Forum Discussion
Cannabis therapy : have you tried it? how do you access it? how effective is the treatment for you?
I would like to get an idea of how widespread cannabis therapy use is amongst people living with breast cancer. If there is enough interest, might we consider joining the broader discussion about medical cannabis access and legality.
It’s all well and good that legislation has been passed regarding access to medical cannabis but the reality is, few are able to access the scheme. My Oncologist and GP are both supportive of my cannabis use but told me it is difficult to access unless all other treatment options have been exhausted.
I started using medical cannabis about four months ago. I was motivated to explore the treatment after talking with another cancer patient who was having outstanding relief from cannabis oil. I hit doc Google hard for a number of months, reading and researching all I could about medical grade cannabis. I learned about the different strains of cannabis, about CBD, THC & CBN and the many different cannabis and hemp products now available I also learned that there are people selling ‘medical cannabis’ that has no active ingredients. So, a reliable supplier is very important.
I eventually discussed my thoughts about trying medical cannabis with my oncologist. He was supportive of my using it for pain management and asked where I planned to get it. The place I mentioned has been in the business for a long time and has a good reputation for supplying quality products. A lot of cancer patients in the region go there.
I take cbd paste for pain management and cannabis oil in the hope that it will kill off the Mets in my bones (oncologist not as optimistic as me re the oil). I have had outstanding results in terms of pain management. I was taking Palexia SR150 mg twice a day and Panadol osteo three times a day. For those unfamiliar with Palexia, it is a strong opioid used for managing pain - it effectively numbs pain and your brain. I now only take cannabis extract to manage my pain and I feel so much better. My bloods are normal and the disease is stable; I have Mets in my bones but all my organs are now clear :)
FYI - I am also taking Femara 2.5mg and Kisqali My health skyrocketed soon after starting this treatment. It seems the ulternative and conventional meds are working like a dream together.
I look forward to reading your stories. If it might be useful I will write a summary of our experiences
It’s all well and good that legislation has been passed regarding access to medical cannabis but the reality is, few are able to access the scheme. My Oncologist and GP are both supportive of my cannabis use but told me it is difficult to access unless all other treatment options have been exhausted.
I started using medical cannabis about four months ago. I was motivated to explore the treatment after talking with another cancer patient who was having outstanding relief from cannabis oil. I hit doc Google hard for a number of months, reading and researching all I could about medical grade cannabis. I learned about the different strains of cannabis, about CBD, THC & CBN and the many different cannabis and hemp products now available I also learned that there are people selling ‘medical cannabis’ that has no active ingredients. So, a reliable supplier is very important.
I eventually discussed my thoughts about trying medical cannabis with my oncologist. He was supportive of my using it for pain management and asked where I planned to get it. The place I mentioned has been in the business for a long time and has a good reputation for supplying quality products. A lot of cancer patients in the region go there.
I take cbd paste for pain management and cannabis oil in the hope that it will kill off the Mets in my bones (oncologist not as optimistic as me re the oil). I have had outstanding results in terms of pain management. I was taking Palexia SR150 mg twice a day and Panadol osteo three times a day. For those unfamiliar with Palexia, it is a strong opioid used for managing pain - it effectively numbs pain and your brain. I now only take cannabis extract to manage my pain and I feel so much better. My bloods are normal and the disease is stable; I have Mets in my bones but all my organs are now clear :)
FYI - I am also taking Femara 2.5mg and Kisqali My health skyrocketed soon after starting this treatment. It seems the ulternative and conventional meds are working like a dream together.
I look forward to reading your stories. If it might be useful I will write a summary of our experiences
43 Replies
- CBT oil ,stupid auto correct
- Can’t oil I meant
- Can’t oil doesn’t contain plant estrogen does it? I was surprised at some things that do ,like hops ,are plant estrogens bad?
- Brenda5 do you take tamoxifen?
- Thank you @Giovanna_BCNA I will certainly watch, listen & learn.
Medical cannabis approval update
This morning I signed the form to be submitted on my behalf by Cannvaclinics to the TGA I'm one step closer to legal access :) - Thanks so much for that, @Giovanna_BCNA - I am tied up that day at that exact time ...... is there any way that we can get a recording of it?
(Tho it looks like eventually it will be made available to the public.)
Check out this link on previous webinars ...... one on Chemo Brain, another on Scalp Cooling with Chemo, another on vaginal dryness, Body Image & Self Esteem, dietary choices, and a host of others. Some require you to log in to be able to watch .....
http://www-new.counterpart.org.au/information/past-webinars/ - Hello everyone,
I have been reading this thread and following your conversation regarding medicinal cannabis. I was looking up some information today on Counterpart's website. They have an upcoming webinar regarding medicinal cannabis which you may be interested in. The speaker is Dr Becky Chapman, Staff Specialist In Palliative Medicine and Medical Oncology at Bendigo Health. The Webinar is scheduled for Wednesday 3 April from 12 pm till 1 pm EDST. See link below to register
https://www.counterpart.org.au/events/medical-cannabis/ - Thank you for your input @Milly21
You can very easily purchase CBD products - consider starting with CBD oil from https://australiancannabisuniversity.org/. To buy from acu you first need to join the uni for $1. Their CBDa oil is excellent and a fraction of the price of CBD products elsewhere Their products are created without heat - you can read about it on the acu site.
You shouldn’t fail a drug test with acu CBDa oil as it is created from Hemp which has pretty much no THCa. There are many good cannabis education resources online - and some seriously crazy / way out there stuff too!
From my research and personal experience, I would expect you’d find the CBDa will help with sleep, muscle pain and inflammation. As you will have read above, I have found amazing pain relief using CBD but it doesn’t work for everyone. I use both a CBDa and CBD concentrate to manage my pain. I take the CBD concentrate at night before I go to bed because it has stopped my night leg muscle spasms and I fall straight to asleep. I tried the CBD in desperation one night when I had a whopper of a cramp and ongoing minor cramps. No more night cramps for me :) - Medical cannabis approval update
I had my phone appointment this morning with the doctor at https://www.cannvaclinics.com/our-technology/ If my approval to access medical cannabis goes through, the approval is only for one type of medical cannabis for 3 months.
The doctor is seeking approval for me to access a high THC medical cannabis I can purchase high quality CBD concentrates (legally) but I’m not confident the full spectrum medical cannabis I’m buying is of consistent quality. Most bottles taste a little different and some feel different.
The down side is that my legally obtained medical cannabis might end up costing even more than what I’m currently accessing. I’ll not get actual pricing until after my approval comes through but the seems like madness - I may well be better off financially accessing my medical cannabis on the black market! Crazy. - Thank you for your input @Brenda5
You are very lucky to be given CBD. It can all end up costing an awful lot if you can’t make it yourself. I’m eating into our saving at a frightening rate.
Most readily available CBD products are made from Hemp, which is naturally very extremely low in THCA (when activated it becomes the psychotropic THC). I’m glad you are finding the CBD helps your symptoms.
I’m absolutely with you re not harming my body with opioids. I’m continually adjusting my CBD dosage to manage symptoms, something not so easy to do with opioids. If my pelvis is hurting or I’m having a bad day, I simply take a little more. One of the many good things about using CBD to manage symptoms is that I can’t really harm myself by taking too much. I’d simply be wasting medicine.
