HUGE FIBROMYALGIA STUDY FINDS - CANNABIS BASED MEDICINES KICK ASS

Morgan Freedman - Sage

"'Marijuana is the only relief from Fibromyalgia and Big Pharma is not happy about it." - Morgan Freeman

A study of about 1400 Fibromyalgia patients conducted by the National Pain Foundation found that cannabis based medicines were FAR MORE EFFECTIVE than ALL three FDA approved drugs.

FDA APPROVED DRUGS - A BUST IN FIBROMYALGIA

There are only three FDA approved drugs for fibromyalgia; Cymballa, Lyrica and Savella.  Though these drugs generate billions, most fibromyalgia sufferers are frustrated with them; most say they don't work and have side effects that seriously affect their quality of life.  Let's take a look at these FDA drugs and see what pharmacopeia has to say about them.

Lyrica (pregabalin) is an antiseizure medication that works by slowing down brain impulse activity. Lyrica also is meant to modulate chemical processes that produce pain signals generated by the nervous system. Read about the horror show that are the side effects of Lyrica -  from the manufacturers.

Duloxetine, or Cymballa is a serotonin–norepinephrine inhibitor, meant to balance pain, moderate mood and relieve depression.   The serious side effects are too many to list here, but include liver problems, nausea, skin allergies, mental issues, diarrhea, suicide and so on.

Savella or Milnacipran is a drug that is meant to normalize the activity of neurotransmitters. It is speculated that these chemicals are related to pain in fibromyalgia.  Side effects quagmire is documented here.

“This disease turned me into a hermit, medical cannabis gave me my active life back .” - Patient

Of course, if a patient is getting good results and don't have significant side effects and the medication is doing a good job, obviously the practicing physician will continue to recommend the use of FDA drugs.  However, most of the clinical research strongly indicates that this is not the case; At the end of the day, it is up to you and your doctor to find the best available medicine or therapy to treat your conditions and symptoms.  

Meanwhile, patients and doctors with experience with Cannabis based medicines find that side effects are minimal to non-existent.  Further to the point, a literature and internet search revealed not a single case of malpractice in the field of medical marijuana. See Medical Malpractice Reports for details.

EXAMPLE -  SIDE EFFECTS OF FDA APPROVED DRUG - SAVELLA FOR FIBROMYALGIA

• caused some to feel light-headed, pass out
• can blur vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, more
• easy bruising, bleeding
• painful, difficult urination
• liver issues, nausea, stomach pain, itching, lethargy, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice
• serotonin overload causing psychosis, agitation, hallucinations, fever, fast heart rate, overactive reflexes, more...
• sodium imbalance (low) causing migraine, confusion, slurred speech, severe weakness, vomiting, more..
• severe nervous system reaction - rigid muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors; more...
• severe skin reaction  with fever, sore throat, swelling of  face or tongue, burning eyes, skin pain, more...
• more hazardous for elderly

Side effects of cannabis based medicines high in THC include anxiety, paranoia.  For those that experience undesirable effects from THC, strains containing high quantities of non-psychoactive CBD (with low THC) may be used.  For more about the side effects and non-addictive nature of cannabis based drugs, click here.

"In view of the very low toxicity and the generally benign side effects of this group of compounds (cannabinoids in marijuana), neglecting or denying their clinical potential is unacceptable."  - Raphael Mechoulam, PhD - Pioneer of Israel's Medical Marijuana Program

US FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FUNDED RESEARCH BURIED

Interestingly, Dr. Mechoulam pioneering work was funded in large part by the US Federal government.   Though the conclusion of the research effort was that cannabis had overwhelming efficacy and potential in treating a myriad of disorders, the information was buried, thrown by the wayside, that is until today.

"For you the person living with pain, it’s about a better understanding of why your pain is occurring - what is the disease – how it works so that you can better understand your pain.  We will build a digital community so that you can share in other people’s stories, understand medications,  new technologies, connect to others - this will lead to a true understanding of pain as a disease … lead to a revolution in the understanding and treatment." -  Daniel S. Bennett, MD Chairman, The National Pain Foundation

Fibromyalgia is characterized by deep tissue pain, depression, headaches and insomnia.  Orthodox medicine claims that there is no known cure and it is difficult to cure.  The majority of the 1400 patients in the study exposed the following eye opening reality about FDA approved drugs.

"Fibromyalgia is devastating for those who must live in its grip. There is much we do not understand. We need innovative ‘out of the box’ solutions that change the face of this disease.” - Dan Bennett, National Pain Foundation.

Cymbalta was found to be very effective in 8% of fibromyalgia cases, marginal in 32% and did not work at all in the remaining 60%. Lyrica (Pregabalin) and Savella scored almost the same recording 10% effectiveness and 60% or more, ineffective.  Comparing these dismal results with placebo, a sugar tablet and figuring in side effects, one wonders why these medications are prescribed at all."The prescriptions (I've tried) that are available for treatment do more harm than good” - fibromyalgia patient

About 1000 of the 1400 patients had not tried medical marijuana previously. The 400 or so that tried marijuana, said it was far more effective than any of the FDA-approved drugs they tried.

In another study, sixty-two percent of patients that tried cannabis said it was very effective in treating their fibromyalgia symptoms,  33% said it helped a bit,  and only 5% said it did not help at all.  It should be noted that most patients were not aware of the many strains of marijuana that might improve therapeutic results considerably.  The vast majority said side effects were minimal to none as compared to the FDA drugs.

Other therapies that eased fibromyalgia symptoms include massage, swimming, yoga, acupuncture. Many said opioids worked to relieve their pain – but these narcotic painkillers not prescribed normally prescribed to treat fibromyalgia.  

Other eye openers in the survey includes:

• Nearly half of  fibromyalgia sufferers felt that their physician was knowledgeable about their disorder.
• Over a third felt their physician did not take fibromyalgia seriously
• Nearly half felt their family and friends do not take fibromyalgia seriously
• Half patient's fibromyalgia symptoms began in early adulthood
• One in ten was diagnosed in their first year of symptoms
• Half of patients said it took more than five before they were correctly diagnosed

Respondents lamented that fibromyalgia dominated their lives, leaving them isolated, tired and in constant pain.  Further to the point, patient quotes;

“The worst thing about having fibromyalgia is disappointing loved ones when I can’t do things with them,” wrote one fibromyalgia sufferer.
“Having fibromyalgia is a life sentence. One simply cannot have a productive life living with this disease,” said another.

The 1,399 people who participated in the survey were self-selected as fibromyalgia sufferers. Ninety-six percent of them were female.

Another online survey of pain patients conducted by the National Pain Foundation and National Pain Report found that over half of patients worry that they are perceived as “drug addicts” by pharmacists. 80% said they had stopped seeing a doctor because they felt they were treated badly.

HOW CAN FIBROMYALGIA PATIENTS GET MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOR THE FIRST TIME?

It is ideal to get medical professional advice and to join a peer group of Fibromyalgia sufferers that has deep experience in the disease.  However, often, the reality is that your doctor is not trained in Medical Marijuana and is hesitant to get involved, even though he might well support it - off the record.  In this case, patients can simply get a doctor's recommendation for cannabis based medicines online.

Today, social media allows people with any condition of symptom to share information.  You are no longer isolated.  Perhaps you'll come across a medical doctor who has effectively treated a Facebook friend.  You might find your doppelganger, someone in the same age group, sex, with nearly identical symptoms - that shares with you, how they got rid of the hellish symptoms of fibromyalgia.

RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA IS NOW LEGAL IN CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA

If recreational marijuana is legal, why should I get a Medical Marijuana recommendation?  Recreational sales of marijuana won't be legal until 2018. Weird but true, you can't buy marijuana legally but you can smoke it and grow your own. For the latest on rules and regulations pertaining to medical and recreational marijuana in Nevada and California click here.

FIBROMYALGIA - MARIJUANA - WHAT PATIENTS SAY FACEBOOK - A MUST

Morgan Freeman on how he keeps his energy up: you just smoke enough marijuana.

At one time, Morgan Freeman thought weed was a bad addictive drug, but his first wife learned him better.  Now that he's seen it cure himself and others;  children with epilepsy and other conditions, he's become a vocal proponent.

MORGAN PROPHESY

"I don't tweet, I don't Facebook, I text.  You will become subservient to artificial intelligence."