Research Brief
A new study examining the use of marijuana for fibromyalgia pain revealed that 13% of people at one Canadian pain center were using some form of cannabis (the plant that produces marijuana.)
Of those using cannabis, 80% were using the plant form, 24% used prescription drugs containing cannabinoids, and 3% were using a combination of both forms.
They found cannabis usage was more common in people fitting the following criteria:
- Current unstable mental illness
- Opioid drug-seeking behavior
- Males
- Unemployed
- Receiving disability payments
Researchers urged caution about recommending cannabis for treating fibromyalgia because some of those trends.
My Perspective
First, it should be noted that medical marijuana is legal in Canada. The participants who are self-medicating, however, likely obtain the drug illegally.
Second, I think the researcher's conclusion is somewhat flawed, as some of the factors listed above may leave many people without good options for pain treatment.
- Current Unstable Mental Illness: I'm not going to address whether marijuana is appropriate for people in this category. I don't know enough about mental illness, and also the category is too broad, covering everything from anxiety to schizophrenia. However, I do have to wonder if people with psychiatric diagnoses are more likely than others to be under-treated for pain because doctors are hesitant to give them painkillers. If so, this could make them more likely to self medicate.
- Opioid Drug-Seeking Behavior: Certainly, some of the people displaying this behavior may be addicts who are trying to get meds for the wrong reason. However, others may have been wrongly denied proper pain treatment. It's hard for doctors to recognize the difference between addictive behavior and the desperation caused by unrelenting pain, and some of them don't try very hard. Once the label is on your chart, no one will give you painkillers. Chronic pain is chronically under-treated, leaving far too many of us desperate for something. When we ask for drugs, we're labeled as "drug seekers." Um, yeah - we're seeking treatment.
- Males: Men are less likely to ask for help, often believing it makes them appear weak. This could lead men with inadequate pain treatment to seek their own solutions rather than go back to the doctor.
I don't know what to make of the "unemployed" or "receiving disability payments" categories. In the U.S., it would make perfect sense - those would be uninsured or under-insured people. I don't know enough about the Canadian system(s) involved to speculate about these, though.
And here's an interesting tidbit - according to the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), the national rate of marijuana use there is 16.8%. I'm not very good at math, but I'm pretty sure 16.8 is higher than 13, meaning that Canadians with fibromyalgia are less likely than their healthy countrymen to smoke pot or use another form of cannabis.
I hope that, going forward, researchers take a close look at why certain people are more likely to self-medicate instead of focusing on the fact that people with what are called "negative psychosocial parameters" are more likely to do it. If they don't, they're doing us all a disservice.
Why do you think certain people are more likely to turn to marijuana, and especially to self-medicate illegally? Have you used cannabis to treat your pain? Leave your comments below!
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Hello I am 55 employed & have suffered from fibromyalgia & IBS for the last 15 yrs . I am male & also a professional . i have been using marijuana for my fibro for the last 5 yrs with excellent results . I find marijuana relaxes me & allows me to sleep , as anyone with fibro knows you can be woken up from a deep sleep with pain . I also find eating cannabis cookies helps me with stomach cramping that I get from IBS. I am not on any opiod medications , antidepressants or anything other than low dose asprin (recomended by my Dr) & as well i take vitamins .
I think people are more likely to turn to cannabis for a variety of reasons, some of which include its relatively low cost, ability to be grown by the patient, and how quick cannabis works. Mostly, it works VERY well for pain, both physical and emotional, and has less bad side effects than even ibuprofen.
I personally use cannabis 3-5 times a month recreationally, but I have noticed it relieves stress, and I have used some for headaches, and used it to self-medicate some mild depression that I tend to get in the winter.
I am very very reluctant to try any kind of meds at this pt because I react so badly to nearly everything; however, if I had the opportunity to try a pill form of marijuana, I would definitely do it. Between the pain, the terrible sleep, and especially the horrible unrelenting GI issues that nothing else helps at all, it would definitely be worth a try. I wouldn’t want to smoke it because I have asthma and because I don’t want to smell like it, though. However, since it is illegal here I have not had a chance to see if it would help.
My reasons have nothing to do with the criteria the research found, though, except that I am unemployed and on disability. However, there is no relation in my case between those things and my desire to try it. As far as drug seeking goes, I tend to have the opposite experience of most people with Fibro and CFS. I am constantly getting pressured to try another med and people get angry with me (inc Drs) when I refuse them.
I have had FMS for the past ten years along with RA and Lupus. My doctor has me on Tramadol for pain but it really does little for the worst flair ups. During those times I will use MJ as a last resort. Being in the US it is illegal in my state, but my son gets it for me and I only use it when I can’t get any control over the pain. I am 63 and doctors are always hesitant to give older patients enough pain meds. This is my only option and it does work. It relaxes me, stops the anxiety attacks that severe pain causes, and allows me to want to go on living with these miserable diseases and syndrome. By the way, this is the first time I have ever used MJ in all my life…
I have read the article you wrote about in several web pages. The intent I think is make people believe taking cannabis is for idiots. Sigh… This article is being proliferated all over the internet and being twisted to look like only idiots take cannabis.
I was furious when I read it. The way they twisted the words around. Cannabis is a great option for pain and fibro fog. It helps the mind to focus and helps you to forget your pain. For mental health, if you have ADD, it will help you focus on the task at hand rather than be distracted by anything else of less of importance.
It relieves your pain and helps you have a better quality of life. You feel like normal and you can function again.
I not only have fibromyalgia, but also osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, heel spurs, migraines, degenerative discs, scoliosis, among a few of my painful ailments. Cookies are the best thing to take cannabis in. They may be slow reacting but they last a longer time.
Well, one thing is right- I am Canadian but, I am not male, nor am I an opiod seeker or unemployed (except for the fact that I am unable to work). The only thing I seek is sleep and relief from pain. I am currently on the pill form of marijuana and I have never slept better. as for the pain, it has helped but, I also go for nerve blocks every 2 weeks which help tremendously. I do not fit the supposed criteria and have been looking for pain and sleep relief for about 25 years and the pain clinic I was finally refered to was my answer. I was also prescribed modofinal for CFS and now have more energy during the day and actually manage to get a few small tasks done where before I I did practically nothing due to fatigue and pain. My life has changed drastically over the past 2 months. Don’t get me wrong, I still have “those” days where I feel like total crap, especially if I’ve overdone it the day before. But, the marijuana is helping me sleep so much better and helping to relieve a lot of my pain.
I am a 50 year old woman with CFS/ME and FM and use marijuana for constant persistsant, pain, fatigue and insomnia. I do not smoke the marijuana but vaporize it instead, thereby getting the benefits of the cannabanoids without having to smoke it and deal with the effects of inhaling smoke.
There are no prescriptions drugs that have helped reduce my pain, or that consistently helps me sleep – which is why I tried medical marijuana. I have found it reduces my pain to a tolerable level (instantly), relaxes me (instantly), helps me sleep, improves my mood, and has improved my quality of life. Without the help of medical marijuana I believe I may have ended up as one of the many with this illness that cannot continue living with this disease.
I am in Canada where you can possess a licence to purchase/possess medical marijuana after going through a rigorous application process. it is my hope that this natural medicine will become more available and in a wide range of forms (oils, pills, foods, etc.) so that many more of us can use this medicine and achieve a better quality of life.
I have self-medicated with cannabis for about a year. It’s the only thing that stops me feeling the really awful, bad pain like when I’ve overdone it or having a bad flare. There are no side-effects & you just feel nicely numb. A lovely escape but I only use it when nothing else helps.
I’m female & work as a Full-time mum to 4 children!
I have self-medicated with cannabis for about a year. It’s the only thing that stops me feeling the really awful, bad pain like when I’ve overdone it or having a bad flare. There are no side-effects & you just feel nicely numb. A lovely escape but I only use it when nothing else helps.
I’m female & work as a Full-time mum to 4 children!
My dr was aware that i used marujuana occasionally for pain.Im now in the process of applying fr the medical use card to make it official.Yes im on disability but due to the fibro not the marujuana.Before i was diagnosed i didnt realise how badly pain is treated and how misunderstood it is.Id rather use the marujuana which has no side effects for me than have to be reliant on a system that treats long term chronic pain sufferers as drug seeking low lifes.
I’ve had Fibro for over 10 years. I’m a middle aged woman living in a conservative state where weed is illegal. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to try it a number of times in an other state where it was medically legal. I have been on Cymbalta and hydrocodone for years to try to relieve the pain and stress of Fibro. I was astounded at the immediate relief weed gave me. I was literally speechless! My pain was gone – completely gone. Nothing in the past had ever completely relieved my pain or stress it caused. The feeling lasted for several hours and I had no negative effects afterward. I would use it again in a heartbeat if I lived somewhere other than my home state. After researching weed, I now find it absurd that is is considered much more dangerous than drinking alcohol. Knowing I will have Fibro the rest of my life, I would even consider moving to another state to be able to have a chance to live without pain. There is stigma surrounding every serious pain reliever out there, so the stigma surrounding weed makes no difference at all to me. However, doing something illegal is not something I chose to do. I may be packing my bags sooner than later…..
I haven’t used marijuana for pain relief, but I have used it for “sleep relief”.
I’m Canadian, 43 year old female, diagnosed with FMS 4 years ago. I work full time, take pain meds that area godsend.
I’m appalled a study like this one would even be in a reputable publication. There is so much information missing from the survey. Are these people diagnosed by qualified professionals? what do they mean by “current unstable mental illness”? I don’t know about other FMS sufferers, but when I’m on day three of a nasty flare, I’m pretty sure I’d fail any test measuring my sanity.
It’s frustrating that surveys like this are taken so seriously. It comes down to what the doctor believes. If he believes FMS sufferers are people with drug-seeking behavior, then, that’s what you are. And,hey, check it out! There’s a recent survey that backs his opinion!
I hate this disease/syndrome/whatever professionals decide to call it. 5 years ago I was a fun-loving, hard-working,life-loving woman with unlimited opportunities. Within 6 months, I was on disability (I was a welder), being “re-trained” to re-join the workforce.
Doctors kept prescribing me antidepressants. I couldn’t tolerate them; weird thoughts, uncomfortable side effects. I told my doc, and I’m labelled as non-compliant. Which is almost as bad a label as “drug-seekin”.
My point is, why do surveys like this “tokers are mentally unstable, lazy, drug-seekers” get so much more attention than clinical trials with a more sympathetic conclusion? I think it is because deep down, that’s what most people in the medical community think of us.
And it p!!!!es me off!
I live in California where medical mj is legal. I don’t find it helpful for muscle pain, but use it for depression, nausea, and sleep.
It saved me a few months ago. I had been to the er twice recently and had just given up hope. I had been throwing up and couldn’t even sit up without blacking out. Then I remembered mj was good for nausea, and my son set up my vaporizer and twenty minutes later I was drinking water and feeling much better.
I found out it was ulcerative colitis. I’ve seen anecdotal papers saying that mj is good for UC. I haven’t looked for scientific papers.
I’d be willing to bet that that study was sponsored by Pharma. They don’t have a pill that relieves depression in a few minutes.
I can take 25 mg of Ambien and still be awake, but 2 puffs of the right strain of mj puts me out. I have a ZEO (sleep stage tracker) and can see that my sleep is not REM or deep sleep, but after an hour or so I revert to normal sleep.
Finding a good dispensary that provides accurate information on the different strains is essential. And everyone responds differently, especially at first.
Hi I’m 32 years old I have had lupus for 10 years. I have always found ways over the years to deal with my pain until in 2009 I had a stroke, since then my pain headaches, sleeping problems have been getting worse I don’t work or get disability I have 3 children I can hardly take care of my husband does most of the work & work I have been trying many different meds over & over again I go to pain management he seems to treat me like a drug addict so I just get my normal lorcets among the few others like cymbalta neurontin he just keeps upping & drug test me every month I live in michigan you can obtain a medical license for with all my problems & the doctors not seaming to really care Im starting to think it would be a lot easier to self medicate & lot less stressful then going to explain my pain & them looking @ me like in crazy…… Or stupied …
I agree with Almost Human that this study was indeed created by the Pharma and is a study to promote negative propaganda. Marijuana has wonderful effects for people with a good many illnesses. If a person can use marijuana to at the very least, partially contain symptoms the pharma business is threatened. There may be a pharma drug(s) that a person won’t need to continue taking now or may consider taking in the future if they weren’t getting relief from an agent the industry doesn’t create and can’t make money off of. It is my personal belief that marijuana has far less negative effects than many prescription drugs and alcohol too for that matter. I don’t get any pain relief from it unfortunately yet in the past I used it to help me sleep. More states need to legalize it for medical use because of the obvious benefits for many people with illnesses to include fibromyalgia and CFS. I believe that people in pain should give it a try never mind what so called “studies” like this have to say. I take hydrocodone and wish marijuana did indeed help my pain because it worries me that the tylenol in it causes the liver damage it does. Just because it doesn’t help me doesn’t mean it won’t help somebody else so don’t let my experience deter you from trying it.
I am a 40 yr old woman, working almost full time, not in Canada, with Fibro and currently checking for some kind of autoimmune problem. I have fog, constant pain, and fatigue. Since my gastric bypass two years ago, I have extreme difficulties with food, sometimes having to make myself eat. I take hydrocodone 4-6 times a day, at times just making the day livable. When I just can’t take it anymore, I smoke just a little and it relaxes me, takes away the pain, and lets me be able to eat. Unfortunately, it is illegal in my state, so I have to keep it on the quiet. Chronic pain is unrelenting. It is depressing what we have to do to try to get relief and have some kind of quality of life.
I am 55 yrs old I have suffered with fybo for 30 years I have a horrible time finding a doctor to get pain meds for very long at a time, I am constsntly being shifted to one or another doctor and diffrent meds so along with all the pain and ect i also am under stress just figuring out when if and how im gonna get through another month. I have never liked MJ it always does the oppisite to me I get so stressed and in pain i end up in bed till it wheres off. the paronoia is so bad i cant function any advise
i have wanted to try some type of marijuana for several years. my doctor practices in an office that does not believe in it’s use for anything. i had to sign a waiver stating i would not use marijuana in any form and if i did and was caught i would be terminated as his patient. i really like this doctor. i don’t wish to lose him as my provider. i am taking very strong medication prescribed by him – but he will not consider my using any type of marijuana . this seems backwards to me – but i can’t afford to lose him as my doctor. there are very few doctors here that will treat fibromyalgia pain with medication or anything else. it’s a horrible situation and i don’t know how to change his mind. does anyone else have the same problem?? and what have you done about it?? any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. thank you
Lee;
Unfortunately, my advise would be to try it without yer doc knowing. At least that’s what I would do. No way would I do anything to jeprodise a relationship with a doc that took my pain seriously. Who even knows if the Mary-Jayne will work. I myself use it occasionally for sleep; but no way could I function at work, etc after even a couple puffs.
I wish our state would get out of the middle ages. My pain Dr. suggested this and if we could get legal medicine, he would sign the card on the spot. Unfortunately I will have to move. I would rather have a plant based medicine that , although has “side-effects” like mild euphoria, my pain recedes for a few days after ingestion; than medical “hospice” drugs that may relieve pain but are totally addictive, and effect wear off after long term use.
To all of you who have considered moving to a state where medical pot is legal, I suggest you write to Pres. O and ask him why on earth his justice department thinks that threatening states whose citizens have voted to legalize it is a priority. The answer, which he won’t admit, is Big Pharma. They are up every politician’s butt, and they don’t want pot to be readily available cuz it would cut into their profits in a giant way. I seriouisly wish everyone who uses or wants to use pot would write to him and tell him it’s costing him a vote every time he claims pot is as dangerous as heroin. If you can find it, see if someone with the knowledge will make you some cannibutter. Use it on toast or bagels, or just chew on a greasy chunk. It helped me sleep, which I never do anymore, but I had to quit because I had a delayed reaction consisting of severe dizziness and a little weirdness in my chest-which I could’ve had if I just smoked it like a fiend-but I’m dizzy enuf without any help. Seriously-write to Obama. No better time to “evolve” than right before an election, which he has proven a couple times recently. Melanie and Lee-if you’re getting good drugs from a doctor, you never know when they’ll hand you a cup to pee in. It may be policy where they work, it’s probably in a contract if you have one. If that happens, your pot use will not be a secret any longer. If you’ve got a doctor who isn’t afraid to help you with real pain meds, count yourself very lucky and don’t do anything to screw it up. If the meds aren’t working for you or there are side effects you don’t like, he sounds like he’d be open to discussing tinkering with your meds to get better results. Just please don’t risk losing a doctor who helps you. It’s a rare thing you’ve found.
I have used cannabis at bedtime for sleep and it is very effective. Sleep medication either didn’t work out left me groggy and worthless the next morning (sometimes most of the day) cannabis never had that affect. I live in California where it is legal but still very expendive.
Thank you, again, Barbara, for bringing up a central issue for me. As a 60-yr-old white woman on Disability for bipolar disorder, marijuana has always been my Sacred Medication. And yes, I have been written off by some of my doctors who say they will never give me narcotics because I revealed my truth as to what REALLY kept me together. I have Cervical Dystonia, chronic lower back pain (and now upper back), I just got over my 3rd hip replacement (the 4th will come soon) as the metal on metal resurfacing hip replacements are breaking down all over the country. This body went negatively to the extreme in a long career of dance . . . till I was 50 or so.
peace,
mickey morgan
So with fibromyalgia (which was kicked up into a super-flare, as was my depression: HUGE), marijuana addresses ALL of these issues, with the completely bearable happiness, calm, peace as side effects (as well as short-term memory, some cognitive dysfunction). The short term memory keeps me in the NOW, so I’m not obsessing about when I’m going to get my life back. I’ve been pretty much a chemical soup for several years. Marijuana halted my heavy drinking habit (I don’t drink at all), my 7 years of smoking tobacco, and now it is helping me wean myself off of 30mg of Valium/day. I’m down to 20mg. I take Seroquel (a total dilemma for me, because I took it long ago and I believe it is a factor in the Cervical Dystonia (looks like Parkinson’s in face and neck). I am so exhausted here, my first summer with fibro. I flare up with fatigue and almost nausea when I go out.
Anyway, I am seeking to be OFF mainstream meds by way of marijuana. I did it before, smoking every day for 5 years without a peep of any problem. Drug circulars always say “Your doctor has given you this medication because he/she feels the benefits outweigh the negative side effects.” And as you know, some people are given so many presriptions to control the side effects of an earlier med, yet this new one comes with its own side effects, so many times, I’ve been walking, staggering, falling down stairs with the side effects of the synthetic chemicals.
(cont.)
I think any study should be done without the bias of William Hearst’s (the newspaper mogul of the 30s?) demonizing of marijuana (hemp for paper), calling it the Devil’s Weed, and it would make your children violent. His propaganda addressed the competition for the paper market. He had a huge forest and had newspapers made from it, whereas the hemp market threatened him.
Marijuana is not good for everybody. For me, I become inspired, I get to my writing and taxes and dishes, etc.
the peace of green,
mickey morgan
I am not an opiod seeker! I want my head to be clear, and I don’t like to drool stupidly. When my ailments are under control, I will no longer need marijuana, simply for me that it enhances and then inhibits spiritual growth.
Last one! Thanks for reading.
mickey morgan
Thank you Adrienne! Well thought out argument and I personally agree 100%. I’m very pro medical marijuana and think we should have the option available to us to use medical marijuana. I despite the US’s current attitude as it’s so unhelpful for those of us suffering daily!
For years I self medicated with alcohol and/or marijuana. An ounce per week, seven joints per day. As long as I was very high, I could be motivated and mostly pain free. But when the high wore off, I was more in pain from overdoing or just doing. Not the answer. So seeing a rheum doc and Lyrica150 x twice daily, Cymbalta 60mg once daily,
Wellbutrin twice daily for the terrible depression from who knows where maybe just from having fibro. I also take Juice Plus to keep digestion/bowels good. And more importantly I have taken my diet to another level: no artificial anything, no preservatives, no pre prepared food, fast food or really anything that isn’t grown, I buy and do. A lot of veggies, fruits, honey no sugar, no caffiene, excellant quality meat once per week, chicken organic flash frozen skinless breasts. And I even try not to buy GMO foods. I get in my salt water pool several times a day to relieve spasms, fires, cramping muscles, aches that come, a small personal inexpensive pool and saltwater system for only me is my therapy and quiet time, no one else allowed. Vital nutrients are absorbed through the skin in salt water. Winter cold weather is hell on me, no pool. And every supplement I hear is good for fibro! I laid in bed for 3 years misdiagnosed, so it is important to have a good rheumatologist and drag myself there even if I am in a flare and hardly feel like an apointment. I no longer take hydrocodone and other pain killers so I feel I am better for it.Hope this helps someone. Fibro is hell on earth but can be managed with the right mix ,for each is different.
I too use Cannabis for my fibro. I am a 44 year old shop owner, suffer no mental illness and do not use any sort of prescription pain medicine.
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I am npt a xrug seeker. I take what my dr. o.k.’s me to take. But I can not sleep at all. days go b uy and it’s like ground hog day, pain all the time unless I take ultram ( which is like taking bayer asprin to me but not hard on my stomach. i very rarely take hydrocodone. I take it on thanksgivingand christmas to make it thru the day. I had to leave early a couple of times, so I brought our clunker car.I can not walk or drive without the ultram,it is the lowest form of whatever opioid? that they have. But sleep is CRUCIAL” for fm patient. I tried pot in the 80′s and it made me happy, which I’m not, horny, which I haven’t been in 17 years. as this happened as a result of a csection, The anestia gave me a spinal he said I moved, which Ididnt, said he’d have to give me a second shot. they gave me something for group B strep before they could do the csectio. ushould know, once they pry u open like a grapefru it to get to the baby, those muscles will never be shortened again without a tummy tuck. I was not told I would be fat the rest of my life because of it. evendr. Oz said they r not like a rubberband that snaps back to your thin and trim self. But they don’t want to give fm patients operations, they say we r too sensitive.
I was a size 4, now a 20, I want to sleep. noone told me pregnancy would end like this”
what some dr.’s don’t understand is: u take the 4 hour pain med they gave u, ultram say, takes me about 45 min to an hour to kick in. then u have to shower, which drains u, dress, drive to the office and theres always some construction, but u use your legsfeet neck ect to get to this apt, hen walk, then sit and wait after paying a copay. so most of your 4 hours is used up. I am not a screamer, I have tender points but I don’t want to tell him where they all are cause then they wanna push there everytime. So the last few times I didn’t react and so now he thinks I don’t have itj just chronic fatigue. after 17 years of poking me if u can’t tfigure nothing has changed in the last 3 months….. gave my husband power of attorney and he rounded me up calling me like a dog and put me in a mental ward which was the last thing I needed. MY adrenal flow didn’t stop for 6 more days I was in there with scarey people. I get anxious if I have gone 6 days with no sleep. I don’t even drink cofffee!!! all that was needed that day was a alprazolam for my panic to calm me down, and maybe make me sleepy. but now he has this god like attitude . My husband said u know it’s amazing a person could not live outside in this climate. He knows I am cold intolerant and will stiffen up and be in more pain, maskitos love me, and there r rats on the property . don’t know what to do. both male dr’s won’t reccommend me for disability. I have been rear ended 3 times at no fault of my own.we were stopped in traffic” been texting.my husband asked me if It was o.k. if he cheated on me? I was havng a foggy night, but that’s not something u don’t forget. so no friends, 2 teen sons, and a husband who scince he has got a smart phone ignores me completely. My family doesn’t want me back. I am 50 I also have alodyna and can’t wear a bra cause it hurts’ altho the ” AH” bra. One son hates me because I haven’t been able to work so I could send him to college.
So now my muscles have been stretched to give him his 2 sons he wanted, I look like I am about 8 months pregnant and no amount of exercise can fix it dr. Oz says. He sais I never would have married u if u were fat. He use to be so nice. now it’s like I am just a glorified maid.
My mind has short term problems so I could never be a receptionist or anything. I had an on the job injury and never asked for $. but can’t lift very much at all, sometimes just a gallon of milk. I graduated highschool and in those days u could get a job. My husband went to college, so
we don’t have much to talk about after 25 years of marriage, been together 26. So he comes home from work, goes to bed, spends most of that time ” playing poker” on this smart phone. He won’t say I love you to me, won’t kiss me, nothin. He resents the fact I don’t work or get disability, but I’m oh so convienient for when the kids r sick. Luckily driving is in my long term memory. He watches t.v. and instead of being able to ask him a question during commercial break he’ll just say he’s busy. Yes, I would like to try marajuana, to have something to laugh about again, and to sleep.I don’t feel wanted at all. antidepressants can only do so much.