Migraines and Cannabis

you live in a state that allows medical marijuana, don't you? you should really try and get approved... it would make it so that, once you find a strain that works for you, you can get it consistently (or get a license to grow and grow the ones that work for you).

 

my dad just got his card and his caretaker is growing 30 different strains this summer and is going to give him 30 samples of each strain to test and find the one he likes so I hope he will let me try some of those strains. I'm on medicare and Medicaid and I am not eligible for medical mj when my dad filled out the fourms it said that right on there about people on medicaid and medicare cannot apply

 

well, that's pretty fucked up.

 

yes it is plus my mom wouldn't go for that idea at all. and I can't risk getting my health insurances getting taken away I need that

 

they still have not called in my meds so now it's more of the waiting game maybe I will get them tomorrow night I hope

 

ok I just took the Imitrex. I hope it goes good. wish me luck

 

not really sure about smoking pot while this med is in my system? spending the night at my sisters house tonight and I would like to smoke a little after the girls go to bed. this med is making me a little sick to my stomach and anytime my stomach feels sick smoking always helps it

 

I decided to spend a little time googling to see if I could get definitive info on Imitrex vs cannabis. Bottom line seems to be that the action of Imitrex is to stimulate serotonin receptors. Cannabis apparently increases serotonin at low doses. At higher doses it decreases serotonin. This would imply that at low doses cannabis would contribute to the effects of Imitrex, but at higher doses it would decrease the effects of Imitrex.

http://www.medicinenet.com/sumatriptan/article.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071023183937.htm

I looked for any other known effects of the two that might mitigate or exacerbate serotonin effects, such as monoamine oxidase inhibition, and I found none. Since Imitrex doesn't increase serotonin levels, the effect of cannabis on serotonin levels would not be affected by Imitrex. However it seems clear that low doses of cannabis would increase the serotonin-related effects of the Imitrex. Whether that would be enough to cause symptoms of excess serotonin isn't clear, but it seems like a possibility.

I think the only way to really know is to make yourself a human guinea pig. If you smoke a tiny bowl along with the Imitrex and get no side effects, you could try a little more. If you start feeling racing heart, sweating, muscle twitching, or increased anxiety, then you know to lay off the cannabis. Or the Imitrex - I guess it's your choice either way.

Edit: I found another article on the subject that confirms my thoughts:

http://www.justanswer.com/health/0s4sb-contra-indications-marijuana.html

This article has a statement on drug interaction near the bottom, and discourages use of cannabis with Imitrex:

http://www.herbs2000.com/medica/sumatriptan.htm

As I said, you could still become a human guinea pig and see what happens. It sounds like there might be some risk involved. But if you start at very low cannabis dosages, it would mitigate the risk.

Further edit: I also found this article, which was pretty interesting regarding use of cannabis as a treatment for migraine all by itself:

http://rxmarijuana.com/migraines_hms.htm

 

thanks for the info since I have been taking the Imitrex I had full blown panic attack at my sisters house I just started crying in front of everyone I went in her room and laid down and cried. I feel like crying right now. I feel sick to my stomach I didn't even smoke last night or today at all. I feel kind of panicked really dizzy and my head is pounding. I guess I feel down in the dumps it's like I really want to smoke but I'm just not that into it right now, my mom is at her boy friends she wants me to wait and take one tomorrow morning so she can be home with me in case I have another panic attack

 

Nausea is listed as one of the common side effects of Imitrex. Anxiety is listed as one of the less common side effects. Sounds like you have more than garden-variety anxiety, tho. The panic and pounding heart sound like possible serotonin elevation symptoms. You might want to talk to your doctor about a lower dose, possibly. But hell, if that kinda shit continues, that stuff is obviously no good for you. I guess it will be good to try it again with mom there and see how it goes. But definitely, if it's that bad with just the Imitrex, I would not risk adding cannabis effects to it.

 

I will give it another shot tomorrow and see how that goes. I think your right in staying away from the pot is a good idea. if I am having problems with this med pot might make it worse. and my head seems to hurt even more after I take this med

 

I took that pill at 6:30 this morning and it mad my head even worse I took advil and that dropped my pain down a little bit. I have been in bed most of the day. I'm eating some usalted crackers to try and settle my stomach

 

When I get migraines I smoke weed. It gets rid of most of the pain, nausea, dizziness, and disrupted vision.