I appreciate the love everyone!
I'm looking forward to developing a treatment plan for my daughter, and I'm pretty anxious to put together a recipe for her medicine with the three different strains I've got. I've definitely learned a bunch already just reading through all the resources that SweetSue provided.
Here's some new questions I've come up with (along with some things I've picked up on from other threads/ resources):
1. Optimal ratio for epilepsy/ autism treatment is between 8:1-20:1 (CBD:THC). As I've already pointed out, I have three different strains that I plan to make two medicines with (1 High CBD Strain, 1 High THC Sativa Strain, and 1 High THC Indica Strain). I have all the potency levels of these three strains, but now I'm not sure how to do the math in order to figure out how much of the CBD strain to put with the other two strains.
Is there a good resource to help me with this, or someone who can help me do the math?
Oldbear's already answered this for you.
daddyherb said:
2. Once I figure out the ratio of CBD Strain:THC Strain to make the two medicines, I still have NO idea what to make! All the oils I've seen on the threads here look very dark and thick (almost like a honey consistency). The oil I made previously following the recipe I got from the dispensary was much lighter, thin, and oily compared to those.
So, do I decarb in the oven, then mix in my Magical Butter Machine with an oil, strain, and call it a day, or do I make something more like this?:
Cannabis Oil Dosing Tutorial - Tacking Method
You're going to make an infused oil. We'll help you work through that process. It's nowhere near as intimidating as we think it is before the first time, and you've already made one batch. Decarb in the oven, and use a roasting bag to hang on to more terpenes. Then it's a simple matter of combine the carrier oil (coconut oil may be easier to consume, from a taste factor), cannabis, and liquid sunflower lecithin in the MB2 and let it work the magic it advertises. I'd recommend the eight-hour setting.
When it's done, strain, rest it in the fridge overnight, bring to room temperature and use.
It really is that easy.
daddyherb said:
3. [This question may be answered once I figure out the answer to question Number 2]. I'm still not very clear about dosing, and delivery method. From what I'm reading, using an oil which absorbs a little slower may be better, and the "tacking" method seems like the best way to increase the bioavailability versus just swallowing it.
Delivery systems that make use of the oral mucosa are preferred by many because they absorb quickly and pass through the Blood Brain Barrier more easily. When you dose through the gut you use methods to increase bioavailability. The BioBombs were designed to achieve higher levels of absorbtion of Concentrated Cannabis Oil. Untreated, CCO is difficult to get into the system. Add a good carrier oil and some liquid sunflower lecithin, refrigerate to allow the lecithin to disperse the essential oil components and surround them, and bioavailability improves dramatically.
It's an an important distinction that cannabinoids through the gut get metabolized in ways they don't when taken through the oral mucosa. Most significantly, delta 9-THC (what THCa becomes when decarbed) through the gut becomes 11-hydroxy THC, which is 4-11 times more potent euphorically than delta-9. This makes edibles a wonderful way to dose for sleep meds.
The infused oils can be swished in the mouth to allow the oral mucosa to absorb cannabinoids before swallowing. This may be a simpler method of making use of this administration pathway with Abigail. Tacking is difficult for adults to master. You have to not swallow for 20 minutes to do it effectively. It also uses CCO.
daddyherb said:
Also, the
"Inner Inventory" sounds great in the
Cannabis Dosing - Delivery Methods and Dosing Guidelines, but
I'm doing this for my 7-year old daughter who is non-verbal, so I need another way to decide what the optimal dosing level is for her once I figure out what recipe and delivery method to use (Okay, I'm getting overwhelmed again typing all this ugh)...
Breathe baby.
This feels daunting, but I assure you, in no time you'll start to make more sense of it.
daddtherb said:
4. From SweetSue on Cannabis Dosing - Delivery Methods and Dosing Guidelines:
This raises a question. We've already discussed the most optimal ratio for epilepsy treatment is 8:1 - 20:1.
If I use two hybrid strains (1 for daytime/ 1 for nightime), would it potentially limity tolerance development if I used a 20:1 ratio for daytime use and an 8:1 ratio for nightime use?
I'm not so concerned with her developing any tolerance. It feels like it's a better idea to keep as close to the 20:1 ratio as we can. This is new to us, so it's certainly worth getting the opinion of the crew.
daddyherb said:
5. Also from SweetSue on Cannabis Dosing - Delivery Methods and Dosing Guidelines:
Which chemicals do you want to retain in the plant once it's converted to a delivery system? Between the Chlorophyll, Cannabinoids, Terpenes, are there specific drawbacks or benefits of any of these?
Theyre not chemicals, they're components. There ya go, you're first correction on terminology.
When CCO is made there's a big effort to keep out everything but the cannabinoids. Some add terpenes back in, because that process destroys terpenes. The thought with CCO is that it's a super dose of pure cannabinoids, unless those lost terpenes were added back in. When we treat cancer it's typically CCO that's chosen.
When you make an infused oil, using flowers decarbed in a roasting bag, or as a fresh harvest oil, you're including all of the components in the plant. The terpenes are particularly important. They're the components that direct the action of the cannabinoids.
Think of it as the cannabinoids being the wheels of a vehicle, and the terpenes the steering control. All that power needs direction. This is why I'm so partial to infused oils. They're easier to make, IMO, require no dangerous solvents that need purging, and will contain many more of the components of the plant. The entourage effect comes more prominently into play with infused oils.
daddyherb said:
6. My daughter takes a quick dissolve Melatonin supplement before bed. Once I start a nighttime Indica dominent hybrid strain, should we stop the Melatonin?
I'd give it a try after she's been taking the indica formulation for a week. That's just an instinctive response from Doctor Mom.
daddyherb said:
Thank you all again for all your help. I know I'm a hot mess, and I'm asking a hundred questions. You've all been very helpful and patient!
You're not a hot mess at all.
You're doing amazingly well. In case you weren't aware, Dr. Bonnie Goldstein is an authority on cannabinoid therapies for children with seizure disorders. There are a number of YouTube videos with her you may want to explore when time permits. I load videos into an offline playlist on YouTube red and then listen when I'm out walking.
[video=youtube;GNl14Y3sV1g]https:/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNl14Y3sV1g[/video]