Genie In The Bottle

Sativex may be good at so many things but it's no good at finding misplaced mobile phones, set in silent mode. Sativex has given me a new lease of health which got me out to see Avengers Assemble a few days ago. The silent phone problem stems from that very evening. The movie was a treat, as expected, and Joss Whedon proved himself as an excellent action/sci-fi director, yet again. Words to describe Scarlett Johansson? There are none, nor will there ever be...

Avengers Assemble was in 3D and I just had to go 'totally Sativexed'. Would I really be so lame as to pass up this sort of opportunity? The 3D glasses set me giggling for a start.  An effect of cannabis is to create mild visual effects. Some describe this as a hallucination but I've always found it hard to apply that word here. Colours are more vibrant and the whole scene has more contrast. I describe it as wearing my 'Disney Goggles'. Somehow, the world looks as if it's in a fish tank, slightly magnified, super clear and, ever such, a tiny bit slower. Sometimes you get the small air bubble effect but it's not dissimilar to getting a grollie on your contact lens. It's a visual effect that can be simply achieved in Photoshop.

I needed a lot of hits (squirts) of Sativex to endure the whole evening. We'd had a burger at a place opposite the cinema. The word cinema always triggers a childhood memory of the way some Americans pronounce 'movie theatre'. There are family friends in Louisiana and Texas. I tend to digress more when I'm manic.

Misplacing the phone has triggered a bit of a mood swing so I thought you may like the ride. Not very long ago, I couldn't control my moods. Sativex seems to have helped me get a grip there, not sure how to put it into words just yet. It clearly lifts my mood and leaves me laughing and smilie. My mood has gone kinda manic but Sativex (I'll go out on a limb here - no scientific study as yet) is helping me keep a lid on it.

I talk more, thoughts racing with a need to communicate. It's just me and two sleeping dogs, during the day, so if I'm not careful, I could get depressed. I think Sativex gives me the ability to be more rational. Why do I share my sh*t with you? Because it's fun. Rationality and fun don't often mix.

Sativex dowsing?
Freeform Sativexed writing?
Just thinking…

So many options, better health and far too much time.

Hardly surprising that my moods are a bit swinggy. I've spent the last couple of weeks making sure I retain my Sativex prescription. A guy from the PCT (Primary Care Trust) was very reassuring, repeatedly so. In fact, only 2 weeks ago I found he was questioning two local prescriptions of Sativex. I had him on the phone, repeatedly assuring me (5 times) the prescriptions were safe. I must have sent him enough relevant data. Maybe he was just filling his time but, I like to think my reputation precedes me on this one.

We have a new cannabis organisation here in the UK. I suggest you look into NORML UK. It makes a very clear argument.

NORML UK logo

"Founded in 1970 in the USA, NORML is an international organisation representing cannabis users worldwide. Founded in 2012, NORML-UK is is a non-partisan, non-profit organisation working for more research into the benefits of the uses of the cannabis plant for all purposes. We aim to provide a support network to those seeking the normalisation of cannabis users and to influence a positive transformation to laws to enable responsible medical, spiritual, recreational and industrial uses in the UK."

Put that in your tincture bottle and squirt it.

#sativexsavesmylife

What can I say about Sativex? It was the oddest thing but, when coming to the end of a prescription of three 10ml vials, I could have sworn I'd only used 2 of them. I was fighting a cold last week and this may explain my lack of judgement.

I was too full of cold symptoms to venture out to the pharmacy yesterday so, I phoned and asked for it to be delivered. A gentleman elder delivered it and I was so thrilled that I didn't mind struggling to sign my name three times. I know it's a restricted medicine but it is meant to improve the lives of people with a variety of disabilities. I smirk at the irony of the whole thing.

It's given me back so much life, it's my favourite strain. I could just use Sativex and be as happy as a pig in sh*t. Nothing is ever that simple though is it? Firstly, once resistance is built up again, I can use one 10ml vial per day. So, one prescription of 3 10ml vials lasts just 3 days. I'm currently one box per week but I hope to raise this to two. I've arranged for my doctor to call me tomorrow.

I thought I'd run out of my previous vials of Sativex, as when the new box was delivered, I opened the fridge to be confronted by the previous one. I thought, "I bet there's a vial in there". I was right and I was dead pleased! Now I have 4 vials of my favourite strain of cannabis to get me through the next week smiling.

I spent a few days believing I just had my own cannabis tinctures to depend on. The space I have only allows a harvest of 5 plants at once, tinctures are not that strong as a result. Strong enough to get me through but not get me there. If you're ill, you'll know what I mean.

I felt sh*t but not quite sh*t enough to be prone to ranting, only subdued sense of self and a less flexible and increasingly achy body. Even with my own tinctures, I was still suffering. It's always surprising to find out just how much sh*t I am enduring. When I woke I was so high but, I had slept so deeply that I woke up needing to stretch and flex by whole body.

My abs felt as if I'd done 100 sit-ups. Sadly, there's no six-pack despite muscles being under constant tension without Sativex. To be precise, all my joints ached until I had a lengthy stretching session. All my usual aching and spasms  was increased by having this cold and that was evident. I took the time to loosen up my whole body and now I'm a different person to the one I was yesterday. Good riddance!

420, in London's Hyde Park, looked to be a great success. You must understand, I've had this cold for over a month, that's MS, and I was feeling more emotional than usual. Crying is a great tool if and when you can control it. I watched some footage of the London 420 on YouTube and, after a decade of no action, I found I was moved to tears. It was excellent to see a good humoured, healthy crowd and even better to note that the London Metropolitan Police allowed the event to pass peacefully and without an arrest. Keep it up.

I'm completely burned out and decided to do a lot of reading, thinking and writing. As a bid to get some semblance of life back, I've committed to two literary/music festivals this Summer. Sativex is working that well for me but I'm sh*tting myself too. Will I have enough Sativex and home made tincture for myself, and the others with me, to have the best possible time? Will my health get me prepared over the next few weeks? Will one of my dog's mystery health problems add too much stress to arrangements?

F*ck it! Do it!

Britain Understands Medical Cannabis

The Sativex Aftermath

I'm keeping the curtains closed today. Using a whole 10ml of Sativex, within 12 hours, clearly boosted my health. Since shopping in Solihull, in the previous post, I've had the rare luxury of overdoing it. You know, finding out just what my new body is capable of. New? It may as well be because it's 1000 miles away from an under-medicated and spectacular relapse. Blimey, I've learned tons!

Stan, who's keeping me company today

Back to the closed curtains, it's kind of womb like. Warmth, comfort and rest is what is needed but my mind was buzzing a little. I enjoyed listening to Dopecast308 and enjoyed the piece on emerging British cannabis social clubs. There's a whole bunch on Facebook for starters so, if you're interested in the concept, get to seeking out like minded souls. We're everywhere.

What may be undesirable for one patient may not be for the next. The (side) undesirable effects of Sativex can leave you staggering about like a drunk. In effect, i'm a functioning cannaholic. It is frequently exhausting but you can't  have one thing without some bi-product or other. With this disease, it's not such an awful trade off. It's a relief.

Since my epic shopping trip to Solihull, I've been stunned by my recovery. I've been walking the dog, off-road with crutches, on two occasions. This has been what I've waited for for almost 2 years. I'm very happy and sporting a smug expression.

Sativex is lacking in euphoria and escapism. Very simply, it could do with more THC. A medicine should and could allow a patient to escape their torture, if they so wish. There needs to be more relief! I've always been a bit of a headphone junkie and seeing as cannabis improves this, among other experiences, I've been listening to audio books/lectures and some epic music. I'm also loving getting  into European films with subtitles. Sativex was great at allowing me to escape. Nothing but praise and thanks for that.

To me, Sativex merely treats symptoms, in a minor way, so that the patient feels a little better. A cannabinoid scientist expressed an interest in high doses and what could be achieved. They were frustrated as it's difficult for patients to get enough prescription to try this out. I overheard the words to this effect and found it to be a red rag to go with the bull sh*t restrictions placed on us all. Result? I feel a whole lot better. Sativex does actually work.

I may be isolated with my illness but this has allowed much thought. Living with MS means constantly adjusting to physical and emotional change. On top of this you do the regular 'growing up' which reminds us life is sh*tty enough as it is. Maybe this is why able bodied people can seem so disabled themselves? Simply, living life is disabling enough and quite evidently so. I've been properly disabled so long that I can no longer find any reference, so I can't relate to the able bodied. I don't miss working in an office though. I seem to recall how sh*tty that can get.

In some ways it was difficult having my mum come and stay while my husband was away skiing. It's hard to be cared for like a child when you are almost 43. Well, I may not have given her grandkids but I can provide reasonable conversation and shopping trips. We get through life by filling it up with distractions. I hope I'm providing a good distraction for myself and others. I'm at least finding value in it.

Blurry Blue Venom

I've spent the last 12 months pushing people away who clearly rub me the wrong way. Sick people can act like cheese graters on each other and not notice as they are fixating on other positives. I only hope that we all understand how this works, learn and build strength from it. It's a journey I'm learning much from. It's oddly fascinating.

Blue Venom is in the Volcano vapouriser and it's hitting the right spot for the day. It's a cross between Blueberry and White Widow and it's just what I need. Today I need to be comfortably numb. Numb and listening to an eclectic selection of Johnny Cash, Gershon Kingsley and many more. I should take a nap now.

Remember to take care of yourself.

Expedition Sativex!

Sativex prescription Easter box. Chocolate eggs missing.......

Greetings on this overcast day.

A Sativex prescription looks a bit like this. A patient gets one box containing 3 x 10ml bottles per month, which is not nearly enough. Since I'm already used to high doses of cannabinoids, I decided to give Sativex a proper Patient Testing. A couple of GW Pharma scientists had mentioned a curiosity of this to me so I thought, why not?

More Sativex

Could not wait to get my hands on Sativex

MS being what it is, every expedition is prepared for in full. My husband was skiing with friends for a week so my mum came to keep me company. We both hoped that I would be well enough to make it to the local town. Everything was prepared the night before, the clothes, the little rucksack etc etc. I only had one 10ml bottle of Sativex left and I decided to use it all so that I could enjoy the day.

At a breakfast of toast and marmalade, I had 12 squirts of Sativex. This was enough to dull the pain so I could leave the house and walk to the bus stop. I took another 4 squirts while we waited for the bus. By this time the cannabinoids were making me feel a bit 'tipsy' but there was minor pain and that was a major thing.

Like a functioning alcoholic, a person learns to deal with this sensation. I found the cannabinoid sensation quite bearable as we ambled (yes, actual ambling did take place) and stopped for lunch and ambled some more. Life was comfortable enough for me to get a new mobile phone, some chocolate treats and a few other odds and sods. A good day was had.

I use Sativex whenever I feel pain. I needed a whole, 10ml spray bottle to enjoy the day but it was worth it. I had not felt well enough for a shopping trip because I didn't want to run out of  cannabis based medicine. As luck would have it, 3 plants have recently been harvested, dried and popped in jars to cure. I felt that running out of Sativex was a risk I could afford to take.

As the day wore on, I became fatigued. Hardly surprising as, on top of all the extra exercise, I was 'tipsy' from the abundance of cannabinoids in my system. Dealing with this disease would be unbearable without cannabis so the loss of some energy was worth it again.

My left hip and lumbar ache and I'm not nearly as tired as thought. Not bad for a full day of shopping with MS and cannabinoids.

The three plants I have harvested are Diesel, Blue Venom and Morning Glory. Morning Glory is an old medicinal favourite as it delivers some fine 'get up and go' sensations. Diesel and Blue Venom were free with orders from Attitude Seed Bank.  With orders worth a certain £ or $, be certain that seed banks, of any worth, give away good free seeds. Every little helps, right?

All future grows are planned to be medicinal strains, plus a few freebies, intended for vaping and tinctures. I like the convenience of tinctures as I'm less of a social cannabis user than society thinks. Finding 'social medicators', in these parts, has proven difficult. If I raise my profile too much, the well medicated position I'm in could suddenly come to an end. None of us want that!

Keep yourself well because nobody else is going to do it for you.

Sativex Revelations

I hope everyone's doing O.K. today.

When I first started using Sativex, I almost gave up on it. The side effects had me putting the bottle down and swearing I would never touch it again. Everything is a lot different, 8 weeks on.

It feels like my brain's rewiring. I cry more easily than usual and understand that it must be an emotional purge that was much needed. Relapse sent me into a long period of emotional desolation. Now Sativex is finally improving my quality of life. Improvements are as follows:

• feel less fatigued, both physically and mentally

• joints are more flexible

• lessen muscle spasms allowing greater flexibility

• able to exercise muscles more

• mood elevated

• handle stress better than ever (i can now watch scary movies and i used to avoid them)

• improved memory

• early, low doses allowed the remembering of dreams (dreams are essential but can seemingly stop with high doses of cannabis/cannabinoids) 

Sativex tastes as if cheap cannabis was used. Shwag is a term for the cheapest cannabis and unfortunately Sativex tastes of this. We're assured that the growing of the highest quality of cannabis is undertaken by GW Pharmaceuticals but I go with what I know. What else am I expected to do? The tincture is brown in colour and I also suspect, although I could be wrong, that the terpines were damaged from overheating during production.

My nausea and sinus problems prevented me from using the foul tasting Sativex so, at first, I felt the need to mix it with Cherry brandy.

Sativex brandy mix = 30ml brandy to 60 squirts of Sativex.

The brandy was less pure than the alcohol used in Sativex, for that reason, it did not mix well. I did not want to heat it and, for this reason,  some of the cannabis oil congealed round the sides of the glass mixing jar. However, it mixed well enough for me to receive a reasonable dose from a dropper bottle. When the jar was empty, I used a 'bain marie' and melted some butter to collect any excess oil. Sativex butter is nice on toast.

The improved taste made it easier to overcome some early, unpleasant side effects. I understood that to take it in high doses I would have to endure some grueling discomfort but this was over in about 3 weeks. The sinus inflammations, headaches and nausea seem to be over now, for the most part. I realise that I will have to deal with the occasional sinus and headache problems. It's seems to be the nature of my particular Sativex beast.

Sativex oral use

What method do I use now? Today I changed back to using the Sativex as it was intended, sort of. Spraying 4 to 6 doses onto the tongue, I place a lollypop, also on my tongue, to deal with the unpleasant taste. I hold it there for 30 seconds, then I swallow. This method is simple, convenient and went unnoticed while I had lunch in the pub. I'm still feeling a bit sleepy as the body gets use to the purer dose with no extra dilution from brandy. I expect to use 30 to 40 sprays today and hope to build up to 50 to 60 daily sprays within another 5 days.

Lollypop oral use

Scientists involved in cannabinoid research, and the development of Sativex, are interested in patients using it to the extreme. I've seen what Sativex can do for me in smaller doses and I can't wait to find out what 80 sprays per day may do for me, or even 100 sprays. A chronically ill person with MS finds her own.

Cherry (brandy) Bombed

Success that I managed to improve the flavour of my Sativex. Last night I needed 10 drops of the new tincture as my resistance to it built up again. Never takes long does it? It's hard to raise the dose as my particular MS symptoms are nasty ones. If I take too much then it clashes with my dizziness and the room starts spinning faster than normal. Nausea kicks in and the day could well turn out to be a total waste.

I'm at the local Tearooms writing this. It was touch and go that I could have made it using the walker. To put it politely,……… I'm totally wasted just to be out in the sun and getting some conversation.

Sativex is not strong enough! To reach any reasonable health, I'll need pure cannabis oil which I'll dose up with in the evenings. I was taking a look at my grow yesterday and decided to devote most of it towards cannabis oil. I am going to see my doctor today and we will put our heads together. I was considering a polite way to criticise Sativex. GW Pharma have sent me a form so I can advise them of my observations. There no sense in crying. Providing GW Pharma with real information from real patients is the only way we can hope to improve their medicine. If you are using Sativex and you have something to say, I suggest you do the same. I just got an appointment with my doctor at 4:20. Fancy that!?

I've got one fairly large Morning Glory lady that I should get 3 ounces from. My LSD was in the same sized pot but it proved to be slightly retarded. It was a desperately small plant and I assumed that it would not even have flowers. Rather surprisingly, I now have a little plant, little flowers and some nice wee crystals. It certainly smells of LSD and I don't have the will to sneak/test an early flower. It has worked so hard to fulfill it's role and I just don't have the heart.

LSD with misshapen leaves. Bad colour balance too

The other 2 plants in smaller pots and are doing well. Attitude seeds gave some free seeds with orders. One seed was Diesel, the other was Blue Venom and both have produced healthy flowers. These plants are looking to deliver a minimum of 1 ounce each. To be honest, the Blue Venom will probably produce 2 ounces as I topped all my plants to increase yield.

Diesel

I only have a 1 meter squared tent with a 400w light and this works perfectly well for me. Less is more is what they said at Growell Hydroponics and they were right. When I get home I'll be soaking seeds for the next grow. The spring selection will be as follows……

Z7
Cannatonic
Wonder Woman
LSD

I won't give up on the LSD as it is one of my favourites. I love the all over feeling it provides. The LSD and Cannatonic are destined for the larger pots while the Z7 and Wonder Woman will be in several smaller ones. I tend to place pots where they fit in. If there's little room then smaller pots are squeezed in for maximum buds. Even the smallest plants can provide a few grams and when you're ill, it makes all the difference. We'll have to wait and see which plants turn out to be the healthy growers.

Stop press but I just got handed some locally scored, squidgy, black resin. What goes around comes around in Meriden and everywhere else. Champion doodie is all I can say. My polite way of saying 'good shit'.


Here's my old dog after some Hash Butter last night. She looks and acts good for a 14 year old. She was very animated and woofy this morning, after her walk. She just keeps on enjoying life and I love it.

Safe as Champion Doodie!