“What medications do you currently take?” is the first question your doctor will ask before suggesting a new medication. Although a medication might be able to alleviate your symptoms, you might need to reconsider your course of treatment if it adversely interacts with another medication you take. The same applies when obtaining a medical marijuana card—it’s essential to discuss potential interactions with your healthcare provider to ensure a safe and effective treatment plan.
What does this signify for CBD and other holistic healing options?
Inflammation, mental health, chronic pain, and other conditions are currently safely and successfully managed by patients using CBD. However, it may be harmful when taken with other medications, just like the majority of other medications.
Learn what to avoid when using CBD, including prescription drugs like opioids and antidepressants as well as over-the-counter (OTC) medications like melatonin and antihistamines. Additionally, Online Medical Card can put you in touch with a knowledgeable medical marijuana clinician if, after reading, you would like more individualized guidance.
What Is CBD?
One of the most well-known cannabinoids extracted from the cannabis plant is cannabidiol, or CBD for short.
CBD interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), just like all other cannabinoids do. People with various physical and mental health conditions can benefit from using cannabinoids to activate the ECS, which controls some of your most vital internal processes.
In particular, CBD can:
- Relieve chronic pain
- Relax and uplift mood
- Soothe muscles
- Promote sleep
- Protect neurological functions
- Reduce inflammation
- Lower blood pressure
Patients also adore CBD for its lack of psychoactivity, which means that taking it by itself won’t get you high. You won’t get intoxicated because broad-spectrum CBD and CBD-isolate products have little to no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the well-known psychoactive cannabinoid.
Products are available in a range of forms, including oils, capsules, tinctures, edibles, and gummies.
CBD Access
The 2018 Farm Bill has greatly expanded access to the CBD. The bill made the production of hemp, a cannabis plant variety with very little THC, legal on a federal level.
Hemp is used by producers to create a wide range of final products. Additionally, they extract CBD from it, which they can then turn into tinctures, edibles, oils, and other products.
Since the FDA views CBD products as dietary supplements, it has not approved any of the available CBD products.
Don’t worry, CBD products from reputable dispensaries are still safe to use. Although dispensary-grade products are labeled and undergo laboratory testing, a comprehensive list of all the medications they interact with is probably not included on these labels.
Which Medications Can Interact with CBD?
The majority of drugs have some sort of interaction with other drugs. Prescription medications aren’t the only example of this. Herbal remedies, dietary supplements, and over-the-counter drugs can all have negative side effects when taken together, including CBD.
Numerous common medications interact with CBD; the combination and dosage may cause different reactions.
Know the possible repercussions before changing any medications. Additionally, before making any final decisions, always share your thoughts with your healthcare provider.
- Opioids
Opioids are prescribed by doctors to treat pain, particularly in patients with chronic pain disorders. Fatigue and a euphoric “high” are two unintended consequences of opioid use.
Opioids raise dopamine levels, so abusing them can quickly result in dependence and overdose. Many patients now use CBD, a safer, more comprehensive pain reliever, to avoid this.
Patients can use CBD to supplement and wean themselves off of opioids and other prescription painkillers under the guidance of a healthcare professional. Strong pain relief is provided by CBD without the significant risks. In contrast to opiates, CBD:
- Is nonaddictive
- Can’t make you high
- Won’t cause a life-threatening overdose
- Has never caused a death
However, using opioids and CBD simultaneously may increase your level of fatigue to an unpleasant—and possibly dangerous—level because they both have the ability to make you drowsy.
Work closely with your healthcare provider to create a safe treatment plan that reduces or stops opioid use while relieving symptoms without giving you too much sedation.
- Antidepressants
Additionally, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), commonly referred to as antidepressants, are a class of prescription drugs with which CBD interacts adversely. The following well-known SSRIs may interact with CBD:
- Zoloft
- Lexapro
- Prozac
SSRIs and CBD are both effective at reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression. When taken together, they may cause more severe side effects, such as stomach pain and difficulty sleeping. They also have similar adverse effects. Physicians call this “doubling.”
Although there are a few possible explanations for these doubled interactions, researchers still need to investigate them further:
- Modified metabolism: CBD may affect how well your body breaks down SSRIs. This raises the possibility of negative side effects and leads to an accumulation of excess SSRI compounds.
- Reduced blood-sodium levels: When taking sertraline (Zoloft), CBD may also dramatically reduce your blood-sodium levels. This can seriously damage your ability to think clearly.
The combined effects of CBD and antidepressants are still largely unknown. Consult your healthcare provider to find out how to safely switch from an SSRI if you’re interested in learning more about the mental health advantages of CBD.
- Warfarin
In one study, scientists examined how cannabis-derived drugs, like Epidiolex, interacted with other popular prescription drugs. They discovered that a lot of these combinations result in altered concentrations, which are abnormal drops or increases in the amount of medication in your body.
They discovered that CBD significantly changed the levels of the common blood thinner warfarin.
CBD can also dangerously change the concentrations of the following other medications:
- Amiodarone
- Levothyroxine
- Clobazam
- Lamotrigine
- Valproate
Before using CBD or other cannabis products, consult your doctor if you take any of these medications. Before introducing changes to or stopping your current treatment plan, always consult your provider.
- Antihistamines
Your body’s reaction to allergens is suppressed by antihistamines. They fight off mild symptoms of allergies, such as
- Congestion
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Itchy eyes
Certain antihistamines can also be used to treat movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease, nausea, and insomnia.
Drowsiness is a side effect of many first-generation antihistamines, including diphenhydramine (Benadryl). When Benadryl and CBD are combined, you may experience excessive fatigue, lightheadedness, confusion, and lack of focus.
Inflammation, insomnia, nausea, and tremors are just a few of the symptoms that CBD can help with. Talk to your healthcare provider about your preferences if you would like to use CBD in place of antihistamines.
- Melatonin
The sole purpose of melatonin supplements is to promote sleep. It might help you sleep a bit too much when combined with CBD.
We don’t know the precise results because the interaction between melatonin and CBD hasn’t been thoroughly studied, if at all. Nevertheless, combining the two substances may raise the likelihood of their adverse effects because they have some similar characteristics, including:
- Drowsiness
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Difficulty concentrating
Similar interactions between CBD and other sedative supplements, drugs, and herbal remedies include:
- Kava
- St. John’s Wort
- Valerian
- L-tryptophan
- Alcohol
Although melatonin and CBD increase drowsiness, there is no significant risk. Many people find that CBD improves their quality of sleep. Some businesses even offer supplements that combine melatonin and CBD.
To find out which sleep aid options can best meet your particular needs, speak with your provider.
Let Online Medical Card Be Your Trusted Guide to Medical Marijuana
This article provides a broad overview of interactions between CBD medications. Your medication interactions may also be influenced by personal factors. How can you determine which course of treatment is best for you? Online Medical Card helps you get clarity from cannabis.
You will consult a skilled, state-certified medical marijuana practitioner during your virtual consultation. Along with evaluating your qualifying conditions, they will also offer you advice on how to safely and effectively manage your symptoms going forward.
Your healing path is yours with Online Medical Card. At every stage, we aim to customize your experience by providing tailored medical marijuana advice when you need it. Whether you’re seeking relief or exploring cannabis for cultivation, we also offer guidance on obtaining a California growers license to help you legally grow your own medical marijuana.
