# Epilepsy and Marijuana **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 26, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579 "2019-03-26T21:20:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2019, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579/21 "2019-03-31T00:18:42Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > You might want to check out this story from the NYT in the last week - [Marijuana Edibles May Pose Special Risks](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/well/eat/marijuana-edibles-may-pose-special-risks.html) > > The story specifically mentions the difficulty of controlling dosing since the effects of edibles take longer to become apparent and longer to clear the system. Fat content of food recently eaten can also affect uptake of the psychoactive components. That last piece is going to make dosing problematic from day to day. None of that is particularly different from any other drug. It’s a simple matter of careful cautious testing. At the end of the day, even though it can cause some scary moments, cannabis isn’t a very dangerous drug. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2019, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579/22 "2019-03-31T00:29:14Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > cannabis isn’t a very dangerous drug. You’re right, it’s not a very dangerous drug. Nor is it known to be an effective medication for much of anything, despite all the claims made for ‘medical marijuana’. See my earlier link for a summary of what the medical world really knows about its effectiveness as a medicine. So any use of it to treat 99.99% of the types of epilepsy out there is pure experimentation. I’d exhaust the recommendations of a competent neurologist specializing in epilepsy treatment before following this pathway. And if said neurologist says “I have nothing left to offer, try pot”, then and only then would I go down that road. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2019, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579/23 "2019-03-31T00:29:52Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > None of that is particularly different from any other drug. It’s a simple matter of careful cautious testing. At the end of the day, even though it can cause some scary moments, cannabis isn’t a very dangerous drug. It is something to take into account when non-medical personnel are crafting a disease treatment plan with a minimally tested natural substance. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2019, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579/24 "2019-03-31T01:02:19Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > You’re right, it’s not a very dangerous drug. > > Nor is it known to be an effective medication for much of anything, despite all the claims made for ‘medical marijuana’. See my earlier link for a summary of what the medical world really knows about its effectiveness as a medicine. > > So any use of it to treat 99.99% of the types of epilepsy out there is pure experimentation. I’d exhaust the recommendations of a competent neurologist specializing in epilepsy treatment before following this pathway. And if said neurologist says “I have nothing left to offer, try pot”, then and only then would I go down that road. I agree with most of your analysis but not your conclusion. An experiment with pot’s affect on your epilepsy can be $60 and a couple weekends. What would be the time and cost of following out the exhaustive approach of your competent neurologist? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579/25 "2019-03-31T01:27:33Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I’d exhaust the recommendations of a competent neurologist specializing in epilepsy treatment before following this pathway. And if said neurologist says “I have nothing left to offer, try pot”, then and only then would I go down that road. Her neurologist thought that oil might help, but didn’t prescribe it. What I’m talking about is recreational use now that her meds are better balanced. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2019, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579/26 "2019-03-31T01:52:44Z")
And you know it won’t throw off that balance…how? Oh, yeah, you’re gonna experiment. On your child. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579/27 "2019-03-31T02:19:16Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I agree with most of your analysis but not your conclusion. An experiment with pot’s affect on your epilepsy can be $60 and a couple weekends. What would be the time and cost of following out the exhaustive approach of your competent neurologist? I take care of epileptics. I wrote our organization’s chronic care plan for epilepsy. Trying out a new med for them involves more than a couple weekends. And with anti-epileptic pharmaceuticals, one knows to some extent how quickly the typical patient will respond, what the likely and less likely side effects and other drug interactions are, what doses to use, how often, when to increase dosages, when to reduce them, and when to stop trying with that medication. That info is lacking for marijuana. And for my patients, the cost to them is nothing. The cost for other patients will vary depending on their insurance coverage, or lack of it. That’s the hit or miss approach of US health care, and it sucks. But I’ll still recommend patients go through evidence-based interventions and medications before trying pot to see what happens. Epilepsy is a life-threatening disease. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2019, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579/28 "2019-03-31T10:04:40Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > And you know it won’t throw off that balance…how? I don’t, thus this thread. > [@](#): > > Oh, yeah, you’re gonna experiment. On your child. My child is nearly 30 and it’s her choice. I want to know yhe facts, as they are, so I can make recommendations. Thanks, **QtM**. I can always depend on you to bring lots of real world experience. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2019, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579/29 "2019-03-31T14:04:41Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Thanks, **QtM**. I can always depend on you to bring lots of real world experience. De nada. All the best to you and yours. ---
**Author:** ![Thylacine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thylacine/32/1143_2.png) [@Thylacine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacine)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579/30 "2019-04-01T00:35:01Z")
I started having daily seizures a little over a year ago, I made my own oil that minimised them but didn’t eliminate them. I finally faced up to neurological testing and was formally diagnosed two weeks ago. He told me I’d be eligible for medical cannabis but the cost is well out of my reach. I haven’t had even a minor flutter since starting on his pills though and they are much cheaper than illegal, ever changing weed so I’ll stick with them. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579/31 "2019-04-01T01:33:45Z")
> [@Thylacine](#): > > I started having daily seizures a little over a year ago, I made my own oil that minimised them but didn’t eliminate them. I finally faced up to neurological testing and was formally diagnosed two weeks ago. He told me I’d be eligible for medical cannabis but the cost is well out of my reach. I haven’t had even a minor flutter since starting on his pills though and they are much cheaper than illegal, ever changing weed so I’ll stick with them. I am glad the med is working for you. There are excellent anti-epileptic drugs out there that are safe, effective, and relatively cheap, with minimal side effects. ---
**Author:** ![Thylacine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thylacine/32/1143_2.png) [@Thylacine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacine)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579/32 "2019-04-01T04:39:28Z")
Well, the side effects are actually pretty awful but he put me on a slow schedule to get to the full dose and each increase only knocks me about for a couple of days 🙂 The Neuro said they trialled cannabis in ointment form and found no improvement in any of the participants’ seizures though many reported feeling better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/epilepsy-and-marijuana/831579.md?page=1)