How to speak to your physician about CBD?

There are many reasons why it is advisable to start taking CBD. Many people prefer this supplement over painkillers or anti-anxiety medications, which can be highly addictive. Others use CBD because they prefer natural drugs over synthetic ones.

Regardless of the reason for taking CBD, you should know how to discuss it with your doctor.

Further on, we will describe some tips on how to talk about CBD with your doctor in order to improve your health problems.  We will also look at the most common reasons your doctor may not agree with you to start using CBD.

For what health issues is CBD suitable to use?

Cannabidiol (CBD) offers many benefits.  This compound acts through a complex set of receptors forming the endocannabinoid system present in all mammals bodies. This system is made of small receptors located in cells. Their task is to maintain balance throughout the body – the so-called homeostasis.

Homeostasis is essential. All our body systems are relying on a precise balance to keep us well. If the balance shifts, it will eventually lead to illness.

CBD also has certain specific effects, including:

– Anti-inflammatory
– Slightly suppresses appetite
– Stress reduction
– It is adaptogenic
– It is slightly sedative
– Works against nausea

People use CBD to achieve relief from a range of health conditions, including inflammation and insomnia.

Health problems that people take CBD for:

– Acne
– Addiction
– Alzheimer’s disease
– Anxiety
– Arthritis
– Asthma
– Cancer
– Depression
– Diabetes
– Epilepsy
– Fibromyalgia
– Crohn’s disease
– Insomnia
– Migraines
 -Musculoskeletal disorders
– Multiple sclerosis
– Pain
– PTSD

A note on taking CBD instead of prescription drugs

Life with chronic pain is challenging and patients often find help in prescription drugs, such as opiates. They often come with the risk of developing an addiction, which is quite common and highly debilitating, especially in long-term users.

CBD is a new option to help people suffering from chronic pain. It is not addictive and has its own set of effects against pain and inflammation. Some of the effects work through the same mechanisms as opiate painkillers.

But that is not all. CBD also activates vanilloid (TRPV1) receptors, which are part of the pain transmission system. A combined interaction with the pathways transmitting pain effectively weakens the signal that reaches the brain. This reduces the intensity of pain that we feel.

In addition to direct pain inhibition, CBD is known for its strong anti-inflammatory effects. Chronic inflammation is one of the critical factors in the development of pain. CBD can tackle inflammation quite well, which is useful in dealing with long-term pain. That is something prescribed opiates are not able to do.

Moreover, CBD is an effective painkiller without providing negative side effects. CBD is much safer than opiate-based painkillers, which are the leading cause of overdose deaths worldwide. The use of CBD does not carry the risk of addiction like opiates, it is not psychoactive, and the user cannot get overdosed even at very high doses.

 

 

 

Tips on discussion with your physician about CBD

So you decided you want to try CBD. But what now? We strongly recommend talking to your doctor before taking CBD, especially if your goal is to treat already existing medical conditions.

Before taking a CBD supplement, you need to discuss it with your doctor to ensure that there is no reason to avoid it (we will look into this further in the text).

Many physicians are not well acquainted with the endocannabinoid system or cannabinoids since they are not part of the conventional medicine taught at medical faculties.

The best way to find out if your doctor will approve of using CBD or not is to start this topic right on your next visit.

Your well-being is ultimately your responsibility, so do not be afraid to ask them what you want to know – even if you think your doctor will not be too excited about swapping conventional drugs for something like CBD.

1. Check the laws that are regarded to CBD

Before you start talking to your doctor about the use of CBD, make sure you understand the laws currently in force. CBD law is subject to rapid changes. Even in the European Union, different states have fundamentally different rules.

Depending on the law in each country, there may be official programs under which CBD products can only be purchased with a prescription.

Other countries consider CBD to be a dietary supplement. In such countries, you can purchase CBD in shops or online stores without needing a prescription. Therefore it is advisable to know the local regulations before buying CBD.

2. Get ready for the visit

Doctors are mostly very busy and do not have time for a long conversation about your interests in CBD.

To save time, note the symptoms of your problems and learn how CBD can be used to alleviate them. You will prove to your doctor that you are serious about it, addressing the subject.

Write down any questions you might have so that you are ready when popping in for the visit.

In addition, it is good to know what is the appropriate dose considering your body weight. In general, the most common dose of CBD for therapeutic effects is approximately 50 mg to 100 mg per day. However, this can vary from one person to another.

3. Feel free to get a second opinion

Some doctors are not up to date with current CBD research. Even those dedicated to reading studies cannot keep up with every single published paper.

If your doctor does not know enough about CBD to make a recommendation, or if they are not willing to talk about it, you may need to get another opinion. There is nothing wrong with that.

Even physicians often seek a second opinion from other health professionals. No one knows everything, so you should be able to ask for a second opinion to cross-check the information.

4. Leave the stigma out

For decades, there has been a negative stigma around medicinal cannabis, including CBD.

People associate the plant with psychoactive effects – even if CBD does not have any. In recent years, however, the common knowledge about CBD has expanded.

Nowadays, most people understand the differences between the therapeutic use of CBD and the intoxicating effects of THC. Therefore, if you think CBD would be appropriate for you, feel free to mention it to your doctor.

5. Find a physician who is familiar with the use of medicinal cannabis

There are professionals all over the world who are well educated about cannabis. There is a lot of research regarding the use of the plant in order to treat all kinds of different health conditions. Most of these studies have a team of researchers to supervise them.

Many of the researchers run their own clinics. You can usually find them by using a few simple Google searches or contacting a company specializing in connecting physicians with patients.

Your doctor may not recommend taking CBD

For health reasons, there are a few cases when physicians do not have to go along with using CBD. Although CBD has a high level of safety, where it is almost impossible to get overdosed, and it is not physically addictive, there are still cases when it should not be used.

Unwanted interaction with drugs

The main reason why your doctor may disapprove of the use of CBD is the possibility of interacting with other drugs.

There are several ways how CBD can negatively  interact with other substances:

Antagonistic interactions (inhibition) –  in this type of interaction, CBD has the opposite effect on the drugs you are already taking, which can reduce the efficacy of the treatment.

Agonistic interactions (potentiation) – in this interaction, CBD produces similar effects to the drugs you are already taking, boosting the overall effects, which can become too strong.

Liver metabolism – all drugs are metabolized through specific enzymes in the liver.  If CBD shares too many of the same enzymes with other substances, it can prevent their breakdown and potentially cause accumulation in the bloodstream – sometimes within dangerous levels.

Classes of drugs that can react negatively with CBD:
 

Class of the drug	Antagonistic interaction (effects weakening)	Agonistic interaction (effects strengthening)	Liver metabolism (slowing metabolism)
Anesthetics (painkillers)		?	?
Angiotensin II receptor blockers		?	?
Antibiotics	?		?
Antidepressants	?	?	?
Anticonvulsants		?
Benzodiazepines		?	?
Beta-blockers		?	?
Calcium channel blockers		?	?
HMG-CoA reductase Inhibitors			?
HIV antiviral agents	?		?
Immunosuppressants	?
NSAIDs		?	?

 

The conclusion on how to speak to your physician about CBD

CBD is a popular natural supplement for alleviating a wide range of symptoms and health issues. It is beneficial for everything that includes pain, inflammation, hyperactivity of the nervous system, and immune problems.

We recommend that you first take the time to familiarize your thoughts on how to talk to your doctor about CBD. You should be able to understand why you might not get recommended for taking CBD together with or instead of other prescription drugs.