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| CBD oil: It's sold everywhere. But not all products are of equal quality, and they may not help some people. CBD can also create unwanted problems. Proceed with CAUTION. |
Here's the longer version:
I was interested straight CBD, that is cannabidiol without THC. THC, as you may recall from your college days if you are of a Certain Age, is the substance that makes you giggly, red-eyed, and want to eat Cheetohs.
I discussed CBD oil with my family doctor. Doc warned me that CBD oil was not going to cure my ET, and she was skeptical about its benefits because hard data on large numbers of patients with various ailments is skimpy. However, she saw no harm in my trying it.
I wasn't expecting CBD to have any effect on my platelets. I have known patients who attribute a 50 or 75 point drop in their platelet counts to CBD oil. But, as most of us know, a one-time fluctuation in platelet counts doesn't really mean anything; it happens in the normal course of the disease. CBD oil, as far as we know, cannot decrease platelets to normal levels and keep them there.
As those who have tried alternative therapies know, you're on your own if you want to try something "off the grid." Yes, you can go to a herbalist or naturopath, but these folks make money directly on selling you stuff. I was wary about getting someone who might make overblown claims or try to get me to purchase a lot of expensive supplements, so did my own research.
I wanted to know about possible side effects of CBD oil. Again, not much hard science here, but it might lower blood pressure, cause drowsiness and gastric upsets/appetite changes. It may also make Parkinsons disease worse.
In selecting a brand, it's smart to find a manufacturer that puts an expiration date on the package. The shelf-life for CBD oil is seems to be between six months to two years, and without an expiration or packaging date, you have no idea how old your product is. In addition to unwittingly buying an expired product, you may be getting CBD oil laced with other substances you don't want, including pesticides. Because there is no regulation on CBD oil at all, trusting what you're getting can be a worry for some buyers.
I decided to purchase directly from a manufacturer on the assumption that the fewer hands the product passes through, the better. I also chose a manufacturer with a pharmacological background whose product is certified organic and its concentration verified by a third party. The manufacturer also had an expiration date on the package. That's about as good as you can hope for to ensure product quality.
A 15 ml bottle with 250 mg of CBD oil was about $50. This was about the cheapest product on the manufacturer's Web site. Prices vary a lot. Some producers offer money-back guarantees.
Figuring out what dose to take is somewhat problematic. The manufacturer had a "suggested" dose. I visited several sites that offer dosing guidelines based on body mass and eventually roughed out a minimum and maximum dose.
I started with the lowest dose and incrementally upped the dose at bedtime for about a month. I never hit a dose that helped with any of the symptoms I wanted it to: sleeplessness, restless leg syndrome, or anxiety. I did discover two things: 1) My acid reflux got worse during the time I was taking CBD, and 2) this therapy would be prohibitively expensive if I ever achieved a dose that actually worked.
So now I wish I'd just spent the $50 on a wedge pillow to reduce my acid reflux.
Might CBD oil help other people with the same or different symptoms? Possibly. But it's all trial and error. Until there is hard scientific data on what CBD oil is good for and at what doses and concentrations, I urge anyone thinking about alternative therapies to talk to their doctors FIRST, learn as much as possible, and STOP taking any substance that seems to make you feel worse.
Be well!
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I have tried CBD products as well. And my husband tried several products in hope it would help him sleep and ease the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. I used a roll one, at $35.00 per; he used more expensive items. We were even asked to fill out forms and told the manufacturer would soon be selling through a larger dealer. After about 4 months, neither of us could tell a difference. The lady who made and sold these products lives down the road from my sister and she and her husband also tried it. Plus, my brother-in-law bought some for his brother who was diagnosed with cancer and that was quite expensive. All in all, we weren't helped, neither was my sister and brother-in-law and his brother died. I think often these people are selling dreams that come with a quite expensive price tag.
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