CBD oil

[CathyA]

I have fibromyalgia and pretty bad osteoarthritis and am excrutiatingly sensitive to meds. I've decided, since it's legal in our state now, to try some CBD oil. I bought it from Bluebird Botanicals because it seemed to be reputable and have a very pure form of it. The dosage is something like "take 1-4 servings twice a day". Each serving is 15 drops. Geez.....that would probably kill me. haha So, I started out slow yesterday........only 5 drops in the morning (yuk....tasted awful).....and then 5 drops in the afternoon. I got extremely tired, but I don't know if I can blame that on the CBD oil, or if I'd just worn myself out working outside the day before.

I didn't expect to feel any help from it for awhile, since I was starting out so slowly. But today, I have the worst taste in my mouth.......not unlike the way the oil tasted yesterday. I've read its half life is 2-5 days. wow......that's a pretty long half life, isn't it?

Anyhow......not sure if I want to continue, if it did cause the fatigue. I have so many unpleasant symptoms to deal with every day, but fatigue isn't one of them, thankfully. I just can't bare to add fatigue to my long list of problems.

Just curious if any of you have used CBD oil, and how did it work for you? Any of that aftertaste lingering in your mouth? Any fatigue?

My mind is a very fragile/curious thing and it's always hard to know if my fear of side-effects actually causes them. :(

Any input is appreciated!
Thanks.

[Float On]

My only experience with it is that friends gave some to their dogs before fireworks and they pretty much slept through the fireworks this year with little stress.

[Simplemind]

Dosing is everything. You have to start small and work up in increments until you find your sweet spot. Sadly, I'm still tinkering after months and have not found it where the oil is concerned. I have much better luck with vaping and a 1:1 combo. It really hasn't done much (if anything) for pain but does help with sleep.
That said... I can tell you that giving up grains and sugar has had a miraculous effect on my blood pressure and inflammation. My husband is noticing the same.

[CathyA]

Thanks everyone.

I guess I don't have the endurance to put up with side-effects until the benefits start out-weighing the side-effects.

You're right about the grains and sugar. A couple months I got sick for quite awhile and had tons of irregular heartbeats. I was afraid to eat, since it made it worse. When I started eating more again, it wasn't much sugar or grains, and I felt a lot better. I have been so hungry most of my life 24/7 and it's been a struggle. I thought it would ease up as I got older, but it's just gotten worse. I have a horrendous craving for carbs and sugar, even when I eat really nutritiously. Sometimes I just give in.......which just makes me crave it more the next day. It's a daily struggle. But I'm trying again to avoid those things. Salt seems to be hard on me too, which is unfortunate, since I had a bad virus about 30 years ago and lost most of my sense of taste.....except for salt. I'm sure I eat less salt that most Americans though.

Dang.....this taste in my mouth from the CBD oil is really strong. I hope it leaves soon. Maybe some sugar would cover it up? Just kidding..........maybe.

[KayLR]

Haven't taken any internally, but I bought some lotion containing CBD oil to try on my joints (ha, my finger joints that is). Seems to help. But even mo bettah is that it seems to calm my nighttime leg cramps! I awaken with cramps in my calves and toes on occasion. The last few times I got up and rubbed some of the lotion into the cramps and they did not come back! Usually when I get up and try walking them off, they'll go away, but then return. ETA: it's really more of a cream than a lotion.

[JaneV2.0]

The CBD oil I've used has a pleasant light lemon taste. I have some hemp oil that has less pleasant flavor. I haven't found my dose, but I haven't tried too hard.

[pinkytoe]

My MIL tried CBD for her arthritis pain and said it didn't touch it so she is back on pain meds. Have you tried Topricin for some pain relief?

[Rogar]

There is an urban farm in my area that grows hemp and processes it into CBD oil. I've talked with the owner and her help and have some confidence in their CBD extraction process so purchased a bottle, mostly for minor joint aches. Their recommended dose, a quarter to half an eye dropper, makes me lethargic and often sleepy. Friends who use it regularly recommended sticking to just a few drops once or twice a day, which I find more tolerable but slightly sedative. The symptoms I'm hoping to help are mild, and I've not noticed any positive effect. I've discontinued using it, but it's costly enough to save for new ailments. I think it is one of those things a person just has to try and see if it helps, but it might take some experimenting on the right dose. A friend who, with the doctors permission, gives small doses to her relatively active 90+ year old mother for arthritis and she swears by it.

[rosarugosa]

Maybe just dosing at night would help with sleep as a side benefit? I think you need to try something for more than one day to give it a chance.

[jp1]

I've not looked into this but can you mix it with something? Perhaps in a glass of orange juice or other strong flavored drink? And I agree with the idea of taking it at bedtime. Maybe the effects are long enough lasting to help through the next day, on top of helping you have a good night's rest.

[Rogar]

My instructions were to administer CBD oil sublingually and to hold it under the tongue for several seconds before swallowing. The taste is slightly offensive.

[JaneV2.0]

I wouldn't give up so easily; there are lots of YouTube videos explaining what to expect, dosages, brands.

[rosarugosa]

You could also try in pill form, or you could vape the oil.

[CathyA]

For some reason, I just can't be fatigued again. I just can't stand it. For so many years, when my fibromyalgia started up, life was such a challenge for so many years, because of fatigue. I guess you could say I have a phobia of having it!

Last night I started thinking that maybe I'm zinc deficient, since I have the many symptoms of that (including taste and smell problems). So I took a supplement of it. We'll see how that does with my funky taste and smell. If it seems to help, I'll consider slowly taking the CBD oil again.....although I might switch to the capsules.

I get so tired of having such an excruciatingly sensitive neuro system. It's really ridiculous. I see all, hear all, feel all, think all. I'm exhausted. It seems to be both a gift and a curse.

[Sad Eyed Lady]

I started using CBD oil about a month ago for migraines and have had positive results. I put about 1/2 dropper full under my tongue and hold it for at least one minute before swallowing. I do this twice a day. It has no sedative effect on me, and the thing I noticed when I first started taking it was just how much better I felt in general. I prefer the plain, or raw hemp oil with no flavor added. To me the taste is grass like and not bad at all. The first bottle I had a couple of years ago the owner from our health food store gave it to me to try because she had just started carrying it. It had a vanilla flavor added and was HORRIBLE! I couldn't take it enough to see if it worked or not. So to me the plain is better tasting. Be sure of quality and process, I'm sure there are a lot of people out there jumping on the CBD oil bandwagon that are not ethical and who knows what you are getting.

[Simplemind]

I have found a brand (local) that I really like that also makes the vape cartridges I use. It is the size of a small breath spray and is peppermint. There are 150 squirts per bottle. I spray about 5 pumps under my tongue and get minty fresh breath in the bargain. Very pleasant. I use mine mostly for sleep and like the fact that it can be administered without turning the lights on in the middle of the night to measure.