Advice on Best Strains for Treating Depression Sought

[LelordK]

Hello all,

 

I'm new to the forum and somewhat new to cannabis (used recreationally and occassionally, many,  many years and not since then).

 

I have major depression (with anxiety) which was professionally diagnosed and has been treated with pretty much all of the SSRIs, SNRI, NRIs, MAO inhibiters and tricyclics--and in desperation some of the antipsychotics (even though I have no psychosis), lithium and ECT.  I am currently on desvenlafaxine and mirtazapine which I will continue taking even though it is providing only partial relief.  Two events have plunged me into a deep than usual melancholic depression that I am only beginning to recover from and return to my baseline after fours or so weeks:

 

--experimenting with opiates and opioids (the entire spectrum from codeine right through to heroin) a  month ago, which in retrospect was a stupid thing to do (for anyone with depression contemplating a similar move: don't do it, the opiates and opioids are not effective antidepressants, the crash which follows discontinuation is much more severe than the initial depression which motivated the use)

 

--a family tragedy: a close relative has a terminal disease and we are watching someeone near and dear to us slowly die

 

I really don't want to receive anymore ECT at this time: it does help depression but it comes at a cost of a temporary impairment of cognition which in my case lasted about 8 weeks last time.  I need to be present physically and at least to some extent emotionally to support my elderely mother which is taking the pending loss especially badly.  I'm barely keeping it all together by sedating myself with (prescribed) benzodiazipines.

 

Given my clinical history (e.g. some of the antipsychotics I was trialled on gave me intense akathisia; tranylcypromine produced a paradoxical hypertensive crsisis (190/140)), I am prepared to try medicinal cannabis to see how the depression responds--I figure that it can't be worse than my prior experiences of licit and illicit substances.

 

Recommendations of strains that others have found beneficial for depression would be most appreciated.  I appreciate that physiologies vary as do depressions so some degree of trial-and-error is inevitable.  It would be good to have an "activating" strain for use in the day and a "sedating" strain to use in the evening.  I am not firing on all cylinders at the moment and am unable to digest the material in the biomed journals I have access to and am confused by the conflicting recommendations re which strains are best for depression and which are available in Australia.  If my question has already been asked and answered please hyperlink me to the pages(s).  Be gentle with me I am in a fragile state

 

I intend to vape rather than smoke.  My father was a smoker and died of COPD--an awful, slow death.

 

Also, I am happy to make a donation to the forum (if you accept BTC it will take a week or so when I next buy some BTC) or to any Australian pro-liberty/pro-cannabis lobby group as an expression of my gratitude (the mods/admins can hold me to my word on that).

[Ozzy420]

Welcome aboard...

 

When it comes to treatin your illness, we have to try diff strains till we find one that dose the trick in helping you.

 

We are all diffrent so me saying to you x is a great one for illness y that may suit me may not help you in any way.

 

Just like meds from a doctor, not all meds work for all people.

 

A good place to start would read up on med strains and from there try and see if you can grow what u may think will work for u and go from there, you may get lucky and hit it 1st go if not keep trying untill you find a strain that helps you...

[Naycha]

Welcome to Oz Stoners. We are happy to freely give any advice we can

 

One very important thing to keep in mind is that any recommendation of a particular strain of Cannabis for a particular ailment should be taken with at least a grain of salt. As you most likely know drugs can affect everyone differently and in addition to that one particular strain of Cannabis may have many phenotypes (variations within the strain).

 

Good luck with it.

 

Naycha

[Matanuska Thunder]

absolutely agree 
strains are highly personal

Though look at Sativa and Sativa Dominant Strains as a starting point, these strains are known for their 'motivational' properties. 

-highly recommend leafly.com for their database of strains, good and bad effects are also listed 

 

Indica's will slow you down at night

 

You will need to source the seeds from overseas and grow your own meds to ensure you are getting what you want. 

 

Happy reading

MT

Edited October 19, 2014 by Matanuska Thunder
spelking in link

[MrCompletion]

A good place to start narrowing it down would be leafly.com which has a great searchable database. Edited October 19, 2014 by MrCompletion

[Dingo-2008]

Hi LeLordK,

 

You have just had the best advice from Ozzy,Naycha,& Matanuska Thunder,on how to help yourself with medical cannabis,As like the crew said we all have   different  effects from different strains of cannabis.

 

I have bad depression as well an take {Pritiq-50mg}=Desvenlafaxine,I was on {100mg Desvenlafaxine} but told the doctor after a month of taking the 100mg of it that it was to strong for me so told him I would like to drop down to the 50mg tabs which did not make me so drowsy.

 

So don't feel  alone on this trip through life an you will soon see some light at the end of that long dark tunnel.

 

You will have to be very very very unlucky to get busted from ordering cannabis seeds from over sea's,All you would get is a letter from customs warning you about ordering cannabis seeds as this seems to be the norm if seed's are found in the mail an if you do get busted it would only be a very small slap on the hand for you bugger all.

 

 There is threads on the forums telling you how to go about ordering your seeds with a brought credit card just don't use's your name an if you do use's your proper name all you have to say is that so mate's must have sent them to you.

 

Like the other crew said do some reading on different strains that may help you an order them an grow them,there is plenty of info on how to grow cannabis here on the forums as well.

 

I wish you all the best an if you need to talk PM me.

 

Regards,Dingo-2008. 

Edited October 25, 2014 by Dingo-2008

[MrCompletion]

I think you have me confused with op but good advice non the less

[Dingo-2008]

Hi MrCompletion,

 

My apology to you over getting you mixed up with LelordK in this thread.

 

I had  not slept for 2 days an was not seeing to well when I did the reply.

 

Regards Dingo-2008.

Edited October 25, 2014 by Dingo-2008

[MrCompletion]

Nah. No need to apologise.