When you give Sophie THC, do you worry that she is getting high?
No.
* That was the short answer. Here's the long answer. We are currently supplementing Sophie's cannabis oil with four or five drops of THC a couple of times a day. The THC seems to help with the Onfi withdrawal symptoms, particularly the tremoring that she was doing, over and over, and seemingly all day long. The tremors looked like seizures, even, as they were jerks -- hard ones -- in her arm and leg. When she sat on the floor, cross-legged, she'd bang her knee over and over on the floor. If you walked with her, she'd jerk her arm, over and over. They were not seizures, we found, through that godawful EEG. She doesn't do it anymore, as long as we give her those few drops of THC. As for getting high, if she feels a bit high, I really don't give a flying foo-foo. Somehow, we are supposed to accept the fact that every single one of the drugs that are given to our children from birth onward have hideous side effects, or are being used "off-label," or have an "unknown mechanism of action," yet are discouraged from trying a medicine that has thousands of years of history of use, reams of studies already done, no reported deaths and arguable long-term impact on the brain.
I know, I know, I know. I've talked about this until I'm blue in the face.
An older man in the parking lot of Trader Joe's noticed the End Epilepsy bumper sticker on my car. He asked me what it was all about. I told him that my daughter has epilepsy and that I used to be on the board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles and that I supported its efforts to end epilepsy. I also told him that my efforts now were more for anyone or anything that supports the medicinal use of marijuana. He told me that he has an adult son who had terrible seizures throughout his childhood and how he wished they could have used it. He asked me whether Sophie was using CBD or THC or both. I said, both. Then we laughed at people's concern over whether an epileptic might get high with CBD and a few drops of THC. I wish! I said. In fact, I told him, I support the legalization of marijuana both recreationally and medicinally, and I'm tired of making the distinction.
Bravo!!!!
ReplyDeleteAmen and yes, m'am!
Yes, yes, yes!!!
ReplyDeleteI love this. To be totally honest, when I was on Cymbalta for depression, I felt high much of the time but nobody worried about that, did they? There are all sorts of warnings for people taking Ambien or other heavy hitting pharmaceuticals about driving or operating machinery while they use it, which is pretty much the same thing as getting 'high,' but because it comes with a doctor's prescription, it's okay? I say Sophie deserves at the very least a bit of a mellow high and if THC helps the shaking and side effects as she withdraws from the benzos, that's a win, not something to be worried about. I love that you have such a practical, loving approach to this for her and I love that you had that conversation with the man in the parking lot. You rock.
ReplyDeleteIt should be legalized. I was trying to distract a very anxious patient yesterday, someone who hated needles and I asked him if he ever smoked weed. It worked. I put the needle in while he looked at me very surprised and then I did mention that there are other patients who use medicinal marijuana to reduce their anxiety.
ReplyDeleteWe also are now supplementing hemp oil with THC for my severely epileptic ten year old. Poor thing, the Ativan prescribed to her makes her drunk as a skunk.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. I mean, I guess it's an honest question, but why are people so concerned about a mild mellowing side-effect? Compared to all the hideous side effects of legal pharmaceuticals?
ReplyDeleteThis is perfect. It's crazy to me that anyone would object.
ReplyDeleteYes. Absolutely. And what Steve said.
ReplyDeleteI used to think Pot was so bad until I saw a documentary a couple fo months ago and I have come completely full swing on the other side. I am glad you live somewhere where you are able to get help for your daughter. I can't imagine if my child was suffering and needed help and it was not available to them because people don't understadn how if can relief the suffering.
ReplyDeleteIt's so good to see your comment, likeschocolate! I remember you from years ago and so appreciate your kind words.
DeleteI am a pediatric nurse and used to believe, because it was 'fed' to me by all the anti-marijuana propaganda, that weed was categorically bad. Then I started seeing patients with seizures and anxiety and depression and chronic pain and on and on and on...who were treating their symptoms with marijuana (in many different forms). The relief for them and their caregivers was so real and so extraordinary that I began reading...and reading...and reading. All it took was curiosity and the testimony of those who experience relief with use, for me to understand that weed is a legitimate treatment, and that many in the medical community and government are either woefully ignorant or blatantly misleading the masses.
ReplyDeleteKris M