{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/success-story/2","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_2463-markdown","title":"Fibromyalgia, Neuropathy & Cannabis: Adrion’s Success Story","slug":"fibromyalgia-neuropathy-and-cannabis-adrions-success-story","content":"**Patient:** Anne Walters, age 53\n\n**Health conditions: **Fibromyalgia, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, severe chronic pain, anxiety\n\n**Solution:** CBD via tincture and a vaporizer in combination with 50mg of Topamax and an occasional Motrin\n\n\nNew York’s medical cannabis program currently serves 34,000 registered patients, and Anne Walters has been a certified patient since June 2017. This is her story on how cannabis has helped treat her multiple conditions and neuropathies.\n\n### A Long, Hard Journey Before Cannabis\n\nWith all that 53-year-old Anne has been through, it’s hard to believe that her journey can be traced back to carpal tunnel syndrome. “In 2003, I was working at a job doing repetitive work,” she says. “When I went to the doctor, I found out I had fibromyalgia, and that I had not only carpal tunnel, but De Quervain's and tendonitis.”\n\nAnne was a single mother raising three children at the time, balancing the need to work with the reality that the job was doing harm. “I just kept working, and I had no idea that what I was doing to my hands was so bad until I was in a lot of pain.”\n\nA doctor recommended reconstructive surgery on her thumb. “We’re going to pull the tendons from your forearm to rebuild the muscle in your thumb,” she recalls hearing from her doctor, “so I go into the hospital and have three procedures done on this one hand.”\n\nBut the surgery made things worse. “I came out with a condition called reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD).” \n\nNow on disability, Anne began to suffer from depression and was diagnosed with generalized anxiety by her counselor. Meanwhile, the Elavil she was prescribed to help with the pain caused by fibromyalgia “made me sleep 20 hours, and I put on weight, which caused back problems. I went from 175, fit for a person with my build, to 240 pounds.”\n\nAnne was eventually able to go back to school, but things took a turn for the worse right before she graduated from her master’s program. “I got hit by an ambulance bus and suffered damage to the left side of my body, where I had the RSD and surgery on my hand,” she says. “I sustained injuries to my back, my hip, my neck.” \n\nRELATED: [CANNABIS & CHRONIC PAIN: MARGARET'S SUCCESS STORY](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/59de618e5fea3938e500c3cd/cannabis-and-chronic-pain-margarets-success-story)\n\n### A Better Life with Access to Medical Marijuana\n\nThroughout the years, Anne supplemented the advice from doctors with homeopathic remedies. “The only way I was able to improve was doing alternative medicine: herbs, meditation, coming off all that medication and learning how to deal with the pain.”\n\nAnne had been exposed to cannabis’s medicinal qualities thanks to her upbringing. “I come from a culture where marijuana was a cure for so many things,” she explains, “but in the ’80s and ’90s, we shied away from marijuana because it was illegal, and then you don’t know what you’re smoking, you don’t know what’s being put into it.” \n\nThough she knew cannabis might help, Anne couldn’t risk arrest and potentially endangering her health. “You can’t find it pure, and it’s illegal to even grow in your home, so I had to take the medication that doctors gave me,” she says. “I’ve always had that knowledge [about cannabis], but as time goes by you’re forced to conform.”\n\nOnce New York approved medical marijuana, she started researching. Through the [Department of Health website](https://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/medical_marijuana/), she discovered that she qualified for a fee waiver. “I did the certification process in June 2017 and that’s how my life started changing for the better,” she says.\n\nRELATED: [WHAT TO EXPECT OUT OF NEW YORK'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/59ef6c66e6bbba2a588008d1/what-to-expect-out-of-new-yorks-medical-marijuana-program)\n\nAnne knew things were different the first time she visited PharmaCannis’ Hunts Point dispensary. “They walked me through it when I first went to them and got the medication,” she recalls. “No matter how many times I called them, they took their time and told me how to take [cannabis] and which was the best way to use it. They made me feel really confident and that I was in full control of what I was doing.”\n\nAnne especially appreciated the dispensary’s one-on-one approach with patients. “There’s so much privacy, it’s absolutely clean—that’s big for me because some facilities, it’s just about the money,” Anne explains, referring to other dispensaries that felt more like cattle calls.\n\n“There’s no crowding [at PharmaCannis]. They’re very polite; they answer all my questions, take their time. I can talk to them about anything and call them any time. They’re just constantly professional, and you want to go back. I’m going to apply for a job with them,” she chuckles.\n\n### Cannabis for Pain & Multiple Neuropathies\n\n![Anne success story](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/articles-5a0dd40ee2ac1a000b2d3faa-5df03bd7-2374-4d01-96fb-80b746cf8f3b/original.png)\n\nAnne is taking CBD via tincture and a vaporizer. “It lessens the spasms and cramps that I get which take over my hands and they’re stuck for a minute,” she says, comparing the experience to a mini stroke. “I’m not getting that anymore. Cannabis doesn’t take [the spasms] away permanently, but it controls them. It’s wonderful.”\n\nCannabis has also greatly improved Anne’s mobility. “It helps me get up out of the bed,” she says. “Cannabis allows you not to focus so much on the pain. I’m supposed to take it every eight hours, so if I’m consistent with the tincture, it levels the pain. I can be active and not have to focus on my back, neck or ankle; I don’t have to dread the pain.”\n\nAnne also no longer experiences side effects like nausea or headaches with cannabis. “My body feels normal,” she says, adding that even her anxiety has lessened. “The cannabis calms that nervousness down and helps you regain some kind of control of yourself. It’s a great mood stabilizer.”\n\nAfter just three months of use, Anne no longer needs a home attendant and has scaled back her use of other medications. “Every now and then I take Motrin 400 and then the Topamax, I have 50 mg of that. I still have the stiffness and some of the other problems, but not at the magnitude that I had prior to taking the cannabis,” she says. “It’s just been such a huge improvement. I don’t walk with a cane anymore. I don’t wear my neck brace anymore. My neck doesn’t hurt anymore.”\n\nAnne reflected on the path her life has taken since having carpal tunnel syndrome—something so common that triggered a series of events that changed her life forever. She is now in academia teaching abnormal psychology and is steadfast in her advocacy for medical cannabis. “This has improved the quality of my life,” Anne says. “I just want to give back.”\n\nShe hopes people will reconsider longstanding biases about marijuana. “I think people have this preconception of what cannabis is—you just associate it with drug dealers and have this idea in your head, and it’s all wrong; it’s all negative,” Anne explains. \n\nAnne’s clearly empowered by the experience she’s had with medical cannabis: ”I had all of these things happen to me, and I didn’t crumble. So if I’m here and I have a purpose, and this is helping me fulfill my dream and my purpose here on earth, then I’m going to go for it.”\n\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/b1b2d6b8f255d066cb74078125222a36/14b42/bffab165ef4b5ce566879d32adba9b4e.jpg","srcSet":"/static/b1b2d6b8f255d066cb74078125222a36/f836f/bffab165ef4b5ce566879d32adba9b4e.jpg 200w,\n/static/b1b2d6b8f255d066cb74078125222a36/2244e/bffab165ef4b5ce566879d32adba9b4e.jpg 400w,\n/static/b1b2d6b8f255d066cb74078125222a36/14b42/bffab165ef4b5ce566879d32adba9b4e.jpg 800w,\n/static/b1b2d6b8f255d066cb74078125222a36/47498/bffab165ef4b5ce566879d32adba9b4e.jpg 1200w,\n/static/b1b2d6b8f255d066cb74078125222a36/8980c/bffab165ef4b5ce566879d32adba9b4e.jpg 1232w","srcWebp":"/static/b1b2d6b8f255d066cb74078125222a36/58556/bffab165ef4b5ce566879d32adba9b4e.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/b1b2d6b8f255d066cb74078125222a36/61e93/bffab165ef4b5ce566879d32adba9b4e.webp 200w,\n/static/b1b2d6b8f255d066cb74078125222a36/1f5c5/bffab165ef4b5ce566879d32adba9b4e.webp 400w,\n/static/b1b2d6b8f255d066cb74078125222a36/58556/bffab165ef4b5ce566879d32adba9b4e.webp 800w,\n/static/b1b2d6b8f255d066cb74078125222a36/99238/bffab165ef4b5ce566879d32adba9b4e.webp 1200w,\n/static/b1b2d6b8f255d066cb74078125222a36/6fd64/bffab165ef4b5ce566879d32adba9b4e.webp 1232w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2497-markdown","title":"Cannabis & Cancer: One Caregiver’s Story","slug":"cannabis-and-cancer-one-caregivers-story","content":"New York’s medical cannabis program currently serves over 33,000 registered patients. Samantha Rishel has been taking care of her father, who has cancer and has been using medical cannabis since September 2017. This is her family’s story about how medical cannabis has helped with her father’s pain management, appetite and loss of sleep.\r\n\r\nSamantha’s 70-year-old father, who has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, was feeling tired and weak the day we scheduled our call so she spoke on his behalf. It wasn’t her first time in the role of advocate for her dad, who became a certified New York medical cannabis patient in early September.\r\n\r\n### Trying Cannabis as an Alternative to Percoset\r\n\r\n“He started to use it for pain management specifically,” Samantha began, explaining that the Percoset he’d been using for pain was causing side effects. “He would actually let his pain get to a point where it was a lot and then take the Percoset, because while he knew it would relieve the pain, he was going to get the accompanying constipation.” \r\n\r\nRELATED: [OPIOID-INDUCED CONSTIPATION](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/opioid-induced-constipation)\r\n\r\nAfter a friend shared his personal experience taking cannabis as a cancer patient, Samantha started researching the medicine as an alternative to Percoset—which contains both opioid and non-opioid painkillers. She was aware of the state’s program and that her father had a qualifying condition, but she would soon face her first obstacle. \r\n\r\n“The Department of Health lists all of the doctor referrals within each county, and there are zero in Jefferson County,” she says, “so my concern was, how do I do this? Do we go to his doctor, and he has doctors in Oneida County, in any county but this one?”\r\n\r\nThrough researching online, she discovered a potential solution: Not only did Vermont have medical cannabis program, but the state had decriminalized cannabis. “I was looking into driving up there to see what I could find in terms of tinctures and whatever,” Samantha says with a chuckle, “and hopefully not get picked up for speeding.” \r\n\r\nBut instead of having to drive three hours to Burlington, VT, Samantha connected with a pharmacist at [PharmaCannis in Liverpool](https://www.hellomd.com/biz/pharmacannis-liverpool). “He explained to me how to go on and register (for the medical cannabis program), and the various things that cannabis would probably help with,” she says. “I just thought this this would be better than what the opioids were doing to my dad.” Samantha now had everything she needed to broach the subject with her father.\r\n\r\nHe was receptive but hesitant. “My father was concerned about a possible psychotropic effect, which I understand,” she recalls, “but after speaking to numerous people at the dispensary, that’s not what happens. You’re not going to get goofy.”\r\n\r\nWithin a few days of receiving the information, her father was ready to sign up. “I think at that point he had done the research he wanted to do and didn’t feel I was just pushing him, like “C’mon dad, smoke some weed!” she laughs.\r\n\r\n### Becoming a Cannabis Advocate\r\n\r\nAfter getting certified in September and adjusting the dosages to suit his needs, the progress started quickly. “It improved his appetite greatly. He’s less anxious. It has definitely helped with the pain management as he hasn’t had a Percoset in 10 days. He hasn’t had a need or desire for it,” Samantha says. “The constipation is completely gone, so everything we had hoped that it would do, it has done for him.”\r\n\r\nHer father first started using tinctures and had recently introduced vaping into his regime. “He took to it really well, more so than I thought he might,” Samantha says, adding, “He was a little resistant at first, what with the culture surrounding vaping.” But the quick delivery provided by this form of administration soon eliminated any concerns.\r\n\r\nRELATED: [BENEFITS OF VAPING MEDICAL MARIJUANA](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/the-benefits-of-vaping-medical-marijuana)\r\n\r\nSamantha now drives two hours roundtrip every three weeks to pick up medicine for her father at PharmaCannis’ Liverpool dispensary. Her father’s progress makes every trip worth it and has turned Samantha into a passionate advocate.\r\n\r\n“I just wish people were more accepting of [medical marijuana],” she says. “Every medical person we have come into contact with—with my father’s hospitalizations, with various patient navigators, and actually we met with and are working with hospice at this point—we have had zero negative feedback.” \r\n\r\nSamantha is in the process of connecting the hospice facility with PharmaCannis to hopefully have the dispensary provide education and outreach at a local Wellness Fair in her community. “I just think more people need to know, and I’ve become this advocate. Anybody that we’ve spoken to, they have a lot of questions, and I’m trying to direct them and get it set up so that people up here can partake in this and know about it as an option.”\r\n\r\n### Stigma Aside, Marijuana Has Made a Difference\r\n\r\n![](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/59fb788e5aae0c003fa554c9/embedded_images/59fb78905aae0c003fa554ca/image1.png)\r\n\r\nSamantha wanted to share a few important messages from her family about her father’s progress with medical cannabis. “My mother asked me to tell you that she definitely sees a difference in [my father’s] appetite, the fact that he’s sleeping through the night, and then obviously with the pain management,” she says. “He hasn’t had a Percoset in 10 days now. No need for it.”\r\n\r\nThe second message comes from her father, first about getting certified as a patient. “It was extremely easy to register for this,” she emphasized on his behalf. “The referral [via video call with a HelloMD doctor] was very easy and went quickly.” \r\n\r\nHe also wanted people to understand that titrating the medicine is part of the process and takes time. “You’re really working with body weight, and what might work for somebody who’s 100 pounds might not work for someone who’s 180 pounds,” Samantha explains. “It was really just jumping around with the dosage, and they found a dosage that works.”\r\n\r\nSamantha had one more thought to add before signing off. “There’s a stigma on this that shouldn’t be, and the stigma is because it’s marijuana,” she says. “It’s not bad. It has helped my father in every possible way that we could have hoped.”\r\n\r\n### Prologue: A Painless Passing\r\n\r\nDays after our conversation, Samantha let us know that her father had not taken or needed a Percoset in 20 days. “That is [to all of us] incredible,” she wrote in her note.\r\n\r\nFive days later, Samantha sent the following note:\r\n\r\n> _I wanted to let you know that my father died this afternoon. His entire pain management program, following his decision to end chemotherapy, was medicinal cannabis. He continued to use the MC in conjunction with morphine and Atavan over his final three days and experienced what we observed to be a painless passing._\r\n\r\n> _Again, thank you for your interest in our story. My family is thankful for the immense relief the MC provided for my father (and us). It made this entire experience more tolerable in that my father was spared the harsh side effects he experienced early on from the opioids he was prescribed._ \r\n\r\n> _Feel free to incorporate this information into your article. I believe it’s important and should be shared._\r\n\r\n> _Thanks again,_\r\n\r\n> _Samantha Rishel_\r\n\r\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online. ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/2120ce50c14619571bf94927151b4f98/ee604/b3f8632caf3af56e4d8969967617a3b3.png","srcSet":"/static/2120ce50c14619571bf94927151b4f98/69585/b3f8632caf3af56e4d8969967617a3b3.png 200w,\n/static/2120ce50c14619571bf94927151b4f98/497c6/b3f8632caf3af56e4d8969967617a3b3.png 400w,\n/static/2120ce50c14619571bf94927151b4f98/ee604/b3f8632caf3af56e4d8969967617a3b3.png 800w,\n/static/2120ce50c14619571bf94927151b4f98/05d05/b3f8632caf3af56e4d8969967617a3b3.png 1080w","srcWebp":"/static/2120ce50c14619571bf94927151b4f98/58556/b3f8632caf3af56e4d8969967617a3b3.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/2120ce50c14619571bf94927151b4f98/61e93/b3f8632caf3af56e4d8969967617a3b3.webp 200w,\n/static/2120ce50c14619571bf94927151b4f98/1f5c5/b3f8632caf3af56e4d8969967617a3b3.webp 400w,\n/static/2120ce50c14619571bf94927151b4f98/58556/b3f8632caf3af56e4d8969967617a3b3.webp 800w,\n/static/2120ce50c14619571bf94927151b4f98/54d25/b3f8632caf3af56e4d8969967617a3b3.webp 1080w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2393-markdown","title":"Cannabis & Chronic Pain: Margaret’s Success Story","slug":"cannabis-and-chronic-pain-margarets-success-story","content":"New York’s medical cannabis program currently serves over 31,000 registered patients. Margaret is one of those patients, and this is her story about how she’s successfully using cannabis to reduce her dependence on opioids to combat her chronic pain.\n\n“I was actually excited to speak with you!” says Margaret when answering the phone. A patient at PharmaCannis’ Amherst location for the last four months, Margaret felt it was time to share her story. “I’ve had five cervical neck fusions from a tractor trailer accident,” she adds. “I can barely move my neck.” She takes CBD oil for pain management and to help improve her mobility.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Almost Two Decades on Opioid Painkillers\n\nEver since the accident happened in 1999, Margaret has been taking narcotics for the pain. “Unfortunately, both of my surgeons said there’s no way I’m going to be off the narcotics because of the damage,” she explains. “My outlook wasn’t too great because narcotics definitely taint your quality of life. You’re always exhausted and the side effects … I can’t begin to tell you.”\n\nMargaret’s regime didn’t end with the medications; she also tried various procedures that she hoped would improve her situation. “Trigger points three times a month, years of therapy, they’ve burned my nerve endings,” she says. Despite tremendous discomfort and no assurances that the procedures would work, she was willing to try anything that might help. “Everything was very invasive and painful,” Margaret recalls. “I’ve tried everything out there. You can even ask my doctors or surgeons; they say they’ve never seen anybody try so hard.”\n\nFinding relief from the pain felt impossible. “I was really at a point before I tried cannabis where I felt, I can’t do this anymore, my body’s giving out, I’m tired.” Then earlier this year Margaret’s doctor revealed that he had three patients currently taking medical cannabis, and their reports had been positive. “He said I’d been through hell and back and suggested I give cannabis a shot.” \n\nRELATED: [MEDICAL MARIJUANA DOCTORS: WHERE ARE THEY?](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5806c02b5bcbef00076268ad/medical-marijuana-doctors-where-are-they)\n\n### Overcoming the Stigma to Give Cannabis a Try\n\nMargaret was reluctant. “To be honest, I just wasn’t sure it would work with everything I had tried out there,” she says. The negative stigma she’d attached to cannabis her entire life fueled her doubts even further. “It was a no-no. The way I was raised, I never smoked pot. I didn’t know how to do it. I was a cheerleader, you know what I mean?”\n\nMargaret didn’t even know New York’s medical cannabis program had begun or that she might even benefit. “I knew about cannabis treating seizures and chronic pain, cancer, that’s it. I associated medical cannabis with pot, and I would never try it, are you kidding me?” Still, she decided to visit PharmaCannis in Amherst and from the moment she walked in, Margaret’s life changed.\n\n“The first thing I have to say, the staff …” she pauses for a moment, then continues, “I just wish my doctor’s office every other place had a staff as nice as these people. They really do care.” Her PharmaCannis pharmacist guided her through the process and titration of the right CBD-to-THC dosage to best suit her needs.\n\nThe result? Margaret is experiencing pain relief for the first time in over 18 years.\n\n![](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/59de618e5fea3938e500c3cd/embedded_images/59de68299ce4ed3be156c3cb/image2.png)\n\n### Getting Off Opioids with the Help of Cannabis\n\n“What a difference,” she says, her voice trembling. “And I thought, well OK, maybe it’s just going to work a little bit and then like everything else, it’ll stop.” \n\nWhile the pain will never be completely gone, Margaret has already seen improvements in just four months. “My outlook is better, and my mood is better because I finally found something that helps after everything that I’ve gone through. Is the pain gone? Of course not. But if I could just control it a few hours a day, that’s all I’m asking for. I know my life will never be the same, and I’ve accepted that fact, but I can’t begin to tell you what cannabis has done for me.”\n\nMargaret still takes Opana ER, a narcotic that her doctor says she’ll need for the rest of her life, but thanks to medical cannabis she has been able to cut back her usage of another opioid. “I went from three Nucynta pills a day to two pills a day within just three months,” she says proudly. “My goal is to get this one completely out of my life and just stay on the one narcotic.”\n\nMargaret visits PharmaCannis every 10 days and pays out of pocket for more CBD oil. “If cannabis had been around after my accident, truthfully I think I may have had a different type of life. With all the narcotics that I’ve had, this is the only thing truthfully that has made a difference in my pain. I wouldn’t even have had to be on the narcotics.”\n\nShe hopes that cost and outdated stigmas, like the ones she grew up with, won’t prevent people from considering medical cannabis as an option. “I would recommend it to anybody with those conditions. It’s changing my life day by day for the better.”\n\n### Cannabis Gives Patients Hope\n\nMedical cannabis has given Margaret more than pain relief. She also has hope for the first time in years. “I got so disgusted. I didn’t even want to go to the doctor’s anymore,” she says about life before cannabis. Now that Margaret has seen what medical marijuana can do, she has a message for other patients suffering from debilitating pain like hers.\n\n“Don’t give up,” she says passionately. “There are things out there that do work, at least try them. You have to try. I got my spirit back. I got my will back. I have a lot of hope. I’m even thinking that in the future, maybe if this keeps working as well as it does now, that I’ll be off the narcotics completely even though my doctor said I’ll be on it the rest of my life. \n\n“You know, who knows that?”\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  \n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/6b215f791c51ec83d30ef5c81fbcd4c0/3c17d/afd37144e6c031693e7998f219f1ca12.png","srcSet":"/static/6b215f791c51ec83d30ef5c81fbcd4c0/69585/afd37144e6c031693e7998f219f1ca12.png 200w,\n/static/6b215f791c51ec83d30ef5c81fbcd4c0/497c6/afd37144e6c031693e7998f219f1ca12.png 400w,\n/static/6b215f791c51ec83d30ef5c81fbcd4c0/3c17d/afd37144e6c031693e7998f219f1ca12.png 720w","srcWebp":"/static/6b215f791c51ec83d30ef5c81fbcd4c0/2aa8d/afd37144e6c031693e7998f219f1ca12.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/6b215f791c51ec83d30ef5c81fbcd4c0/61e93/afd37144e6c031693e7998f219f1ca12.webp 200w,\n/static/6b215f791c51ec83d30ef5c81fbcd4c0/1f5c5/afd37144e6c031693e7998f219f1ca12.webp 400w,\n/static/6b215f791c51ec83d30ef5c81fbcd4c0/2aa8d/afd37144e6c031693e7998f219f1ca12.webp 720w","sizes":"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2302-markdown","title":"Marijuana, Insomnia & Migraines: Liz's Success Story","slug":"marijuana-insomnia-and-migraines-lizs-success-story","content":"### Cannabis Success Stories\n\nAfter serving thousands of patients at HelloMD we have seen a pattern emerge: cannabis helps real people with real conditions. People from all walks of life are turning to cannabis in lieu of opioids, other medications or alternative therapies because they are feeling the results and relief, with little to no side effects. \n\nWe have started a series of cannabis case studies to outline the positive impact cannabis is having within people's lives. In this week's cannabis success story we speak with Liz who has long suffered from insomnia and migraines. Cannabis has allowed her to not only sleep better but to manage her migraines effectively.\n\n### Liz's Experience with Cannabis\n[![](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/586990111eefb000085918c5/embedded_images/586990141eefb000085918c6/Screen_Shot_2017-01-01_at_2.50.27_PM.png)](\nhttps://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hellomd-news/patient-success/Patient+Case+Study__Liz_Insomnia_final.pdf)\n[Download the PDF](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hellomd-news/patient-success/Patient+Case+Study__Liz_Insomnia_final.pdf)\n\n### Chronic Pain History\n\nI have always had insomnia, even as a kid. Why I have never been able to sleep is a mystery to me and my doctors. Once I became an adult I also started to experience migraines. Once they started it was not unusual for me to experience anywhere from  fifteen to twenty a month. They are excruciating and have caused constant pain for me.\n\n### Previous Treatments\n\nPrior to trying cannabis I used Ambien nightly to help me sleep as well as other prescription sleeping pills. For my migraines I tried every drug available including injections. Nothing was working, my migraines were still as bad and I still was not sleeping well. I really tried everything, I exhausted every option before I tried cannabis for the first time.\n\nRELATED: [MARIJUANA & MIGRAINES: SALLY'S SUCCESS STORY](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5834944a14533400080243bc/marijuana-and-migraines-sallys-success-story)\n\n### Cannabis Experience\n\nI began using cannabis 4 years ago, after becoming depressed that nothing else was working. I had heard it might help me so I researched it. First, I started by smoking an indica  flower as a preventative treatment, to see if it might work. At the time, my neurologist was having me keep a sleep journal. After a couple of months of smoking it became clear that I was sleeping much better. The only change I had made was smoking cannabis. \n\nOverall, the severity of my migraines decreased drastically and I was sleeping! Now I take a very active approach and make sure that I smoke regularly as a preventative measure. I typically smoke in the evening just before bedtime, this works for me.\n\n### The Cannabis Tool Kit\n\n### Flower\n\nI make sure to smoke an indica every night before I go to bed. I am not really picky about which one, they all seem to make me drowsy and I typically smoke a pipe. My goal is to make sure I always have some THC in my system, which is the preventative measure for me. When I have a migraine, I find that strains higher in CBD, like [Cannatonic](https://hellomd.com/strains/5a7ce5dcd520d60009f4f4bd) or [Harlequin](https://hellomd.com/strains/5a9d9ad8fdb6dd00088d0cf1), will help me manage the pain.\n\n### Liz Says...\n\n\"I have had life long insomnia. With cannabis I fall asleep faster, and I’m able to drop off peacefully rather than tossing and turning and waiting forever to get that drowsy feeling.\"\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)  \n_______________________________________________________________________\n\nIf you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/8e794ef05547e9de66de2c6f81c20f2b/14b42/d607b0c0a36f5b875b79770e8145a82e.jpg","srcSet":"/static/8e794ef05547e9de66de2c6f81c20f2b/f836f/d607b0c0a36f5b875b79770e8145a82e.jpg 200w,\n/static/8e794ef05547e9de66de2c6f81c20f2b/2244e/d607b0c0a36f5b875b79770e8145a82e.jpg 400w,\n/static/8e794ef05547e9de66de2c6f81c20f2b/14b42/d607b0c0a36f5b875b79770e8145a82e.jpg 800w,\n/static/8e794ef05547e9de66de2c6f81c20f2b/47498/d607b0c0a36f5b875b79770e8145a82e.jpg 1200w,\n/static/8e794ef05547e9de66de2c6f81c20f2b/54ac5/d607b0c0a36f5b875b79770e8145a82e.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/8e794ef05547e9de66de2c6f81c20f2b/58556/d607b0c0a36f5b875b79770e8145a82e.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/8e794ef05547e9de66de2c6f81c20f2b/61e93/d607b0c0a36f5b875b79770e8145a82e.webp 200w,\n/static/8e794ef05547e9de66de2c6f81c20f2b/1f5c5/d607b0c0a36f5b875b79770e8145a82e.webp 400w,\n/static/8e794ef05547e9de66de2c6f81c20f2b/58556/d607b0c0a36f5b875b79770e8145a82e.webp 800w,\n/static/8e794ef05547e9de66de2c6f81c20f2b/99238/d607b0c0a36f5b875b79770e8145a82e.webp 1200w,\n/static/8e794ef05547e9de66de2c6f81c20f2b/5e0b8/d607b0c0a36f5b875b79770e8145a82e.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2352-markdown","title":"Marijuana, Pain & PTSD: Christopher's Success Story","slug":"marijuana-pain-and-ptsd-christophers-success-story","content":"### Cannabis Success Stories\n\nAfter serving thousands of patients at HelloMD we have seen a pattern emerge: cannabis helps real people with real conditions. People from all walks of life are turning to cannabis in lieu of opioids, other medications or alternative therapies because they are feeling the results and relief, with little to no side effects. \n\nWe thought it would be useful to talk to patients one on one about their medical conditions and ask them to tell their story so we can share it with you. What began as a simple survey has evolved into a revolving door of patients ecstatically conveying the message that cannabis is working for them; and they want to share their success story with others.\n\n### Christopher's Experience with Cannabis\n\n[![](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/583f90529aabd9000b57662f/embedded_images/5845a3abeb3b73000809cc1c/Christopher.png)](\nhttps://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hellomd-news/patient-success/Patient+Case+Study_Christopher_ChronicPain_final.pdf)\n\n### Chronic Pain History\n\nI’m an ex-Marine and an Iraq war veteran. While on active duty I sustained multiple injuries including a broken leg and arm. After returning from the war, I broke my jaw on the bottom of a pool. In addition, I suffer from PTSD. The result of all of this was consistent chronic pain and PTSD-related issues including paranoia, hyper vigilance and aggression.\n\n### Previous Treatments\n\nPrior to trying cannabis I was in consistent pain. The PTSD and pain made it hard for me to sleep so I started to take sleeping pills which made me groggy and irritable. My personal issues and chronic pain made it hard for me to connect with people. I did not want to take narcotics so I relied heavily on excessive drinking and OTC drugs. Like many Marines, drinking became my go-to which did not improve my situation.\n\nRELATED: [MARIJUANA & MIGRAINES: SALLY'S SUCCESS STORY](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5834944a14533400080243bc/marijuana-and-migraines-sallys-success-story)\n\n### Cannabis Experience\nThree years ago I was interacting with a lot of marijuana companies as a part of my job. After talking to some people, it was suggested that I try CBD. I researched the effects of CBD and it seemed like a great option for me. I purchased a 2:1 CBD product.\n\nThe first time I took it, it was a little psychoactive but I also noticed that the pain melted away. Taking it daily, I started to notice that not only did I not feel pain from my injuries but that I began to have a much more pleasant demeanor. I started to feel connected to people again and was noticeably less aggressive and paranoid.\n\nAfter taking CBD, it was a natural progression to consider how else cannabis might help me. I was still on sleeping pills but they made me feel awful. I started to smoke an indica at night , got off the pills and now I sleep through the night.\n\n### The Cannabis Tool Kit\n\n### Sublingual \n\nI use Bhang’s CBD spray every morning. I spray it into my mouth 4\nto 5 times. I think it’s important to know that CBD can take some\ntime to build up in your system so you feel the full effect.\n\n### Flower\n\nAt night I smoke an indica strain called Snow Lotus. I smoke it from\na pipe about 1 hour ahead of bedtime and I find that I now sleep\nthrough the night and feel refreshed in the morning.\n\n### Christopher Says...\n\n\"My biggest misstep was taking so long to try cannabis. I work with Weed for Warriors who help other vets get off of narcotics for mental wellbeing. It is truly a miracle drug, it has increased my satisfaction & enjoyment of life.\"\n_______________________________________________________________________\n\nIf you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/14b42/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.jpg","srcSet":"/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/f836f/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.jpg 200w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/2244e/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.jpg 400w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/14b42/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.jpg 800w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/47498/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.jpg 1200w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/54ac5/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/58556/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/61e93/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.webp 200w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/1f5c5/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.webp 400w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/58556/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.webp 800w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/99238/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.webp 1200w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/5e0b8/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2030-markdown","title":"Marijuana & Migraines: Sally's Success Story","slug":"marijuana-and-migraines-sallys-success-story","content":"### Cannabis Success Stories\n\nAfter serving thousands of patients at HelloMD we have seen a pattern emerge: cannabis helps real people with real conditions. People from all walks of life are turning to cannabis in lieu of opioids, other medications or alternative therapies because they are feeling the results and relief, with little to no side effects. \n\nWe thought it would be useful to talk to patients one on one about their medical conditions and ask them to tell their story so we can share it with you. What began as a simple survey has evolved into a revolving door of patients ecstatically conveying the message that cannabis is working for them; and they want to share their success story with others.\n\nWe hope that you enjoy what will be an ongoing series of patient case studies that include a variety of cannabis experiences. We also know there is no one size solution with cannabis, everyone reacts differently and each experience and success may be unique to that person. Our case studies will always follow the same format: A history of the patient's condition, the previous treatment, the experience with cannabis, and specifically how they use cannabis for their condition in order to find relief. \n\n### Sally's Experience With Cannabis\n\n[![Sally's cannabis success story](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5834944a14533400080243bc/embedded_images/583494ede9a2d00008ed639c/Sallymigraine.png)](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hellomd-news/patient-success/Marijuana+%26+Migraines%3A+Sally%27s+Success+Story.pdf)\n[_Download the PDF_](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hellomd-news/patient-success/Marijuana+%26+Migraines%3A+Sally%27s+Success+Story.pdf)\n\n### Chronic Pain History\n\nMy migraines are stress induced. When I get stressed. I can feel my back and shoulders tense up and when I feel my jaw tense, I know a migraine is about to hit.  I can feel it moving up my neck and I know I am in trouble. The worst ones last for 6 to 7 days.\n\n### Previous Treatments\n\nPrior to trying cannabis the Doctor prescribed Tramadol and it made me tired and nauseous. They gave me a prescription for something to treat nausea caused by Tramadol.  The two prescriptions left me feeling either nauseous or tired. I was not functional.\n\n### Cannabis Experience\n\nI heard cannabis was more natural so I thought I would try it. Cannabis helps me with the symptoms of my migraines.  My migraines  are very debilitating; cannabis takes the pain away. I’m not able to look at any light, like a computer screen or go out into the sunshine. Cannabis alleviates the pain enough so I can work, be on the computer and talk with customers. It is amazing for me because it got me off of the pills and works better. with no side effects I have not tried to prevent my migraines but CBD has made me curious about the preventative use of marijuana.\n\n### The Cannabis Tool Kit\n\n### Flower\n\nInitially, I started by smoking flower.  This worked OK but was not that convenient and I found I smelled like marijuana and this was not OK if I was going to go to work. It is also not as  discreet.\n\n### Vape Pen\n\nI moved on to a 1:1 ratio vape pen which I used when I felt a migraine coming on. If a migraine is full blown I will  use my vape pen immediately. Recently, I found a high 3:1 CBD oil cartridge called Electra-Tsu by Bloom Farms. If I vape this immediately, I will not have a migraine anymore. It's an amazing product.\n\n### Edible\n\nI take 25 mg THC lozenges  2-3 times a day and remain functional while they completely take the pain away. I am able to work, look at the computer and interact with customers without being irritable.\n\n### Sally Says...\n\n\"I always suggest to people that they try cannabis to help with their migraines.... Basically cannabis is natural so why take a pill that will give you a lot of side effects? With cannabis I am functional again.\"\n_______________________________________________________________________\n\nIf you're new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/bd5ea2fa058e4b51429fa6f144d9d9b2/14b42/1175c9899dd60c1dc51791743496b699.jpg","srcSet":"/static/bd5ea2fa058e4b51429fa6f144d9d9b2/f836f/1175c9899dd60c1dc51791743496b699.jpg 200w,\n/static/bd5ea2fa058e4b51429fa6f144d9d9b2/2244e/1175c9899dd60c1dc51791743496b699.jpg 400w,\n/static/bd5ea2fa058e4b51429fa6f144d9d9b2/14b42/1175c9899dd60c1dc51791743496b699.jpg 800w,\n/static/bd5ea2fa058e4b51429fa6f144d9d9b2/47498/1175c9899dd60c1dc51791743496b699.jpg 1200w,\n/static/bd5ea2fa058e4b51429fa6f144d9d9b2/54ac5/1175c9899dd60c1dc51791743496b699.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/bd5ea2fa058e4b51429fa6f144d9d9b2/58556/1175c9899dd60c1dc51791743496b699.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/bd5ea2fa058e4b51429fa6f144d9d9b2/61e93/1175c9899dd60c1dc51791743496b699.webp 200w,\n/static/bd5ea2fa058e4b51429fa6f144d9d9b2/1f5c5/1175c9899dd60c1dc51791743496b699.webp 400w,\n/static/bd5ea2fa058e4b51429fa6f144d9d9b2/58556/1175c9899dd60c1dc51791743496b699.webp 800w,\n/static/bd5ea2fa058e4b51429fa6f144d9d9b2/99238/1175c9899dd60c1dc51791743496b699.webp 1200w,\n/static/bd5ea2fa058e4b51429fa6f144d9d9b2/5e0b8/1175c9899dd60c1dc51791743496b699.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2180-markdown","title":"Marijuana & Fibromyalgia: Mary's Success Story","slug":"marijuana-and-fibromyalgia-marys-success-story","content":"### Cannabis Success Stories\n\nAfter serving thousands of patients at HelloMD we have seen a pattern emerge: cannabis helps real people with real conditions. People from all walks of life are turning to cannabis in lieu of opioids, other medications or alternative therapies because they are feeling the results and relief, with little to no side effects. \n\nWe thought it would be useful to talk to patients one on one about their medical conditions and ask them to tell their story so we can share it with you. What began as a simple survey has evolved into a revolving door of patients ecstatically conveying the message that cannabis is working for them; and they want to share their success story with others.\n\nWe hope that you enjoy what will be an ongoing series of patient case studies that include a variety of cannabis experiences. We also know there is no one size solution with cannabis, everyone reacts differently and each experience and success may be unique to that person. Our case studies will always follow the same format: A history of the patient's condition, the previous treatment, the experience with cannabis, and specifically how they use cannabis for their condition in order to find relief. \n\n### Mary's Experience with Cannabis\n\n[![](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5824fff8173ef2000b58348a/embedded_images/5824fffb173ef2000b58348b/MaryFibromyalgachronicpain.png)](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hellomd-news/patient-success/Mary_Patient+Case+Study__ChronicPain_final.pdf) \nDownload the PDF\n\n### Chronic Pain History\n\nIn 2001 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Prior to that I had been very healthy. I think it was a period of extreme stress that maybe brought it on. When it started I went from being very mobile to suddenly very debilitated. It started on one side of my body and then migrated to the other side until I could barely move at all. The pain was unbearable.\n\n### Previous Treatments\n\nPrior to trying cannabis It took a long time for doctors to accurately diagnose me. For 8 years I was treated with pharmaceuticals, and many were to deal with the side effects of the initial drugs. At one point I counted that I had been prescribed over 43 drugs. At a certain point, I became a drug zombie. I was unable to drive my kids to school or to enjoy life. A turning point came for me when I blacked out and woke up in the ER. \n\n### Cannabis Experience\n\nAfter my blackout I started to think of how I might improve my well being. First I cut out diet soda, then I started to eat organic. Then it occurred to me that cannabis might be a more natural solution and worth a try. The pharmaceuticals were not helping and in fact were making my life worse. I worked with my pain management doctor for 3.5 months to wean myself off of all prescriptions and use marijuana instead. I always say to people to work with a doctor when doing this! After starting cannabis it helped me manage my pain, I was much more mellow and my family wanted to spend time with me.\n\n### The Cannabis Tool Kit\n\n### Flower\n\nAt night I smoke Blueberry Kush, to help me sleep. During the day I will smoke Amnesia Mystery which helps with movement, especially on a bad day.\n\n### Vape Pen\n\nI use G Vape, which is Snoop Dog’s vape pen that has a dry chamber. I use kief within this as it is very cost effective.\n\n### Edibles\n\nMy favorite edible is by Kiva and it is the low dose 5mg Blueberry Terra Bites. When I am in pain I will take 10mg every 3-4 hours.\n\n### Topicals\n\nI make my own topicals with alcohol. Once I infuse the alcohol with cannabis I pour it onto wet wipes. Rubbing the wet wipe on an area with localized pain provides immediate relief for me.\n\n### Mary Says...\n\n\"When I went off of opioids and started using cannabis I was able to enjoy human touch again. I did not even realize I had lost that ability. With cannabis I am able to enjoy my life and be happy again.\"\n______________________________________________________________________\n\nIf you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/4d4af035ccb1e6e839caeed5c77bc20a/14b42/f9c402c0052f88dde06984f9c4af3c68.jpg","srcSet":"/static/4d4af035ccb1e6e839caeed5c77bc20a/f836f/f9c402c0052f88dde06984f9c4af3c68.jpg 200w,\n/static/4d4af035ccb1e6e839caeed5c77bc20a/2244e/f9c402c0052f88dde06984f9c4af3c68.jpg 400w,\n/static/4d4af035ccb1e6e839caeed5c77bc20a/14b42/f9c402c0052f88dde06984f9c4af3c68.jpg 800w,\n/static/4d4af035ccb1e6e839caeed5c77bc20a/47498/f9c402c0052f88dde06984f9c4af3c68.jpg 1200w,\n/static/4d4af035ccb1e6e839caeed5c77bc20a/54ac5/f9c402c0052f88dde06984f9c4af3c68.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/4d4af035ccb1e6e839caeed5c77bc20a/58556/f9c402c0052f88dde06984f9c4af3c68.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/4d4af035ccb1e6e839caeed5c77bc20a/61e93/f9c402c0052f88dde06984f9c4af3c68.webp 200w,\n/static/4d4af035ccb1e6e839caeed5c77bc20a/1f5c5/f9c402c0052f88dde06984f9c4af3c68.webp 400w,\n/static/4d4af035ccb1e6e839caeed5c77bc20a/58556/f9c402c0052f88dde06984f9c4af3c68.webp 800w,\n/static/4d4af035ccb1e6e839caeed5c77bc20a/99238/f9c402c0052f88dde06984f9c4af3c68.webp 1200w,\n/static/4d4af035ccb1e6e839caeed5c77bc20a/5e0b8/f9c402c0052f88dde06984f9c4af3c68.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":12,"numPages":2,"currentPage":2,"id":5793,"name":"Success Story","slug":"success-story","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}