# epilepsy and MJ



## Funkfarmer (Oct 26, 2008)

does anyone know if there is any strain that helps with epileptic siesures?


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## kaotik (Oct 26, 2008)

don't know about specific strain, but you can get medical marijuana for epilepsy.
apparently the cbd in marijuana helps control it (though i still had seizures when i was only smoking MJ)
i have epilepsy, and my doc said he'd sign for MM for me, but i'm in Canada (BC no less) so i figured why bother.

i take my tigertal(sp?) and my MJ, and i've not had a seizure in a few years now (I could try going off the meds, but don't want to risk it.. lost all my front teeth last time, can't afford that now.)


*marijuana alone never stopped it for me. but if you do get perscribed drugs for it, be very carefull.. the first ones i was on messed me up almost to the point of suicide


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## umbra (Oct 26, 2008)

I have epilepsy.  It has always been my secret. I stopped medication right after I started getting high, and I never knew there was any connection until years later. I think it has saved me years of medication.


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## Funkfarmer (Oct 27, 2008)

Thanks kaotic and umbra, I thought maybe there was a strain that had more of a specific componant that was better at stoping siezures.


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## umbra (Oct 27, 2008)

smoky anda bandit said:
			
		

> Thanks kaotic and umbra, I thought maybe there was a strain that had more of a specific componant that was better at stoping siezures.


 
There might be, but because no one is taking this research seriously...it may take sometime until anyones for sure. I've always gravitated to indicas. Not that it means this is the answer. I still have moments when everything turns into tunnel vision, and turns black and white. But within a few minutes everything returns to normal.


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## Funkfarmer (Oct 27, 2008)

My nephew has epiepsy no me (he is 31 by the way) he already smokes, but i just hate to see him go through the siezures. I have a personal question for you and anyone else on here with epilepsy, Do you work? That is my question, he doesnt work and i really want him to do SOMETHING! He just hangs out all day and thats not healthy. Anyway thanks for the responces, it is very appreciated.


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## kaotik (Oct 27, 2008)

i pm'ed you (a short novel) of my experience with epilepsy.. hopefully it's not all jibberish and helps you get a bit more insight.


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## Funkfarmer (Oct 27, 2008)

Hey Kaotik, i sent you a pm back. Tag your it!


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## elmira (Nov 8, 2008)

Does epilepsy and marijuana have anything connecting between them I neither know about this nor my doctor ahs told me anything on this. Is there a medical proof for this fact? and does anyone here know how it works? Please help me with more information.


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## marcnh (Mar 22, 2009)

I'm also epileptic, but do not know if there is any connection.  I smoke, but do not take meds.


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## Super Silver Haze (Apr 17, 2009)

Todd McCormick was doing research on the medicinal aspects of Cannabis but the DEA and all their infinant wisdom ended it.  imo, if anyone is doing that type of research it would be in Cali somewhere.  maybe you can try and search dispensaries / co-op's in Med-Legal states and in countries that have MMJ laws.  it might be underground and hard to find b/c the DEA would love to have another feather in their hat.

SSH


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## Super Silver Haze (Apr 17, 2009)

elmira said:
			
		

> Does epilepsy and marijuana have anything connecting between them I neither know about this nor my doctor ahs told me anything on this. Is there a medical proof for this fact? and does anyone here know how it works? Please help me with more information.


 
if you live in the USA then there will be no research into the medicinal benefits of cannabis b/c it is a Schedule I controlled substance.  there is plenty of research being done outside the the states, just do alot of research.  
try MMJ activist websites and go through their boards.

ASA  Americans for Safe Access

SSH


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## Crisp2aBurned (Jun 28, 2009)

Just found this thread.  I'm also epileptic and a brand new medical marijuana patient (though an old azz pothead).  I have found that I lean towards sativas and had asked in the med section about any fellow epileptics out there that may have found a particular strain that they favor for relief of auras.  Just curious...anybody out there with a seizure disorder that has a fave strain?


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## Storm Crow (Jun 29, 2009)

But I have a mess of medical studies and articles for all of you. 

One of the first medical users I met was Joey, an epileptic musician down in San Diego who told me he could cut his meds in half when he had pot. 

Epilepsy patients are smoking pot
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=1638

    Experiences with THC-treatment in children and adolescents
http://www.cannabis-med.org/studies/ww_en_db_study_show.php?s_id=80

    Chronic administration of cannabidiol to healthy volunteers and epileptic patients.
http://www.cannabis-med.org/studies/ww_en_db_study_show.php?s_id=42

    Anticonvulsant nature of marihuana smoking.
http://www.cannabis-med.org/studies/ww_en_db_study_show.php?s_id=39

    Cannabis may help epileptics
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/4423.php

    Hypnotic and Antiepileptic Effects of Cannabidiol
http://www.thecompassionclub.org/me...03311309-659?printerFriendly=true&pageNumber=

    Marijuana: an effective antiepileptic treatment in partial epilepsy?
http://www.cannabis-med.org/studies/ww_en_db_study_show.php?s_id=157

    Marijuana and Epilepsy (anecdotal) 
http://www.rxmarihuana.com/epilepsy.htm

Therapeutic Aspects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids
http://www.ukcia.org/research/Thereputic/Therapeut.htm

    Treatment with CBD in oily solution of drug-resistant paediatric epilepsies.
http://www.cannabis-med.org/studies/ww_en_db_study_show.php?s_id=173&&search_pattern=EPILEPSY

    Marijuana Use More Prevalent With Epilepsy
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/465891

    Endocannabinoids and Their Implications for Epilepsy
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1176361&tool=pmcentrez


Hope that helps-


Granny eace:


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## SmokinMom (Aug 25, 2009)

Just bumping this thread back up.

I had a weird spell back in April.  Upon descirbing it to my dr, he was fairly certain it was a seizure.  He sent me for a MRI (normal) and an EEG, which I never got done.

Last Friday I had a grand mal seizure in front of my kids.    My oldest called 911, and my middle kid went and got a neighbor.  I was unconscience and didn't remember any of this.  I started to come to as the gourney wheelled me out to the ambulance.  

I guess it's safe to say I am an epileptic.

I had a childhood form of epilepsy (psycho-motor) that I grew out of by the time I was 6, but maybe this leaves me predisposed...?????

Anyhoo, I am glad this thread is here.  I am so scared I will have another seizure.  I have an appt with a neurologist a week from tomorrow.

It's funny...the day it happened, it was exactly 2 weeks since I smoked mj.  I wonder if that had anything to do with it.  But back in April I was smoking...hmmmm.

Anyways, if someone has anything to add to this or something helpful to say I sure would appreciate it.  I am so damn scared right now....and I am also supposed to be looking for a job.  I am fairly certain my drivers lisence will get taken away...

Thanks for reading my post.
SM


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## SmokinMom (Aug 25, 2009)

And I'll definitely be checking out all those links.  Thank you!!


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## kaotik (Aug 25, 2009)

i don't know if they'll take your license after just one mom.. but obviously it would be wise to avoid driving for a while untill you figure things out. 

weird that you had one shortly after stopping smoking for a while, could be good to mention to the doc. (as that may mean you've had it for a while, but it was under control from the MJ)
but what was this "weird spell" in april?
light-headed or something?, maybe it was a seizure but the MJ stopped it from comming full on?  i don't know, obviously i'm not a doctor. 

but i want to say don't fear the EEG.. it's by far the best test of them all.  i actually found my EEG's very relaxing (though you will definatly want a shower after, they make your hair pretty greesy feeling.)

all my other tests were pretty normal too. my EEG's were what showed the problems. you should get it done.

best of luck to ya, hopefully your docs are actually of some help to you


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## SmokinMom (Aug 25, 2009)

Thanks Kao-

Back in April, I had dinner then walked the 2 mile trail by my house.  Everything was fine.  I come home and decide to vacuum my carpet in the den.  The next thing I know, I am in my bed, totally confused and I bit the crap out of my tongue.  I called hubby and asked him when he was gonna be home for dinner.  He said we ate at our usual time of 6pm, and that he and my oldest were at the boy scout meeting.  It was 7:45pm and he came straight home.

For about a week after that I had a lot of lapses in memory.


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## Crisp2aBurned (Aug 25, 2009)

Hi Jessica, I mean, SmokinMom.  GRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrr!  (I always had a thing for Ms. Rabbit)  
My epileptic condition was preceded by years of "weird" spells, from being unable to play basketball without losing control of my legs and falling down to extremely painful muscle cramps in my throat to an inability to focus my vision to stuttering to...  
I was also told something to the effect that I was "predisposed" to this, somehow, that "a switch flipped" in my brain.  
I'm lucky that I have health insurance and a neurologist who prescribed medication that kept me upright.  When the grand mals began (was it three years ago???) there was little reason to believe they weren't just going to keep on coming.  My life was teetering on the precipice of darkness.  When you can't trust your own body the whole world seems really, really scary.  The meds I take work for keeping me seizure-free, but they have wonderful side effects like anxiousness, sleeplessness, impatience, dizziness, nausea, rage (my fave), etc.  Smokin good herb keeps me mellow and counteracts some of the bad side effects of my meds.  I'm blessed to be in a state where I am able to legally have buds.
From what you've written, I don't see any relation between the weed and your condition.  I smoked daily for years and years before I had my initial grand mal.  I also don't see any relation between my drug use and my epilepsy, though it would be easy to blame my health problem on drugs.  I asked my neurologist OVER and OVER again:  "Did I do too much LSD or pot or mushrooms or...?"  "No."  "No."  "No."  Pretty frustrating, but in the end, who knows?
Listen to your doctors and neurologist, cardboard-cutouts-of-human-beings-they-may-be.  They're your best bet to get your seizures under control.
At times, when I haven't been high for a while, after smoking I can sometimes get a bit head-rushy, which can feel like a seizure-type-aura, but this is common to all smokers whether they be epileptic or not, I think.  Just hit it a little lighter. dummy...ha!  Usually the good herb leaves me feeling relaxed and mellow - the way I supposedly "used to be" pre-epilepsy.  
I also lost my driver's license until I had 90 days seizure-free.
So, yeah, you are NOT alone and herb CAN help us deal with our symptoms and better our quality of life.  Thanks for posting and best of luck to you!
-C


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## kcoll (Aug 26, 2009)

it took the doctors four years to properly diagnose the type of epilepsys my brother had .he was treated with a cotail of drugs that seemed to make his seizures worse(upon research we found that the medicine he was on could actually induce sieziers if yoused to treat the wrong kind)eventualy he was given the correct diagnosis and is now doing o.k. the point im making is that for anyone who is worryed about treatment ,eventually it should sort out.but remember that doctors and so called experts can get it wrong and if you are not happy seek a second opinion.i would also like to add that my father also suffered from epilepsy but the drugs the day really sedated the patient and he opted to medicate him self with cannabis with relitive success.he averaged about one grand mal seizier a year and although he could not do certain activitys like drive he much prefered this.my understanding of how mj works is as follows:a seizier is caused by is increased electrical activity in the nurons that stimulate a flood of certain chemicals and overloads the brain. the cannabis somehow regulates theis chemicals as well as reducing stress in the patiant(stress can be a contribuating factor in a siezier) with that in mind i have also read references that cannabis can interfear with epilepsy medication(since their both trying to control chemical levels in the brain)so i who am no means an expert would not recomend that someone use both untill you have done your own research.but sadly as with most medical conditions cannabis has not been intesly scientificly research to relise its true medical POTential.the only reason i can see for this (look up medical cannabis in wiki it has 1000s of uses)is if you could grow your own medicine like pain killers the big pharma companys will go bust.this seems to be true for so many things in our profit driven materialistic world.
although ive not replyed to the site in a while i would like to thank you all for your imput in this sometimes missed understood topic and best of luck smokingmom with your treatment.P


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## Crisp2aBurned (Aug 26, 2009)

So, here in the High Times Ganja Guide 2009 there's an interesting article on the Romulan strain, including some info about its medical benefits:
"Now, 30 years later, Romulan is a popular strain for medical clubs all over North America.  There are qualities of this strain that are sedative and very helpful to patients with chronic pain from nerve or muscle damage, and also to those suffering from seizures.  The quality of Romulan buds is second to none, exemplifying excellent structure and formation with deep potency.  Most seed banks recommend these genetics as the top choice for medicinal users."  - Jay Generation.
One would suppose this is feedback from users, and hope that it's not just seed bank marketing.  "Feedback from users" is what I was looking for when inquiring about strains preferred by epileptics.
So, anybody out there can back this up or provide more detail?  Epileptics who found Romulan to be beneficial in some specific way?  Sure looks and sounds yummy...described as a "sativa-dominant Korean/Colombian with heavy body sedative and strong cerebral relaxation effects."


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## SmokinMom (Jan 21, 2010)

kaotik said:
			
		

> i pm'ed you (a short novel) of my experience with epilepsy.. hopefully it's not all jibberish and helps you get a bit more insight.


 
I would be interested in hearing it too, if you don't mind.

And a big :bump:  for baktea.


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## kaotik (Jan 22, 2010)

we've exchanged many pm's SM, do you not remember?
you already know my story and experiences


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