Zyprexa and Marijuana

Hello everyone!

I was on Zyprexa for about six months, and found that it helped treat a bunch of my symptoms. I'm happy that I don't have to deal with all the faces and the voices. However, I miss some of my friends.

I have two recurring buddies" as I call them. Jack Nicholson happens to be one of them. He comes and goes, rarely ever speaks, and if he does it's only a few words. Usually just has amazing facial expressions. The second one is an auditory one that has manifested itself in one of my bears. It's developed an entire personality which I can only describe as somewhat of a cross between the rapper Lil Jon and James Earl Jones. He's an incredible comfort to me and when I was not on my medication he helped me clarify a bunch of things in my life. My therapist suggested him to be a direct link to my subconscious.

I stopped taking Zyprexa because of its side effects. I felt sick often and found myself throwing up and involuntarily urinating and defecating. My doctor gave me a sample of Abilify but that just didn't work for me either. In addition to all these side effects, I really missed being able to talk to my bear. And also having Jack pop around when I was alone made me feel safe.

I'm looking for another alternative. It's been incredibly difficult because I've grown so incredibly attached to my bear and Jack.

Friends have suggested trying marijuana. There have been recent studies that have shown that CBD might be used as an alternative antpsychotic. It sort of takes me back to when I was a sophomore in high school. I used to smoke a lot, and was always calm and never found myself having any problems unless I smoked a sativa (which made me seriously hallucinate to the point that I could hardly function. I remember being in the school office once because I thought I was drowning in the ocean).

I can't seem to find the article at this time, but I remember reading an article that said taking Olanzapine and CBD would help to reduce the side-effects.

I really do not want to go back on Zyprexa by itself.

Any suggestions?  

[Paxiled]

I think you're missing one point, though.  All marijuana will have high levels of THC in it compared to the stuff we used when I was a kid many eons ago.  They've bred it that way, even the indica, so while it's lower in THC than some others, it's still way higher than the natural weed that used to grow wild and unmolested.  The problem with generalizing about marijuana is the same problem generalizing about any substance -- different people react differently.  You're describing studies done on pharmaceutically isolated parts of marijuana, meaning studies that led to the development, for example, of synthetic THC.  The other problem with marijuana is it makes you stoned and keeps you stoned for a fair amount of time these days, again unlike the natural weed that is stronger in certain parts of the world but was naturally lower in all active compounds because it wasn't bred to be mostly flower tops and which had a fairly short high.  So if you respond badly, it will take awhile for the high to pass.  I can say from us anxiety sufferers, a different ailment, that for most of us marijuana makes us more anxious.  The reason in my opinion is that marijuana generally makes you feel more intensely whatever you're feeling anyway.  If you're horny, you'll get hornier, if you're sad, you'll get sadder.  It's wise you're doing this as an experiment in concert with someone with medical training who knows how to talk people out of being high.  That's what they did originally with LSD when it was still pure and not a street drug almost always cut with speed.  And it's good your marijuana is medical marijuana, so you won't accidentally get some laced with PCP or LSD.  Zyprexa certainly isn't the only med out there.  Also remember that abilify isn't really a stand-alone med, it's approved as an augmentation for depression for those whose meds are working but just aren't working well enough.  By itself, I'm not sure it's shown much promise.  Continued good luck in your experiment.

[drifter0213]

marijuana is a mild hallucingenic probably won't help :)

[penguin_jane]

That's the THC part of it. THC is what creates the psychosis-like symptoms. The CBD part of it tends to level out the effects of THC. Weed these days are classified into three categories. There's Sativa, which has a higher concentration of THC, then there is Hybrid which is a mix of both THC and CBD, and then there is Indica which has a higher concentration of CBD.

There a multiple studies out there that have proved such that Cannabis Indica may possibly be used as an alternative anti-psychotic.

http://www.******************.org/new/detail.asp?id=1522

"In addition to examining the effects of THC, Bhattacharyya also assessed whether cannabidiol (CBD) affects brain function, since this cannabinoid has been reported to be anxiolytic and neuroprotective, and might even counteract the negative effects of THC. In contrast to the latter, CBD did not induce psychosis, anxiety, or psychomotor symptoms and showed very different effects on brain activation during task performance. It induced opposite effects to THC in a number of regions, including the ventral striatum. Finally, he presented preliminary data from healthy subjects co-administered THC and CBD. Intriguingly, he reported that, so far, CBD has blocked all the psychotic symptoms induced by THC..."

[drifter0213]

i didn't know that

[therese83]

IT can only make you worse, it can bring on psychosis in vulnerable people.

It is not the solution.

[penguin_jane]

Let me reiterate. The psychosis is only induced by the THC. CBD does not induce psychosis. I really think that it has the potential to be an alternative anti-psychotic with less side-effects than most prescription medications out there.  

"IT" is actually making me a lot better.

I went ahead and (with the support of my therapist) got myself a medical card. I now have been smoking Cannabis Indica since July 23rd and have been at a much more stable level. I don't see the faces anymore or any of the emotionally-triggered hallucinations anymore. I still have my bear, although he's not as talkative as he used to be. It really has helped me a lot. The voices are gone. It's just like I was on a low dose of Zyprexa, except this time there is no negative side-effects. Except for maybe the munchies, but that isn't terrible at all.

I think with more research marijuana has the potential to be a "solution" for generations to come.

[penguin_jane]

***June 23rd

=)

[Paxiled]

I think you're missing one point, though.  All marijuana will have high levels of THC in it compared to the stuff we used when I was a kid many eons ago.  They've bred it that way, even the indica, so while it's lower in THC than some others, it's still way higher than the natural weed that used to grow wild and unmolested.  The problem with generalizing about marijuana is the same problem generalizing about any substance -- different people react differently.  You're describing studies done on pharmaceutically isolated parts of marijuana, meaning studies that led to the development, for example, of synthetic THC.  The other problem with marijuana is it makes you stoned and keeps you stoned for a fair amount of time these days, again unlike the natural weed that is stronger in certain parts of the world but was naturally lower in all active compounds because it wasn't bred to be mostly flower tops and which had a fairly short high.  So if you respond badly, it will take awhile for the high to pass.  I can say from us anxiety sufferers, a different ailment, that for most of us marijuana makes us more anxious.  The reason in my opinion is that marijuana generally makes you feel more intensely whatever you're feeling anyway.  If you're horny, you'll get hornier, if you're sad, you'll get sadder.  It's wise you're doing this as an experiment in concert with someone with medical training who knows how to talk people out of being high.  That's what they did originally with LSD when it was still pure and not a street drug almost always cut with speed.  And it's good your marijuana is medical marijuana, so you won't accidentally get some laced with PCP or LSD.  Zyprexa certainly isn't the only med out there.  Also remember that abilify isn't really a stand-alone med, it's approved as an augmentation for depression for those whose meds are working but just aren't working well enough.  By itself, I'm not sure it's shown much promise.  Continued good luck in your experiment.

[penguin_jane]

Thank you for "actually" reading! I found your answer very helpful and not simply a generalized statement.

So far being stoned isn't as bad as they characterize it to be in movies. If anything I take a couple hits from a pipe and it levels me out. My next appointment is mid-July so we'll see how it goes between now and then.

But once again thank you for your input. =)

[Paxiled]

Being stoned isn't bad when it's good, it's great.  There's a reason so many have used it for so many centuries.  But it is a bit hard to do your best work on it!  Again, good luck, and let us know how it goes.

[M4Y0U]

Weed and schizophrenia? The answer is obviously no. It is true that the weed growing these days is much stronger in THC (mainly due to better growing condition indoor that mimic tropical conditions and which are good for a good indica weed with a lot of THC) but also, smoking weed is bad for your health, especially for your lungs. Synthetic THC is not an option as I suggest it would only make your symptoms worse. I don't know what to say as you seem to like some of your symptoms tho.... I don't think the benefits can weight the outcome tho that's what I'm trying to say.

You have a bunch of antipsychotics to try out there. There is surely one that will suit you well.

M4

[Paxiled]

Whether for this particular person weed will work or not I have no idea, but just to set the record straight, weed has more THC today not because of mimicking tropical conditions -- weed from the tropics wasn't that strong in the past, either.  It was by breeding it to grow as a bush rather than a tall plant, thus increasing the amount of flower tops, which contain the highest amounts of active chemicals.  Weed traditionally contained some flower tops, some seeds, a lot of stem.  It was what it was until yuppies in No. Cal. decided to mess with it.  It's also true that growing outdoors produces more potent plants of all kinds, because indoor growing can't match the soil mineralization of outdoor growing.  The best weed is grown in forested areas, not indoors.  The cancer argument is only a maybe; there isn't a large cohort of regular smokers reporting lung cancer as there is with tobacco, and that can be reduced by smoking from a pipe rather than rolled in paper.  But most medical marijuana is recommended to be eaten, not smoked, because of potential problems with lung function but more because it lasts longer and is stronger in potency when eaten cooked than when smoked.  Now, as I said, I wouldn't use marijuana for mental illness, but that doesn't mean it won't help someone else.  All brain drugs are a crapshoot.

[M4Y0U]

For the cancer issue with can go straight to the fact that increased inflammation of the lungs over a prolonged period of time would suggest increased cancer risks. There are two small groups that we will call the lucky and the unlucky. Some get it with extremely good lifestyle habits and some are not getting with extremely bad lifestyle habits but those are small groups. The rest in the middle is what making the numbers and what it is to be considered. That being said tho, technologies are growing at an exponential rate and I don't say cancer can't or won't be cured so relative to your age your can start to weight the gains vs the outcome.

As for the potency, it is true that with today's hydroponic flowers and what I called better indoor growing condition, which would also suggest using cannabis indica rather than sativa. The plants are very sensitive to their environment so today we can grow high THC potency indica. For example I would use sativa for hemp and indica for growing, high THC potency, good looking pot. That combined with artificial breeding is giving you the best pot. Uncontrolled outdoors planst are less potent than indoor, controlled with best conditions, indica weed, period.

Some will like the sativa buzz better than the indica because it is generally a less stoned buzz due to the low levels of THC. So saying that the best weed is growing outdoor is a matter of what you like the most.

I used to extract THC by using butane gaz for extraction which would leave drops of a gold liquid then solid matter. The high was exactly like the indica high but you would only need the pin of a needle to get high. Sativa weed extraction using the same method was way less efficient in output quantity for the same input therefore suggesting more THC in the indica flowers.

It is true that for a medicinal purpose synthetic THC is preferred as it won't cause any inflammation of the lungs and basically you want to avoid such inflammation with medicinal treatments.

As for the bioavaibility, smoked weed will act sooner and the effects are increased due to the sudden high peek you usually don't reach with oral doses. The oral doses are indeed acting longer but with a slow curve in the high which is not indicating more potency/bioavaibility.

I am now using smoked indica for my tensions and neuralgias. I tried synthetic THC with less results.

M4

[chris3268]

my only comment is how do you get medical marijuana if you just take zyprexa in a low dose like two 10mgs a day and then go get a medical card while on zyprexa . will they except you?write back!

[chris3268]

can you by an chance tell me where in central Cailfornia i could get medical marijuana by a doctor, like where in Oakland, Ca.?thanks christine

[Paxiled]

Oakland?  You're kidding, right?  That's the center of the medical mj universe.  Just go to any doc, assuming you have a valid medical reason.

[Skiptobabalouigi]

How do I convince my psychiatrist or family physician to let me smoke and grow my own marijuana for my own personal use?? What i'm saying is how do I get a license for legal medicinal marijuana?  Nick

[Paxiled]

Depends on whether it's legal or not in your state.  If it is, you just need a prescription, but probably to buy it at a certified location, not grow your own.  Of course, there's always the illegal route as well -- not like people have avoided the stuff all these stupid years of illegality.

[TO_BE_FRANK]

Marijuana is good for you in every single way. Anyone who disagrees is obviously a fool or doesn't actually know anything about Medical Marijuana....they breed plants to do specific things like lower anxiety and depression as well as panic.....plus it actually stimulates cell growth in the entire body and recent studies have found that it kills cancer cells....plus there are NO carcinogens, which only naive people believe. I have a card for Crohn's Disease and have bipolar disorder. There is no harm in any way. from first hand experience for five years, i havent had a panic attack, anxiety or crohn's flare in that amount of time at all. Its a medicine that can be traced back to China over 5,000 years ago.....


"""Make the most you can of the Indian hemp seed and sow it everywhere" is a statement that George Washington made ("Facts" 13). Who would believe that George Washington asked farmers everywhere to grow marijuana? Who would believe that George Washington grew it? The amazing facts about marijuana beginning with its earliest use and the current laws convicting people of growing marijuana are quite opposites with most governments banning the use of marijuana.
The use of marijuana actually dates back to 2737 B.C. Early in history marijuana was used as a way to achieve euphoria. "...it was described in a Chinese medical compendium traditionally considered to date back from 2737 B.C." ("Marijuana Information"). Shen Nung, a Chinese emperor, wrote about the use of marijuana and recommended it for use for rheumatism, gout, and malaria. It might be surprising to learn that Muslims used it because alcohol was banned by the Koran.
The use of marijuana was legal until the 1930s. "For the first 162 years of America's existence, marijuana was totally legal and hemp was a common crop" ("Marijuana and Hemp"). Many politicians such as George Washington had hemp crops. The earliest dates of marijuana use in the New World were in 1545 by the Spanish (Marijuana Information). The next mention of marijuana use in the colonies was in Jamestown. In fact, it was considered an important crop similar to the tobacco crops. Cotton replaced hemp crops, but different medication had hemp in them. During the early days of the colonies marijuana was not illegal and it had various purposes that even George Washington used. While many people struggle because they need to use marijuana for medical purposes today, marijuana could be found in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942. The use of marijuana was for labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism" ("Marijuana Information"). Is it any surprise that people today want to use marijuana for pain relief for patients suffering with AIDS""

[Jmd23]

Hi Penguin jane, i know a person who was just prescribed Zyprexa 2.5mg pills. he was having black outs and was told by the doctor that he had a unique mind and was very creative. As he took the Zyprexa for about a few weeks, he experience negative side effects of weight gain, feelings of emptiness and drowsiness. He is a vegan and he use to smoke weed on occasion.

He recently was thinking about smoking weed again instead of taking zyprexa, he has already stopped taking zyprexa because he was scared it was doing damage to him.

Just to clarify, are you saying that you are taking marijuana rich in CBD to relieve your symptoms? We live in a state in US where the marijuana is illegal. But like i said, he use to smoke weed occasionally before, he really liked the "Grand daddy" kind of weed because it helped him be more responsible, creative and calm.

I am worried about him and don't want him to smoke anything that could be adding to his "condition" Im reading things about how THC adds to pyschosis. Thank you for posting your experience! it really helps~

Would you have any reccommendations?

[RegisteredNurse]

A laughable study. Some information completely untrue and other things irrelevant. Your right the FDA wants you to use deadly drugs like xanax instead that can cause you to stop breathing. It also has binders put in it to make it more addictive. Cannabis causing cancer is an outright lie. Aspartame in diet coke causes more cancer. Everything has some side effects. Cannabis the least of any. Caffeine is more dangerous for Christ sakes. No one has died from cannabis ever. Period. You can't overdose on it like other drugs. However there are still drugs like lunesta on the market used as a sleep aid instead of cannabis which cause wild hallucinations and make people walk and drive in there sleep. MAKE THE THINGS THAT KILL US ILLEGAL, not a benign plant that needs no extraction or science to make, it just grows. More families are ruined by innocent people rotting in private owned prisons. If you don't support at least medical legalization and country wide decriminalization than YOU SUPPORT MURDERING CARTEL MEMBERS

[StealthVirusCCID]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I would like to add a big heck yeah to what the RN has said.  Take it from someone in the field like an RN who passes out pills to patients.  This issue hits home to me as I lost a loved one to cancer and if they had access to some of the medicinal marijuana edibles I feel like they may still be here today due to its anti cancer properties.  At least it may have helped ease some of their discomfort from the illness or medication side effects without having to rely on more pills.  Do you want to be like me, wondering what you could have done different?  Don't take it from me or from anyone else, look up the medical research on cannabanoids.  Knowledge is power!

[Claire_MHModerator]

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