Does anyone know how to stop panic attacks when using Medical Marijuana?
 

If there is a way to help with panic attacks while smoking marijuana, I would really like to know for sure.:a108:

I used to smoke Marijuana when I was in my teens (I am 40 now) and never had a problem, thought it was fun…. then I grew up LOL.

Anyway, I’ve been a type 1 diabetic since birth and now my neuropathy is very painful, I have full neuropathy in my feet, legs and now has moved to my hands. My doctor and I have tried everything in the past two years, now she said all we have left is narcotics (e.g., oxy, morphine etc.), but she would feel more comfortable if I would try using medical marijuana first, so I filled out the paper work and 4 months later got my MMAR (Canadian license to process). I tried using it, even at a very small dose and I start having panic attacks. Now, I’ve had panic attacks since I was in my 20’s and I know how to talk myself down from them and rarely experience one anymore.

Now that I am trying MJ again I am getting them every time I try to use it and it’s clean product coming from the government, not off the street. I don’t know what else to do really. Pain or Anxiety? I guess I will have to choose my sanity thank you, but I don’t want to move to having to use narcotic’s either (which the doc had me on 20 mg oxycodone while waiting on my paperwork to come in), as all I hear is horrible things about them, and it was hard getting off them just after 4 months of use.

If anyone knows how to stop panic attacks while smoking MJ, please let me know. I even use extremely small amounts and it doesn’t matter. It’s like I can’t win LOL, I’m doomed to live with pain in my life. No other meds work, the medical marijuana gives me panic attacks…. don’t know what to do really.

P.S.
Would taking a 0.5 xanax before administering the marijuana dose help? (That's what I plan on asking my doctor on my next visit on the 24th of Nov. thought I would throw it out here and see if anyone has any advice on it, as I have a regular prescription of them, rarely use them, as I control my panic attacks quite well, but I do have access to them if I need them).

I'd recommend you go back to your Dr and lay all this out for them.

If the treatment is causing you anxiety, it might be time to consider it's the best treatment, Sooners.

If you're not satisfied with the response you get, can you get a second opinion?
D

Reply to Dee
 

Thanks for your reply Dee,

I have another doctor's appointment on the 24th of this month. I do plan to tell her all about this. I just don't know what else she can do really, I was hoping this would work, but I get panic attacks every time I try to use it, the oxycodone doesn't do that to me, but I don't know that I want to be back on that stuff. It was hard enough to quit just after 4 months of use, I couldn't imagine being on it for a long time. She was hoping we could find something that wouldn't cause all the side effects of opioids, and she felt safer using it than opioids, but I can't stop the panic attacks when I use it. Oh, well.

maybe there's other options - at least a third or fourth one between pot and opiates?
Can't hurt to ask :)

D

Oh wow, I know what you mean about mary jane and the panic attacks, I had quit smoking it at 30 then tried it a few times about 5 years later... The last time I was in hell. My mind went nuts and got stuck dwelling on how worthless I (and everything else) was for about an hour or so, I actually feared that I was going to kill myself. Which is an unusual thing for me. :)
I can only suggest diluting the potency or buying the weakest mj you can get (and for sure tell your dr.)

Perhaps your panic attacks have been caused because the potency, the amount of THC in marijuana, has increased. High amounts of THC have been documented to cause panic attacks. Over the years the percentage of THC in Dutch marijuana went up from 2-5% to well over 15-20%. I guess the same has happened in the USA. The government in the Netherlands is trying to pass a bill now to ban all hash and marijuana sales with more than 15% THC.

So just like Scolova said, perhaps you can try to smoke small amounts or try less potent marijuana.

PS. Sooners, taking a Xanax before smoking marijuana would help, but remember that Xanax is addictive in the long term too.

Thanks for the replies Scolova & Geralt.

I was wondering if the potency had gone up since the 70's - 80's. I also have seen in researching this, that there are two different strains, sativa and Indica, which is less anxiety producing I do not know, as I have seen people say one is and then the other is. Who knows, I'f I get the nerve up to try it again, I will definitely use very very little.

Hi guys. I just wanted to ask if any of you tried using medical marijuana for anxieties? I've been suffering severe anxiety for almost a year now and been given a prescription for Benzodiazepines for my medication. But i heard alot of people telling me that marijuana helps relieve anxiety but im not im not sure if its true so i came up to search something about this idea and came across this marijuana strain from blog.bonzaseeds,com/lemon-haze/ it says that i can discard all forms of stress and its euphoric buzz it delivers often is useful in combating anxiety and depression. I wanted to hear your thoughts about this guys and if you can give me any tips that can help me with my anxieties. Thank you!

take the 9 week MBSR course - Mindfullness Based Stress Reduction, based on Jon Kabatt-Zinn from U Mass. - specifically the body scan exercise ( audio clip ) will train you to calm the F#%#$% down. every urban center offers these classes because they work not only for panic but for long term chronic pain.

I have heard about taking edibles that have more CBD (compared to THC) might help?

I know diff strains can truly affect you differently so perhaps if you shop around there will be a combo that's right for you. I agree with the others that say use very, very low doses and troubleshoot it. Good luck with your anxiety.

The best strain to try for anxiety are the Indica's, Sativa's tend to be more energizing.

Like DaveyCrocket alluded to, there could be an answer in a different strain. Start with figuring out whether indica or sativa strains work best with your anxiety. Good chance you'll find one or the other causes more anxiety than the other.
Next I'd look at specific strains with all those different names. I could name a dozen but you know what I'm talking about. There are big differences in the varieties and how they affect each individual. Maybe ask some friends if they have any opinions. I know there's a couple that make me super paranoid while, some just relax my body, and some really relax my mind.