You read that correctly: participating patients had gone through an average of a dozen unsuccessful prescription medications before trying Cannabis as an alternative. So what did the study find?
Most remarkable was the finding that for two patients, using medical marijuana completely stopped their seizures. The mild side effects of drowsiness and fatigue are, for most parents, a trivial price to pay in exchange for their children suffering significantly fewer seizures, or even no seizures at all.
The study did not note any additional negative side effects, whereas conventional medications for various conditions may cause serious side effects, such as: Liver disease (e.g. Dilantin/Phenytoin, for epilepsy), Blood clots (e.g. NSAID drugs, for fighting inflammation/pain), Increased risk of heart attacks (e.g. Actos, for diabetes), and Suicidal ideation (e.g. Prozac, for depression).
“Severe childhood epilepsies are characterized by frequent seizures, neurodevelopmental delays, and impaired quality of life… This survey explored the use of Cannabidiol-enriched Cannabis in [19] children with treatment-resistant epilepsy… The average number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) tried before using Cannabidiol-enriched Cannabis was 12.”
“Sixteen (84%) of the 19 parents reported a reduction in their child’s seizure frequency while taking Cannabidiol-enriched Cannabis. Of these, two (11%) reported complete seizure freedom, eight (42%) reported a greater than 80% reduction in seizure frequency, and six (32%) reported a 25-60% seizure reduction. Other beneficial effects included increased alertness, better mood, and improved sleep. Side effects included drowsiness and fatigue.”
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