HOW DOES CBD HELP SEIZURE PATIENTS-min

HOW DOES CBD HELP SEIZURE PATIENTS?

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CBD oil has been clinically proven to alleviate several disorders and medical conditions. Patients using prescribed commercial CBD, for example, experienced a reduction in seizure effects. On the other hand, patients taking commercial CBD products without prescription from medical experts experience increased relief due to CBD.

Prescription cannabinoids prove to be of significant importance in the treatment of seizures. Cannabinoids- chemical substances found in the cannabis plant, are mostly taken by people to manage chronic pain and reduce anxiety symptoms such as fear and nervousness. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol, CBD is not either impairing or euphoric. That said, let’s explore how CBD can help seizure patients.

CBD Oil for Seizure Symptoms

The body contains a system of neurotransmitters and receptors called the endocannabinoid system. This is a system regulating the body’s functions such as appetite, sleep, pain, and the immune system response of an individual. CBD modifies these functions by interacting with receptors present in the endocannabinoid system. CBD ant seizure effects reduce neuron excitability by acting on two groups of receptors called GPR55 and TRPV1.GPR55 is an orphan class of receptors enriched with cannabinoid receptors in the brain.

CBD increases the extracellular adenosine, as exemplified by the effects observed in the nucleus. It also inhibits adenosine uptake into the macrophages and microclimate by nucleoside transporter. This enhances the suppression of tumor necrosis. The effect of CBD in the reuptake of adenosine suggests that a component of adenosine mediated signaling through increased availability of adenosine for agonism of A1 and the possibly other centrally-expressed adenosine receptors.

TPRV1, on the other hand, is expressed widely throughout the central nervous system and the peripheral afferent fibers. TRPV increases the seizure effects, and it plays a major role in the regulation of cortical excitability. The role of TRPV1 in the mechanism of anti-seizure activity of CCBD is based upon the observation that CBD can activate and rapidly desensitize TRPV1 (that specifies the CBD effect) in a concentration-dependent manner.

CBD for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

This makes up about 2 to 5 percent of childhood epilepsy cases. Epidiolex is effective in the treatment of seizures, especially in the caws for Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome.

CBD for Dravet Syndrome

Dravet Syndrome is a rare case of epilepsy that causes seizures that may not respond to medications as expected. Patients who take Epidiolex experienced a significant drop in the seizure frequency, around a 39 percent decrease.

CBD for tuberous sclerosis

Tuberous sclerosis is a rare condition that occurs in a moderately large number of people, between 1 and 6000. It is a genetic disorder that causes no cancerous tumors to grow in various parts of the body. When these tumors grow in the brain, a seizure is likely to develop in some people.  Research shows that CBD can enhance the effect of medication clobazam. This is often used in the treatment of epilepsy. Evidence shows that CBD can also enhance the effects of some other antiepileptic drugs.

Some people may report more cases of seizures after taking CBD. Therefore, doctors can help monitor the frequency of CBD in a person and help determine whether CBD is right for one to use. The starting dose of Epidiolex as recommended is 2.5mg per kilogram twice a day. The dose can then be increased to 5mg/kg twice per day after a week. This is based on an individual’s response and tolerability. The dose can then be increased to a maximum of 10mg/kg twice a day.

It is advisable that when taking CBD drugs for seizures, you should not stop taking them abruptly. This may lead to an increase in seizure activity.  Both cannabinoids and other antiepileptic drugs may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. However, this happens only in a small population of between 1 and 500 people.

CBD potentially interacts with other medications used to treat seizures. It either makes the medications more beneficial to the patient or may make them less effective. CBD can only be used to replace traditional medication when advised by the doctor. The doctor will help you in adjusting the doses of your medication and CBD appropriately.

Recommended CBD products for seizures

Did you know that cannabis products rich in CBD are more effective in reducing seizure frequency than pure CBD? Research shows that patients who were taking commercial CBD experienced significant progress in seizure effects. This is only effective if they take it under prescription. The reason being, CBD products have higher levels of THC which can be a trigger to seizures.

Epidiolex is held to high manufacturing standards and has had consistent use since the FDA has approved it. There is a high risk that the amount of CBD and THC on the label may not be what they contain. However, the FDA does not regulate commercially available CBD products.

You must consult a doctor if you are interested in taking CBD oil to help manage seizures. The doctor will recommend the best way to take the CBD and advise you whether it will interact with any medications you will be taking at that moment.

Doctors are also helpful since they can track your progress over time to see if your seizure frequency is decreasing or not. CBD has been approved for treating seizures and epilepsy caused by two rare forms of epilepsy and tuberous sclerosis complex.

Epidiolex is likely to have a greater and more consistent effect than other forms of CBD isolates and oils.  This is because it contains 98 percent of purified CBD. People with difficulty treating seizure symptoms are advised to use other forms of CBD and CBD oil. However, children with seizures whose symptoms do not respond well to conventional treatment can benefit from using CBD. This only applies to long-term effectiveness. However, many patients experience side effects such as; sleepiness, fatigue, drowsiness, diarrhea, and an upset stomach. For some people, CBD can make it unsafe for them to operate heavy machinery or drive. CBD may also be linked to suicidal ideation in some cases.

Barbara Santini

Barbara is a freelance writer and a sex and relationships adviser at Dimepiece LA and Peaches and Screams. Barbara is involved in various educational initiatives aimed at making sex advice more accessible to everyone and breaking stigmas around sex across various cultural communities. In her spare time, Barbara enjoys trawling through vintage markets in Brick Lane, exploring new places, painting and reading.

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