CBD oil for pain on chemo

FormerMember
FormerMember
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Hi everyone

so glad I found this wonderful forum. Had my first docetaxel 5 days ago and suffering from joint/muscle/abdominal plus finding it really hard to get to sleep. When bedtime comes I get restless legs and just can’t drop off. Feel like my body just won’t relax. I am wondering whether CBD oil could help with both the pain and the sleeping issues. Has anyone else tried this and what was your experience? I haven’t asked onco nurse about it yet but would really value your experiences! 

big hugs to all xxx

  • Hello wintersun41. I've just finished 4 cycles of docetaxol and have found that some regular gentle exercise such as a walk around the block every day really helped with easing the joint and muscle pains and also with getting a good nights sleep. I also needed plenty of rest during the day and just had to take things easy. Are you currently taking any pain relief? If not please talk to your nurse / onco team as they will be able to provide you with advice on what to take to help, and also you must let them know that you are considering taking CBD oil.  

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to LalaLou

    Thanks LalaLou, and I’m glad to hear that you were able to manage the pain and sleep issues that come with Docetaxel. I’ve been taking paracetamol and a codeine here and there and it does help but wears off after about 6 hours. I don’t like the idea of taking painkillers constantly during the whole 3 cycles... I will try the gentle walks (went out today for the first time in 4 days and I was instantly zapped!) and will definitely discuss CBD oil with my onco team before taking it. Not sure what their view will be! I’m off to the GP in a little bit as I’m having abdominal pain too and they want to examine me, perhaps they will be able to recommend something too...

  • You can’t take cbd oil whilst on treatment as they fear it will interfere with the pharmaceutical effects of the chemo. 
    I asked this question as I am a insomniac and normally take cbd 

  • Hello, I am through chemo and now taking exemestane  (anti-oestrogen) I am taking Pureis CBD which I got from Holland and Barrett. I think it has helped my joint pain and muscle ache but I have also had some acupuncture courtesy of the Macmillian centre at my local hospital and that has certainly helped. I took CBD (a different brand ) prior to getting cancer for my osteoarthritis but I stopped during chemo despite my oncologist consultant saying I could continue. I was nervous it could interfere plus I found the one benefit of chemo was that my osteoarthritis was very much better (thanks to I think steroid injections just before the start of chemo and also because of the amount of steroids given during chemo)  Once chemo treatment has passed the horror I think fades so remembering the different aches and pains is now more difficult but I do remember that I took paracetamol mainly for any pain but that was not every day. Sleeping was difficult but my GP gave me sleeping pills which I did not take regularly rather if sleep had been very sparse for say 3 days then I would take one to give me a good night. On other nights I might get up and go downstairs to get a small skimmed hot milk with honey plus maybe a couple of paracetamol. I was lucky that I didn't get sick or even feel that nauseous but I did take all the pills the chemo ward gave me just as directed and that I think helped. 

    Chemo is no picnic I was lucky to have a lot of support around me which I very gratefully accepted. My advice is go with the flow as much as you can and take whatever help you are given from those around you. Whilst writing this I see another message came up from Dc6  which said you can't take cbd so although as I said I was actually told I could do ask your consultant.

    Good luck. x

  • I agree ask your consultant as there is such varied opinions from each oncologist my said not to take it but was relaxed On other matters such he said yes to hot tubs and massages where other consultants said no to. It is a minefield so your personal oncologist and bcn are the best resources. 
    or read quality research papers if you want answers 

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    The oncologist team aren’t allowed to say it’s okay because they have not done enough studies but I used it and was fine on doce Thumbsup tone1 personal choice though!! All the best x

  • The person I would ask would be the oncology pharmacist. He or she would be able to say whether or not this would interfere with the treatment, and they would have a better idea of it than anyone else on the team, including the medical oncology consultant.