High THC Cannabis - Sleep Inducer and MCS Buster - Who Knew?

[Cort]

I never, ever expected this. I'm taking high THC cannabis in the form of candy or paste for sleep from time to time. (Don't want to build up tolerance - which I have heard can happen.) It works like a charm I can feel a calmness flow over my body, my body relaxes and my pain disappears and I go to sleep and usually stay asleep

The amazing thing is that it also knocks out my chemical sensitivities - something I've never been able to achieve in 20 years. (I've had pretty bad chemical sensitivities for about 20 years.) I haven't been able to comfortably sleep inside for that entire time. My body just will not settle down.

But using very small amounts of high THC cannabis I was able to sleep for 10 nights in a row in a bedroom in which a new carpet had been installed about six months ago. That's unprecedented for me that it's hard to believe.

It makes me think that MCS is indeed result of a hyperactive system which the high THC cannabis calms down remarkably.

The only side effects are sometimes some initial drowsiness in the morning if I've taken too much the night before.

For me its also remarkably cost-effective; I need very small amounts of it to fall asleep and stay asleep. I rarely wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning while using it.

 

[keepinghopealive]

That's marvelous, Cort!
Sweet dreams!!

 

[Paw]

Can you share more info about the strains involved? Presumably indica dominant?

I get a lot of benefit from cannabis, but it's tricky to find the right dosages and strains for good sleep. Even low-dose tinctures can keep me awake if I take them too close to bedtime. They can make me comfortable, yet somehow too energized.

Maybe I've been focusing too much on CBD (I usually aim for an indica with moderate THC and high CBD). Do you know those percentages with the medicine that's been working for you?

 

[keepinghopealive]

Can you share more info about the strains involved? Presumably indica dominant?

Unfortunately, the whole indica vs sativa thing is a myth and has no basis in fact. Things are much more complicated than that.

 

[Paw]

Unfortunately, the whole indica vs sativa thing is a myth and has no basis in fact. Things are much more complicated than that.

Your first sentence is totally, totally misinformed. Careless, actually, since it might stop some novice users from getting help because the one strain they tried made their symptoms worse. It's crucial to find the right strain for your health needs, as different strains can have amazingly different effects.

Of course your second statement is correct.

So, Cort, I'd still be interested in knowing your strain if you happen to have that info.

Most manufacturers of edibles, etc, initially didn't pay much attention to strain. They just tossed in everything that wasn't salable in flower form. But in the last couple of years they've been more selective in creating tinctures and edibles with specific profiles. At the very least they tend to separate indica-dominant fluff from sativa-dominate.

Slightly off topic, but interesting, is the recent news that coffee (caffeine?) operates on the same endocannabinoid system as marijuana. The media hook has been that "coffee might be the opposite of cannabis." Perhaps, like other competition-based receptors, regulating a balanced flow is key.

 

[keepinghopealive]

Your first sentence is totally, totally misinformed. Careless, actually, since it might stop some novice users from getting help because the one strain they tried made their symptoms worse. It's crucial to find the right strain for your health needs, as different strains can have amazingly different effects.

I'm sorry, but it is you who is sadly misinformed. It's unfortunate that you buy into the myth, when a little reading would enlighten you. Here are few places to begin.
http://www.laweekly.com/news/marijuana-strains-like-og-kush-are-meaningless-expert-says-4173909
http://profofpot.com/effects-indica-vs-sativa/
http://sfist.com/2015/08/28/cannabis_study_indica_and_sativa_ar.php

 

[Paw]

You're pointing us toward rather sensational headlines, but Dr Raber (the chemist who has been most often quoted in this debate) is concerned about increasing our understanding of the many differences between strains, growing conditions, ingestion differences, and, importantly, patient responses. A big part of his project has been to challenge dispensaries' accuracy in marketing and labeling, because he found gross inconsistencies. Thankfully, as I mentioned, the industry has been progressively more exacting in the past few years.

I challenged you because your flippant and incorrect statement (that the difference between indicas and sativa is mythical) takes away the primary starting point for neophytes looking for the right medicine. Everyone is in agreement that individuals respond in unique ways, so experimentation is key. If an anxious insomniac went to a good dispensary for help calming down they would not be started on a sativa-dominant strain, and for good reason. Most people who experience paranoia, for example, have used too much sativa, while most people who experience narcotic-like ("couch lock") have used too much (or too ripe) indica. Longtime users smoke a sativa when they want to clean house, and they smoke indica when they want to relax.

Raber et al believe we need more precise, modern ways of characterizing strains. Great. But we're not there yet. So we rely largely on a somewhat helpful growers' naming system in much the same way we differentiate wines, beers, or apples. As recently as last year he admitted science has not yet come close to explaining the vast differences in medical effects; "it's the whole composition," he says, "not one component."

I think we’re going to get there. I don’t have a good idea about the timeline. It’s definitely going to be a number of years until we have a better understanding, but I have no idea how to predict how long it might take until we have a really good understanding.

Most relevant to this discussion is the fact that the terms "indica" and "sativa" are still broadly used -- and useful. I.e., even if scientists would like to concentrate on other aspects, the terms do still refer to some basic characteristics of both the plant and its effects. So when you go to a (quality) dispensary and ask for an indica you will get a bud that tends toward certain characteristics. Maybe someday the terms will become obsolete, after science catches up, but that day has not yet arrived. For now we have a multitude of hybrid strains with fun names like Bubblegum that do represent a variety of characteristics.

The two main plant families are physically different (there's even a third, largely irrelevant family known as ruderalis), and the effects associated with these families are different as well.

 

[Zapped]

Cort, can you recommend a source for tinctures of true THC? I know there’s access out west but any online sources, even if in the gray market, which doesn’t necessarily reflect your own
use,)

Glad you found an elixir that does indeed work for sleep. Regrettably, my insomnia requires rotating ‘z-type’ rx’s, which I use at a minimum. It would be ideal to find a replacement as appear to have done.

Please let us know if it’s affects start getting minimal, as in trying to keep benzo dose minimal or level.

 

[Zapped]

Cort, can you recommend a source for tinctures of true THC? I know there’s access out west but any online sources, even if in the gray market.

I found a source which seems level headed, if that;s a fair description,) https://www.legalweedheadshop.com/security.html
Any thoughts on this source, Cort or anyone? It’s in Southern CA, which alone raises eyebrows. OTOH, well considered website.

 

[madie]

@Cort I'm also interested in what's working for you. I got certified in Maryland, but so far my experiments either do nothing, or stimulate more wakings.

 

[Oerganix]

I have been using cannabis for about 3 years and it has made a big difference in my life. I suspect that sleep deprivation could have killed me by itself. I tried several sleep drugs, including Ambien, and none did me any good.

It's true that indicas, for most people, promote relaxation and sleep. That's what I use it for. Unfortunately, the THC wears off in about 3 hours so I'm usually up during the night to take another dose. Then I take a CBD capsule in the morning; it seems to counter the THC somewhat and clears my head for the day. Everyone's response is truly individual and that means trial and error.

There are hundreds of different cannabinoids in cannabis, most of which we don't know what they do, or don't do. Dr. Rafael Mechuelam of Israel is about to launch a patentable treatment for strengthening bones and for mending broken bones. Seems like it's called A-8 or 8-A but I don't remember for sure.

My favorite strains are LA Woman, SAD (Sweet Afghani Delicious) & Paki Valley, all hybrids with indica dominant. I may try some strain with "blue" or "purple" in the name since a nurse told me that the strains with those colors in the name have more medical applications. I use some buds in a bong and make tinctures out of all varieties,, using stems, leaves and flowers. And to all the spies out there, I never use this medicine before driving or even leaving my house.

I grow high THC varieties because I don't depend on them for my CBD. For those thinking of buying seeds, White Widow is very good and one of the cheapest to buy. I am cloning mother plants now so don't need to buy seeds.

In addition to cannabis, I also have made a tincture of valerian root. I take an eyedropper of that before bed as well as the two forms of cannabis and have slept as much as 5-6 hours at times. If anyone wants to try valerian root, it can be purchased as a powder in a capsule. Too much leaves me groggy in the morning so I have to take care to take as little as I can and still have its effectiveness.

In studying herbal medicines I find info that says hops and black pepper have some of the same cannabinoids as cannabis. Should be interesting to try a new beer using cannabis extracts that has come out here in Colorado. Too bad I don't care much for beer.

 

[Oerganix]

I found a source which seems level headed, if that;s a fair description,) https://www.legalweedheadshop.com/security.html
Any thoughts on this source, Cort or anyone? It’s in Southern CA, which alone raises eyebrows. OTOH, well considered website.

I went to their site and it won't tell what their prices are. One must download some kind of app first, just to click of the US phone number. I couldn't figure it out.

 

[Paw]

I may try some strain with "blue" or "purple" in the name since a nurse told me that the strains with those colors in the name have more medical applications.

I've tried a lot of strains too, but so far I keep coming back to the modest Blueberry as most reliable overall (80% indica dominant; medium THC at 16%, and high CBD). Still trying to figure out the deal with CBD better -- but, as you say, there are so many other variables as well.

Recently I've found I can use a Strawberry Kush before bed (whereas I can't use Blueberry past mid-evening or I feel too energized to sleep). The Strawberry, which isn't particularly high in THC, has low CBD, so maybe that's a clue.

As for Purples, I've only used a Purple Haze, which is 70% sativa, high THC, and low CBD -- so that probably doesn't fit your nurse's profile. Pretty flowers and nice spicy aroma, but I can't use it. I know there are Purple Kushes and a Purple Star that are medium-strength indicas. ("Haze" generally points to sativa dominance while "kush" likely points to an indica.)

Soon I'll get my hands on some new indica combos with higher THC. (I have high hopes for "California Dreaming"!) But I've given up trying strains with more than 40% sativa because they have always exacerbated my neurological symptoms, while the indicas clearly calm down my nerves and myalgias.

 

[Xhiaane]

My friend recommends me the CBD oil and Hemp oil for me to use because I'm having a hard time to breath everytime i do my household chores. She told me that it may help reduce symptoms related to cancer and side effects related to cancer treatment, like nausea, vomiting, and pain. And upon researching about it i read thishttps://www.worldwide-marijuana-seeds.com/blogs/marijuana-news/what-makes-cannabis-so-great that the cannabis can help us in many ways as well as in medical purpose. So is this safe for me to use because im pregnant now for 2 months?

 

[Paw]

So is this safe for me to use because im pregnant now for 2 months?

Xhiaane, no, I think the research so far has been pretty clear that marijuana is risky for developing brains. Unless there are new findings, I would suggest waiting about 22 years before exposing your child to THC.

Edit: I'm assuming two things that I could be wrong about: CBD meds still have small THC levels (like a decaf Starbucks can still give you a small caffeine kick); and we don't yet know if THC is the only risky ingredient in marijuana.

 

[Xhiaane]

Xhiaane, no, I think the research so far has been pretty clear that marijuana is risky for developing brains. Unless there are new findings, I would suggest waiting about 22 years before exposing your child to THC.

Edit: I'm assuming two things that I could be wrong about: CBD meds still have small THC levels (like a decaf Starbucks can still give you a small caffeine kick); and we don't yet know if THC is the only risky ingredient in marijuana.

@Paw Thanks for the response. I will not take risk for my child's life..

 

[Oerganix]

That article is about smoking tobacco and has nothing to do with cannabis. And it's not necessary to smoke at all, to use cannabis as medicine.

As for research that is "pretty clear" on the "risk for developing brains", that came from an anti-cannabis warrior who is willing to distort the "science" to "prove" his bias is the truth. In fact, there is no research that proves that and, in fact, pregnant women have been using cannabis for various reasons for centuries, with no apparent harm. I would say there is no proof either way.

Depending on where you live, the doc you see may be as ignorant or biased as that "scientist."

 

[Cort]

I was reading this article https://vapingdaily.com/quitting-effects/neuroscience-brain/
and now I'm scared. I imagined what's happening with my brain. I'm smoking almost for 7 years. Of course, I've never thought that smoking is healthy, but still. When I start reading it and imagining all the consequences....

That's awful. I'm very irritating. My nervous system is on the verge. Will try to visit the doctor soon.

I find the candy - just small bits of it - very effective. Why not try that? No smoke inhalation involved.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Just getting my 2 cents in...

I also started using cannabis for medical purposes - sleep, stress, pain, PTSD, etc.

I find I get a much more restful sleep from it. I do think that strain makes a difference, and not just sativa vs indica, but the particular strain.

I am trying to wean off of trazodone for sleep, and I've reduced my dose substantially. Going to try cutting it out altogether shortly.

As a side note, also just started rx sermorelin (an IGF-stimulating peptide), which is supposed to improve sleep quality as well.

 

[madie]

I'm finally getting some sleep support, after experimenting for more than a year, with a combination of Dixie Relaxing tablets and Lucid Mood Sleep vape pen. My normal has been 3-5 wakings per night for decades. I'm now waking twice, which feels amazing.