Cannabis for Migraines: Marijuana is the New Imitrex

I�ve had severe, chronic migraines for nearly 20 years. It took me a while to come to the conclusion that cannabis for migraines was right for me. They started when I was around 14 years old. All of the tests were ran and I didn�t have any sort of tumors or seizure disorders that were causing them. But, I would be laid up in my dark, cold room for at least half the month, which meant that half of my life was spent in bed with an ice pack on my head. I got nausea and vomited so much that I had figured out if I did it for more than 48 hours, I had to go to the hospital to get IV fluids and prevent deadly dehydration.

So, naturally, the doctors prescribed me Imitrex. At first, it was in pill form, and pretty expensive. (At one point it was nearly $10 per pill.) Then they came out with a nasal spray and a quick-dissolve tablet (both of which also sucked.) I had some major concerns and complaints about the drug. For one thing, it can instantaneously give you a heart attack or stroke because they work by opening up every last blood vessel in your head at once, very rapidly. They also dope you up pretty bad, so I end up knocking out for at least 8-12 hours after taking it. They make me dizzy, and I experience vertigo pretty bad on it, as well. But the worst part? They made me nauseous as if I wasn’t sick enough already. So, I’ve never taken an Imitrex when I was home alone, or when someone wasn’t in the room with me to supervise. None of these side effects were present when I tried cannabis for migraines.

I'm not the only one.

Unfortunately, mine isn’t the only story like this. At least 37 million people in the U.S. suffer from migraines. Many of them, like me, are chronic migraine sufferers, which means that they have migraines 15 or more days a month. I think most people assume that a migraine is simply a bad headache. It isn’t. It’s blinding pain, usually on one side of the head (For instance, mine always feel as though I’ve been stabbed in the left eye with a hot fire poker.), sensitivity to light, sound, and smell, accompanied by nausea or vomiting. They can also