For those who care for someone with Parkinson's disease
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Has anyone tried any of this for Parkinson's symptoms, pain, etc? I was reluctant to try any of this with mom for the longest time since I didn't want to add anything else to the mix, but her hairdresser gave her CBD tincture, 300mg, to try for anxiety and pain. ... It seems to help a little bit during her anxiety/pain flare ups, although she says it makes her feel weird. I think weird is better than anxious and in pain. ... I ordered "Hemp Oil Cannibis Sativa Oil 100% pure" from Amazon, thinking it was the same thing, but apparently it is not. In any case, it says it helps with sleep and joint pain, among other things, so I gave her part of a teaspoon yesterday to see (the bottle says take 2-3 teaspoons a day). I saw no real difference during the day, but she slept all night and the only noise she made was one scream. I can't remember the last time she was that quiet. She got up this morning at 6:30, no complaints of pain, no falling down, clear with her words. Even dad noticed how well she slept! My hope is there is a connection. I'll stay with the teaspoon per day for a while and see if a pattern emerges. Hopefully it will help with some of her pain during the day over time. |
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We tried CBD oil-nothing. But others say it helps. You should go with whatever helps your mom, regardless of what others say
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I'm not certain it's doing anything, but even so, it gives her something to focus on during "off" time pain and anxiety. She actually does seem a little better to me, but she may just be healing from her fall a week ago Friday. I know injury can exacerbate Parkinson's symptoms. I was just hoping it might help with pain and be a "go to" remedy in the moment, since I can't give her any more pain meds (she's had fainting with more), and no more lorazepam (we're supposed to be weaning off of it because it causes confusion, memory problems, etc). ... I did give her another spoon of the Hemp Oil today. I'll see how the night goes tonight, because last night was the quietest night in months. |
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Medical marijuana is legal in our state, and close to us there is a physician who is nationally known for helping people with medical conditions to work with MMJ. I did a one hour phone consult with him, and he gave us a strategy for addressing confusion and agitation, sleep and lack of motivation. Three different strains at early morning, 2 pm and bedtime. I've just started tracking symptoms closely and will get data for a month. But from early experience with CBD oil and then with THC tinctures, I believe that the medical marijuana has been helpful with sleep and anxiety. There is no psychoactive effect. So, in my opinion, worth a carefully monitored trial so that you can feel certain that you know what you have seen. |
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It is legal in my state also. I know very little of what I'm doing or looking for to help her in this regard, but mostly I'm hoping it helps with her pain. At this point she's taking 4 of the 5/325 oxycodone per day. I spread them out at about 1/2 per 3 hours, so I just have them with her Parkinson's meds during the day. I'm not sure what else to do to mitigate her fainting on one hand, and her pain on the other. When it's about time for her next dose, I think she's having "off" time--slowing down, drooping face, sometimes high blood pressure, anxiety spikes, pain spikes, ocd-like behaviors emerge, eyes get blurry. Then anywhere from 1/2 hour to an hour and 20 minutes after her sinemet/entacapone and 1/2 oxycodone, she snaps out of it and seems fine. It's like night and day. I have the 300 mg CBD tincture, and she's just been using it as she feels she needs it. I'm at work during the day, and her ability to do anything on a schedule is pretty limited anymore (I have her meds in cups, times labeled, and a timer that beeps--dad usually helps her, but his memory isn't that great either). I've been giving her the hemp oil (Cannabis Sativa) from amazon the last three days--just one teaspoon a day (bottle says 2-3 a day). It seems to have worked for sleep and calming her REM Behavior Disorder. Saturday night she screamed only once, and no other talking, etc, as she usually does (at least that I noticed). I didn't notice anything last night, although she was snoring loudly when I woke her for her morning pills. I guess two nights isn't a pattern yet, but I'm encouraged. |
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For what it is worth: Here is what the physician sent me after our phone consult. Obviously this is specific to my husband's situation and symptoms, and I am NOT suggesting that anyone just follow this. But the experience with this doc opened my eyes to the specificity of dosing for medical marijuana. "The following plan was printed and provided to the patient's wife and POA. Goals of cannabis therapy: 1. Less agitation in the morning and sundowning (4-5pm) 2. Staying in bed for sleep at night. 3. Increase capacity to enjoy meals with wife, listening to an album, other pleasurable activities. 4. Increased participation in activities at his residential facility. 5. If possible, improve cognition and function. Next steps: 1. Have the current and new tinctures laboratory tested for cannabinoid potency, and please send results to my office. 2. Look up what CBD product and dosage he was using previously, please send info to my office. 3. Acquire a new THC-dominant strain for night, produced form a sedating strain. Cannabis dosing plan : Increase to three times daily dosing AM: CBD-dominant oil + low dose THC at 5:1 ratio 2 or 3pm: Combination of CBD+THC at 1:1 ratio Before bed: THC-dominant from sedating strain THC-dominant PRN for breakthrough symptoms of agitation, anxiety (use 1/4 to 1/2 of his night dose) Dosing specifics and how to titrate: (may need to modify after receiving the above information) 1. Increase the bedtime dosage of THC by 1-2mg of THC eve ry 3 nights until the patient experiences satisfactory, deep restorative sleep, or until he experiences morning grogginess or other adverse effects. If adverse effects appear, decrease the dosage slightly. 2. Begin CBD in the AM - start at 20mg, add 10mg every 5 days until 100mg per dose. Stop titrating up if he experiences any adverse effects or if the benefits of afternoon/evening doses of THC seem to diminish. Combine the CBD with the THC-dominant Thai preparation at approx 5:1 CBD:THC ratio. This should provide an awakening, alerting and pro-cognitive effect while reducing anxiety. 3. (After you find his optimal dose in part 1&2 of the plan above): Begin afternoon dose of CBD:THC 1:1 at half the night dose of THC + equal dose of CBD. Increase by 25-50% every 5 days as needed to prevent sundowning symptoms. ___ How to measure his response and the success of his cannabis treatment: 1.Standardized cognitive measures - track over time. To be performed by PCP or neurology. 2. Ability to avoid alprazolam PRN agitation use or extra sinemet PRN tremor. 3. Report from staff and OT regarding participation in activities and general In the future I am happy to assume responsibility for his cannabis treatment." VV |
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| Violet, have you discussed this with your Neurologist? I've asked ours 3 times over the last two years about this type of therapy and each time he says there hasn't been any trials yet that show any promise. I hope that your physician is doing all his research and will be able to document results. I'm sure that soon there will be many trials and research now that it has become legal in so many states. Good luck and I hope you have good results. |
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Sorry I didn't see your question earlier. My husband's neurologist is comfortable with our using medical marijuana. We have a national expert in medical mj, a physician, who will oversee his care. And in our state, with legal medical mj we are able to get a consistent supply of this medicine. Certainly has reduced his extreme morning agitation and paranoia, and has let him sleep through the night. |
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| I had stopped using the "Hemp Oil Cannibis Sativa Oil 100% pure" from Amazon simply because it slipped my mind with everything else going on. Her sleep disturbances are worse, and I attributed that to reducing her lorazepam a tiny bit. But the hemp oil did seem to help with her talking in her sleep, etc. |
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| She was quieter last night. I hope it's the oil. |