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abc

Im new to this forum, and would like to know iif anybody has experienced either symptom reduction or increase that you associate with the use of MJ with Parkinsonism.

I've had Parkinson's since age 40--16 years I have problems with my speech, balance, "on-off" effects from Sinemet, and am consideriing a trial if anectodotal experiences support it.

Montel Wiliams use of MJ for symptoms of MS got me thinking. Used MJ in college then no use until 2002. Occasionally use with friends, but rarely get a buzz --blockiing due to lack of dopamine? I'd like to hear from anyone who wants to share their experience.

 

coonass

I'm new to the forum too, and had the same question. I find, that mj used in conjunction with my med, sinemet, or the generic equilivant carbidopa/levo, which i use, helps to relax me, ease the pain i experience, and help me sleep. i do not use mj for recreational or social purposes. i did use it back in the 60's & 70's but in the late 70's, i found that i didn't get the high as before, but instead it just made me sleepy, and lazy, so i quit smoking it. Additionally, the cost had skyrocketed, from what it was, when i first started smoking it, and i decided the the cost, weighed against the effect, was not worth it. I started having problems about 15 years ago, with balance and corrdination. it seemed like everything I touched, I either dropped, or tipped over. I could not stand, tight or confining clothes, lengthy durations of sitting, standing, or laying down. Travel was a major contributor, to my discomfort, especially in a smaller car. I also found, other close quarter situations, to be highly aggravating, like sitting in a cinema, church, cars, and found that recliners, stuffed couches, or easy chairs, were also contributors, as opposed to straight back chairs, or benches. All of these things, brought on what i called episodes, where my legs would jerk, and shake. Though not really painfull, in its self, i would begin to feel pain in my lower back, and hips that i found, to be in conjunction, with the jerking and shaking. The initial feeling seemed to originate in the two little dimples, that everyone has right above the cheeks of their buttocks, and would travel downward to my feet, with a feeling like the one you get, when the dr. runs the tip of his pen, up your foot, to determine reflexes. As time passed, I experienced more, of what I called symptoms, of the main problem. I could not get a fork of food to my mouth, for shaking in my hands and arms, and (please forgive the bluntness) but attempting to pick my nose, was like putting myself in harms way, from giving myself a frontal lobottomy, from the inside, or a drastic jerk, that would put my finger in my eye, up to the first joint. My head started to shake, if i was trying to hold it still, or in one position to long, i first noticed this while backing out of a very long driveway, and had my head turned, looking over my shoulder, while trying to navigate backwards, down the drive way, that was about 150 feet. Most importantly, i found that relaxing, or trying to sleep, became more and more of a problem. It seems that if i'm working, or doing something, anything to keep my mind busy, and my body too, i'm not aware of the shakes or jerks, as bad. But sitting back in my easy chair, watching t.v. or laying in bed, trying to go to sleep, will generally, within 3 to 5 minutes, bring on the jerking. At first, it is barely noticible, but it increases in volume, and strength, until i can't take it any longer, and i have to get up and walk. I exhausted the "well lets try this pill" efforts of 3 Dr.'s, became unable to work, suffered sleep deprivation, and it's effects, started losing weight, at an astonishing rate, where i went from 240 to 160, in 4 months, my arms started drawing up, putting my hands, which were drawn up into fists, against my chest, then my arms started to flap, like i was a bird flapping it's wings, my head shakes, and bobs around, like one of the popular bobble head figures, seen everywhere now, which used to be confined to the likeness of a poodle, in the rear window, of some cars. My present Dr. looked out into his waiting room, from the receptionist window, on my first visit,and saw me, sitting there jerking and bobbing around, while waiting for my turn in exam room one, and immeadiately summoned me back. He asked the reason for my visit, and i explained breifly, to which he replied young man, you have parkinson's disease. I at age 54 was somewhat flattered, by the term, young man, but he confessed that he was 79, and had a patient base of about 200, of which at least a third, were afflicted with the same disease, and experienced the same symptoms. he perscribed the carbidopa/levo, and it was a God send, and worked at about an 80% effectiveness. The area where it fell short, was in effectively subdoing the jerks, making it possible for me to sleep. About eight months ago, i ran into a guy at a popular steak house, who noticed I was having trouble getting the fork to my mouth with any food still on it. I had been about 45 minutes late, in taking my pill and was experiencing the consequinces, for my tardiness. i explained, and he acknowledged, saying that he knew all about it, as he aslo had PD. We talked for awhile, and the sleepness asspect came up, that's when he confessed, that he had overcome the problem, bu using a little mj about an hour after taking his dose of meds, before bed. and that it helped to the point, that he was getting 4 to 4 1/2 hours of uninterrupted sleep. i tried it and found it to be the best combination of substances i've found, for relaxation and sleep.
coonass

Stephanie S.

coonass, welcome to Marijuana.com. Please use paragraphs, it makes reading much easier.

Here's an abstract of a study on Marijuana and Parkinson's that may be of some assistance.

Source
Potential role of cannabinoids in Parkinson's disease
by Sevcik J, Masek K Institute of Pharmacology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague sevcik@biomed.cas.cz Drugs Aging 2000 Jun; 16(6):
391-5

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra, resulting from an oxidative stress. The lack of dopaminergic neurons is reflected by a disturbed balance of the neural circuitry in the basal ganglia. Cannabinoids might alleviate some parkinsonian symptoms by their remarkable receptor-mediated modulatory action in the basal ganglia output nuclei.

Moreover, it was recently observed that some cannabinoids are potent antioxidants that can protect neurons from death even without cannabinoid receptor activation. It seems that cannabinoids could delay or even stop progressive degeneration of brain dopaminergic systems, a process for which there is presently no prevention. In combination with currently used drugs, cannabinoids might represent, qualitatively, a new approach to the treatment of PD, making it more effective.

peace

edit: Here's a link on Cheaptalk

Another story on the subject

__________________
"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." —George W. Bush, Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005 (Listen to audio)

coonass

Thanks, and sorry for the tardy response, I developed server problems, and had to upgrade.
I appreciate the info and link, confirms my beliefs, and offers evidence that I'm not just using PD as an excuse to get high, to some skeptics.
I have searched several sites, looking for a list of marijuana medicinal states, and have found about 4 or 5 but still unable to find all of em, wondered if you might know all of them, or direct me to a location, that would offer all.
I currently live in a nonsympathetic State, that see's MJ as a source of income. The county atty. where I live, told me that Ky would never decriminalize possession, or use, because it was to great a revenue provider. He stated, that Tuesday's, in district court, here, in the county, that i live in, are known as pot days. The only cases, on the dockett, on Tuesdays, are MJ related. He said that he had 78 cases for possesion, on that particular Tuesday, and the minimum fine was $250, for 1st time possession, plus $125 court cost. He said that the income, from possession cases alone, generated enough income, last year, to pay the entire payroll for the LaGrange city police force, the Oldham county police force, and the Oldham county sheriffs department, plus all of the county clercks office staff. If you are convicted of 1st time possession, he suggests that you take the court's drug counseling class that costs fifty dollars, and then bring the completion certificate to the court, and the conviction, will be exspunged from your record, so that next time, you get caught, it is still a first offense, and all the same figures applies, if not and you are convicted of a second offense, the Fine is $500, plus the $125 court costs.
Being a 2 time loser now, (both times being turned in by the person who gave me the pot, NOT sold, Gave. On the second, i found, that they got paid, for turning me in, for possession), so i'm looking to move, where i can use it legally, under perscription.
Thanks
john
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