That is pretty much how I am feeling about this strain that I found!  I am lusting after it – because it IS helping with the pain without messing with my mind!  It is called Super Skunk and I am really liking it. As with all things that come into our lives, a nickname has been given.  MEET Pepe Le Pew!  Last night I told Shawn that I am pretty sure Pepe is my new best friend!  I have already planned and mapped out all the fun and exciting adventures we will go on together!

With the pain receding – I am feeling like I can do ANYTHING!

OK…maybe not ANYTHING.  Pretty sure I could NEVER jump out of an airplane – no matter how much Skunk I smoke;)

 

Let me tell you about the specifics

PRODUCT:

OPTIMUM EXTRACTS

CO2 Cannabis Oil Vapor Cartridge

INDICA SUPER SKUNK

(TOTAL 76%)

DETAILS

Currently I am choosing to vape. The effects on the pain are almost instant and having control of how much I need and when are both things that seem to be working for me.  Eventually I would like to explore edibles and teas to see if there are things that can provide similar results.  But for the moment I am more than happy to “wake and bake.”  I have absolutely NO idea how to roll a joint, how to dab, how to work a bong…  But the vape pen I bought (by Ganesh, similar to this one) and cartridge were pretty simple to figure out and fairly unobtrusive.  It doesn’t emit much smoke and although there is an smell, it isn’t stinky (sorry, I just had to go with the skunk pun.) It doesn’t have a strong pot smell and it doesn’t linger. Opening up the deck door and taking a puff or two seems to go pretty much unnoticed around here -this was deduced by the fact that one of the kids said….

Wait, what?  You were smoking pot?  When?  Where was I?

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

Although I have found varying levels of relief with just about all of the strains that I have tried this is the first strain that I have found that is helping with the pain but not messing with my head, at all.  I do want to expand that it is not as if I am pain free – I wish!  But it is cutting the pain, bringing it down to levels that I can manage.  I am beginning to regain a sense of ME and remember what it is like outside the pain.

I am doing more; without constantly THINKING about the pain and what is going to be required to get through the task.  I emptied the dishwasher, started a load of laundry and began prepping dinner – ALL without THINKING about surviving getting them done.  I just did it.  That is a notable change.

I also appreciate that this particular strain does not give me the munchies – something I most definitely thought about given my current “puffed up” state.  I have periods of the day when I will feel hungry if it is getting close to meal time but so far, no one has found me camped out in the freezer sampling the five ice cream flavors we currently have.  Why we have 5 is a whole different story.  The point is, I am not living up to the “totally stoned” image of endless eating and I am grateful for that.

SCHEDULE

  •  6 AM: take 1 or 2 “small” puffs (NOT sure what qualifies as small, but I inhale LESS than I do at some other times during the day, mainly because I have figured out that is all I need to start out.)
  • 9 AM: return from dropping the kids off at school (or the gym) and usually take 1 larger puff.
  • 12 PM: prepare lunch and take 2-3 puffs
  • 4 PM: This is usually when I am back from gathering kids and starting to make dinner.  This is also the time of the day when the pain traditionally goes off the charts.  When I would reach for my first glass of wine (or beer….or Vodka Tonic…or Fireball…or…well you get the point.)  It’s when I would have to start self medicating to get through the evening.  These days I take another 2-3 puffs and the pain is managing to stay at survivable levels.  Other than a few evenings out with friends, I have not had to have any drinks for the past three months.  Another notable change.
  • 9 PM: I take a puff or two of my “sleepy time” strain.  At the moment I am giving 9 LB. HAMMER a shot.  Last month I tried Bubba Kush and loved it!  MY pot shop, The Evergreen Market, has not had it the past few times I have visited but I am hopeful that BUBBA will come back into my life soon!  So far what I can share about this new night time strain:

A gentle calm.  The damn voice IS still there, but it’s being really nice and it is quietly thinking about things and even opening up my mind to different thoughts and perspectives that I don’t know I have ever considered or explored.  It’s kinda fun!  It has allowed me to fall asleep a lot faster.  I am sleeping through the night (other than the stupid potty breaks) and waking feeling well rested and excited to get up and start the day.

COST

Each cartridge seems to last me between 10 and 12 days and they cost $44.  At that price it comes out to about $4 per day (went with 11 days on that mathematical wizardry:)  As for the Bubba, a bit tougher to give a # to.  It lasted about a month but I didn’t use it some nights – and used MORE than I would normally do a few times.  It was $44 as well, so I am figuring at one per month that is about $1.45 a month.  At the moment I think I am looking at about THREE Super Skunks per month and one Bubba (or whatever they have that works)

4 x $44= $176 per month

(too bad I can’t use my HSA account to pay for this!)

**I have NO idea if my tolerance will increase at some point and it will take MORE of the Skunk daily OR if perhaps the levels in my body (of the THC/CBD) will stabilize and maybe offer relief with LESS.  I don’t know if these things even happen, but I figure there will be unexpected variables as I continue along.  PLUS at the moment I tend to pick up at least one or two OTHER products to try  out and review.  I have no idea if I will eventually stop doing that, but at the moment it is all part of the adventure:)

OTHER “PERKS”

RELIEVING CONSTIPATION: I don’t know if I can credit this to the cannabis or if it is simply that the side-effects from the other pain medications I have been on are finally subsiding BUT I have to acknowledge that for the first time in over 2 years my constipation seems to be backing off.  Yup, I am excited about taking a dump – at being able to say that I am no longer backed up!  Whoop, whoop!  Memories of the kids being young  and trips to the potty being met with shouts of encouragement and high-fives have been floating around my mind.  I am pretty sure I am going to make Shawn start doing this for me!  Maybe he will give me potty stickers!

WEIGHT LOSS: This very easily could be a much appreciated “side-effect” of the above and/or also a result of being able to be a bit more active, but I THINK I have lost weight.  Thanks to the pain medications I put 20-25 lbs on, in EIGHT WEEKS! (I shit you not!)  So a puffed up, “fluffier” version of me has been hanging around and making me less than confident in my appearance.  To the point that I put the scale away and haven’t weighed myself for the past 6 months.  So I have no idea where I started or where I am at now – just that my clothes seem to fitting a bit better these days.  Yes, I was still cramming myself into my old clothes and yes, it has not been comfortable.  I am thinking about not pulling out the scale, about not worrying so much about the number and more how I feel and how the clothes are fitting. I am THINKING about that…not a promise….just a thought.  Maybe I’ll give it a shot. But I am hoping that the downward trend continues.

If you have questions – PLEASE ask!  I am working on putting together a Q&A post pulling questions from emails, comments and social media.  I figure that even if I don’t have the answer someone else around here might.

**This is my personal blog and all opinions are my own.  I am not a doctor, nor do I play one here on my blog. The content here is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to replace the advise of medical professionals.  Be sure to contact your doctor before trying any new medications/vitamins/supplements, physical activities or therapies **