No one said recovering would be easy; they said it would be worth it.  

Whilst sitting here wondering how I am going to take nearly 12 years of chronic health struggles and formulate it into a short blog post, I reflect on a 16-year-old: scared, confused, immature and unprepared adolescent. I bring myself back to the day I got the call from the Montreal Children’s Hospital Gastroenterology (GI) department to give me my first appointment, initiating the testing process for inflammatory bowel disease. It seems like so long ago, yet it’s still so fresh in my memory.  

As a medical cannabis patient and medical cannabis clinic employee, I hope my story can help anyone to see a glimmer of light at the end of even the darkest of tunnels. I currently see my daily fight to maintain balance and good health as a blessing and a strength, but as a teenager just starting to experience life, it felt like an absolute curse and weakness.  

The summer I turned 16, I went to see my gynecologist for my usual 6-month follow-up. Even though I was on birth control, I was constantly spotting between periods. Given my family history of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and an additional concern of constant diarrhea for the last 3 months, worry grew that I may be battling an autoimmune disease. My doctor put in a request for me to be seen by the Montreal children’s hospital’s GI department, where I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.  

Within a month of my diagnosis and commencing treatments, I experienced an adverse reaction to the medication my doctors had prescribed to control my disease. It left me with pancreatitis – this was the beginning of my living nightmare.  

Due to ongoing complications, I was hospitalized for months at a time, and I was given opioids to control my pain, benzodiazepines for anxiety, and corticosteroids for the inflammation my disease caused. As time passed each hospitalization got longer and my time at home in between got shorter.  

Over time, I started to notice a shift in my moods. I thought I was only mildly depressed because of the cards I had just been dealt. I figured it was normal considering everything I had gone through in a short amount of time. I was watching my adolescence being ripped away from me. I began to feel like a prisoner in my own body. I went from being an outgoing and sociable teenager to being a reserved and isolated young adult. I was terrified.   

Shortly after being told that my pain from multiple flare-ups left me with chronic nerve damage to my intestines and pancreas, I began to realize that the pain I had was both physical and psychological, which in turn brought on severe anxiety. I started to seek unhealthy coping mechanisms.  

Subconsciously, I turned to opioids that doctors prescribed for my physical pain to alleviate my mental pain as well. I did not want to feel anything, I wanted to be numb. From that point on, there was not a day that went by that I did not misuse morphine, Dilaudid, codeine, fentanyl, or Ativan to escape the fact I was chronically ill and depressed.   

I was being followed in cognitive behavioural therapy and talk therapy for 6 months after my Crohn’s diagnosis. I learned I could tell my therapist whatever she wanted to hear just so my specialists would be happy and leave me be. After each session, I would go home and drown my feelings in whatever opioid I had at my disposal.   

Sleeping and avoiding reality became easier than dealing with my issues.  I had lost everything dear to me: school, friends, romantic partners, self-confidence, and, most of all, self-worth. I was doing absolutely nothing to help myself. I had secretly set a goal to do everything in my power not to see my 25th birthday. At this point, I was chronically depressed and had become a danger to myself.   

My cannabis journey began roughly 2 months later. I went into the ER as usually, thinking I was having another flare-up, but the nausea, vomiting, irritability, cold sweats and increased pain that I was experiencing was not disease related; it was withdrawal. I was hospitalized again, but this time was different. The chronic pain doctors and my care team agreed that I was physically dependent on Dilaudid. They proposed a 20-day in –hospital detox. At 17, I felt like I was being treated like a severe drug addict – little did I know, that was exactly the road I was heading down.  

My older brother came to visit me one day and was appalled with the approach the hospital was taking. Yes, on the one hand, they were doing right by getting me off the opioid causing more harm than good; but on the other hand, I had nothing in the short-term to control the constant pain that I was in. He decided to bring me outside and shared a joint with me. After smoking, my pain diminished, and I was able to finally eat something without vomiting. Since I was a minor my doctors were legally unable to recommend me using cannabis, but if it meant that I would use less opioids, they were not completely opposed to it. The doctors found less habit-forming derivatives of opioids for me to use during pain flare-ups; but with the help of cannabis, I did not need to use as large of doses as I used to.   

After my bowel resection at 20 years old, I recall that my family doctor noticed I was very depressed and needed help. He referred me to the best psychiatrist I’ve ever met. For the first time since getting diagnosed, I felt like I could make considerable progress. I felt like I could open up and be vulnerable with this doctor. I felt like finally someone other than my gastroenterologist genuinely believed in me and did not think I was just a drug seeker, that there was more to my substance abuse than the desire to get high. Despite that, it still took me 6 months to actually let her into some of the deepest, darkest parts of me.     

During one of my countless hospitalizations, I was assigned to the family medicine unit. Dr. Jean Zigby was following me. He was aware that I was trying to reduce my intake of opioids and substitute them with cannabis, but I had no guidance, little cannabis knowledge, nor did I have a clue what was in the cannabis I was consuming. Dr. Zigby changed all that and at 22, I was introduced to Santé Cannabis  

From there, I was blessed with a structured, positive, and organized care team. Confidently, I was able to find healthy approaches to put into practice and regain some balance in my life. I was able to gradually reduce my opioid use for anything other than pain management during my Crohn’s flare-ups. I no longer needed my benzodiazepines, not even for severe anxiety attacks. I was finally taking care of myself, and things began to look up for me. The one thing I did not expect was for the “rollercoaster” I called my life to sporadically have such horrific lows.     

After 7 years of being sick, I had hit rock bottom, attempted to overdose, and to commit suicide multiple times. It took me countless hospitalizations, substance abuse issues and 6 different mental health professionals for me to take my mental and physical health disorders seriously. I had a romantic partner at the time who gave me an ultimatum: it was drugs or her – and clearly, I chose her. I have been on a constant journey of recovery since.   

Due to a long-term use of steroids, I was diagnosed at 23 with ankylosing spondylitis in my sacroiliac joint, as well as rheumatoid arthritis. I was constantly waking up with swollen joints and pain in my lower back, hands, and knees. After being in constant pain for months, I had gone to the emergency room where they had done scans and blood tests. And sure enough, I had a new chronic autoimmune disease that I needed to deal with.  

I was already sober and well into recovery at this point. My medical cannabis care team and I had found a proper THC-rich cannabis regime for my neuropathic pain. Unfortunately, following my care team’s suggestion to add a CBD oil regime to control my ongoing inflammation was too costly for me, as I did not have an income at the time. I had no choice but to start methotrexate, which is a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (and a cancer treatment at higher doses) with debilitating side effects. However, I was able to control my arthritis with it, to a point where I could keep a steady employment.  

Eventually, I was able to afford CBD oil, which in turn helped control the inflammation caused by arthritis. It almost seemed too good to be true, but following a strict ratio of THC:CBD, ALL my chronic health conditions were now under control. I was able to stop 98% of the medications I was prescribed.   

However, with my life headed in the right direction, a part of me still felt unhappy. There was still that little voice in my head, determined to think that I was going to fail, reminding me about the promise I made to myself that I would not see my 25th birthday. I hated the person I saw in the mirror daily. The only emotion I was able to feel was self-hatred. I overthought everything and anything, and I developed chronic social anxiety – I could no longer be in large groups or crowds of people.  

Instead of using drugs, I was now using romantic relationships and close friends to fill the empty hole deep within where self-love used to lie. I simply transferred addictions. I had not completely dealt with my trauma of the last 9 years. I was barely functioning. I hurt people and got hurt. I always had a superhero complex, but by the time I was 24, it was out of control. I thought I could deal with my “baggage” once a week in therapy without applying therapy tools to my daily life. My days revolved around my career and my partner; I was living and breathing for two things and none of them was me. I ended up burning myself out and nearly relapsing.  

I was a week away from the 2-year mark of my sobriety, 4 months away from my 25th birthday and I was once again ready to end it all. I had to take a sick leave from work and broke up with my then-partner when everything was getting hard. I had a plan to end my misery and give up on myself. The day I planned it, to overdose and close my eyes for good, somehow, with my hand full of pills, reality hit me. I realized how far I had come and could see my worth for the very first time in my life. Instead of relapsing and giving up, I decided it was time to go to rehab.  

I finally focused on myself and was able to get back to work. I took therapy seriously and was able to find new ways to appreciate the life I fought so hard for. I surrounded myself with positive and supportive people. I got through the darkness and celebrated my 25th birthday in June 2019.   

By sharing my story, I wanted to show you that anything is possible with a positive support system, a proper care team, and an individualized treatment plan. You can be dealt the worst cards imaginable, but it is the approach you choose to take that can lead to success or failure. I ventured down both roads and believe me when I say: once you learn to love yourself and embrace everything about yourself, you can overcome any obstacle.   

I found the positive before it was too late. I found my purpose and found my place in the world. No matter how dark the road gets for me, I can always manage to find a way to bring a glimmer of hope to the obstacle I am facing. I grew tired of letting my illnesses, my disorders and my struggles define my life, and learned to live with them.  

When I concentrated on caring for myself and dealing with my trauma, I could prevail through the darkness. I could not find the light in my darkness, so I became the light.  

Author: Rebecca Fogel, Patient Care Coordinator, Santé Cannabis   

Rebecca Fogel has worn many hats for Santé Cannabis since October 2017. She works as a Medical Office Assistant, Patient care coordinator and Patient advocate. She leads patient events and support groups, is passionate about public speaking, and is dedicated to providing medical cannabis patients a place to speak freely and to be heard. 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

I often get patients wondering in the same manner. There is still much reprehension about cannabis. Our society is unceasingly finding fault with it, no matter how its status has evolved. The public has yet to fully and intuitively confirm its moral direction. Cannabis perception is changing at a very slow pace. 

Even the method of administration is very much compatible to its malignant opinion. ‘’ I don’t want to smoke cannabis. I’m not a druggy.’’ one of our patients did say. The current terminology, slangs precisely, is still and probably throwing people off. Many of our patients do not want to be taking weed or puffing on a spliff. Our treatment plans are based on scientific data, and accordingly we make sure to use the appropriate terms to the purpose. 

Our esteemed doctors do not prescribe marijuana. They recommend inhaling dried cannabis for breakthrough pain. I would gently remind a patient when he or she uses such words as “pot” or “ganja”. The old proverbial ‘’to-may-to/to-mah-to’’ would ring out. So, what is the difference? Really? 

I believe words and how we understand them are very consequential moving forward. I remember back in the 1990’s, the semantics affecting the scope of the term ‘’death tax’’ eventually became the ‘’estate or inheritance tax’’ in the US? Basically, politicians and advocates tried to kill the bill by putting stress on how it harmed family farms and small businesses. They knowingly coined the term ‘’death tax’’ to get the public to consider their cause. Dying has more impact and meaning in the collective conscience. 

I think the transition toward a proper nomenclature in medical cannabis practice must be imposed, applied and supported by all parties involved. Indica dried cannabis, THC-rich, 3-4 inhalations at bedtime or as needed does serves as better example of a positive and trustworthy interpretation than 3-4 puffs of weed before going to bed. 

– Pheng Lim, LPN 

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Pain is part of life, but for some people there is simply no respite from pain. When pain becomes chronic, it’s difficult to make it go away completely. Therefore, it’s no surprise that chronic pain is an enormous global public health problem. About one in four Canadians aged 15 or older (or an estimated 7.63 million people) live with chronic pain, and it is about one in five people in the United States. [1, 2] It is the leading cause of disability in working-age adults, impacting activities of daily living and quality of life. [3] 

We know how chronic pain can be difficult to manage, as most of our patients have chronic pain, or pain as part of a chronic condition. 

REAL-WORLD DATA FROM SANTÉ CANNABIS’ OBSERVATIONAL STUDY 

Chronic pain conditions are frequent in patients seen at Santé Cannabis’ clinics: pain-related diagnoses make over 50% of all diagnoses (figure 1) and pain symptoms affect 80% of the 1275 patients assessed between July 2020 and March 2021. 

Figure 1: Primary diagnoses proportions from 1275 patients followed at Santé Cannabis (July 14, 2020—March 31, 2021) 

Furthermore, chronic pain is frequently associated with a myriad of other frequent symptoms that are directly impacted by pain, such as sleep disturbances, [4, 5] anxiety and depression, [6, 7] fatigue, nausea, etc. The following graphic (figure 2) shows the most common secondary symptoms reported by patients living with pain at our clinics. 

Figure 2: Secondary symptoms in 1019 patients living with pain and followed at Santé Cannabis (July 14, 2020—March 31, 2021). 

CHRONIC PAIN IS NOT A MONOLITH 

Chronic pain is pain that persists or recurs for more than three months.[8] It is a convenient umbrella term, regrouping widely different pain types. 

Chronic pain is classified according to its cause, cancer and non-cancer origin, and by the way the pain is produced (its mechanism) in neuropathic pain, nociceptive pain, and mixed pain (including both neuropathic and nociceptive pain).  

Figure 3: Classification of pain  

We see a wide array of chronic pain conditions at our Santé Cannabis clinics, from neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis to cancer pain, fibromyalgia and chronic low-back pain. It is common that patients consider our clinic as a last option to manage their chronic pain – and it makes sense, since there are several conventional treatments for chronic pain supported by better evidence than cannabinoid-based medicines currently are. 

MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC PAIN 

The modern pharmacopeia possesses more than a few options for pain management. Cannabinoid-based medicines have their use in pain management as a third- or fourth-line treatment, [9] and generally recommended as adjunctive treatment. [10, 11] There are both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options that can work in combination to relieve and cope with pain.  

Non-pharmacological therapies include (but are not limited to) physiotherapy, exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), occupational therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness, massage, osteopathic manipulation, etc. [12-15] 

As for pharmacological treatments, the following analgesic ladder shows a simple strategy (figure 4); it is adapted from the World Health Organization analgesic ladder, initially intended for cancer pain, but now also applied to chronic non-cancer pain. [12, 16] 

NSAIDS: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; TCAs: tricyclic antidepressants; SNRIs: serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors 

Figure 4: Analgesic ladder (adapted from [12, 16]) 

When considering cannabinoid-based medicines, it is important that a discussion takes place between the healthcare provider and the patient in a shared decision-making process. [9] Indeed, cannabinoids efficacy, potential adverse effects, cost, and related stigma should be addressed so that patients are adequately informed.   

MULTIMODAL TREATMENT 

Chronic pain treatment includes more than pharmaceuticals, as these are often not as effective when used alone. Behavioural and other psychology-based therapies play an important role in chronic pain management to help patients cope with the emotions that accompany pain, such as anxiety, depression, frustration, etc. 

Furthermore, our medical team observes that chronic pain often occurs in individuals who underwent emotional trauma (resulting from violence, abuse, neglect, etc.)—highlighting the need for a multimodal therapy to help improve the combination of emotional and physical pain. 

We also believe that chronic pain patients benefit more from a holistic approach incorporating lifestyle changes, as pain and anxiety/stress act one upon another in a vicious circle. Indeed, patients living with unrelieved chronic pain often are trapped in a pain-centered pattern, where anxiety—and decreased activity, deconditioning and fatigue—contributes to worsening pain and reduce their quality of life (see figure 5). 

Chronic pain is generally recognized to impact sleep and contribute to depression, but it may not be common knowledge that persistent pain is also associated with memory decline. [17, 18] 

Figure 5: Pain-centered life 

At Santé Cannabis, the role of our medical team is to help patients help themselves. In our experience, patients who undertake a multimodal treatment obtain better therapeutic results. Promoting the practice of physical activities, providing strategies to manage stress, and improving sleep can prove extremely helpful to guide patients out of their pain-centred life (see figure 6). 

Some of our patients reported better coping with the practice of mindfulness—an example of simple, inexpensive, and empowering therapy for which we provide information and support through virtual talks and support groups meeting. Patients often do not realize how they can be empowered in their own healthcare and get control over their pain, rather than being victimized by it. 

“When their functionality improves, my patients say that they feel like they can control their pain instead of the pain controlling them.  

Some tell me they feel as if they had regained their lives.” Dr Michael Dworkind 

Figure 6: Function-centered life 

On a last note, the environment in which patients live also impacts pain levels directly or indirectly (e.g., through work-related stress levels). Evaluating the context and situation of a patient helps to better assess pain and pain-related symptoms, since they fluctuate according to what happens to the body and the mind. For example, if context has changed, it will likely affect the patient’s condition and, therefore, their response to treatment. 

PAIN AND STIGMA 

Chronic pain is incredibly hard to treat, and it is difficult for patients to find a treatment that will help them manage or overcome their pain. Many healthcare professionals do not receive extensive enough training on chronic pain; this affects their ability to provide adequate recommendations on pain management and in turn poses a serious threat to patients’ safety. [19, 20] 

Chronic pain patients need access to multimodal treatments, and they need to be able to have an honest discussion about their treatment expectations and outcomes with their healthcare provider. Due to the challenges and lengthy commitment needed with treating pain, stigma may affect perceptions about pain conditions and the patients who suffer from them. 

One example of stigma is when some healthcare professionals are dismissive about fibromyalgia, as the condition is hard to manage with success, and there has been an influencing notion passed around that it is a condition mainly caused by a patient’s mental state. 

If there is no measure to diagnose fibromyalgia, does it exist? 

Often, fibromyalgia patients must be very persistent in seeking treatment as well as in getting recognition for their condition. While remaining a diagnosis of exclusion—which means patients spend a long time with their physician and specialist(s) trying to determine the cause of their pain and other symptoms—more and more scientific evidence supports the validity of fibromyalgia as a pain disorder and its treatment. 

There is also persistent stigma associated with pain expression, in particular with those that are vocal about their pain (emotional outburst, cries) being often perceived as exaggerating. It is vital to acknowledge the cultural and gender-related differences in pain communication. If a patient is reporting pain, we as a medical clinic believe that healthcare professionals should remain sensitive and respectful, and provide a proper, objective and attentive assessment of the reported pain and symptoms. Ignoring or downplaying reported pain and symptoms is counterproductive and does not help patients get better. 

At Santé Cannabis, we know what stigma is – just read our name-, and we mean to push forward and fight stigmatization. We wish our patients to be heard, so we advocate for their rights; we want cannabinoid-based treatments to be prescribed and dispensed like other medications, so we advocate for improved access. We want more research on medical cannabis, so we contribute to the growing body of evidence on cannabinoid-based medicines with our ongoing observational study. To all the patients who accept to be part of this study, we thank you for your contribution to Science. We hope that our collective effort will help to improve patient care. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this blogpost, where we’ll go over the current evidence supporting cannabinoid-based medicines for pain management and much more!   

Author: Charlotte Bastin 

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REFERENCES 

1. Health Canada, Canadian Pain Task Force Report: September 2020. aem, 2020.
2. Zelaya, C.E., et al. Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain Among U.S. Adults, 2019. NCHS Data Brief No. 390 2020 2020/12/02/T04:47:29Z; Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db390.htm.
3. Busse, J.W., et al., Guideline for opioid therapy and chronic noncancer pain. Cmaj, 2017. 189(18): p. E659-e666.
4. Gottschling, S., et al., Safety Considerations in Cannabinoid-Based Medicine. International journal of general medicine, 2020. 13: p. 1317-1333.
5. Ferguson, G. and M. Ware, Review Article: Sleep, Pain and Cannabis. Journal of Sleep Disorders & Therapy, 2015. 04(02).
6. Dominick, C.H., F.M. Blyth, and M.K. Nicholas, Unpacking the burden: Understanding the relationships between chronic pain and comorbidity in the general population. PAIN, 2012. 153(2): p. 293-304.
7. IsHak, W.W., et al., Pain and Depression: A Systematic Review. Harv Rev Psychiatry, 2018. 26(6): p. 352-363.
8. Treede, R.-D., et al., Chronic pain as a symptom or a disease: the IASP Classification of Chronic Pain for the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). PAIN, 2019. 160(1).
9. Chang, Y., et al., Medical Cannabis for Chronic Noncancer Pain: A Systematic Review of Health Care Recommendations. Pain research & management, 2021. 2021: p. 8857948-8857948.
10. Häuser, W., et al., European Pain Federation (EFIC) position paper on appropriate use of cannabis-based medicines and medical cannabis for chronic pain management. European Journal of Pain, 2018. 22(9): p. 1547-1564.
11. Haleem, R. and R. Wright, A Scoping Review on Clinical Trials of Pain Reduction With Cannabis Administration in Adults. 2020. 2020.
12. Hylands-White, N., R.V. Duarte, and J.H. Raphael, An overview of treatment approaches for chronic pain management. Rheumatol Int, 2017. 37(1): p. 29-42.
13. Canadian Agency for Drugs Technologies in Health. Research Gaps: Chronic Pain Management: Non-Pharmacologic Treatments. CADTH.ca 2019 2019/01/22; Available from: https://www.cadth.ca/tools/research-gaps-chronic-pain-management-non-pharmacologic-treatments.
14. Welsh, T.P., A.E. Yang, and U.E. Makris, Musculoskeletal Pain in Older Adults: A Clinical Review. The Medical clinics of North America, 2020. 104(5): p. 855-872.
15. Busse, J., The 2017 Canadian Guideline for Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain. Cancer Pain, 2017: p. 105.
16. Anekar, A.A. and M. Cascella, WHO Analgesic Ladder, in StatPearls. 2020, StatPearls Publishing: Treasure Island (FL).
17. Dick, B.D. and S. Rashiq, Disruption of attention and working memory traces in individuals with chronic pain. Anesth Analg, 2007. 104(5): p. 1223-9, tables of contents.
18. Whitlock, E.L., et al., Association Between Persistent Pain and Memory Decline and Dementia in a Longitudinal Cohort of Elders. JAMA Intern Med, 2017. 177(8): p. 1146-1153.
19. Zhao, J., et al., Health Care Providers’ Experiences and Perceptions Participating in a Chronic Pain Telementoring Education Program: A Qualitative Study. Canadian Journal of Pain, 2020. 4.
20. McGillion, M.H. and J. Watt-Watson, Pain Assessment and Management in Canada: We’ve Come a Long Way but there are Challenges on the Road Ahead. Can J Nurs Res, 2015. 47(1): p. 9-16.

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Patients who commit themselves to a comprehensive approach that combines a carefully monitored medical cannabis treatment with physical activity, improved sleep hygiene and mental health treatment can often significantly improve their quality of life.

“Fibromyalgia is a disease that we see a lot at Santé Cannabis and we have a good deal of success with its treatment. We can work to improve it over time, but it requires full participation by the patient and, if possible, their families or support system.”

– Santé Cannabis Medical Director Dr. Michael Dworkind

UNDERSTANDING FIBROMYALGIA

Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic musculoskeletal pain and diagnoses usually include other symptoms, such as chronic fatigue, poor sleep, mood and cognitive issues. The condition is thought to affect slightly less than two percent of Canadians, and is most common among women over 40 years of age.  

While the pathophysiology of the disorder remains poorly understood, several possible mechanisms have been advanced, including central sensitization, suppression of descending inhibitory pathways, excessive activity of glial cells, and abnormalities in neurotransmitter release. A clinical endocannabinoid deficiency has also been hypothesized as an underlying pathophysiology but there remains insufficient evidence to support the theory. [i] 

FINDING THE RIGHT CANNABIS STRAIN AND DOSE

Patients react to cannabinoids differently so it’s important to find the specific dose and strain that meets their personal needs. Through trial and with the continuous assessment of a supportive healthcare team, patients can attain that goal.

Although treatments at Sante Cannabis are initiated with products that have balanced levels of THC and CBD (THC:CBD), patients with fibromyalgia seen by our physicians generally report greater relief from THC-rich products. Patients who are inexperienced with cannabis should introduce THC slowly to avoid possible adverse effects. Inhaled THC-rich products are usually recommended to treat breakthrough pain. 

Quebec physicians who want to learn more about the different strains of medical cannabis and administration methods can sign up to the Sante Cannabis Prescriber Training Program for convenient online access to clinical guidelines, education material and support.

SLEEP AND CHRONIC PAIN

Finding the right type of cannabis is not the only requirement for success in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Research and clinical experience show that an overwhelming number of fibromyalgia patients suffer from poor non-restorative sleep, often because they are frequently awoken by pain throughout the night.

Optimal sleep is critical in the treatment of fibromyalgia, with no more and no less than eight hours of nourishing deep sleep needed most nights. This may require an inhaled sedating strain of medical cannabis to induce the sleep, combined with the use of either a longer acting medical cannabis oil, a pharmaceutical cannabinoid or an edible medical cannabis product to maintain sleep. 

The ability to induce and maintain a good quality of sleep is a solid indication that a medical cannabis treatment is effective. 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MENTAL HEALTH

Another important component of treating fibromyalgia is physical activity. When fibromyalgia pain is adequately controlled, and patients are sleeping well, they can gradually become more active on a daily basis. Simple aerobics or brisk walking, preferably in a natural surrounding, can make a marked difference, as vigorous daily activity often leads to an improved mood and outlook, something that can be difficult for those with living chronic pain.

Chronic fibromyalgia patients may suffer from depression or adjustment disorders from years of poor treatments. The support of mental health professionals can be an important aspect of some fibromyalgia patients’ treatment plan. 

Physicians and nurses should also emphasize lifestyle components in the ongoing treatment of all fibromyalgia patients. In our experience, mindfulness is another way to create positive lifestyle changes. By incorporating mindfulness approaches into their daily lives, patients can learn strategies and techniques to calm their minds and reduce anxiety, a symptom that frequently accompanies chronic pain conditions.

SYNERGY BETWEEN OPIOIDS AND CANNABINOIDS

Activity not only improves physical conditioning but it also stimulates the endorphins system, our body’s opioid system. Clinical experience indicates a synergy between cannabinoids and opioids that sees a mutual increase in therapeutic effects without increasing plasma levels. Working together, both cannabinoid receptors and opioid receptors can combine to better control the pain symptoms. Synergism between opioids and cannabinoids has been postulated and subsequently demonstrated in a number of animal models, and there is some evidence that cannabinoids might increase the synthesis or release of endogenous opioids. [ii]

“There is no cure for fibromyalgia,” says Dr. Michael Dworkind. “But we’ve seen this approach help patients find a life that is much more active and not centered on pain, a life in which the patient can better control the intensity and impact of a previously debilitating condition.” 

Physicians with patients who might benefit from this Santé Cannabis approach can find a referral form to our clinic here. Patients who have questions about medical cannabis as a possible treatment option can access more information on our FAQ page.

[i] Russo, E. B. (2008). Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD): can this concept explain therapeutic benefits of cannabis in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and other treatment-resistant conditions? Neuro Endocrinology Letters, 29(2), 192–200.

[ii] Abrams, D. I., Couey, P., Shade, S. B., Kelly, M. E., & Benowitz, N. L. (2011). Cannabinoid-opioid interaction in chronic pain. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 90(6), 844–851. https://doi.org/10.1038/clpt.2011.188 ; Cichewicz, D. L. (2004). Synergistic interactions between cannabinoid and opioid analgesics. Life Sciences, 74(11), 1317–1324. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f7339