Does Marijuana Help Your MS Symptoms, or Is It an Illusion?

Good post Ed. I often wonder that about most medications Even those at has been tested and show significant improvement is always about 30%
Of course here in the UK the marijuana is illegal so I couldn't comment on that!!

I have a prescription of sativex spray which is THC based cannabis medicine approved by NICE provided by the NHS to treat my spasticity that I get with MS. I also now have a private prescription to cannabis that is provided to me by a company in the UK called sapphire clinics.

It's not illegal now for prescription and because it is now produced in the UK it can be provided at a much better cost than before.

It works really well for me but my friend tried it and it didn't do a thing for him. the best thing is there is no harm in finding out if it works for you or not.

I use marijuana for spasticity, pins & needles, formication sensations, restless legs, etc. I don’t use edibles. Totally different effect.
I take fewer than a half dozen puffs of herb in a plain old fashioned bong. The desired effect is practically instantaneous as opposed
to waiting hours for an edible to take effect. I can also control the dose. Nobody has studied the difference because of strength of
different strains, etc. but mostly because even a few puffs of smoke is an absolute anathema to the medical establishment. Yet the
same medical establishment is ok with prescribing medications with some truly horrific side effects to treat the same symptoms.

First and foremost, there needs to be an understanding in the differences between cannabis (THC) and hemp (CBD and Hemp derived THC). The research also needs to make those differences clear. These are two different plants, like siblings, with differences in effects. Once this is understood by researchers and patients, much more will become clearly understood about the medical opportunities available with the herb.

Another thing to remember is that all CBD is not created equal or produced the same way. Some works for some and some may not. The methods used in creating the product has a lot to do with its effectiveness. The same goes for cannabis producers. This is true with almost everything since we are all individuals with different chemistry working within. Also, other medications will have an effect as well.

It is important to note that at some point in the progression of MS it becomes less important whether a successful treatment is a placebo effect, illusion, wishful thinking, or fact. Much like prayer, once something works, why question its validity? Anyone with MS who's tried big pharma medications with no results, awful side effects, or very little relief, will tell you - it's worth a try just to have less pain, more mobility, and a positive attitude toward something! It's always good to have options!!!

When I first met my Neurologist as we left his office, his nurse came out to talk to us. Now at this appointment present were me, my then-husband, my mother, and my father, The Nurse gave us information stating that the Doctor told her to inform me that if the pain and numbness I should use weed ( marijuana). at which point I wanted the ground to open up, as my mother was against drugs but to my surprise, she looked at me and informed me that should I need it, my cousin, whose mother had also had M.S, that would get it for me. There were times that I would eat cookies made with marijuana and they stopped the shakes in my lower legs.

I’m old school and smoke in a pipe.lol. It helps me tremendously get through a rough patch of spasticity. Even if it’s not the right strain, it helps me laugh through it. Both medical and non medical.

it is a mighty fine illusion lol i was told i would be in a wheelchair and incontinent within 5 years of my diagnosis, i am still walking and not incontinent nearly 40 years later,,,,, no dr drugs just full spectrum cannabis.

Marijuana has varying effects on my spasticity and anxiety. Sometimes it works great; like if I am hiking and my eyes start crossing and I am becoming fatigued. I think it helps to switch the path that the brain is going down. i.e. if you are encountering a lesion it helps the brain travel down a different pathway than the lesioned pathway. This is conjecture and personal experience. Sometimes it only helps me not tense up more in response to my spasticity, but does not make the spasticity go away completely. It makes it more bearable.
However, I have also sometimes had the experience when I get the high without the pain relief and this is an extremely unpleasant experience. It depends on the strain, and how much I am used to that particular strain. It is unfortunately quiet hit and miss. Needs to be studied better to understand how exactly it helps.
Placebo effect is a powerful thing, and I would never rule it out. In MS I think placebo effect is particularly powerful because it is a disease of the brain and our thought processes heavily influence how we are feeling.

CBD oil dd not help my pain. Does marijuana, edibles or smoking it (THC) give you a drowsy or woozy feeling? Then I am not interested. Oral medication does that to me and I would like to avoid that. I want a clear head and walk (albiet I use a walker) without falling or feeling like I will.

The entire basis of the hypothesis that it might be an "illusion" or placebo effect for MS patients based solely on this study is incredibly flawed.

Let's have some studies that focus ONLY on MS patients, with a larger test group, and a variety of doses and intake routes.

As it relates to MS, I can say firsthand: cannabis is better than baclofen for muscle spasticity by a couple of orders of magnitude.

No, THC isn't an analgesic; that's not why it's useful in this case. The pain it relieves isn't a direct blocking of inflammation, it's secondary, inasmuch as if my arm hasn't been cramped with spasticity every moment, it hurts a LOT less. It also enables me to do things that are otherwise difficult (like typing and playing instruments) that aren't just good for my quality of life, they're essential to how I've made a living as a musician and a writer.

I'm a ~200 pound man and take a 2.5mg dose of Dronabinol up to four times a day as needed; usually one or two is enough. I rarely have anything even approaching psychoactive effects at that dose. If I want to get high, weed is legal in my state even for recreational use now; I have that option. That's not the point though.

I will note that smoking or consuming stronger edibles is typically even more effective at reducing spasticity for me, but then there are psychoactive effects that may be counterproductive when I'm trying to work or get things done. The low dose Dronabinol, however, is reliable and effective with very little in the way of side effects. No worrying about side effects of different strains, how tightly controlled the dosage is in edibles, et c.

YMMV, of course, but cannabinoid-based medication for MS is absolutely not in my head. It works. Better than the standard baclofen therapy, by miles.