Adrenaline, Dopamine, Fibromyalgia & Cannabis

[mackey33]

Is there a thread here or perhaps a link elsewhere that someone can provide which will help me understand how cannabis affects the dopamine levels in our bodies? I've searched the threads here and can't find what I am looking for but that doesn't always mean it's not here...

I'm currently reading these threads but I am reading a book that discusses fibromyalgia, dopamine, adrenaline, and our fight or flight response. If cannabis is doing what I think it is doing in my body (when eaten), it is the absolute perfect medicine for fibromyalgia.

I'm stumbling through this on my own and I'm not a doctor but I want to understand this well enough to explain it to my doctor.



http://boards.cannabis.com/growing-information/133196-whats-really-going-your-brain-when-you-smoke-part-2-a.html

Cannabinoids are powerful brain-changers because they influence release and uptake of the brain's most important neurotransmitters, including dopamine...




http://boards.cannabis.com/growing-information/131156-whats-really-going-your-brain-when-you-smoke.html

According to the congressional Office of Technology Assessment, research over the last 10 years has proved that marijuana has no effect on dopamine-related brain systems...




http://boards.cannabis.com/medicinal-cannabis-health/120393-herb-anxiety-medication.html

...mj works on dopamine not seritonin




http://boards.cannabis.com/medicinal-cannabis-health/117910-question-parkinsons.html

...it will regulate your dopamine receptors


http://boards.cannabis.com/cannabis-com-lounge/54386-weed-depression.html

Smoking mj causes release of dopamine and seratonin


I know for a fact that if you increase your dopamine levels, the pain from fibromyalgia (FM) will decrease. Many people who suffer from FM are in a constant fight or flight mode. Their adrenaline is high and the brain burns through its pain-blocking supply of dopamine in the limbic system. Dr. Satish Raj shows that patients with FM have abnormalities in their of the autonomic nervous as measured by an increase in adrenaline.


Cannabis Report: Kubby Kicked Out of Cananda (http://www.cannabisreport.com/blog/archives/2006/01/kubby_kicked_ou.php)

...Kubby says he is alive because he uses medical cannabis to help control the levels of adrenaline in his blood stream.



http://boards.cannabis.com/medicinal-cannabis-health/146878-marijuana-anxiety.html

Delta9 has a significant effect on the brain and adrenaline release.



Effects of cannabinoids on adrenaline release from adrenal medullary cells (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1573050)

In conclusion, cannabinoids lowered the electrically evoked adrenaline release in rabbit isolated adrenal glands

So, (IMHO) if Cannabis chemically helps curb this fight or flight feeling that can cause and perpetuate FM, it should be given as a first choice "drug" to anyone with symptoms of FM. I know that it works for me because of my financial situation, I have not been able to consume cannabis for a few months and my symptoms have worsened several times over!

[rdizzle12]

I have actually been wondering the same thing about dopamine but I've hard a hard time finding any information. In one of my psychology classes they told us that marijuana messes with your dopamine receptors for up to 3 months after you quit. I'm not sure the exact specifics on that though. Anyone have any information or links?

[GreenDestiny]

I'm also a "victim" of having my body stuck in "fight or flight" mode for years, which leaves me feeling exhausted all the time, and my adrenaline gets pumping way too easily.... luckily I don't have FM, but I've had terrible insomnia. Indica strains are the only thing that calms me down without the sick feeling that other medicines have.

Finding the right info on the specifics of how the cannabinoids affect the brain is gonna be tough... too many lies, educated guesses, and lack of proper scientific research. Esoterically speaking, it seems to be doing something right! Sadly we need more "exoteric" data to prove once and for all that it really is good for most of us. Until the day when cannabis can be studied objectively by more people, we're gonna have all kinds of conflicting data.... which seems to be the case with lots of things. hahaha, crazy humans.

Good luck trying to find the truth! Find all the info you can that works in your favour which comes from some reliable sources... teach that doctor about what real medicine is!

[mackey33]

It's crazy that, when we KNOW what works for us, we have to get approval from someone in a white lab coat to make it officially "okay."

:weedpoke:

[DrSpoof]

my dad has fibromyalgia and rhematoid arthritis, and he says between all the different meds he has for painkilling, anti-inflammation, sleep aids, etc... its a constant balancing act. the pain meds make him crazy / have given him cataracts (synthetic opiates like tramadol), the anti-inflams tear up his stomach, and the sleep aids work for an hour or two and then he's stuck wide awake and pretty much trapped in his own body.

he says pot is the only medication he's ever tried that kills the symptoms without nasty side effects. funny part is, he hates the taste of pot so he doesnt like to smoke it that much.

i plan on eventually getting my pill-making technique down-pat (took a break when my last scale went down for the count) and making sure the man has all the herbal medicine he needs.

its the least i can do for the guy! :D

DrSpiggity

[mackey33]

my dad has fibromyalgia and rhematoid arthritis, and he says between all the different meds he has for painkilling, anti-inflammation, sleep aids, etc... its a constant balancing act. the pain meds make him crazy / have given him cataracts (synthetic opiates like tramadol), the anti-inflams tear up his stomach, and the sleep aids work for an hour or two and then he's stuck wide awake and pretty much trapped in his own body.

he says pot is the only medication he's ever tried that kills the symptoms without nasty side effects. funny part is, he hates the taste of pot so he doesnt like to smoke it that much.

i plan on eventually getting my pill-making technique down-pat (took a break when my last scale went down for the count) and making sure the man has all the herbal medicine he needs.

its the least i can do for the guy! :D

DrSpiggity

Yeah, he should be eating it. If he does well with the smoke, he will be thrilled with the edibles!

On a side note, anti-inflammatory meds do nothing for fibromyalgia because with fibromyalgia, nothing is inflamed.

[Storm Crow]

Delta-9-THC based monotherapy in fibromyalgia patients
Delta-9-THC based monotherapy in Fibromyalgia patients on experimentally induced pain, axon reflex flare, and pain relief. (http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm?ID=7293&t=CFIDS_FM)

Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency
http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/clinical.pdf

Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) for Fibromyalgia
Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) for Fibromyalgia (http://www.fibromyalgia-reviews.com/Drg_Marijuana.cfm)

THC Reduces Pain in Fibromyalgia Patients
Illinois NORML - THC Reduces Pain in Fibromyalgia Patients (http://www.illinoisnorml.org/content/view/63/35/)

*Fibromyalgia: Effective Treatment with Medical Marijuana
Fibromyalgia: Effective Treatment with Medical Marijuana - Salem-News.Com (http://www.salem-news.com/articles/november292007/leveque_fybromyalgia_112807.php)


And so far the doctor, after many tests, is unable to say what is wrong with my hubby who is in pain most of the time. I have found a brownie in the morning makes a world of difference in his pain levels. Smoking helps a bit, but eating works much better. Thank you for the very interesting information- I'm going to make the hubby read it!

Some California doctor will likely end up making a paper out of this, if they ever learn about it. Remember- information hoarded, is information lost. Tell your doctor, or SOME cannabis friendly doctor about your suspicions. Hopefully, you're like me, and don't care how the info gets out (or who gets credit)- just that it gets out!

And congrats on putting this all together! Anyone can do 1 + 1 + 2, you're doing more like 1/2 + 1 1/4 + 2/8 = 2 Keep it up!

- Granny:hippy:

[Storm Crow]

DrSpoof, You need to just start baking! Heck with the scale! Put your well-ground pot in the oil (+ 1 spoonful) for the brownies/whatever (I put cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in too, to mask the smell). Heat the oil until you can't stand to keep your finger in it. Let cool. Repeat if you feel like it. Some folks strain the oil, but I don't mind the flavor of cannabis, so I just scrape it all in and make my brownies. Try half a brownie on an empty stomach, wait 2 hours. Repeat if needed. You'll find the right dose. :D

An excellent addition to cooking is hemp seed. :thumbsup: Pine nut-like flavor and insanely good for you! Omega-3s and all that jazz! Check your local health food store for them.

HEMP SEED: THE MOST NUTRITIONALLY COMPLETE FOOD SOURCE IN THE WORLD (1)
http://www.ratical.com/renewables/hempseed1.html


Mackey- when you read a study, don't forget to check out the works cited at the bottom. I find a lot of good articles that way. You might want to click the link in my sig for more studies. Or check out my "New Year's" post for more studies.

-Granny:hippy:

[mackey33]

HEMP SEED: THE MOST NUTRITIONALLY COMPLETE FOOD SOURCE IN THE WORLD (1)
http://www.ratical.com/renewables/hempseed1.html


I'd like to read this article but I can't get the link to work...do you have another similar article?