Sunday, March 30, 2008

Horomones, Marijuana, & Migraines

Migraine info update. I had someone recently suggest I take birth control for my migraines. It was a good idea, because I read marijuana may help with the menstrual migraine by imitating a kind of estrogen. I told him I'd already tried it though, it was one of the many preventative treatments I've tried.

Several years ago, a doctor put me on continual birth control for 3 months, without taking a break, to see if it would level out horomones and prevent the migraines. But it didn't change anything at all so we stopped. This guy I talked to recently said I should try Yasmin because it's lower estrogen. I think I DID try that one though, because it was a low-dose one that was newer.

I don't know. I may give it another shot but aside from this 3-month continual trial, I've never taken any birth control pills at all, because I don't like putting chemicals into my body.

I personally think there is a link between long-term use of birth control pills and breast cancer in women, and infertility. I can't tell you how many women I've talked to and read about, who used birth control for a long time and later had problems getting pregnant.

I'm not planning on having more kids, but I want to keep my options open.

I found a doctor/research scientist who said he couldn't help me with the medical permit for marijuana and then later contacted me and said he would try to help me find a doctor, though it would be difficult, he said.

I'm not smoking anything at all right now. I'm just waiting for the next migraine and then I'll have to use the Migranol. I would be willing to try the birth control thing again, but I'm a little doubtful because I've tried it once before. I'd have to check my records and see which one I tried.

So far, marijuana is literally the only thing that has worked, in preventing and reducing the severity of my migraines.

But this is really sad too, if the federal government won't acknowledge this. Even if I don't have a shot at working in intelligence, or whatever, for the federal government, maybe there are other people who would like to apply for work in some kind of government position and suddenly they are automatically excluded because they used marijuana FOR A MEDICAL PURPOSE?! That's just crazy.

Who in the heck is in charge of this whole Schedule thing anyway, and in charge of the federal research policies?

I hope this gets fixed soon. It would benefit a lot of people AND the economy!!!

Update: I just checked on the Yasmin. I was pretty sure that's the one I tried, but I wanted to see what date it was available to see if it matched up to my recollection. It does. It first came out in 2001 which is when I tried it. It didn't work for me--at ALL. So I guess that leaves marijuana. There must be something unique about marijuana that affects migraine. I know with my migraine, I have a lot of pressure and stabbing pain under my left eye. Marijuana helps people with glaucoma by relieving pressure. I think we need to get the marijuana out and with all the money that's been spent trying to figure out what causes migraine, start looking at why marijuana works, and what it's targeting. By allowing research and treatment of migraine by marijuana, it also opens the door for understanding migraines in general. If marijuana works, what, exactly, is it working ON? What part of the brain? what horomones? what nerves or responses? How does it bind? what is it binding to? what are the functions of endocannabinoids in the brain (endogenous sources of cannabinoid). Since it also works for men with migraines, there must be something that is helpful in relieving the pain and also preventative, but since it's especially effective for menstrual migraine, WHY?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello, I was put on continuous birth control as well. The first one didn't work at all, but the second one totally worked. Nor QD. That is, until I realized I'd gained 35 pounds on it over two years AND it began to lose its effectiveness AND my hair began to fall out in clumps. ALLLLL due to altering hormones. I've stopped taking the pills. Imitrex has worked for me, but I feel so sick after I take it for days. So, I'm researching medical marijuana and am hopeful. It sounds like you have gained relief from using it. I hope to be able to try it at least.

Mama said...

I found this after going through an inbox I'm soon cancelling.

I put your comment up on a new post, because I wanted more people to read it, but also, here is a response to your comment.

Thank you so much for writing. Do try this, and let us know if it works for you. If you are not in a state where it's legal, go discreet. Seriously, the best place to look is to hispanics, sometimes African Americans and hippies. At least these groups sometimes have a little history or sometimes an understanding frmo their own history of experimentation and culture, to know and remember it works, and pass it down to the next generation despite the crap and lies about how it's not good for anything.

I don't know ONE person who would say weed is going to contribute to criminal activity. I'd like to see all the stoners try to hold up a bank...dddduuuuuuh.

It's ridiculous.

Good luck! I am rooting for you and all sufferers of migraine.

I am absolutely convinced, now, that all this is garbage about how it's worthless is because people in the DEA and other organizations want to keep their jobs and bc there would be a MASSIVE loss of profits from those in pharmaceutical companies. Think about how much Immitrex and allo the other triptans cost, plus Demerol, plus trigger point injections, and the profits to hospitals from those who have insurance. I mean, these people are making bank on the suffering of others, when there is a KNOWN cure and preventative treatment that you could grow in your fucking backyard.

You just wait. You'll find out for yourself.

I think a fucking lawsuit should be held for keeping this information from the public. How is THIS different from the withholding of information from the public, of nicotine harms?

The government SUES nicotine and tobacco companies for causing cancers, but they keep the weed cure from everyone who suffers from migraines and maybe some other things, and you tell ME how this is any different. For once, the public should be suing the government for contributing with pharmacueticals and lobbyists that pay their wages, for keeping the public in the dark, and in pain, and out of jobs, all because an elite few want to make bank.