{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-question-tags-template-js","path":"/question-tag/vaporizer/21","result":{"data":{"allQuestion":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Question_10960-markdown","title":"What is convection vs conduction heating, and why is this important in a vaporizer? ","slug":"what-is-convection-vs-conduction-heating-and-why-is-this-important-in-a-vaporizer","content":"\"I hear the Pax vaporizer is conduction. Why is the FireFly better?\"\n_____________________\nGreat question!  \n\nConduction is the heating of a substance that is in direct contact with the heat source. Convection is heating of a substance by the transfer of heat from air particles. The Pax vaporizer uses conduction, while the FireFly uses convection.\n\nBoth methods of heating have advantages and disadvantages for the purpose of vaporizers. For the purposes of this discussion, we will assume you are vaporizing shredded flowers. \n\nIt is typically faster to heat by conduction (although, while the Pax takes approximately 30s to heat up, the Firefly only takes 3s) and conduction vaporizers are easier to construct; therefore, conduction devices are usually cheaper. The medicine will have to be stirred between draws, because only the herb touching the conductive surface is vaporized. Conductive vaporizers have a greater likelihood of combusting the herbs, which is what we are trying to avoid (unhealthy bi-products of combustion).\n\nConvective heating typically takes longer (again, not in the case of the FireFly). Convection vaporizers are more sophisticated and are usually more expensive. Convective vaporizers work better with shredded flower that is not packed into the bowl, so that the heated air can come into more contact (greater surface area) with the flower. The herbs do not need to be stirred to vaporize all of them. Convective vaporizers are less likely to cause combustion than conductive vaporizers and have more accurate temperature control.\n\ndredmunds\n_____________________\nImo Firefly is 100% better than pax because pax is conduction and Firefly is convection. Conduction is heating up your material the whole time it's heating up so whether it's 30 seconds like pax or 2 to 3 minutes like other vaporizers that whole time it's heating up your material being wasted. Alot of the terpenes and other compounds from the plant are being literally wasted because you aren't inhaling the whole time you are waiting for it to be ready to be hit. Firefly 2 has a 3 second heat up time but those 3 seconds of heat up time your material isn't being cooked at all because it doesn't work untill you start inhaling. Your inhalation is what's causing air to go threw the material and turn it into vapor so you get 100% everything from the plant itself every single time no need to rush and medicate. The pax 2 when it finallly heats up let's say u take 4 hits and keep it in for like 10 seconds before exhaling that whole time the pax is cooking your herbs while you are trying to enjoy that vapor u just inhaled but it with the Firefly 2 no need to worry about that just inhale and enjoy no need to worry about wastage. Firefly 2 will conserve your material and get you higher everytime\n\nwavyvaporizers\n_____________________\nThe problem with conduction is that some of your herb is in direct contact with the heating element. The part that is in contact will vaporize first but heat is still required to vaporize the rest of the bowel. This leads to some of the herb cooking more than it needs to and an unpleasant taste a bit like burnt popcorn. \n\nThe firefly works by convection - hot air heats the herb and if packed correctly everything should vaporize evenly. This is why it was been rated as one of the best tasting portable vaporizers on the market.\n\noddjobold\n_____________________\nConduction vaporizers heat up the bud whether or not you are vaping. The oven heats up which means turn it on a minute vs seconds later you start vaping and the oven cooks the bud the whole time it's on so the Pax is a session vaporizer so you can't really take a couple pulls and try again later vs on demand hits which you get with the fly.\n\nvape4fun\n_____________________\nHello there! This is a good question to ask, and definitely a key factor to have in mind when browsing for a shiny, new vaporizer. As Doctor Edmunds very thoroughly explained, conduction is the transfer of thermal energy (heat) to a substance of choice through its directs contact to a solid heat source, while convection is that same transfer of heat through the contact with a liquid or gas which is moving in order to reach the substance that wants to be eventually heated.\n\nYou can think of it like this. Let’s say that Adam is dribbling his basketball around the court and he wants to pass it to his friend Bob, but he couldn’t do it directly himself. He has two options. The first option would be lining up five of his teammates so that they could pass each other the ball one by one until it reached Bob. The other option would be to pass the ball to one particular friend, Carlos, who would then dribble it through the court and then pass it to Bob.\n\nThere are pros and cons to both options. The first option has more middlemen, who in turn could do something unexpected to the ball; for example set it on fire. I don’t know about you, but nobody I know wants a fiery ball. This is also the case with combustion, since when you heat up a solid the distribution does not tend to be particularly even, so there is a higher probability of your burning part of your medication. Since in convection one raises the temperature of the gas evenly to a certain degree before it comes in contact with the substance, the probability of burning your herb is practically null. \n\nHowever, getting those ‘five friends’ to do a low effort task will probably be easier and faster than it would be to convince Carlos to run all the way to Bob and pass the ball. Conduction tends to take a lot less time to happen than convection does (although this is not the case with the firefly) since there is no travel time and the amount of energy that it takes to heat up the solid (usually metal) is also less than the amount needed to heat of the gas.\n\nAs I hinted at before, Carlos might not be so easy to convince to take the ball all the way to Bob’s side of the court, so you might need to give him some of your extra cash in order for him to actually do it. This also tends to be the case with equipment that uses convection, since more complicated energy transfers lead to higher prices.\n\nAt the end of the day a lot of it comes down to personal preference, but in terms of evenness of heating and accurate temperature of vaporization convection usually takes the cake (or ball, if we’re still following that analogy).\n\nThe real takeaways from this unnecessarily long answer are that science can be sort of cool, and you should never set your friend’s ball on fire. That’s just a dick move.\n\nBe well!\n\n~Mike\n\nmikeyh","image":null}},{"node":{"id":"Question_10948-markdown","title":"What type of vape battery does it have?","slug":"what-type-of-vape-battery-does-it-have","content":"\"How often do you have to charge it, and how long does it last?\"\n_____________________\nThe Firefly has a rechargeable battery. The Firefly 2 battery is USB 3.0 compatible and advertised to deliver between 40-80 draws. In one test, it delivered approximately 40 long draws, each averaging 30 seconds. It powers a 50W heater and heats rapidly, in approximately 3-5 seconds, depending on the temperature setting (there are 6). Charging time is around 45 minutes, and the device comes with 2 batteries and a charging dock.\n\ndredmunds\n_____________________\nThe Firefly 2 battery is a rechargeable and replaceable 7.4V Li-lon that provides a Quickcharge CA adapter that charges within 45 minutes. Can be used up to 40-80 hits varies on intensity of the hits and heat set temperatures.\n\nerlie12","image":null}},{"node":{"id":"Question_10866-markdown","title":"How does vaping from an oil cartridge differ from vaping flower?","slug":"how-does-vaping-from-an-oil-cartridge-differ-from-vaping-flower","content":"\"Is there a difference in effect?\"\n_____________________\nMany different forms of vaporizers exist and the technology and engineering can be complicated. Flowers, concentrates and oils can be vaporized. For starters, it is important to think about what you are vaping. Is this a clean extract? Are these flowers free from pesticides and chemicals? Vaporizing involves heating the substance to a temperature above the melting point, yet not high enough to cause combustion. Basically when one vaporizes flower, hot air is moved across the flowers, and essential oils and compounds are melted and released into a gaseous state, which are then inhaled. Vaporizing concentrates and oils can be acheived in a number of ways. Usually a heating element or coil is utilized to heat the oil or wax or hash or shatter. Often you get what you pay for, and cheaply made vaporizers may be constructed with poor quality materials and there is some concern about metals being released from the coils. \n\nandrewvanmd\n_____________________\nThere is a very strong distinction. First off, most concentrates are going to be a stronger and more intense high. Flower vaping is very smooth and the smoke combustion is not nearly as harsh as inhaling marijuana smoke through a water pipe or a hemp paper.\r\nAny concentrate is form of extraction and is normally between 40-70% THC. Most top shelf flower is between 20-28% THC. \r\n\r\nBut ultimately, its depending how strong you would like to dose yourself with. The vape scene in the marijuana industry is quite competitive, specifically in the oil. There are solvent and non-solvent products. There are multiple types of  terpenes that are added to these oil vape pens to give them all natural flavors extracted through plants. \r\n\r\nPersonally, I like Dank Tanks. They charge fast, discrete, economical, and hit strong. I can charge the charge anywhere in my car, computer, or a wall because its a USB computer charger. The oil conserves the marijuana taste and has NO ADDED TERPS, to preserve the taste of the marijuana plant. \r\n\n\nc3pharmacymarty","image":null}},{"node":{"id":"Question_10858-markdown","title":"Do you find that these vape pens leak after a while?","slug":"do-you-find-that-these-vape-pens-leak-after-a-while","content":"\"I leave mine in my car, but I find that the resin leaks out and gets messy. Is this common, or could it be due to the heat of leaving it in the car?\"\n_____________________\nIf not stored at a lower temperature, I find that they do indeed leak. When kept colder, the oil inside is thicker and much harder to leak out. Good luck!\n\ndragonbai","image":null}},{"node":{"id":"Question_10840-markdown","title":"Best products for back pain and insomnia without the high?","slug":"best-products-for-back-pain-and-insomnia-without-the-high","content":"\"I'm completely new to this so I need help in finding something that will work for me. I have chronic back pain, insomnia and anxiety. I would love something that could help me more with the back pain and the insomnia...but without the high. I don't want to smoke it either, so I'm thinking a tincture, a cream or a vape, but i have no idea what to ask for. I used my medical card for the first time last weekend, and bought two vapes. One was 110mg of CBD and the other was 250mg of CBD. I was told to use the lower dose during the day and the higher one at night. But sadly, neither one has affected me at all. I have a very high tolerance to medicine in general. Could this be why? Energy drinks and caffeine don't touch me either. The reason I'm coming here for help is because I'm so new to this and did not realize that this was so expensive. The next time I go in to purchase something I'd like to have a better idea of what I need.\"\n_____________________\nI would use a high CBD tincture like 18:1 Care by Design plus a topical balm if needed. You can go slow with the topical balm and see how you feel after the tincture.\n\njrec\n_____________________\nThe high concentrate CBD oil, smoked in a vape pen, may help both the pain and insomnia, if taken nightly. \nThe back pain relief may be augmented (helped more) with a topical product of medical marijuana.\nDispensaries may offer samples of the topicals to experience which works best for you.\n\ndrraisen\n_____________________\nCBD alone for back pain might work but it might not. You may want to review our Educational blurb on the entourage affectBecause when you do CBD and it has a low dose of THC, you will not be high but the THC supports the effectiveness of the CBD so book doing CBD alone you will miss that extra support. The topical cannabis salve that is CBD dominant works well to block muscle spasms and pain especially in your back and it will not make you high because it does not go systemic so I would question why you wouldn't want any THC in your salve If it makes it more effective. You do need a recommendation for the CBD with the THC.\nYou can also purchase a vapor pen with high CBD and very low THC ratio that will not make you high but it will help you get out of pain. If you are sensitive to the THC then keep the THC level very low. You may also try THCA, or juicing green buds.\nIt is nice to live life pain-free. Often the missed connection between back pain and freedom from back pain is a deficiency of vitamin D. Ideally your blood level of vitamin D3 should be above 55 ng/ML for optimal pain relief. If you are brown skinned, over 50 years old, take proton pump inhibitors or have any gastric absorption problems, You are likely vitamin D3 deficient and your doctor should measure your levels and You should consider supplementing rather than ruining your skin trying to get enough vitamin D from the sun.\n\ndrolson\n_____________________\nHonestly what people have been saying about the entourage effect with cannabis is true.  Cannabinoids in themselves heightens the effectiveness of other medicines.  But to truly answer this question one has to know a bit about the sources of your pain, insomnia and anxiety, as these are dual symptoms that could come from physical accidents or mental depression.  The cure will be found in targeting the cause of the discomfort.  Generally with these symptoms a combination of talk therapy and medicine is most effective.  I would recommend a medicinal bar that I have actually created, it will give you a light buzz but as long as you stay in the recommended dose it will not get you very high.  Less than a Xanax or Wellbutrin.  Remember that cannabinoids increase the effectiveness of the mind's ability to make use of other medicine, so sometimes the best way to use cannabis compounds is to take them with a significantly lower dose of whatever else you used to take for this problem before.  I can assume you were medicating the pain before you moved to cannabis?  In case you don't find my product, the active ingredients are full indica flower and ashwagandha root. it is further supplemented with Gingko Bilbao, ginseng (and others in my energy bar) or in my anxiety bar there is also Kava.  These combinations I have found work the very best for pain, insomnia and anxiety.  My bar is called the e420 bar and my company is Whole Soul Holistic.\n\ne420bar\n_____________________\nEveryone's situation and CBD preferences are different. \n\nSince you prefer vaping, you might wish to try something stronger, Respira offers a 600mg option in a really popular grape-mint flavor: https://elixinol.com/product/cbd-vape-oil-600mg-respira-grape-mint/\n\nIf you're still not getting the results you want after you try it, feel free to reach to Dr. Philip Blair through our website, he can work with you to make serving size recommendations specific to your situation.\n\nelixinol\n_____________________\nIf cost is an issue, might I offer a very easy recipe for an infused oil/ topical with cannabis?  It should be much cheaper than purchasing one and in my experience, pt's who make their own topicals seem to get more pain relief (perhaps love is the secret ingredient?).  This recipe is very easy and all it requires is a slow cooker/ crock pot,  1 cup coconut oil (you can buy in bulk @ Costco),  15-17 grams of plant material (shake, flowers).  You combine all three for 6-8 hrs at 250 degrees. Apply to the back, combine w/ use of heat pack.  Don't forget to do myofascial release daily (I teach pts to do self massage using tennis/ racquet balls against a wall to provide pressure to localized myofascial points.  Don't forget to ask health insurance if they cover basic PT sessions or provide accupuncture sessions like Kaiser and other plans.  I hope this helps out!\n\ndrpark","image":null}},{"node":{"id":"Question_10824-markdown","title":"Product and dosage suggestions for high tolerance?","slug":"product-and-dosage-suggestions-for-high-tolerance","content":"\"I went to a dispensary over the weekend and got two vapes. One was 110mg (I believe) of CBD for my lower back pain and the other was a little stronger at 250 mg. The guy explained to me that it would help me with all of my symptoms (chronic lower back pain, insomnia, and anxiety). But after spending almost $100 on those, they aren't touching me at all. Now while I understand that I have to try different things to find out what works best for me, I also can't afford to keep \"testing\" products out. I don't have much money so I'm hoping i can find something within the first couple tries. Also, maybe I should have mentioned this to the dispensary, but my tolerance to meds in general is very high. I can take 1600 mg of Advil for my back pain before I start to feel the pain relief. So I'm starting to think now that maybe I have to apply that tolerance to marijuana as well? The guy at the dispensary was pretty adamant that I would notice a difference with the vape and that I would be able to sleep better, but honestly, it's not touching me. Any thoughts or recommendations on what I should do?\"\n_____________________\nTolerance is effected by many factors, including individual metabolism and frequency and duration of use. Rather than increasing your dose over time as your tolerance builds, it may be better to lower your tolerance by decreasing the dose and frequency of use.  Similarly, some patients take a \"drug holiday\" for several days or weeks to cleanse themselves of cannabis and \"reset\" their endocannabinoid receptors. \n\nEdibles, because they are longer acting, have to be taken less frequency than inhaled medicine and maintain cannabinoid levels at a more constant levels. This may help prevent the development of tolerance as compared to frequent, high-dose spikes of vaporized cannabis.\n\ndredmunds\n_____________________\nFor long term users, I advise patients to abstain from cannabis use for 48 hours then to resume at about 1/3 the dose they were using and titrate up to the effective dose. It sounds as if your case may be a little different.  I would recommend trying a tincture sublingually. You lose quite a bit of medicine to the atmosphere with inhalation and as Dr Edmunds stated, the effects are short lived. True edibles (cookies, etc) lose quite a bit of medicine to the digestive process and renders the cannabis to be more psychoactive. With tinctures (chocolates and lozenges act more like tincture in that they melt and stay in your mouth longer), the medicine is absorbed through the small capillaries in the oromucosa of the mouth and very little is \"lost\".  The drops are placed under the tongue and should be held there for 60 -90 secs before swallowing. It takes about 20 mins to observe the effects. So you have to titrate your dose by adding a drop or two every 20 mins or so until your pain is relieved - then add up the number of drops you've used and that's your dose for the next time. When used properly, the effect of tinctures can last 5-6 hrs. I would also suggest using a variety that has both THC and CBD. While they are individually good pain relievers, together they synergize each other's pain relieving effects. The CBD will mitigate the psychoactivity of THC. Also... acetaminophen potentiates the pain relieving effects of THC so try taking a dose at the same time you use the cannabis. A 1:1 THC:CBD strains that is particularly good for pain and very mentally relaxing is MediHaze. If too much psychoactivity, try a strain with a 1:2 ratio.\n\ndrfrye\n_____________________\nI'm sorry to hear that you're having a tough time with your back; is the pain causing your insomnia? \n\nHere's the thing; not all pain patients respond to CBD alone. You may need to have a more balanced product with some THC included to get a good response. I've worked with many, many pain patients who only get partial relief from CBD. Patients tend not to need much THC to get a lot of relief; even at lower doses it can make a big difference. I've found that small amounts of THC are especially helpful for nerve pain, so if you have sciatica or shooting pains down your legs, it's certainly worth trying.\n\nIt's important to remember to avoid Sativa sources of THC since it can make anxiety worse.\n\nIf THC during the day isn't an option, you may get relief from a topical. Topicals will not make you feel high, but they work very well for pain. Two of the best that I've tried are made by Daddy Bones, as well as Salvation made by a collective in California called WAMM.\n\nAnother possibility is that even though that vape has 250mg of CBD in it, how much are you getting with each puff? Are you absorbing it efficiently? It could be that the dose you are getting is too small to help you. Also, vaped cannabis usually provides relief for a few hours at a time; you might want to look into capsules or tinctures for longer lasting relief. \n\nThe Capsule Cooperative carries a variety of CBD capsules, but we also offer a 1:1 CBD/THC capsule that's great for pain. Try a week of 10/10 or 20/20 at night, and a 20mg CBD capsule during the day; you might find that upping your CBD dosage and including some THC works a lot better than vaping.\n\nI hear that high doses of NSAIDS aren't touching your pain, but tolerance there doesn't necessarily mean that you have a tolerance to cannabis. CBD works on similar pathways, but there's still enough of a difference that Motrin tolerance shouldn't translate over to CBD tolerance. When you find the right kind of cannabis, you may be pleasantly surprised by how little cannabis you need to make a big difference in your pain.\n\nartemiscrow\n_____________________\nI think the ideas from Dr.'s Frye and Edmunds are excellent as are the thoughts from @artemiscrow.   Since you've already purchased the 2 CBD vape cartridges, I might suggest that you keep both of them and when you've been able to save enough, buy a cartridge that predominantly THC (in low or medium dose) or tincture that is mainly THC.  To take advantage of the en\\tourage effect seen w/ co-administration of diff. cannabinoid combos like CBD and THC together, I would then suggest taking a puff of either CBD vaporizer and within minutes also administer a small dose of THC via vape or tincture so you effectively combine the effect of these two different cannabinoids.  \"Drug Holidays\"/ short term abstaining from med cann is also a good idea periodically imho.  I hope this helps!\n\ndrpark","image":null}},{"node":{"id":"Question_10751-markdown","title":"I have a smokers cough. What type of vaporizer should i use?","slug":"i-have-a-smokers-cough-what-type-of-vaporizer-should-i-use","content":"\n_____________________\nThere are many causes of chronic cough (lasting >8 weeks), and smoking is a common cause of cough. Smoke in any form, including tobacco and marijuana smoke, can paralyze the fine hairs in airways (cilia) which normally help clear air contaminants. Coughing is a reflex to help clear airways and may also be induced by inflammation. The single best thing you can do for your health is to quit smoking; if your cough doesn't resolve you should seek further medical evaluation.\n\nVaporized cannabis is usually well-tolerated, although in certain patients with reactive airways (i.e. asthmatics) vapor may exacerbate their condition and invoke inflammation and cough. Vaporizing shredded flower is usually gentler than vaporizing extracted concentrates. If vaporizing continues to cause airway spasm and cough, consider switching to oral or ingestible formulations.\n\ndredmunds\n_____________________\nFor anyone with smokers cough I would recommend a pure convection flower vaporizer like the Grasshopper. A flower convection vaporizer will heat the material, cannabis or tobacco, evenly and will never burn the plant material. This will lessen the irritation felt when compared with smoking. \r\n\r\n\n\nhltrevor","image":null}},{"node":{"id":"Question_10693-markdown","title":"Is there any difference in terms of pain management if I use edibles or vaporize?      ","slug":"is-there-any-difference-in-terms-of-pain-management-if-i-use-edibles-or-vaporize","content":"\"I heard something about the blood / brain barrier. Can you explain this please?\nReally appreciate this service!\"\n_____________________\nI definitely think so.\n\nsummertime1\n_____________________\nThe answer is yes. Since the subject of pain a topic we discuss often, this is an excellent question. If you suffer from pain from a medical condition, it is something that you want immediate relief for. vaporizing is an excellent way for cannabis to help with pain relief in a very short time. The THC and CBD in whatever your vaping immediately goes to the lungs and then does cross the blood brain barrier as you mention. This helps with the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain and central nervous system which also contributes to the psychoactive effects of cannabis. For example, a study at the University of California San Francisco showed that a 4% THC concentration while vaping reduced neuropathic pain by 61%.\n\nEdibles can also help with pain, however they take between 1-2 hours to start to work. They are best used, for example, in the evening prior to sleep to help with pain relief through the night.\n\nPerry Solomon, MD\n_____________________\n There are differences in edibles versus vaporize cannabis. Whether inhaled or ingested end, cannabinoids cross the blood- brain barrier.  The differences mainly have to do with the amount of time necessary for the medication to start working, and then the length of time that the medication remains effective.  Vaporized cannabis enters the bloodstream almost immediately, and begins working with in minutes. It's peak effectiveness occurs around an hour later but it's effects on decreasing pain last about 2 to 4 hours, depending on the variety.   Edibles are another story. The absorption of edibles through the gastrointestinal tract is unpredictable and somewhat unreliable. It can take up to two hours for medication to become effective, but that varies.  On the other hand, the effect from edibles lasts much longer, commonly 6 to 8 hours.  Using edibles to treat pain is risky because you never know how much medication is going to be absorbed, and if your symptoms are not relieved quickly, the tendency is to increase the dose. Often times people do not wait the full two hours to reassess their pain scale. What commonly happens, is that people tend to take more edible medicine, before giving the first dose enough time to work,  thus increasing the likelihood of taking too much and experiencing adverse side effects – anxiety, paranoia, dizziness, etc.  If not using a tincture, I much rather have patients titrate their dose with vaporized medicine, thereby reassessing their pain scale every 10 to 15 minutes, and adding a puff of medication every 15 minutes, as needed until the pain is relieved or is, at least, bearable.  Vaporizing cannabis is more cost effective. A lot of medication is lost through the process of digestion.  Edible cannabis has more psychoactivity because when ingested, THC passes through the liver and is metabolized into a more psychoactive form. That can be a problem for patients who need to be clear minded and productive. That being said, some patients find cannabis teas to be especially effective in treating their painful symptoms and prefer it over inhalation.  It is probably best to try both methods and decide what works best for you.  \n\ndrfrye","image":null}},{"node":{"id":"Question_10692-markdown","title":"What should I use for insomnia? I'm overwhelmed by the options.","slug":"what-should-i-use-for-insomnia-im-overwhelmed-by-the-options","content":"\"I have been an insomniac for years. Last month my son suggested vapor and tincture to ease the problem.  \"\n_____________________\nFor difficulty sleeping, especially when a patient finds they wake in the middle of the night and have difficulty returning to sleep (\"middle-of-the-night insomnia\"), I routinely suggest an edible form of indica.  Approximately one-hour following ingestion, cannabis reaches levels high enough in the bloodstream to cause systemic effects, including sleep induction.  \n\nThe benefit of taking an edible medicine is that it may remain at high enough levels to facilitate sleep for up to 6-8 hours.  In contrast, vaporizing results in effects lasting 1-2 hours and oral tinctures approximately 2-4 hours following administration.  \n\ndredmunds\n_____________________\nThere are many reasons people have difficulty with sleep so the cause must be addressed in order to obtain the best resolution. I don't know if you are male or female and if you are female, are you peri-menopausal because that affects the way I answer this question. Hormonal imbalance definitely affects sleep and for women that can go on for 10 years or more, and not sleeping puts humans at risk for dying but using western pharmaceutical drugs may also increase your risk of dying. \nSince our days tend to be filled with stress, adrenaline and cortisol levels increase making sleep difficult or impossible until you have increased your heart rate with exercise to burn off the fight or flight stimulation of the neurotransmitters. For people who are very stressed I encourage them to take CBD cannabis during the day for the profound calming affect it has on the neurological system making sleep easier but it does take a couple of weeks to be fully effective so having an Indica vape pen next to the bed maybe of great benefit. \nI also find a lot of people use Indica after using Sativa but that method of use often times will give sleep disturbance because the Indica will boost up the THC making the mind active and the body fatigued. After using Sativa (high THC, low CBD), I recommend a larger dose of super concentrated CBD tincture to create an Indica like response inside your body but if you wake during the night have the vape pen, with an Indica handy. \nAlso pay attention to your vitamin D3 level, don't eat a large meal before bedtime and always work on dealing with your day-to-day stress more effectively since we cannot stop stress but we can change the way we react to stress.\nIf you need more help with this issue after you have experimented, please don't hesitate to ask for a consultation since we are here to help you. \n\n\ndrolson","image":null}},{"node":{"id":"Question_10655-markdown","title":"I'm having open heart surgery soon and I want to reduce my use of opioids post surgery. Is the use of cannabis safe?","slug":"im-having-open-heart-surgery-soon-and-i-want-to-reduce-my-use-of-opioids-post-surgery-is-the-use-of-cannabis-safe","content":"\"if OK, is smoking or vaping OK?\"\n_____________________\n\nI think that's an excellent idea. Studies have shown that cannabis use with opioids can decrease your opioid use up to 25%.. However, there are several things to consider. After your surgery for several week, your medications may be changed, added or discontinued by your cardiologist or surgeon. These changes can affect your blood pressure and heart rate, so both should be stable before starting cannabis since it can sometimes cause changes in both. \n\nDuring this time you might need to take some narcotics that the surgeon has prescribed. Everyone's reaction to the chest wall pain after open-heart surgery is different and you may find that your pain is minimal by the time your medications, blood pressure, and heart rate are stabilized. \n\nWhen all is stable I would suggest speaking with the surgeon and cardiologist to tell them that you would like to take cannabis for pain, if in fact, it is still there, to decrease your use of narcotics. Cardiac surgery patients usually begin cardiac rehabilitation 2-4 weeks after uncomplicated cardiac surgery, but this depends on your physical condition prior to surgery and other factors such as any difficulties during or after surgery.\n\nWhen cardiac rehab does begin you may experience chest wall pain from the deeper breathing that you get from the exercise program to strengthen the heart muscle that you get from rehabilitation. It is this chest wall discomfort or pain that you might need to use cannabis for if anti-inflammatories do not work (which sometimes is all that is needed at this point).\n \nNow to finally answer your question. Since its usually the chest incision that causes the most discomfort after open hear surgery (verses minimally invasive cardiac surgery that can be performed if possible), I would avoid both smoking and vaping cannabis. The reason being, though both give the fastest effect, is that they both can cause irritation to your lungs if your not used to inhaling them, which can cause coughing. This of course can be painful with a fresh chest wall incision.\n\nI would tend to use a tincture that can start to take effect within 15-30 minutes. A capsule is another option. I would tend to avoid edibles, except perhaps in the evening for sleep, only for the reason that the effect can take 1-2 hours and you would like pain relief faster then that.\n\nSpeaking of cardiac rehab, it has been shown to significantly decrease your chances of another cardiac event and I would highly recommendation beginning it as soon as possible after your surgery. If you need cannabis to help tolerate it instead of narcotics, then go for it!\n\nPerry Solomon, MD\n_____________________\n\nI love Dr Solomon's answer and would add that the problem I have met is when the patient has a stent and has to be on blood thinners for that reason or for other heart reasons, then the cannabis does add to thinning the blood and the dose of blood thinner may need to be adjusted to accommodate the cannabis. \n\nMany doctors will tell you to stop the cannabis but because it has such profound pain relief without the addiction risk of narcotics I would encourage that you pursue talking with your doctor about your choices rather than their choices. \n\nOne of the major reasons for conflict in medicine is when doctors forced their choices on patients, and the patient suffers a bad outcome, then the patient is angry and takes action against the doctor. Sometimes it's up to the patient to teach the doctor to learn to listen. Good luck, we all want to be seen and heard, so be well centered and express your wishes with kindness but you can be firm and repetitive in order to be heard.\n\nDr Olson\n_____________________\n\nI agree, but do think the short-term opiates have their place in the immediate post-operative period. THC is not the best for acute pain and CBD works best for inflammatory and neuropathic pain.  \n\nCBD competes for metabolic enzymes at the cytochrome P450 level so one must be cautious when using it with medications (Coumadin) that rely on those enzymes for metabolism. So if high CBD strains are used, be sure to dose it at least a couple of hours apart from your other medication - most especially Coumadin.  \n\nDr Frye","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAOCAYAAAAvxDzwAAAACXBIWXMAAAsSAAALEgHS3X78AAAD/UlEQVQ4yw2T+1PTBQDAv1eXP9hPdXlnZRiW1fk4UHyMlHwhIgMEJwSyMSYPQRiyiTkY6FBAZMB4DERk8g5Q2Ig3HZgKIvEMvKkcPlAuA+o045Sz0z7xD3x++NznI3y2wg5nezsSfTzQHlGRfVxDpjaZzFN5GHwjiQ9Uo9ojxrTNkRaJG71qBUOnjlAbcYDchCQqWoapah/movkmVU19CCLXfXzwtQMy6WGKajrJLm8m3SOY0ndXMrBoFdNfODHxrTtddiKa9uxiKC6Uh3kafj4RxvXOW1wbeEhbt5XOvgm6Rx8j2G9zYYfPYc4WNZBW2khWVCKZwhJMwjKaF61h8MP1vF6+mf9c/JkSe2NNUmItTGK0p5tZ4On8GyZmXjA5/YKRsfsIX25w4kC4DmVKOco4A9qVIgpt1mD+XESRsJTCxd9g9g2jNbWYBxEJ/B4UxJipguc9ozwrsTCbV81kXRd3B+/z6/gsQpQ0hLzYKPI0MTSd1TBYmMXElXwe5qfSGB7LYGMH/UODlETrGNfqeRsazbxnCKzeASscebnckfmtHvwjUTBbbUE4d9CNC7LvqIlyZ7hQy9t7N7lhOEmROoTKrGRuWyq5qtVR4PQ9zzQpXD3fgMY8TkVmA0MnMpj0lvF0r4Q5Lz8IkCMo3CXofLeTIXOhWiXFWpHLb8V6Ro2n6T0TQ1/KMSz7FXRLY+lJyEdTMYKhqp+6S500NIxgVZ3mtas3r3xk/Ou/ANxk74Rk93bOSV2xaMKxVp/nclwk/cZkZsxlGL18KfeQ0xySSE/YKR4lZDEXoAT/UP5WxjMjDmDG2ZvnYh/eHJAiSBxWcly+nySpmPLoALoyExirK11wmcZleRhlHocwugZRuzWAu8fT+NMvkqeyGMYXangkV/Nss5j5Le5MbBHzao8EQSV2JC3YiyKdmsRACfpDB7kkl1Hi7EmK3W4qfCPI2riPEpGEP2pbuCeLpt/ZD2uinttiBQ9sRIyu2cXYso1YA2IRkqUuZAbtJcZ7F4pwJeGRP6B+ZylJwkdcWLaJes9Q0vcfQb9hH1N1rdzxDGNyx0FeGkrp2+hF6ycODH4qYsB2Jz9eaEfQRQSi9NpJoL8/GWUNpJT9hM7RjRzhYy4JttxYbE/34XhKw6PoiI/liSqO6TNZvCyu4S9bF+4Ia5letJ5s76OczS5HyDEWoNacJL3ETMFCoIayejKyTeiXrKXkva+4+f46em2cMAcruHExl7ZULdPNNTy+YmKuq4m5+HSuy+PQHtNQczQEoaqmDlNt48LgvVS19VDd8gvFlk5yValYVu+mY5Ub1/YGYQ6Loseop9dk5LrhNFPtZp60VvN6oo+pkVs8qjfxoDKH/wHan9DA8zzwwwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","aspectRatio":1.3986013986013985,"src":"/static/e9742025f013a85d88df5ed454ad08ea/ce37b/ab725c6fff57b15e1ccefc184a6267a8.png","srcSet":"/static/e9742025f013a85d88df5ed454ad08ea/69585/ab725c6fff57b15e1ccefc184a6267a8.png 200w,\n/static/e9742025f013a85d88df5ed454ad08ea/497c6/ab725c6fff57b15e1ccefc184a6267a8.png 400w,\n/static/e9742025f013a85d88df5ed454ad08ea/ce37b/ab725c6fff57b15e1ccefc184a6267a8.png 591w","srcWebp":"/static/e9742025f013a85d88df5ed454ad08ea/81574/ab725c6fff57b15e1ccefc184a6267a8.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/e9742025f013a85d88df5ed454ad08ea/61e93/ab725c6fff57b15e1ccefc184a6267a8.webp 200w,\n/static/e9742025f013a85d88df5ed454ad08ea/1f5c5/ab725c6fff57b15e1ccefc184a6267a8.webp 400w,\n/static/e9742025f013a85d88df5ed454ad08ea/81574/ab725c6fff57b15e1ccefc184a6267a8.webp 591w","sizes":"(max-width: 591px) 100vw, 591px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":240,"numPages":21,"currentPage":21,"id":5890,"name":"Vaporizer","slug":"vaporizer","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}