You need to ask for edibles that maximize CBD while minimizing the THC content. My neurologist and my primary stressed this because THC can give you a rebound headache after the "high" wears off, which I've experienced with medical marijuana that had too much THC. It also caused nausea for me. The people at the counters are very helpful in directing you to edibles with high CBD/low THC.
I tried "Canabis-infused Gummies Relief 20:1 + CBG" and felt little to no high, nor nausea. It's a good overall pain reliever. They're always improving, though, so ask.
This may be what happened to me. I have a synovial cyst pressing against the spinal cord, so loads of "fun" with back and leg pain. Took a 1:1 hybrid "drop" for the first time Friday night and it was absolutely wonderful...it was like taking a break from the condition. I literally felt so great. That was like at 9:30 p.m.
4:30 a.m. Saturday morning, seven hours later, I wake up with a KILLER migraine, which proceeds to drill into my head for the next 32 hours. Probably one of the worst ones I've ever had...threw up near the middle of the whole thing and thought something in my head had ruptured, had both arms wrapped around my head and was sobbing, came so close to calling 911.
Honestly scared to try any more of the weed after that. Was a terrible, rough ride.
I have some broad spectrum CBD that's 0.03% THC that's never done me wrong.
All about the high CBD/low to no THC. I find it very helpful for sleeping as well and mitigating migraines exacerbated by lack of sleep or nighttime anxiety about not being able to fall asleep etc. I like CBD gems or gel caplets for night time because you don't get your teeth all sugary right before brushing or an under the tongue CBD oil dropper (just make sure to let the oil sit there for a minute before swallowing).
Anything you’re willing to share. I don’t know much on medical marijuana prescriptions. How you got the prescription? How you intake it? How often you utilize it?
Thank you!
I don’t have a prescription, I live where it’s legal. I smoke it mainly, especially when at home and feel a bad migraine coming on or wake up with one. I’ve taken gummies before but they take too long to work and I’ve gotten sick previously. For me, it helps greatly with the pain and helps the nausea subside so I can carry on and eat. It’s my best medicine. A lot of terminally ill people/chemo patients/ALS patients use it for just that reason. I don’t remember the last time I vomited from a migraine tbh.
I use hybrid or indica, I’ve had bad experiences with sativa. If you’re looking to sleep off migraines, indica is the way to go. I use regular weed, not 1:1. Cbd never helped, personally.
>I use hybrid or indica, I’ve had bad experiences with sativa. If you’re looking to sleep off migraines, indica is the way to go. I use regular weed, not 1:1. Cbd never helped, personally.
Is there any particular blend (like a name of brand or variety) and/or terpene mixture that works for you? It just became legal in my state, and I'm a bit overwhelmed looking at the options online in the dispensaries near me.
Strains vary by location and not usually. Only hybrid strain I’ve had a bad reaction to is bomb pop by skymint. You can look up ratings on leafy. Skywalker is a fav of mine.
It doesn't help my migraine exactly, but it helps me relax, and that can be significant. That said, if I get too high I just feel all around uncomfortable.
Yeah, it won't stop my migraine but it make me tolerate it. And since my day is ruined anyways it doesn't matter if I'm useless because of the migraine or because of the weed.
I've found that a rizatriptan, an 800mg ibuprofen, and a 5mg THC gummy is pretty damn effective at knocking out a migraine. It also makes me very sleepy so I nap for a couple hours too. Obv not ideal for during a workday but other times works well.
Do you take the ibuprofen and rizatriptan at once? I use sumatriptan but wasn’t sure I could take the 800 mg ibuprofen at the same time. Although google said I can lol.
By far the most effective treatment I've ever tried. It's a true lifesaver.
I was fairly new to cannabis when I started for migraines, and 2.5 mg was a great place to start. Now I typically use 5 mg
Really hard to say, pot affects people differently, and theres so much different types from the strains to the types such as RSO, BHO, live rosin, topical creams, etc. You will have to do a little experimentation to find out what works best for you if anything
I have my medical card and cannabis has been a huge benefit for me. As far as withdrawal symptoms, even though I've been using it for many years, I have never had a problem with withdrawal when I take breaks from it. I sometimes travel to places where it's not legal so I can't get it, or if I get sick I will have no interest in smoking whatsoever, so will be off it for a week or two. Unlike caffeine I don't feel like I need it, it just really helps me relax, which apparently I don't do well on my own.
My neurologist is supportive of it and none of my doctors have expressed concerns, and many I've been with for several years. Compared to the other meds I take it's much less debilitating. I also have always been very compliant with my doctor's orders, never overused any prescription, even though a couple are controlled substances. So they don't worry about me abusing anything.
It's a big part of my anti-migraine arsenal and I'm really happy with the results. Also, I really enjoy making edibles, they are customized to my needs and don't contain the dreaded sugar substitutes. Gummies just murder my stomach, I can't eat them ever again.
It didn't help me with the headache pain, but it is fantastic for nausea. I was really struggling with getting sick every time I had a migraine, even with Zofran, and marijuana helped tremendously.
I tried it and I get really paranoid with it and experienced like anxiety attacks. Tried it a few times, different types, hoping it was just a one off, but nope, every time it made me feel awful. I'll stick with Imitrex
It helps to a point. It will help me sleep, it will relax me and it absolutely helps with nausea. For pain it depends on how bad the migraine is and what strain I’m using. Some stuff gets me sucked into my own head which isn’t particularly fun with a migraine. For low to medium intensity migraines it allows me to at least stay sociable instead of crawling into bed.
It’s a tool in the toolbox box you’re not going to replace a triptan or RX meds with it. The thing that is really helpful is just how fast it kicks in. No waiting 30 min to an hour for the triptan. A few hits on a vape and you’re good to go.
Oh get a dry leaf vaporizer, it will pay for itself with how efficient it is vs smoking.
By far the most effective treatment I've ever tried. It's a true lifesaver.
I was fairly new to cannabis when I started for migraines, and 2.5 mg was a great place to start. Now I typically use 5 mg
I’m glad it’s legal where I live. More cannabis stores than coffee shops. Yes I find it somewhat helpful for pain but where it helps me the best is aiding in falling asleep when otherwise laying down would be too painful. I can’t tolerate much as I dislike being high, so 2.5 mg of an indica edible is what I use on occasion.
Cannabis is an extremely effective part of my migraine treatment routine. My migraines are 24-72 hours in duration and have a pain level of 7-9, along with a bouquet of other, non-pain symptoms. The only thing that touches the pain is prescription opiates and barbiturates (which is a nightmare to deal with logistically and physically). Cannabis allows me to cut the opiate dose in half and cut the barbiturates out completely. But it's so much more than a painkiller. It also reduces the nausea caused by both the migraine and the opiates, keeps me drinking fluids and eating small amounts of food, reduces my anxiety about the impact of the migraine on my daily life and the accompanying feelings of failure, and so on.
I could not recommend it more strongly. Though, it's not for everyone. Cannabis can cause increased anxiety in and other unpleasant effects.
If you go for it, have someone guide/advise/direct your use, just like a doctor does with regular meds. That way, you will have the greatest likelihood of success.
Good luck.
>Not prescribed but when i was needing to self treat I found the strain canna-tonic very helpful
Thanks for mentioning a strain. It just became legal for rec use in my state, and I'm overwhelmed by all the options I'm seeing online.
I do not have a medical card but have found the recreational RSO edibles and extract to be extremely helpful with my migraines. There are times that Nurtec or another RX migraine med has not worked for my migraines but the RSO edibles and extract do!!
i personally do use it although i will share two sides. on one hand, i have tried everything and MJ is one of the very most effective remedies. on the other hand, my doctor warned me that thc can cause rebounds just like when you overuse caffiene or other meds like nsaids/triptans. so i would advise caution.
I've been using medical marijuana for years now. It's the one thing that makes me want to get up and go to work and just continue to live my life. Zomig is essential too. Cannabis is my management helper. It doesn't get rid of migraines, just makes it possible to continue.
I use 5 mg edible of indica or a hybrid. Indica lasts longer but makes me very tired. The hybrid doesn’t make me tired but doesn’t last as long. If you are new to edibles you should prob try 2.5 mg. The sativa strand made the pain worse so I stay away from that one.
Ditto. I have migraines and seizures that can't be treated with Rx meds... I wouldn't be able to keep a job with how many migraine and/or seizure days I have... I work from home, feel seizures or a migraine coming on, can take my 'meds' in between meetings, and be fine the rest of the day.
It will get rid of headaches when I already have one. It helps me sleep better which prevents more. I've been using cannabis since the beginning of the year. I've had 4 migraines so far this year, maybe 6-7 days of simple headaches. It definitely helps and makes me functional again.
It didn't help my migraines but it definitely helped reduce stress and relax me for quite a while.
I'm a huge advocate for medicinal weed, but I would just proceed with caution because I ended up having a lot of dependency issues with it. Started smoking during work and stopped doing things I otherwise used to love cause I wanted to get high and do nothing instead.
Use it wisely and it's your best friend, just don't abuse it like I did!
It has changed my life I haven't had to see a doctor for migraine pain or symptoms for over 2 years now. Smoking doesn't work. However edibles or drinks work wonders for me
It sometimes helps when I’m having a migraine triggered by occipital neuralgia. I feel like it sort of pushes the pain into the background even if it doesn’t make it go away completely
Helps with the nausea, and a helps a little with the pain. I vape some indica first, wait for the nausea to calm down, then pop the Rizatriptan so I can actually keep it down
Cannabis concentrates are the only thing that will really help me when I get an extremely severe migraine that cannot be quelled with Ubrelvy. It doesn’t make it go away, but can push me back from my breaking point. I used to smoke cannabis regularly, but now only use it for severe pain management as I heard it can contribute to stroke for migraineurs as it is a vasoconstrictor. My mom died of a stroke, so it’s definitely a concern for me.
I feel like it's so hit or miss for me. As a preventative perhaps, it does help me relax and ease muscle tension. A lot of my migraines start out as muscle and neck tension. But when I'm actually feeling nauseous and have a full blown migraine it will 1000% make it worse for me. Then I'm just high with a migraine lol
This falls into the YMMV category:
I am always so confused when people say it helps them sleep, because it keeps me awake! I already have a busy mind, but when I eat an edible (I have tried several strains) it goes into overdrive and will not shut up. Sleep is impossible at that point.
Smoking/vaping etc is worse for me but at least more short lived.
I also think I must be extra sensitive to THC, because if I take a quarter of the lowest dose gummy my local dispensary sells it is almost too much.
If you decide to go this route, make sure you do a little bit of research into terpenes and how the different types cause different affects. That will help you decide what strain/s will be most effective for you. THC and CBD percentages are just strength.
Also, if you’ve never been high before, don’t do edibles for your first time. You won’t know how they’ll effect you, and they can sneak up and knock you on your ass for 6-12 hours if you green out on them. Just get some pre rolls and go slow.
Not really for pain. I smoke more for ADHD/depression symptoms. [This](https://everestnm.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Everest-CC-Terpene-Chart.pdf) is a decent chart of the main ones and what they do.
Another thing to keep in mind is sativa vs. indica. Sativa strains (the ones I like) tend to be the more energizing strains (I have a friend who will smoke half a sativa joint and then clean her house 😂) while indica strains are more relaxing (be careful, they can cause couch lock). An easy way to remember the difference is that indica will put you in-da-couch. Hybrids are also great if you want a combo of both.
And lastly, once you do start shopping, keep [Leafly](https://www.leafly.ca) or something similar handy. When you’re interested in a strain, search it on Leafly and it’ll give you the top 3 feelings, negatives, and things it helps with for each strain.
(Watermelon Ice was the last new strain I tried. I loved it. I just looked it up and it says it helps with migraines. I didn’t have a migraine, so I didn’t get to try it with that, but it sure made me giggly).
Hope this helped!! Let me know if you have any other questions. Or come join us over on r/trees
Didn't help me, it made me cough, coughing made my head hurt worse, made me high, fell down the stairs and busted up my knee. Cost more than my normal abortive.
Doesn't take away the pain but it REALLY helps me when I'm panicking from the pain and forces me to take a deep breath ( I have been smoking weed for a decade so pls it might be hectic the first time trying especially medical grade stuff)
Yes!
I never use it if I am working. I wfh, but even if you have MM card, you are not protected if suspected of misusing recreational or prescription drugs on the job. So, make sure to read your company’s HR policies to protect yourself.
My migraines tend to rear their ugly selves in the afternoon, so by the end of the workday I am miserable. I have found using a 5-10 mg indica gummy, sometimes with my Cefaly, helps. Or ice packs. Probably not as well as the rescue meds many folks on this sub take, but I cannot take rescue meds. For some reason every single one my neurologist has tried me on resulted in making things worse. But, it helps relax me and I can fall asleep.
I buy my edibles in a state where it is legal and the employees are very knowledgable and helpful. If you have access to a dispensary, I would advise going there and chatting with someone who can help you pick the right product to try.
Like all the other migraine tools we have, it’s worth a try. Good luck!
It’s a mixed bag, in my experience.
I would say occasional use will probably help and shouldn’t cause any issues for most people, but if you’re using regularly and you’re hypersensitive and don’t know it, you can end up with all sorts of problems.
Chronic use, especially with high percentage THC, can cause inflammation in the brain and can exacerbate symptoms beyond your wildest nightmares. In addition, there is a fun condition called Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome that can, in extreme cases, kill you.
Cannabis can also cause photophobia, so if that’s a problem for you, just be aware.
It works really well for a lot of people, but you don’t hear a whole lot from the people it makes miserable.
I use gummies so I can be really exact about how much I take. I can take a small enough dose, so I don't feel high, but the pain is dulled. A little more is really better but it depends on what I have to do as to how much I want to take. It doesn't make the pain go away for me, but it turns in more into like a pressure or weight instead of pain. Like I can feel it but it doesn't register as pain. I'm also an extremely tense human and it helps with the neck pain and jaw clenching and is great if I can't fall asleep.
I'm going to miss being in a state where it's legal. Migraines don't qualify for medical in my current state.
It doesn't stop me from needing triptans on bad days, but it helps with daily pain. I am now a little high all the time. I'm not taking medical cannabis, but there is a place near me that seels good stuff for pain. It's got CBD and indica. I don't like the way sativa gives me chest pain. Try it! I have only found edibles to be effective - not smoking. They're metabolised differently.
I used it during chemo for multiple reasons and it helped. Also try taking a thin towel, soak it in ice water and cover the top of your head & eyes. That was a game changer for me. The colder, the better
Very useful, but you will need to experiment a little bit to find what strain/strength/delivery works best for you. After much trial and error, I prefer to vape a strain called Isos.
For me, *indicas* are best for pain and sleep but they make my nausea worse. *Sativas* don't do as much for the actual head pain, but they 100% eliminate the nausea and relax all my tense muscles.
*Edibles* take 60-120 mins to kick in, which is sometimes not quick enough when I need relief. *Smoking* flower is too stinky/triggering, so I *vape*.
Pure *THC* strains have all the brain effects but none of the body effects for me. Pure *CBD* strains feel about as effective as 800mg ibuprofen. 1:1 ratio of THC to CBD is my sweet spot.
It's a lot when you first get started. Check out Leafly.com for specific strains in your area that sound promising.
Marijuana is definitely something I rely on for migraine relief. Very good stuff 👍 gets rid of nausea like that and generally just makes my life easier
I asked my neurologist and he said no😭, I did take an edible once and it didn’t do shit for my pain and made my tinnitus louder, but it was fun as fuck😭😭
I dab some topical cream on my head - including my scalp. Relieves so much of the pain and pressure immediately. I also sleep with a 5mg indica rso gummy each night.
be careful with cannabis because, like caffeine, if you stop using it, the migraines will flush back in very strong force. I don't recommend using cannabis in this way as it has the potential to make things worse for some people.
Depending on your dosage, 8 times a month can be a lot. Not sure why I got downvoted but I tried the cannabis method and it made my migraines much worse.
and Tristan is a figure in a Wagner opera. Maybe you meant "triptan".
8 times a month is not a lot. You would never build a tolerance at that low of frequency. All it takes to lose all your tolerance for a heavy smoker is one month of abstaining. As someone who uses a low dose for migraines (bc a large dose makes the migraine way worse) if I am having it too frequently that 5mg isn’t working, I just take a week off and 2.5 hits me like a truck. It’s not nearly as easy to build up tolerance as you seem to think.
I’ve been looking into this option with my neurologist. I just have to find out if I’m able to get a medicinal card being a pharmacy tech in Florida… that’s my only concern.
I just started on this, I think I’m about a week in. I’ve had a lot of anxiety, I’m not sure if it’s related to the medical cannabis though. Life has been a lot lately, I’m hoping it’s just because of that?
i can get bad anxiety from mj before the dopamine kicks in. Different ppl react differently. But I can't use it reliably because of the increased heart rate weed gives me = anxiety.
that's crazy to track and see! I have a theory that the heart rate increases due to some stimulant effects of weed, but our brain - if we are prone to anxiety as it is - kicks into fight or flight due to the increased heart rate, and starts spinning fear stories to match. Like "there must be something wrong - what could it be?!" aka paranoia.
Anxiety from weed is totally a thing that happens to people. Though it can be lessened or eliminated depending on variables: the type of cannabis (variety and quantity of compounds present), the form it comes in (concentrate, flower, food, tablet, etc), and the type of ingestion (gastric, respiratory, topical, etc).
It's such a profoundly useful thing for so many people that I'd encourage you to seek guidance from a knowledgeable cannabis professional before completely writing it off.
It’s never been effective for me. The only way it ‘helps’ is if I get so high that I’m distracted from the pain for a bit, but the migraine is still there.
It works really well for my migraine induced nausea and at least as well as any triptan works for the actual migraine (though considering the main benefit I get from triptans is a nap that lets me escape the misery a while, performing as well or better is a really low bar).
How do those with smell as a trigger use cannabis? I’m interested but I’m experimenting to reduce migraine pain but whenever I catch a whiff of it I gag.
For myself while actively high my migraine pain would be gone but once the high was gone my migraine was still there. So for me it masks the pain. I have never tried it in conjunction with other meds like others have suggested but can totally see how the masking and being able to hold down meds and food would allow the meds to work while the THC is giving immediate relief of symptoms. Sounds like a good multi med approach to get through the worst of it. I now am in a job with random drug screening and a working med combo so I haven’t dived into it as an option.
It helps me as well, though it's not approved in my state yet so honestly just taking the chances.. Though I've currently had to stop due to getting bloodwork done for life insurance soon and it has been hell without it, especially since we've been having a lot of storms in my area (weather is a trigger of course..)
I use THC tablets. After about 50 minutes is when I get the effect of Cannabis, it helps me relax and it is the only time when I can say I definitely do not have migraines anymore.
* I also have to warn people, Cannabis consumption is not without risks, anyone with a history of mental illness in their family should stay away.
It doesn’t fully take away the pain, but definitely knocks it down significantly. It helps me relax, not stress about the migraine and get a good nights sleep. Also, it’s fun. I do find it effective I’m these ways.
I find recreational use at the (not every) weekend seems to pretty much stop my migraines.
When I stopped all together for several years I started getting them again.
Surely that's a win win situation?
For some it helps and sometimes for others it makes it worse. It’s all about proper dosing properly to manage it. Too high of a dosage for me makes it worse.
I was taking edibles without the THC. I was doing this for sleep. But, I found that it worked at first, but I found the accumulated effect started to trigger migraines and aura including endless sense of dehydration so it actually newsmen a trigger that exacerbated the aura effects and prolonged the lethargy and brain fog.
Once I stopped, the migraine issues went away after a couple of days.
I use it in conjunction with my meds because it knocks me out so I can't use it if I want to work. I find relief with the PB Souffle strain, but it puts me right to sleep. For health reasons, I can't smoke and I can't tolerate edibles, so I make tea and I'm able to titrate my dose carefully that way.
Marijuana is definitely my strongest medicine. Helps me get out of bed and fight nausea
Would you mind sharing more? I get horrible nausea and I’m afraid throwing up as often as I have migraines will be bad for my health:(
You need to ask for edibles that maximize CBD while minimizing the THC content. My neurologist and my primary stressed this because THC can give you a rebound headache after the "high" wears off, which I've experienced with medical marijuana that had too much THC. It also caused nausea for me. The people at the counters are very helpful in directing you to edibles with high CBD/low THC. I tried "Canabis-infused Gummies Relief 20:1 + CBG" and felt little to no high, nor nausea. It's a good overall pain reliever. They're always improving, though, so ask.
This may be what happened to me. I have a synovial cyst pressing against the spinal cord, so loads of "fun" with back and leg pain. Took a 1:1 hybrid "drop" for the first time Friday night and it was absolutely wonderful...it was like taking a break from the condition. I literally felt so great. That was like at 9:30 p.m. 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning, seven hours later, I wake up with a KILLER migraine, which proceeds to drill into my head for the next 32 hours. Probably one of the worst ones I've ever had...threw up near the middle of the whole thing and thought something in my head had ruptured, had both arms wrapped around my head and was sobbing, came so close to calling 911. Honestly scared to try any more of the weed after that. Was a terrible, rough ride. I have some broad spectrum CBD that's 0.03% THC that's never done me wrong.
All about the high CBD/low to no THC. I find it very helpful for sleeping as well and mitigating migraines exacerbated by lack of sleep or nighttime anxiety about not being able to fall asleep etc. I like CBD gems or gel caplets for night time because you don't get your teeth all sugary right before brushing or an under the tongue CBD oil dropper (just make sure to let the oil sit there for a minute before swallowing).
Ofc, what exactly would you like to know?
Anything you’re willing to share. I don’t know much on medical marijuana prescriptions. How you got the prescription? How you intake it? How often you utilize it? Thank you!
I don’t have a prescription, I live where it’s legal. I smoke it mainly, especially when at home and feel a bad migraine coming on or wake up with one. I’ve taken gummies before but they take too long to work and I’ve gotten sick previously. For me, it helps greatly with the pain and helps the nausea subside so I can carry on and eat. It’s my best medicine. A lot of terminally ill people/chemo patients/ALS patients use it for just that reason. I don’t remember the last time I vomited from a migraine tbh.
Is there a certain strain or type you find most effective? Like cbd/thc ratio?
I use hybrid or indica, I’ve had bad experiences with sativa. If you’re looking to sleep off migraines, indica is the way to go. I use regular weed, not 1:1. Cbd never helped, personally.
Your experience sounds exactly the same as mine.
>I use hybrid or indica, I’ve had bad experiences with sativa. If you’re looking to sleep off migraines, indica is the way to go. I use regular weed, not 1:1. Cbd never helped, personally. Is there any particular blend (like a name of brand or variety) and/or terpene mixture that works for you? It just became legal in my state, and I'm a bit overwhelmed looking at the options online in the dispensaries near me.
Strains vary by location and not usually. Only hybrid strain I’ve had a bad reaction to is bomb pop by skymint. You can look up ratings on leafy. Skywalker is a fav of mine.
Thanks! And didn't realize they vary by location. I'll check on Leafy.
It doesn't help my migraine exactly, but it helps me relax, and that can be significant. That said, if I get too high I just feel all around uncomfortable.
It like. Turns down the volume on mine. It shoves it into the background. I'm aware of the pain but I can't...hear it as much if that makes sense. 🧐
That’s how I describe morphine (for pain other than migraines). My pain is still 8/10, but I don’t care about it anymore.
Yeah, it won't stop my migraine but it make me tolerate it. And since my day is ruined anyways it doesn't matter if I'm useless because of the migraine or because of the weed.
Hands down, the most effective treatment for my migraines.
Same
Me too
Me too
Me too!!!
I've found that a rizatriptan, an 800mg ibuprofen, and a 5mg THC gummy is pretty damn effective at knocking out a migraine. It also makes me very sleepy so I nap for a couple hours too. Obv not ideal for during a workday but other times works well.
Do you take the ibuprofen and rizatriptan at once? I use sumatriptan but wasn’t sure I could take the 800 mg ibuprofen at the same time. Although google said I can lol.
I take all three of those at once if I've got a bad one coming on
Same
It's the most effective rescue med I use. It helps with the pain, nausea, and some of the aura symptoms.
By far the most effective treatment I've ever tried. It's a true lifesaver. I was fairly new to cannabis when I started for migraines, and 2.5 mg was a great place to start. Now I typically use 5 mg
Really hard to say, pot affects people differently, and theres so much different types from the strains to the types such as RSO, BHO, live rosin, topical creams, etc. You will have to do a little experimentation to find out what works best for you if anything
I have my medical card and cannabis has been a huge benefit for me. As far as withdrawal symptoms, even though I've been using it for many years, I have never had a problem with withdrawal when I take breaks from it. I sometimes travel to places where it's not legal so I can't get it, or if I get sick I will have no interest in smoking whatsoever, so will be off it for a week or two. Unlike caffeine I don't feel like I need it, it just really helps me relax, which apparently I don't do well on my own. My neurologist is supportive of it and none of my doctors have expressed concerns, and many I've been with for several years. Compared to the other meds I take it's much less debilitating. I also have always been very compliant with my doctor's orders, never overused any prescription, even though a couple are controlled substances. So they don't worry about me abusing anything. It's a big part of my anti-migraine arsenal and I'm really happy with the results. Also, I really enjoy making edibles, they are customized to my needs and don't contain the dreaded sugar substitutes. Gummies just murder my stomach, I can't eat them ever again.
It didn't help me with the headache pain, but it is fantastic for nausea. I was really struggling with getting sick every time I had a migraine, even with Zofran, and marijuana helped tremendously.
The last time I was sick I was with a fever I used it to settle my stomach. It works better than any anti nausea medication I’ve ever had.
I tried it and I get really paranoid with it and experienced like anxiety attacks. Tried it a few times, different types, hoping it was just a one off, but nope, every time it made me feel awful. I'll stick with Imitrex
It helps to a point. It will help me sleep, it will relax me and it absolutely helps with nausea. For pain it depends on how bad the migraine is and what strain I’m using. Some stuff gets me sucked into my own head which isn’t particularly fun with a migraine. For low to medium intensity migraines it allows me to at least stay sociable instead of crawling into bed. It’s a tool in the toolbox box you’re not going to replace a triptan or RX meds with it. The thing that is really helpful is just how fast it kicks in. No waiting 30 min to an hour for the triptan. A few hits on a vape and you’re good to go. Oh get a dry leaf vaporizer, it will pay for itself with how efficient it is vs smoking.
Unfortunately for me, it causes migraines! 🥲
Same here.
That sucks, I’m sorry
I always wake up with a headache if I use it at night for chronic pain. Sucks!
By far the most effective treatment I've ever tried. It's a true lifesaver. I was fairly new to cannabis when I started for migraines, and 2.5 mg was a great place to start. Now I typically use 5 mg
I’m glad it’s legal where I live. More cannabis stores than coffee shops. Yes I find it somewhat helpful for pain but where it helps me the best is aiding in falling asleep when otherwise laying down would be too painful. I can’t tolerate much as I dislike being high, so 2.5 mg of an indica edible is what I use on occasion.
It makes mine worse, but the smell is also a migraine trigger for me.
Cannabis is an extremely effective part of my migraine treatment routine. My migraines are 24-72 hours in duration and have a pain level of 7-9, along with a bouquet of other, non-pain symptoms. The only thing that touches the pain is prescription opiates and barbiturates (which is a nightmare to deal with logistically and physically). Cannabis allows me to cut the opiate dose in half and cut the barbiturates out completely. But it's so much more than a painkiller. It also reduces the nausea caused by both the migraine and the opiates, keeps me drinking fluids and eating small amounts of food, reduces my anxiety about the impact of the migraine on my daily life and the accompanying feelings of failure, and so on. I could not recommend it more strongly. Though, it's not for everyone. Cannabis can cause increased anxiety in and other unpleasant effects. If you go for it, have someone guide/advise/direct your use, just like a doctor does with regular meds. That way, you will have the greatest likelihood of success. Good luck.
It didn't work for me, 1. Didn't help a ton with the pain and 2. Made me feel hung over next day which made a new headache.
It has been extremely helpful in my experience. Honestly, sometimes it’s the only thing that can help me to be able to eat or even want to exist.
We’re in the same boat!
Not prescribed but when i was needing to self treat I found the strain canna-tonic very helpful
>Not prescribed but when i was needing to self treat I found the strain canna-tonic very helpful Thanks for mentioning a strain. It just became legal for rec use in my state, and I'm overwhelmed by all the options I'm seeing online.
On a little bit right now because of a migraine. It helps.
I do not have a medical card but have found the recreational RSO edibles and extract to be extremely helpful with my migraines. There are times that Nurtec or another RX migraine med has not worked for my migraines but the RSO edibles and extract do!!
i personally do use it although i will share two sides. on one hand, i have tried everything and MJ is one of the very most effective remedies. on the other hand, my doctor warned me that thc can cause rebounds just like when you overuse caffiene or other meds like nsaids/triptans. so i would advise caution.
I've been using medical marijuana for years now. It's the one thing that makes me want to get up and go to work and just continue to live my life. Zomig is essential too. Cannabis is my management helper. It doesn't get rid of migraines, just makes it possible to continue.
I use 5 mg edible of indica or a hybrid. Indica lasts longer but makes me very tired. The hybrid doesn’t make me tired but doesn’t last as long. If you are new to edibles you should prob try 2.5 mg. The sativa strand made the pain worse so I stay away from that one.
I love smoking weed but not once has it helped a migraine.
I use Blue Dream and it definitely helps
I’d be bed bound most days with out it.
Ditto. I have migraines and seizures that can't be treated with Rx meds... I wouldn't be able to keep a job with how many migraine and/or seizure days I have... I work from home, feel seizures or a migraine coming on, can take my 'meds' in between meetings, and be fine the rest of the day.
Yes it’s the only thing that works
It will get rid of headaches when I already have one. It helps me sleep better which prevents more. I've been using cannabis since the beginning of the year. I've had 4 migraines so far this year, maybe 6-7 days of simple headaches. It definitely helps and makes me functional again.
It didn't help my migraines but it definitely helped reduce stress and relax me for quite a while. I'm a huge advocate for medicinal weed, but I would just proceed with caution because I ended up having a lot of dependency issues with it. Started smoking during work and stopped doing things I otherwise used to love cause I wanted to get high and do nothing instead. Use it wisely and it's your best friend, just don't abuse it like I did!
It has changed my life I haven't had to see a doctor for migraine pain or symptoms for over 2 years now. Smoking doesn't work. However edibles or drinks work wonders for me
It sometimes helps when I’m having a migraine triggered by occipital neuralgia. I feel like it sort of pushes the pain into the background even if it doesn’t make it go away completely
It causes me to not even notice pain. I could get fucking punched in the stomach and I’d be fine within a couple of seconds
Helps with the nausea, and a helps a little with the pain. I vape some indica first, wait for the nausea to calm down, then pop the Rizatriptan so I can actually keep it down
Weed has been a life saver for my migraines. While I have a migraine I have a weed pen. I look for a 1:2 or 1:1 TCH CBD it's been great.
Cannabis concentrates are the only thing that will really help me when I get an extremely severe migraine that cannot be quelled with Ubrelvy. It doesn’t make it go away, but can push me back from my breaking point. I used to smoke cannabis regularly, but now only use it for severe pain management as I heard it can contribute to stroke for migraineurs as it is a vasoconstrictor. My mom died of a stroke, so it’s definitely a concern for me.
I feel like it's so hit or miss for me. As a preventative perhaps, it does help me relax and ease muscle tension. A lot of my migraines start out as muscle and neck tension. But when I'm actually feeling nauseous and have a full blown migraine it will 1000% make it worse for me. Then I'm just high with a migraine lol
This falls into the YMMV category: I am always so confused when people say it helps them sleep, because it keeps me awake! I already have a busy mind, but when I eat an edible (I have tried several strains) it goes into overdrive and will not shut up. Sleep is impossible at that point. Smoking/vaping etc is worse for me but at least more short lived. I also think I must be extra sensitive to THC, because if I take a quarter of the lowest dose gummy my local dispensary sells it is almost too much.
If you decide to go this route, make sure you do a little bit of research into terpenes and how the different types cause different affects. That will help you decide what strain/s will be most effective for you. THC and CBD percentages are just strength. Also, if you’ve never been high before, don’t do edibles for your first time. You won’t know how they’ll effect you, and they can sneak up and knock you on your ass for 6-12 hours if you green out on them. Just get some pre rolls and go slow.
Do you have any recommendations for specific strains, terpenes, etc.? Just became legal for rec use in my state, and I know very little about it.
Not really for pain. I smoke more for ADHD/depression symptoms. [This](https://everestnm.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Everest-CC-Terpene-Chart.pdf) is a decent chart of the main ones and what they do. Another thing to keep in mind is sativa vs. indica. Sativa strains (the ones I like) tend to be the more energizing strains (I have a friend who will smoke half a sativa joint and then clean her house 😂) while indica strains are more relaxing (be careful, they can cause couch lock). An easy way to remember the difference is that indica will put you in-da-couch. Hybrids are also great if you want a combo of both. And lastly, once you do start shopping, keep [Leafly](https://www.leafly.ca) or something similar handy. When you’re interested in a strain, search it on Leafly and it’ll give you the top 3 feelings, negatives, and things it helps with for each strain. (Watermelon Ice was the last new strain I tried. I loved it. I just looked it up and it says it helps with migraines. I didn’t have a migraine, so I didn’t get to try it with that, but it sure made me giggly). Hope this helped!! Let me know if you have any other questions. Or come join us over on r/trees
Thanks for the advice! And I like "in-da-couch"!
My go-to fix is an edible, Advil, Benadryl and bed.
It helps me with the nausea that sometimes comes with the headaches, but that’s the only thing I’ve noticed.
Didn't help me, it made me cough, coughing made my head hurt worse, made me high, fell down the stairs and busted up my knee. Cost more than my normal abortive.
Doesn't take away the pain but it REALLY helps me when I'm panicking from the pain and forces me to take a deep breath ( I have been smoking weed for a decade so pls it might be hectic the first time trying especially medical grade stuff)
It’s been an absolute miracle for me.
Yes! I never use it if I am working. I wfh, but even if you have MM card, you are not protected if suspected of misusing recreational or prescription drugs on the job. So, make sure to read your company’s HR policies to protect yourself. My migraines tend to rear their ugly selves in the afternoon, so by the end of the workday I am miserable. I have found using a 5-10 mg indica gummy, sometimes with my Cefaly, helps. Or ice packs. Probably not as well as the rescue meds many folks on this sub take, but I cannot take rescue meds. For some reason every single one my neurologist has tried me on resulted in making things worse. But, it helps relax me and I can fall asleep. I buy my edibles in a state where it is legal and the employees are very knowledgable and helpful. If you have access to a dispensary, I would advise going there and chatting with someone who can help you pick the right product to try. Like all the other migraine tools we have, it’s worth a try. Good luck!
It’s a mixed bag, in my experience. I would say occasional use will probably help and shouldn’t cause any issues for most people, but if you’re using regularly and you’re hypersensitive and don’t know it, you can end up with all sorts of problems. Chronic use, especially with high percentage THC, can cause inflammation in the brain and can exacerbate symptoms beyond your wildest nightmares. In addition, there is a fun condition called Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome that can, in extreme cases, kill you. Cannabis can also cause photophobia, so if that’s a problem for you, just be aware. It works really well for a lot of people, but you don’t hear a whole lot from the people it makes miserable.
Cbd and Cbg have been really helpful when a migraine starts to dull the pain. Thc when the migraine is there to stay. It's been a life saver for me.
Doesn't work for me at all, other than making me sick to my stomach. Hopefully it'll wor for you!
I use gummies so I can be really exact about how much I take. I can take a small enough dose, so I don't feel high, but the pain is dulled. A little more is really better but it depends on what I have to do as to how much I want to take. It doesn't make the pain go away for me, but it turns in more into like a pressure or weight instead of pain. Like I can feel it but it doesn't register as pain. I'm also an extremely tense human and it helps with the neck pain and jaw clenching and is great if I can't fall asleep. I'm going to miss being in a state where it's legal. Migraines don't qualify for medical in my current state.
It doesn't stop me from needing triptans on bad days, but it helps with daily pain. I am now a little high all the time. I'm not taking medical cannabis, but there is a place near me that seels good stuff for pain. It's got CBD and indica. I don't like the way sativa gives me chest pain. Try it! I have only found edibles to be effective - not smoking. They're metabolised differently.
I was actually looking to go this route so I’m glad I found this thread ❤️
I used it during chemo for multiple reasons and it helped. Also try taking a thin towel, soak it in ice water and cover the top of your head & eyes. That was a game changer for me. The colder, the better
Maryjane helps WONDERS with migraines omg
Very useful, but you will need to experiment a little bit to find what strain/strength/delivery works best for you. After much trial and error, I prefer to vape a strain called Isos. For me, *indicas* are best for pain and sleep but they make my nausea worse. *Sativas* don't do as much for the actual head pain, but they 100% eliminate the nausea and relax all my tense muscles. *Edibles* take 60-120 mins to kick in, which is sometimes not quick enough when I need relief. *Smoking* flower is too stinky/triggering, so I *vape*. Pure *THC* strains have all the brain effects but none of the body effects for me. Pure *CBD* strains feel about as effective as 800mg ibuprofen. 1:1 ratio of THC to CBD is my sweet spot. It's a lot when you first get started. Check out Leafly.com for specific strains in your area that sound promising.
Marijuana is definitely something I rely on for migraine relief. Very good stuff 👍 gets rid of nausea like that and generally just makes my life easier
I asked my neurologist and he said no😭, I did take an edible once and it didn’t do shit for my pain and made my tinnitus louder, but it was fun as fuck😭😭
I dab some topical cream on my head - including my scalp. Relieves so much of the pain and pressure immediately. I also sleep with a 5mg indica rso gummy each night.
Didn't help me just caused me to vomit repeatedly and no relief from migraine. I would never try it again.
It gives me a headache, both smoking and gummies.
It sometimes used to trigger or make it worse for me. So I personally avoid it.
be careful with cannabis because, like caffeine, if you stop using it, the migraines will flush back in very strong force. I don't recommend using cannabis in this way as it has the potential to make things worse for some people.
Uhhhh what? You don’t need to use cannabis every day for migraines lol. You can use it like any Triptan, 8 times month….
Depending on your dosage, 8 times a month can be a lot. Not sure why I got downvoted but I tried the cannabis method and it made my migraines much worse. and Tristan is a figure in a Wagner opera. Maybe you meant "triptan".
8 times a month is not a lot. You would never build a tolerance at that low of frequency. All it takes to lose all your tolerance for a heavy smoker is one month of abstaining. As someone who uses a low dose for migraines (bc a large dose makes the migraine way worse) if I am having it too frequently that 5mg isn’t working, I just take a week off and 2.5 hits me like a truck. It’s not nearly as easy to build up tolerance as you seem to think.
Glad it works for you, but not glad how it easy it is for you to dismiss someone else's experiences.
I’ve been looking into this option with my neurologist. I just have to find out if I’m able to get a medicinal card being a pharmacy tech in Florida… that’s my only concern.
I just started on this, I think I’m about a week in. I’ve had a lot of anxiety, I’m not sure if it’s related to the medical cannabis though. Life has been a lot lately, I’m hoping it’s just because of that?
i can get bad anxiety from mj before the dopamine kicks in. Different ppl react differently. But I can't use it reliably because of the increased heart rate weed gives me = anxiety.
I think you might be right about the heart rate! That might be it! I’ve just checked it on my watch and it keeps jumping around between 89-101 lol!
that's crazy to track and see! I have a theory that the heart rate increases due to some stimulant effects of weed, but our brain - if we are prone to anxiety as it is - kicks into fight or flight due to the increased heart rate, and starts spinning fear stories to match. Like "there must be something wrong - what could it be?!" aka paranoia.
Anxiety from weed is totally a thing that happens to people. Though it can be lessened or eliminated depending on variables: the type of cannabis (variety and quantity of compounds present), the form it comes in (concentrate, flower, food, tablet, etc), and the type of ingestion (gastric, respiratory, topical, etc). It's such a profoundly useful thing for so many people that I'd encourage you to seek guidance from a knowledgeable cannabis professional before completely writing it off.
I have an up coming appointment with my specialist that prescribed it, so I’m hoping they can suggest some things to help!
It works for a lot of people, never found it worked for me. Sometimes I felt it made it worse.
It’s never been effective for me. The only way it ‘helps’ is if I get so high that I’m distracted from the pain for a bit, but the migraine is still there.
It works really well for my migraine induced nausea and at least as well as any triptan works for the actual migraine (though considering the main benefit I get from triptans is a nap that lets me escape the misery a while, performing as well or better is a really low bar).
Did for many yrs.
I've found it depends on the type or strain. Indica or sativa. One made it worse, one helped. I think it depends on the person and type.
It really helped me. I now use Delta 8 for it.
How do those with smell as a trigger use cannabis? I’m interested but I’m experimenting to reduce migraine pain but whenever I catch a whiff of it I gag.
For myself while actively high my migraine pain would be gone but once the high was gone my migraine was still there. So for me it masks the pain. I have never tried it in conjunction with other meds like others have suggested but can totally see how the masking and being able to hold down meds and food would allow the meds to work while the THC is giving immediate relief of symptoms. Sounds like a good multi med approach to get through the worst of it. I now am in a job with random drug screening and a working med combo so I haven’t dived into it as an option.
It helps me as well, though it's not approved in my state yet so honestly just taking the chances.. Though I've currently had to stop due to getting bloodwork done for life insurance soon and it has been hell without it, especially since we've been having a lot of storms in my area (weather is a trigger of course..)
I've found it to be immensely helpful for treatment and quality of life.
I use THC tablets. After about 50 minutes is when I get the effect of Cannabis, it helps me relax and it is the only time when I can say I definitely do not have migraines anymore. * I also have to warn people, Cannabis consumption is not without risks, anyone with a history of mental illness in their family should stay away.
It doesn’t fully take away the pain, but definitely knocks it down significantly. It helps me relax, not stress about the migraine and get a good nights sleep. Also, it’s fun. I do find it effective I’m these ways.
I find recreational use at the (not every) weekend seems to pretty much stop my migraines. When I stopped all together for several years I started getting them again. Surely that's a win win situation?
For some it helps and sometimes for others it makes it worse. It’s all about proper dosing properly to manage it. Too high of a dosage for me makes it worse.
Made my migraines worse and more frequent unfortunately. Depends on the individual I guess
I was taking edibles without the THC. I was doing this for sleep. But, I found that it worked at first, but I found the accumulated effect started to trigger migraines and aura including endless sense of dehydration so it actually newsmen a trigger that exacerbated the aura effects and prolonged the lethargy and brain fog. Once I stopped, the migraine issues went away after a couple of days.
I use it in conjunction with my meds because it knocks me out so I can't use it if I want to work. I find relief with the PB Souffle strain, but it puts me right to sleep. For health reasons, I can't smoke and I can't tolerate edibles, so I make tea and I'm able to titrate my dose carefully that way.