, it is the only thing that makes me feel like a functioning human being again. I apologize if I sound like I’m jumping around, but that’s another symptom of my headaches. Lack of focus, ugh.
Crew, hang please don’t lose hope. It is absolutely possible to live a good life with chronic migraine. There are countless treatments that you can try. It might take a bit to find the right one without side effects, but you’re very early into migraine treatment… which means you have a lot left you can choose from. I wish you the best of luck in finding relief.
Take care,
Kerrie
Hi I need to ask because I live in Co and have had mig since I was 10 now I’m 50 , I also suffer from grand mal seizures. Now I’m on a high dose of Korra and Depakote for both. You guessed it I still suffer from debilitating mig and yesterday with my mig I had at least 20 episodes of partial seizures. Went to to ER and shot me full of benadryl and phenegren, and redid my ct scan and they show lesions on my brsin. My doc is taking me off my rescue med, firocet it actually helped better than all the others like maxalt, imitrex etc. So now I’m waiting for my neurologist to get back with me. I’m interested in seeing if anyone out there has both mig and seizures and see what they have tried. I have to be careful because I also see a pain specialist for a very bad back and we are working on fixing that. I’ve tried Botox and infusions and that didn’t work. I’m at my wits end.
Hi Patty,
I wish I could comment on MM. All I know it WORKS Saw the show on CNN
3 time on MM and how well it works on infants, babies so the drugs do not
destroy the child. Dr. Gumpta. Wish you could see it would ENCOURAGE you. He would not of put his med degree on the line
in 3 programs if IT were not true. He is a highly respected MD on TV. I wish I lived in a state that has made it legal. The rest of the people on this blog are more experienced on what kind and whether it is cheaper to buy the non Rx from a good pharmacy that claims what their stuff is what is really it. All I have to say Non of us made this happen to ourselves and many are tired of Med merry go round of bad medicine and risking our lives on more stuff and who is making money at suffering. I am so tired of people and friends rationalizing what ever. I need to drive to do my errands and enjoy life. Most of us are at home suffering so what the heck are they worried about. Everyone has to make their own decisions. Medicine has failed at many things. They are not God. Don’t let them made the decision for you. I always look at side effects on everything or look at peoples responses to these meds or other people evaluation of the drug. ARE their law suits against the Drug company?. Just a note every medical journal promoting any drug does not tell the whole truth. All they want to do is put on market to make money. If were you try MM what have you got to lose.!!!!!!!
Work with a physician that knows about MM and how to reduce your other drugs so you can have your quality of life back. Go for it girl.!!!!!! Your children will understand. And if they have grandchildren at least you can enjoy them and get back the years you have lost. Make peace with your parents. Your situations
have changed. Good luck with everything. Try it.
I know is those parents
who’s children desperate needed moved to CO and got immediate results for children who had 100 or more seizures a day.
Take care.
Thank you for those of you who are able to get back to me. I do as well look at the side effects and it’s dad when you go to lets say the Mayo Clinic page and you see ALL OF THE SIDR EFFECTS THAT THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES don’t bother to tell you.. I do however have a 2 nd neurologist who actually did get back with me and she does give me choices about me, where as the other dumb ass who wouldn’t listen to me that BOTOX and some of the rescue stuff DID NOT WORK. and like my other neurologist said it DOESNT EORK FOR EVERYONE.,and I’m one of them.
Yes I want to enjoy my life my 4 BEAUTIFUL grandkids,my kids my wonderful husband that is there for me and HATES to see me suffer. What I’m lucky at is my kids and my mom are behind me if I go the MM way. In fact my daughter used it on my one grandson who is autistic.
So I’m doing alot of research. I go in today for a follow up CT Scan with/without contrast to see if the possibility of MS is becoming real. I’ll keep you guys updated.
Oh ya have a friend that works at a dispensary and is looking into some stuff.
Thanks!!!
Hi Patty,
My friend goes to Germany for treatments of MS. When she started to get leisons on her brain. Dr. suggested a different diet Salmon and or eggs etc. They went away. She is not in a wheelchair, she has had for 10 years.
Hope that helps.
I’m sorry for some of my mis spelling I am just now noticing. When I have these I can’t read write let alone spell what I think I’m spelling.
Thanks
Have had sporadic migraines for over 35 yrs. They come in clusters. Also severe vertigo. Attacks are not as frequent as years ago but vertigo is a lot stronger. 3 visits to ER last year. They couldn’t stop the migraines. Just sent me home. They used IV and stopped vertigo. Meds just give me a 2 hour rest. Better than nothing. For 2-3 weeks after my blood sugars and BP are really bad. Also Afib. Almost 66, on medicare. Any info on troubles from that would help. Would like to try CBD oil but having trouble getting permission. U of M in Ann Arbor stalling. Would like to not have stroke or heart attack. Also would like to continue driving. Some are pushing me to nursing home or assisted living. Would have to give up everything I love. My pets, my gardens. Standing on edge of cliff here.
Barb, thanks for sharing your story. I’m sorry you’re struggling so much right now. CBD oil can be ordered online legally without a prescription. I don’t know the quality of what’s available or how effective it is, but wanted you to know it’s available. If your regular doctor won’t approve you for medical marijuana, many clinics where you go to get the license also have doctors that can do an exam and approve you for a card. I hope you find some relief soon.
Take care,
Kerrie
Pot works for headaches. No need for debate or consider the consequences of ingesting. No one has ever died from it’s use, so risk is negligible. Either you like it or you don’t, and if it rubs you the wrong way, it’ll ware off and you won’t have side effects or drug problems afterwards. If it doesn’t relieve your symptoms including nausea, (which absolutely does), consult a medical practitioner. I know plenty of people who use it for that purpose and every adult should be allowed unrestricted access. When you have a bad headache, you are not in any shape to do much, such as being productive at your job. If you use marijuana for the headache, you’ll feel better, but this may not help you to function effectively at work. So, you can feel sick unable to do anything, or you can feel better and relax. The choice is yours.
I am 54 and have suffered with migraine for 18 years with the migraines becoming more and more frequent until these past two years i have had months with mo migraine free days. My list of meds is like all the ones listed previous. Last year i started botox which seemed to help at first then i had another two months with no headache free days. So living in Colorado i decided to try marijuana. I was lucky to go to a great dispensary in loiusville with some knowledgable folks and having been using only marijuana for the last 5 months. I have only had two migraines since starting this new treatment. Here is what i use. As a Preventative! I use cbd daily. The most reliable source is the Marys Medincinal CBD patch. I use a quarter patch every day without fail. When i have tried other sources of cbd or other amounts is when i got a migraine. Then I vape a small amount of flower every night. Usually an Indica like Blueberry Kush. If i cant vape i use a patch of Marys Medicinal THC Indica, also a quarter of a patch. The times i did get a migraine i vaped a strain called Glass Slipper, or LA Affie or Recon (all were bred from LA Confidential). I have tried the CBD oils but they don’t seem very reliable in dosing, and one thing i need is very small changes in drugs. Hope this helps, it sounds like Nathan you use cbd every day too, right? I think it helps prevent migraine, also i must add i have been able to do more things that i had had to cut out of my life. Like be in noisy environments, fly, host family gathering, all things that would guarantee me getting a migraine in the past. I hope we can get marijuana legalized in more states!
Great to hear Kelly. I do take CBD oil everyday as well. So happy to hear someone is having the same success as I am having. I really wish we had those patches here in Canada.
Kelly, I’m so happy you have found relief!
Take care,
Kerrie
I’ve found that vaporizers cause headaches for me, regardless of strain. If you don’t want to smoke, edibles are a good option. The only downside is that depending on your metabolism, you might have to wait up to 2 hours to feel any effect.
Ok … I have a question.And it you can bare with the story I appreciate it! First I want to state some background information. I have been getting headaches since I was a teenager. I always told my mom I would get them on cloudy days. When I was in my early 20’s I would get them more frequently. I was diagnosed with migraines and put on and antidepressant as a preventative and fioranol to help pain. In addition, when I was in my teens I used pot recreationally. When I got in college I decided to stop using pot because I felt like I wasn’t able to accomplish anything. Over time, the medications were not working. I would wake up everyday with a headache. I became addicted to the fioranal. The “stupid” doctor told me to stop taking the preventatives and I had a killer migraine for a week. He sent me to a Headache center, where the doctors there felt like I needed to be hospitalized to get off all meds. Of course they put me on new ones. I had had an MRI while hospitalized and the doctor told me he saw white spots on my brain which is commom with headache patients. I was on those med for quite a wile. When I was 29 I was diagnosed with Mutlple sclerosis. Of course at the time of the MRI the doctor didn’t mention anything related to those spots possibly being MS. In the mean time the doctor at the headach clinic had reduced the amount of meds I needed. Then he took me off doxepin(another antidepressant). This was shortly afte my diagnosis of MS. I became severly depressed. Lost 25 lbs because I couldn’t eat or sleep. After 6 months of not eating, suffering with migraines my internist sent me to a shrink. The shrink diagnosed me with depression. I was put on .. wait you guessed it … prozac. It helped my depression and my headaches but I still got them so I used excedrin. I know you can all understand what it is like to have a migraine. Then came imitrex. So I used it and it worked great. However…. over the years it seems I have built up some tolerance so I try to be careful with how much i use. I began to take exdrin again everyday for the last 14 years. My shrink got me off it but then I got back on it/ off it. I am now 48. I get botox to reduce the number of migraines and it has helped. As far as the MS goes it doesn’t cause migraines. I was reading something and it said that pot can help your MS. Since my husband has been a steady user for years I decided to try it. Problem is I like getting high. I also have sinus issues and My ENT told me to use zytec D. I have been using that everyday for a few years. In the meantime, I was recently diagnosed with very High Blood pressure.( have had HBP for 15 years… in the genes) So now I am on nadalol (which was prescibed by the neuro who treats me for headaches…. as a kill 2 birds with one stone…. preven tative migraine/ HBP) However it is not treating my HBP nor the migraines so I now take another med with an HCTZ in it. Last month when it was found my BP was so high I stopped taking the zyrtec. Since pot is legal in my state I have a prescription for it and vape it usually on the weekends to help with numbness, spasms, and medication side effects for MS. It always makes me feel happy and increases my libido (lol).
It seems to temporarily help with migraines. However since I stoprred takint the zytec I have had a headache. The other thing is the particular strains I go this month are sative and then indica. Not sure of Cbd’s etc although I can find out. I have had a headache for a month now in the sinus region. With the particular strains I purchased I wondering if any of those could have brought on this headache. The imitrex helps but as you know you can’t take too many. I also purchase a wax but haven’t tried it yet. My question is do you thing the headache is related to a withdrawel from the zyrtec? or related to the strains of pot? I have found weed to help my headaches but my husband thought that maybe this last strain was causing it. Any input would be helpful. I am so tired of taking man made chemicals…. I don’t want to kill my liver and etc but I can’t seem to get rid of this headache. I am going to try a wax tonight w/ my husband to see if that helps.. If anyone has suggestions I am open to them! Thnx
Gina, some people do get headaches from certain strains of marijuana. I’m not sure if Zyrtec withdrawal could cause headaches, but it could be that Zyrtec was a headache/migraine preventive for you. Histamine can be a migraine trigger and Zyrtec is an antihistamine. Cyproheptadine, a prescription antihistamine, a low-histamine diet, and a digestive enzyme that processes histamine are the most helpful treatments I’ve ever tried. Here’s what I’ve written on the topic: http://www.thedailyheadache.com/tag/histamine. It’s in reverse chronological order, so it might make the most sense if you start with the oldest post. I wish you all the best in finding relief.
Take care,
Kerrie
I would stay away from Sativas and stick to indicas and hybrids. I haven’t found wax (concentrates) to help as they are extracted with chemicals (butane). Phoenix tears also knows as Rick simpson oil has been what has really helped me (it is an edible oil taken daily). Stay away from smoking the flower if you can and use a vaporizer.
I apologize, Nathan. I’m not sure why I wrote Tim
No worries. I agree about the concentrates above as well. They are extracted predominantly with butane I believe and I have actually tasted butane while vaporizing some. I stopped all concentrate use a couple of months ago.
Good point, Tim. I’ve also found that sativas give me a headache. Kerrie also pointed out that concentrates could be problematic, which I’m also finding to be true. Plain flower seems to be best.
i have suffered from migraines for over 25 years, and have tried just about every medication out there to treat them with no success. I recently tried medicinal marajuana using edibles and salves. The problem is though, it takes at least an hour before I experience any relief. Being new to the use of canabis, I was wondering if anyone who is using a vape could recommend strains of cannibis to use on migraines, one that is high in CBD, low in THC…I don’t want to feel stoned.
Lisa,
I don’t know of specific strains (a good dispensary should be able to help you with that). I’m not sure if Leafly.com breaks out CBD content or not. If you don’t have a vaporizer already, consider getting one that takes the crushed leaves, rather than a concentrate. The concentrates are extracted chemically and can be problematic for people with migraine.
Take care,
Kerrie
Two strains that I have found very helpful are Black Tuna and Dead Head OG. Both strains are on leafly.com. I have probably tried over 30 strains in the past 110 days and by far they are the best for myself. Try and stay away from straight sativas, I found they could almost give me a headache. Indicas and especially hybrids seem to work the best.
My 17yr old daughter has been suffering from migraines and dizziness, daily, 24/7, for over six years. We have tried everything and the only thing that has seemed to help with the migraines was vitamins B2 and that just took the edge off. Two months ago, her Doctor admitted her into the hospital and she was given DHE intravenously for 5 days. It helped with the vertigo and she has actually has a few hours a day, where she isn’t dizzy, but the migraines got worse. It’s so difficult to see her go through all of this!!!!! I have actually talked to her about the possible use of marijuana for her migraines, I don’t think it could be any worse than the prescription meds she’s on, and at this point, what do we have to lose. I have never done drugs, so this is hard for me, but I believe that marijuana should be legal for people with medical conditions.
Rena,
I’m so sorry to hear about your daughter. It must be heartbreaking to see her go through this. Best of luck in finding an effective treatment for her.
Take care,
Kerrie
Thanks for your reply. I have found dispensary employees to be incredibly well-informed and helpful so far. After 40 years of migraines, I would prefer instant relief, but you’re right. I must be patient and just see what works.
Angie-
Leafly.com is a quick reference for different strains and symptom relief. I personally like the smokeless options of Marys Medicinal transdermal patches and gel pens and Loves oven cookies as well as the Incredibles bars. I use the sativa strain edibles for daytime and indica or hybrid for nighttime use. If you try edible just be conscious of dosage amt per piece, start at a low dose and give it time to kick in(anywhere from 30 mins to 2 hours). Smoking or vaporizing will take effect much sooner but of course it boils down to your preference. There’s some excellent dispensaries who are extremely informed regarding their products for advice. Unfortunately migraines arent a one size fits all ailment(doctors need to recognize this) and you may have to do the “try and see method” until you get relief you need. Hope this helps and you start feeling better!
Like many, I would like to try marijuana to help me cope with migraines. If I’m not taking taking Depakote regularly (fun side effects!), I have daily headaches.
My question is to those of you who have used marijuana with success. Can you share the strain that has been most successful? I live in Colorado so the breadth of options is quite overwhelming.
Angie, someone at a dispensary can help you sort out which strains might be most effective. If you’re in Denver, I’ve heard good things about L’Eagle. Also, some readers have recommended Mary’s Medicinals for CBD oil. I believe anyone who lives in CO or WA can order that online.
Take care,
Kerrie
Thanks so much Kerrie and everyone who has shared their experiences. I have suffered from headaches all my life (59 now). I was diagnosed only a year ago as having migranes. I call Sumatriptan my “magic pills” as they have relieved my headaches almost 100% of the time. I smoked pot frequently in my younger days, and I rarely had headaches then, unless I had been consuming alcohol the night before. For many years, I would smoke pot about 4-6 times per year. I had headaches occasionally (maybe 2-3 per month) then. I haven’t smoked any in a few years and now I have 2-3 per week. Now I’m thinking that a little pot – maybe even once a month, may reduce the frequency of my migraines. If Florida votes to legalize medical marijuana (tomorrow), I’ll be able to test that theory.
Thanks again for sharing all the good info!
Keith, you’re welcome! I’m glad it’s helpful for you — and I’m so glad sumatriptan has helped you so much. Please check in if Florida does legalize it. I’d love to hear if it works for you.
Take care,
Kerrie
THANK YOU so much for all of this incredibly valuable info!
You’re welcome!
Take care,
Kerrie
You’re welcome, Alisa!
Take care,
Kerrie
Kerrie,
I just wanted to thank you. I’ve had migraines since I was 4; inherited maternally, though they outgrew them by 30. Now at 44, I have had about 4 days off since April. My doctor took me off everything claiming it was all a rebound headache. I’m on nothing; OTC or RX. I don’t sleep, I can’t see, I vomit. Seems doc isn’t sure I even have migraines now. Anyway, I am so diligent with triggers and rebound causes that I can’t imagine what’s wrong anymore. I’ve visited SO many boards but I am really impressed with this collection of vast knowledge, support and a virtual headache encyclopedia! This beats all the docs 🙂 I thank you and truly appreciate your work.
Hi Tracy, thank you so much. I’m glad you find the site useful. I’ve had many years of personal experience!
I’m concerned that you’ve been off meds for so long and are still having such severe migraines. I agree that everyone should go off all meds that might cause rebound headaches to be sure that rebound isn’t the issue, but six months is long enough to figure that out. You need something to help — not sure what you’ve tried, but Migranal and DHE-45 are often used as acute meds when someone is “detoxing” from rebound meds. NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen are OTC; prescription NSAIDs, like Toradol, are also available) don’t seem to have much of a rebound risk. And, really, if you haven’t had improvement after all this time off your meds, you should try triptans again. Not everyone has rebound headaches; some specialists even use triptans as daily preventives in those patients.
Even if you/your doctor want you to avoid acute medications, please consider a preventive to try to reduce the frequency and/or severity of the attacks. Preventives don’t have rebound risks and are a vital component of care — if you can stop the migraines from happening in the first place, you can avoid the meds that cause rebound headaches. (Not sure where you are in your care; here are some preventive suggestions based on recent research: http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-preventives-start/.)
I hope I didn’t just pile on a bunch of unwanted advice! Rebound headaches are a real issue. Many doctors react to this information by pulling patients off all meds, which is a terrible idea. Going off meds cold turkey with no preventives planned and without other acute meds is just cruel to someone with such severe migraines. I hate to know someone is in so much pain without any relief in sight.
Take care,
Kerrie
My Daughter suffers from migraines and I made her “tea” with an unknown strain from a reliable source. Has anyone else tried this method, with what strain and was it successful? Thank you!
Roxanne, was it helpful for your daughter? THC requires fat to be activated, but the tea may still activate anti-inflammatory compounds (like CBD) without the “high” from THC. I’m really curious to know how it worked for your daughter.
Take care,
Kerrie
I would get migraines on average once a month for about 8 years. In High School i would smoke weed once a week or once a month and not that much. I picked up smoking again a year ago, and now smoke just about daily. I haven’t had a migraine since I started smoking again.
That’s interesting, Bruce. Thanks for sharing. I’m glad you’ve found something that’s helpful for you.
Take care,
Kerrie
continued…the night i used a patch before bed hoping for prevention. it did not work, still awoke with migraine. used the gel pen and took Excedrine Migraine again, but i feel completely normal today, no fatigue, feel liks a million bucks. Thus may change my whole life. I should add that my migraines are almost solely from barometric pressure related causes. I am looking forward to trying it more often either aline or as an adjunct to my usual meds as fits the situation, hope New Jersey will get on the band wagon to help migraineurs with this apparently great alternative.
Teresa Moran, I have had migraines since pre-puberty. Increasingly I have been affected by the barometric pressure and it now seems like the weather totally runs my life. Imitrex just does not seem to help with these weather related headaches, and I am in Utah where medical marijuana is still unavailable. Each day brings me closer to a run for the border to a state where I can see if natural pain relief awaits. All the medications I take are going to cause organ failure before an answer to this problem is found, but the church run government doesn’t care.
Judy, YES.. I’m so happy you feel this way too. I have a 3 yr old & the meds killing me via organ failure is a constant worry. I’ve had to cut way back due to stomach issues (no one seems worried about, even though I never had stomach issues in my 42 years of life before). When I was still able to work, I took God awful amounts of medication just to make it through the day. Now I can’t take my rescue meds more then once a week without severe gut symptoms & what seems like my digestive system shutting down for a week. Recently I had a migraine that lasted 21 days, I try not to go to the ER (because the treat you like a drug addict, not to mention all the bright lights & loud noise). My Dr gave me his cocktail of 100 pills in 3 days, on top of the ton I already take. It didn’t work, off to the ER, where they nearly OD me on something that was not what we asked for. I have a narcotics allergy & all I can use is Hydromorphone. My Dr then had to prescribe those too. When all was said & done, it took me a full 6 weeks to recover from the migraine & the medication.
I can get migraines 4-6 days a week also, and my biggest problem is not pain relief but lack of energy all day, and loss if sleep from caffeine in the meds. On a first short to Denver I awoks every morning at 3am. The First day I took excedrine Migraine and advil, had to repeat the advil later, felt
crappy, stayed in bed alot. second day, headache I used the gel pen and migraine patch fro Marys Medicinals.
worked like a charm in Record time 15 minutes. but only for three hours. i took Excedrine then. however, my energy was not as bad as usually on a migraine day, AND ni caffeine
Teresa,
Thanks for sharing your story. You’re the second person to recommend Mary’s Medicinals to me recently and I’m intrigued. Looks like it could be very helpful for people in CO and WA.
Take care,
Kerrie
I am about to try cannabis oil for migraines and can’t handle the smoking bit,the smell aggravated my migraines,however reading peoples comments its seems smoking is quicker relieve. I need to get this pain under control,my life and job on the line. Am becoming more and more unable to function on a daily basis. Here in South Africa its still illegal.
Donovan,
You might want to look into a vaporizer, which makes the marijuana inhalable, but there’s not smoke. The smell is much, much less. I hope you find some relief.
Take care,
Kerrie
Try a cannabis nasal spray. This is probably the fastest way to get into blood stream other than smoking.
Also FYI, Durban Poison (horrible name!) is a strain that is believed to have originated from the Durban, South Africa area. I find it to be a very good strain for migraine relief!
I have been suffering from Migraines for 10 years and the 10 months leading up to August.31.2014 included 3 migraine free days. I have now been on Medical Marijuana for 25 days and have managed to get off of ALL my medications. I have now had 5 headache free days in September alone. I have been detailing my success for the past 3 weeks and will continue to do so. I am detailing this to help whoever I can as I had lost hope and was on Botox treatments. If I can help in any way let me know!
http://www.migrainelifemm.com
Thanks again for the updates, Nathan.
Kerrie
Just an even further update, doing even better. Only one migraine this week. I was able to abort it with MM oil (phoenix tears).
Days without pain meds: 42
Days without prescription meds: 30 (last imitrex injection)
Pounds lost: 38 (208lbs)
Yay!
Kerrie
Instead of smoking or even eating marijuana there’s is a transdermal patch (Mary’s Medicinals) as well as transdermal gel pens. You don’t have the “high” and it stays on for 12 hours. Google Mary’s Medicinal or if you are fortunate enough to live in a “legal” state then contact the local dispensary.
Nia, very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Take care,
Kerrie
I would like to offer another point to ponder. I myself suffer greatly from migraines and after 8 years of sobriety I started to explore marijuana. A very touchy topic for someone in sobriety. Compared to all of the pills I was taking for it I was desperate for something that could work. I have found that ingestion of marijuana to be a miracle for me as far as preventative care goes. I have gone as long as 10 days without a migraine where as I usually have 4-6 a week. Smoking will help the effects of the pills not be so severe and also can work by itself at times. I often struggle with the smoking part as it can leave me a little slow and less ambitious.
Great article! I know a few people that have experienced a great improvement using low dose medical cannabis. It has been prescribed to me for my four herniated disks. 18 months on it and I have had a 90% reduction in pain. It’s a very effective nerve anti-inflammatory so it can help many different types of pain. I had liver damage from back when I also had migraines and then the disk problems. Too much pain meds for too long and you will have problems.
Although considered a drug cannabis is very safe. The only side effect I’ve experienced is a slight weight gain from the munchies. You do not need to get stoned to get the benefits. I’m on it 24/7 and am fully functional running a small business and several challenging hobbies.
As for all the strains you only need to try three types. The high THC sativa strains, the higher indica strains and the hybrid crosses of the two. All of the thousands of varieties are just one of those three strains. I know personally the living hell of migraines and was fortunate to get them alleviated with surgery. And I know all the side effects from over 100 meds that are used for migraines. Considered it’s safety and low cost it’s very much worth trying. You can almost buy a months supply for the cost of one Maxalt or Imatrex.
Thanks for the information, Brent. I understood sativa and indica to be the species and all the individual varieties to be strains, but I’m by no means an expert on the topic! I appreciate your insight.
Take care,
Kerrie
Hi Brent I am in the process of trying the vapor pen with oil cartridges for my migraines but I don’t know which type to buy sativa or the indica? Which is suppose to help with migraines
Hi Cortney, you might want to try Indica strains which seem to work better for migraines or try my fav which is either the 10 or 20mg Mary’s medicinals transdermal patch Thc/CBD 1:1. They are my go to for during the days and when I need to function. There is no “stoned” feeling and there are transdermal gel pens that you can dab a drop on inner wrist or ankle for breakthrough pain. I keep some Bordello Indica strain (which does come in oil cartridges as well as flower). Hope it helps!!
Hi I work in the industry with every type of cannabis concentrate there is and I hope this helps you….with any cannabis concentrate i.e. vape pens, hash pills, oil(S) you want to be certain to check that the concentrate is mixed with for example PEG(this is in alot of the oil cartridges) which alot of migraine sufferers say trigger a rebound headache. I personally use Mary medicinals patches thc/Cbd 1:1 10 mg and 1:1 20mg patches. I also use the award winning pre 98 bubba kush Cbd oil by The Lab in my vape pen. Apothecanna cream and Mary’s medicinals freeze cream is amazing to rub all on your tight muscles,which for alot of sufferers including myself is a trigger for migraines by itself due to everyday stresses, weather changes, etc. I have learned from my own pain relief journey that you have to kind if see what combination will work for you and don’t give up if a particular cannabis treatment doesn’t work. As far as flower(bud), I usually mix a heavy sativa along with a heavy Indica which helps the nausea, pain perception, and aura. In Colorado and California there are of course alot of different options you can play around with….one biggie for everyone reading this- if you are new to cannabis go low and slow..in other words, if you decide to try edible understand that everyone system is different in how quickly/slowly their liver metabolize the edible. If you become too “high”, too much anxiety or paranoia then immediately try vaping, smoking, or put on a Cbd ONLY patch which help neutralize the “high”. Good fortune to all migraine sufferers, thanks Kerrie for this awesome blog, and never give up on your pain relief, better quality of life pursuit!
I completely disagree about all sativa strains being the same and all indica strains being the same. There is a huge difference between strains. Multiple different cannabanoids are in different concentrations in each. Each cannabanoid has different properties. Some strains make my headaches worse; some make them better. Some are great for inflammation and nausea: some have no effect on these symptoms. Either find a good knowledgeable dispensary or do internet research on an internet site like Leafly. After personally studying the effects of different strains for over 40 years, I do not even refer to what I smoke as Sativa or Indica – I call it by the strain name. I pick the strain that best effects the symptoms I have.
Thank you so much for posting your original article and Shannon’s comments. Both were incredibly helpful to me. I was recently struck with chronic migraines. Preventatives and botox are not working, and my pain has been daily since onset. As my treatment options keep decreasing, I’ve been considering medical marijuana. However, I am also a recovering alcoholic (and ex-cigarette smoker)…you can see the dilemma. Because my goal is a sober life, I initially dismissed medical marijuana altogether, but I am currently on a highly addictive narcotic because it’s the only thing that puts a dent in my. This article has helped me further educate myself so that I can make the wisest treatment decision for myself. Thank you so much for that.
A reader emailed me to say she hasn’t tried marijuana, but has had success with hemp oil that’s high in cannabidiol (CBD). In the small about of research that’s been done, CBD appears to give the most pain relief. It has no THC, so it has no high, and it is legal everywhere in the U.S. I’ve never tried it and can’t point you to where to buy it, but I bet Google can tell you! Best of luck.
Kerrie
I also use no activated THC, high CBD marijuana medicine for my migraines. It is in the form of a tincture which I spray under my tongue. I don’t like the taste or smell of marijuana but the distaste is worth the almost instant nausea relief and the soon to follow migraine relief. I get absolutely no “stoned” feeling at all. I also use a medical marijuana balm on my neck and at the base of my skull for severe migraines. There is a slight “stoned” side effect from the balm but the benefit out weighs the side effect. I have been using just these two marijuana medicines for a few months now and have needed no other drugs for my once 4-6 times a month crippling migraines. The medical marijuana tincture and balm have been a miracle cure for a two decade long struggle with migraines. I hope it could help others!
Note: I do live in Washington state which at the time of posting this comment is one of the most liberal medical marijuana and marijuana states.
Bob, thanks for sharing your experience. I’m glad you’ve found so much relief. Do you use a certain brand (like Mary’s Medicinals) or is it specific to the dispensary you go to?
Thanks,
Kerrie
my mom has had chronic migraines for a very long time & I’m trying to find absolution . i hate seeing her in the condition she gets. she cannot stand the pain anymore and we have tried every medicine possible ! i have considered CBD can you please give me a little information about where i could obtain this product. i live in virginia and unfortunately it isn’t legalized here yet.
Lesly, I’m not sure about availability of CBD oil or its quality, but a reader told me she ordered some online. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Take care,
Kerrie
Where can I purchase the spray and balm?
Mary’s Nutritionals.com just applied my first patch originally got it for my chronic back pain,but I’ve had a massive headache for over a week, only been on for about 20 minutes and already feeling relief,
I concur about CBD. Great anti-inflammatory! I also suggest you consider not injesting any cow milk proteins for awhile and see if that helps a bit. Most cow milk/cheese from USA is from type A cows. When type A milk caseins are digested, they produce a small peptide that has opiod properties and also is very inflammatory. My migraines are a bit less debilitating since only having milk and cheese from sheep and goats. Best of health to you!!
I have had migraines for 34 years. (since I was 5)
I have tried everything. (No need for a list, we all seem to have similarly long lists of failed meds.)
One thing I had never tried (for migraine) was medical marijuana! I just assumed it was a recreational drug with out real abilities to help with pain, nausea and many other ailments. So, when it became legal to obtain medical marijuana I gave it a try. This plant has helped me tremendously. (Ok, here is where you wonder….) this is what I have found… I can take one or two inhalations off of a Vaporizer or just old fashioned joint and I am able to function again (remember that feeling you had the first time you took a triptan and it worked, yeah, that kind of amazing) now, I’m not saying this will work for everyone or is it for everyone but, if your in a state where medical marijuana is legal, you owe it to yourself to try it and see. It’s not like all the serious medications we’ve all tried over our life time aren’t putting us at risk for a lot of other side effects. Funny none of them offer feeling happy and relaxed as a side effect;) There have been times where I feel a migraine coming on and I inhale one or two hits and I am almost instantly feeling better, heck often I want to do something, like make a yummy dinner or go for a bike ride! (Really, no other medication has ever made me feel that way and helped curb a migraine)
I’m glad I got over the stigma of marijuana. My conservative family sees the change in my health, and are supportive. (I didn’t dare tell anyone until I tried it and knew that it was a reliable tool in my migraine tool box of medications and supplements)
Questions:
Yes, I have a job. (Landscape Desinger) yes, I do keep careful eye on what I eat and drink tons of water. I consider myself a migraine scholar, always reading and trying to learn more. I am a regular gal, looking for answers…willing to try just about anything to just feel better and regain my life)
No, I don’t drink or do other drugs, never been my thing. I don’t get all silly and goofy when I medicate with marijuana. Yes it makes me feel better. I I medicate with marijuana I do feel uplifted, like life is a bit better and my cup feels full. My nausea goes away, severity of throbbing is diminished and I am able to function again.
Now, if I’ve had a migraine for days, and have taken all my rescue RX’s and at that point nothing seems to help, but the marijuana still takes the edge off of my nausea and pain. When I am days into a migraine I prefer to use an edible marijuana candy, (like a flavored cough drop with 25, 50, or 100mg of THC a compound in marijuana)
I don’t think marijuana is a cure all. It does help for me. I am thankful a simple flowering plant has helped me regain some quality of life with my family. I can only hope that enough folks will be willing and able to try this medicine as an option in their migraine tool box. Thank you for reading. I appreciate your time. S
Thank you so much for sharing your story. It is great information for other people who are considering marijuana as a treatment.
Kerrie
I have a question for Shannon – I am new to this, just considering Med. Mar. for chronic migraines and have read much about the different strains and how some are better than others for specific things. I am curious about which strains Shannon found helpful.
Thx so much for sharing! I also have a long list of things I have tried! Been suffering for over 47 years with migraines and nothing helps! I’m in the begining stages of researching this because I have tried everything else! So glad you shared your story with us!! Only thing is Florida is not a state where medical Marijuana is legal. I’m looking into canabiis oil because it’s legal in all 50 states!! Hopeful in Florida!! Tracey
I have suffered with menstrual migraines for over 30 years every month lasting around 1-2 days. I live in the UK and it’s illegal, CBD oil is legal so I thought I would try it.
They onset of my migraine started this month and instead of having my triptan I used 3 dropped cbd oil under my tongue – no head or eye pain but still felt it wanted to develop but I could function! Took another 3 drops a few hours later. I slept well that evening and the following day it tried to come again where I repeated the process but also vaped a couple of time during the night.
I am happy to report that I have had the first migraine free month in over 30 years. Now if it is a fluke I don’t care because if this happens again next month I will have gained my life back.
The other benifit is I’ve come off other medications for pain relief for a spinal nerve back condition. So all round benefit in my life 100% my only complaint is the taste which is gone after eating something nice to mask it 😉
Pauline
Kerrie, thank you so much for this unbiased and helpful post, which I’m sure was tricky to write. I learned some things and considered myself pretty well informed! Take care and thanks for all your advocacy, as always.
Thanks, Elizabeth. I wanted to provide some (semi)solid information available for people who will try it no matter what. Glad to hear you didn’t think it was biased — I discovered while writing it that I don’t have a strong opinion about it.
I kind of thought maybe I sensed that because of some of the strain behind your words. But you did an *excellent* job. 🙂
Whoops, there was a typo in my original response (which I’ve updated)! I was surprised to discover when writing it that I DON’T have a strong opinion about it. It is like any other potentially promising treatment — could be great for some, maybe not for others, but there’s not enough research to know.
Everyone should keep in mind that there are also
some possibly serious negative medical side effects
with ingesting marijuana. Especially since this in
most cases is not a regulated substance. Just one
small example-but there are many others.
“Many studies have looked at the effects of smoking cannabis
on the respiratory system. Cannabis smoke contains
thousands or organic and inorganic chemical compounds.
This tar is chemically similar to that found in tobacco
smoke, and over fifty known carcinogens have been
identified in cannabis smoke, including; nitrosamines, reactive
aldehydes, and polycylic hydrocarbons, including benz[a]pyrene.”
Something to think about.
Absolutely. Marijuana does have potential adverse effects. I apologize if I implied otherwise — I assumed everyone knew that it wasn’t without risk.
What a terribly ignorant thing to say Tim. In scientific human studies, cannabis has no ill effect on the respiratory system. In fact cannabis lowers your chances of developing lung cancer. Look at the science, it is clearly pointing to the incredible medical effects of the plant!
You my friend are an idiot. I’m all for the use of medical marijuana, but I am also a respiratory therapist. It can cause immediate ciliary dysfunction and atelectasis, and long term effects are similar to smoking.
Tim, Frank is correct. Marijuana is well-demonstrated to inhibit cancer. Google “Tashkin and marijuana.” Cannabis smoke does, indeed, contain carcinogens but it also contains cannabinoids which kill malignant cells. This is why government-funded research on marijuana and lung cancer found, to the researchers’ surprise, a “protective effect” against tumors.
I’ve had chronic migraines for about 4 years now. I had some major head trauma four years ago. The doctor told me, the migraines will last six months to a year. Nothing works anymore, I have tried everything the doctor gave me. I’m willing to get my Medical Marijuana card, but will the state let me get one?
Christina, I’m sorry to hear that. Whether or not you can get a card depends on the state you live in. If migraine or TBI are not conditions that are included in the law in your state, you still qualify as having chronic pain, which should be sufficient. Best of luck finding relief.
Take care,
Kerrie
Christina, it depends on where you live. Google should be able to tell you.
Take care,
Kerrie
Christina~Being a migraine sufferer as well. I was just recently told, my life will be in and out of ERs. They have gotten worse as I get older. Have you found any relief with Medical Marijuana? I want to be able to have a life again.
Christy, no one with migraine should expect for their lives to be in and out of ERs. Migraine attacks can be prevented and, even when they’re not, there are better ways to treat them than in the ER. Sometimes the ER is a necessity, but it shouldn’t be the expectation. If you’re able, please see a doctor who specializes in headache disorders and knows how to treat migraine. (The top section of this page has links to doctor lists: http://www.thedailyheadache.com/resources). It may take a bit to find the best treatments for you, but you do not need to be resigned to a lifetime of ER visits.
Take care,
Kerrie
Christy, I have migraines from a TBI from when I was 18, I’m 42 now. Over the past 5 years they have gone from me dealing with them & living, to me not being able to work because of the frequency & the toll all the medications I’ve taken over the years has done. The older I get, if I don’t get enough restful sleep, too my TV or PC time, weather.. it triggers a migraine. No prevention meds work anymore & I can’t stomach the rescue meds anymore. I too am curious to see if the CBH oils do. My neuro told me this would happen as I aged, I just didn’t know it would go down hill so fast.
I’m posting this so that it may help someone.
I’ve had migraines for over 30 years with an average of 2 per week and with the days that I don’t have a migraine, I usually wake up with really bad headaches that last most of the day. Many of my days are lost because of these. Some weeks, I might get lucky and have 1 day without a headache. I carry a purse with almost nothing in it except for a wallet and prescription migraine meds. One of my meds cost me almost $50 per dose and it may take 2 doses to even phase my migraine. I can’t afford to use that one very often.
I do not live in a state with medical marijuana, but have traveled to another state that has both medical and recreational and I will be moving there soon. I had researched it for a couple of years and decided to call some of the dispensaries and talk to the personnel and see what they recommended.
My friend and I took a trip (first of several) and visited a couple of dispensaries and came away with a lot of knowledge and a few things to try. I can tell you this…it has been one of the most amazing things for my migraines. I use it every night before I go to bed. I now might have a migraine once a month (which I don’t mind and the marijuana eases that too). Marijuana is not something I use for recreation, I only use it for medicinal purposes. I will use a small amount of coconut infused oil in the morning after I wake up and then again (a little larger amount) at night about an hour before bedtime. I will also take 2 – 3 puffs about 45 minutes before bedtime. My family and friends noticed that I feel much better and my outlook on life has greatly improved. I have been using this now for almost a year and if I can help it, I will never be without it.
As a side note, I have been struggling with a benign thyroid lesion/tumor that has been slowly growing for the past 2 years. I have ultrasounds every 4 months to keep a check on it since most of my family has passed from cancer. My visit for an ultrasound last month showed that the lesion has actually gotten smaller, hooray! Needless to say, I cannot (at this time) tell my Dr. what I am doing to better myself.
Since my husband has seen such a good change in me, he is even using the coconut oil (at a lower concentration). He finds that it reduces his stress tremendously and somewhat relaxes him and it doesn’t have a “high” effect on him. If you try marijuana for your migraines, you may need to experiment with different strains to find several that will work the best for you. That is what I have done. Not all strains are good for migraines. Good luck and I hope it helps you as much as it has for me!
thanks for your info. I have had two serious migraine in the past 3 weeks which is very unusual for me. I think the change in weather where I live is the cause. Many people suffer headaches due to weather in my area.
I’m curious about what you use exactly. You mentioned coconut oil. Does that mean you have THC oil mixed with coconut oil? I recently purchased some THC oil mixed with a carrier oil and eucalyptus but it didn’t make a dent in my headache. I’m not interested in getting any sort of “high”, and I don’t want to smoke anything I just want a remedy to take away the pain.
Dear Rita.
I would really like to talk to you about the strains you have found to be moat effective. My migranes was so debilitating that I had them 24/7, could not sleep due to the intense pain, nausia, painfull stomach due t all the meds I have been precribed and that which I take on top of it for my cronic sinusitus caused by a deviated septum due to an accident about 18 years ago. Have ridden horses my entire life and being in quite a few terrible accidents, my C1-C5 lumbar is degenerating, I have (according to my dr), sever artritus in my neck, endometriosis stage 3, broken ribs, torn hernia, and the list goes on.
It progressively got worse as I got older but was still manageable with medications. Most medications being codeine based also got me on a level of dependancy (addiction), as I have been prescribed meds since 20 years ago. Most if not all meds are now not working any more. I cannot afford the amount of expensive chemical drugs they prescribe and most pharmacys wont give me pain meds any more as it is over the legal limit for them.
I was in pain (severe pain), 24/7. This all snowballed after my pregnancy. I was very ill and developed osteoperiosis from malnutrion due to sever morning sickness (24/7 a day), the fact that I was passed down an inherited medical problem with IBS and Gord as a constant companion I would get sick even while sleeping.
Anyways after my baby was born (almost premature), I became very ill. Was hospitalised as I would get fainting spells in public and then convuls and have fits (I donr have epilepsy), my health deteriorated such that one morning I could literally not get out of bed. I could not roll off it or move my legs to get off of turn my upper body to pull myself up. If my husband managed to get me into a sitting position or most oftern a crawling position I could manage to crawl somewhere. I could not stand erect. As the episode lessend I would be able to walk crouched over forward, like an old lady with my legs bent at the knees as I could not straighten it.
Another episode after that inflamed my sciatic nerve and I could not walk again. I am 37 years old with a little girl. I cannot be a mother when I am disbled most of the time. The pain is unbearing enough, then comes times when I cannot walk. I cannot do horse riding, excersize or even do house work or garden work? Never mind playing with my child. No employer is going to take me if I am going to be sick most days. I used to be a Construction Estimator. Some days I contimplate sparing my child a useless mother and taking my own life.
In 2015 we went to Colorado where I had another attack and being in a foreign country could not go to hospital or get meds that would work. So a pharmasist adviced that i should try cannabis. I cannot recall what it was as I was in bed and family got it for me.
I worked and I was painless for 1 week after 1 joint. I hated smoking it however as it burned and I did not like to smoke it.
After that I researched it for about 1.6 years and then when my migrains got out of control and no amount of medicine, injections or hospital admitance would stop it I got some cannabis from a friend who uses it for cancer relief and there is where my journey started.
It has now been 4 months that I have been using a mild version of THC dominant canna oil capsules, with invreased dosage of up to 3 tableta a dag with no High just pain free, energetic days. Unfortunately my system outgrew the initial introduction dosage and I am receiving my higher dose any day now. I AM PRAYING THIS WILL HELP AGAIN, because I have relapsed about halfway and now depression has come back full swing. Our finances took a turn for the worst since I cannot work and we lost our house, cars, etc. So te pressure and stress from that is killing me.
Hi Liz, Weather is the main migraine trigger for me, esp gusting wind and lowering barometric pressure. I have been treating my condition with marijuana for about 3 decades now. I have ALWAYS preferred sativas over indicas in the past. Things are much more difficult now because almost all strains are now hybrids. A good place to do internet research is Leafly. I really like the part of the site where you can pick medical symptoms you want to reduce and then find out which strains are most effective. I personally find the strains higher in CBD to be better for most of my migraines. I say most because it depends on the specific symptoms I have at the time; those high in CBD are generally better for inflammation, nausea, and pain. I am at the point now in my life where I am more interested in using the right strain than anything else. Also, I find smoking/vaping better for migraines. I often need fast relief or it does not help as much. Edibles do not provide fast relief. Also, if you have a headache and smoke, take very small hits. many small hits are much better than one or two big hits. Big hits cause me to cough and might even make my headache worse. Finally, make sure any strain you use in NOT one that cause headaches as a side effect. You can research this on Leafly. Best of health to you!!!
Hi, Rita.
Reading this post has been the highlight of my day. I’m actually laying in a dark quiet room, crying, with an ice pack on my head, trying not to breathe too loudly. I’ve been lying here for a couple hours. I’m only on my phone, even on the dimmest, because I can’t take it, and needed to look for more solutions and vet medical marijuana more seriously.
I got my first migraine when I was 8 (now I’m close to 34). My migraines have gotten worse, and more frequent, exponentially, ever since. I have chronic daily headaches and chronic migraines, on top of now fibromyalgia and realizing that I actually also have vestibular migraines, which I’m getting more and more often. I can honestly say that I have some form of a migraine every single day. They obviously vary in severity, but they impact my life constantly.
This is my “norm,” and though I’ve been seeing neorologists, that are migraine specialists, since I was 16; nothing has made a significant enough impact to stop the trajectory. I’ve pretty much been told that mine are hereditary and myself and my mom, along with others in our family with less frequency or severity, are f*cked.
I go through phases of feeling hopeless, and though I have a good life outside of my health, wanting it all to just end. Then I go through phases of feeling determined to find the right medication, or procedure, or doctor, or the magical migraine trigger that if I avoid it’ll make an impact.
The point of this long rant is that your post gave me enough hope to give it a shot. If you can’t give a heads up on some strains that have helped or not helped, it’d be great too though.
*Sorry to the rest of you for having to scroll through my migraine-induced rant. However, if it helps, in no longer crying.
Kerri:
I am so sorry to hear about your struggles. I too suffer from daily chronic headaches plus the migraine episodes on top, and have since 1996. Mine is also hereditary. Lets hear it for family sharing. My episodes were brought mostly under control by a fantastic neuro, my 4th, who put me on Metoprolol, Lamictal and amitriptyline. Prior to that, my sensitivity to light was so bad that I wore sunglasses inside for 5 years. I’m worried about all of the medications I’m on, 15 total, so I’m getting ready to try gaping CBD oil. Someone gave me on old pen type e- cig and I’m waiting for the juice to arrive. The good stuff isn’t cheap, but I know people who are using it for chronic pain and having good results, plus it’s legal in all 50 states. I’ll keep everyone posted…
i am trying to reach Rita. I am interested in your doses that you take and what is infused in your coconut oil? Thank you. Lana
Rita…I could have written this post (except for the thyroid stuff). I am 60 years old and have had migraines since I was 14. My migraines got much worse with and after menopause. I have been using cannabis for 2 years and I have a life now. I rarely have to use anything else for pain. AND best of all I know have hardly any auras. Something in the cannabis reduced the number of auras happening in my brain.
OMG!! You sound like me. I’ve had migraines for over 15 years, and the older I get…the worse they get and the longer they last. As of this typing..I’ve had this migraine on a constant basis for almost a year! This in no way is normal. I have my days where I can half function and deal with it, but then I have those days where I just want to die. I’ve cut out a lot of things I thought could be triggers even changed my eating habits. But you can’t cut out light (sunlight is the worst). I keep my house primarily dark and the kids call me a vampire. Certain smells trigger it that never used to bother me (cleaning supplies, scented lotion, the smell of some foods)..I’m going crazy. I also have a problem with my thyroid. I’ve had numerous tests and a biopsy..which was uncomfortable to say the least. Wasn’t cancerous…thank god. It got to the point to where I tried a 200mg sour cannapillar. Started off with a piece..and 2 hours later..NOTHING. So I ended up eating the whole thing..and yet..NOTHING again. I live in Cali (which seems like the weed capitol now), and I’m trying to figure out the best thing to use. I’m under the care of a Neurologist..and for the first time in my life..I have an awesome specialist. But the meds do very little. Not expecting a miracle, just want to wake up one morning and feel “normal”. I go to bed with pounding pain…and wake up with it. If anyone knows what will work for really, really bad migraines…please let me know.
hi, good write up. just a couple of points. pot and depression go together because depressed people try to self medicate as there is no magic bullet for depression. also there is the problem of addiction. about ten percent of the population are very susceptible to things that make them feel better, but the trade off is that you develop a tolerance to it and then to get the desired result you must increase the dosage and, the depth of the addiction. considering the present potency of pot extracts this could add to the problem.
smoking cigs and pot. most people smoke far more cigs than pot .
if cannabis can ” cure ” cancer why is the world not beating a path to its doorstep?
i have used pot since 1968 and i am sure that pot use among teens causes emotional development problems for some.
i think pot should be legal for medical and recreational use for adults.
it will make it , hopefully, very difficult for the criminals to compete with the price of legal pot. this is where most of the problems with pot originate.
pot from dispensaries in vancouver canada are now selling med grade pot ” chemo for eample ” at 20 an 8th or a half for 80. street price is about 120 a half oz. {competition is good, donkey!} .
have a great one! gerry.