I'm a former opioid addict with chronic pain. Will CBD work for me?

During the bout of surgeries and subsequent rehabilitation, I got hooked on hydromorphone and hydrocodone and was ingesting enough opioids to fell a family of elephants. I knew I was in trouble when I started hitting up multiple doctors when my little orange bottles emptied. I kicked the addiction by detoxing for several weeks and my approach to pain management afterwards was light use of and nothing heavy-duty.

I just assumed I’d have to live with the pain; that finding natural relief wasn’t in the cards. Then I tried CBD. CBD, or cannabidiol, is a chemical compound derived from cannabinoids, which naturally occur in your body’s endocannabinoid system and also in the cannabis plant. CBD won’t make you high (that’s all THC) but . Worth a whirl, I surmised, and started sampling an array of products from company called .

Medix makes premium quality CBD products, sourced from Kentucky hemp plants, not cannabis plants-an important distinction because Medix can thus legally ship to your state-and their product line of oils and gummies is diverse enough to fit your needs or taste buds. Here’s what I tried and how it worked.

What is it? It’s CBD in liquid form. It combines 99.9% pure CBD isolate with pure hemp seed oil. It’s non-flavored, vegan, and gluten-free. This 30ml bottle is packing 500mg of CBD.

How do you take it? Sublingually. Throw a few drops under your tongue, let it sit for a few moments then swallow.

How does it taste? Like licking a garden trough. It’s got a real earthy vibe, but it’s not wholly un-palatable. There’s no lingering aftertaste, which is nice. A glass of water after and it’s totally fine.

Does it work? Yeah, it does. The thing about CBD is that you don’t really notice that you feel “good,” per se. It’s more about the absence of what you don’t feel, which is pain, anxiety, inflammation, depression, and so forth. Thirty minutes after ingestion, I notice that I feel calmer and more relaxed. As for the pain, it’s greatly diminished. I can still notice a slight ache in my arm, but I really have to concentrate on feeling that. As a result of living in a sling for a few years during the surgeries, my neck and shoulder muscles are riddled with knots and are generally jacked up and sore consistently. My natural resting state is to have my shoulders scrunched up, further exacerbating my soreness. After a dose of Medix CBD Oil, I find they drop down to a more natural position and I’m left feeling far more comfortable and less sore. The effects of the Medix oil last for two or three hours, depending on how large the dose I’ve ingested, and you can tell it’s wearing off when you start to notice the soreness and pain intensifying.

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What is it? It’s CBD in gummy form. There are a few styles to choose from: regular gummy bears, sour gummy bears, sour snakes and rainbow bites. There are two unit sizes available, a 100mg package and a 300mg option. Regardless of the gummy style, each piece contains 10mg of CBD.

How do you take it? Chew and swallow.

How does it taste? The rainbow bites taste like candy, thanks to some granulated sugar coating. They don’t taste medicinal in any way. All the sour gummies taste have a nice tang after the initial sweetness, and are also devoid of any medicinal aftertaste. The regular gummy bears aren’t overly sweet and have a regular chewiness and taste equally smooth.

Does it work? Again, yep. I’m a big dude (6’2” and 215 pounds) so I end up eating two or three simultaneously. Because you need to digest the gummies to really activate them, it can take longer to notice the effects than with the sublingual oil, but after about an hour, the CBD is in full swing. As I mentioned above, it’s a very similar feeling in that the bad things are substantially mitigated, while a feeling of calmness and relaxation is elevated. I’ve noticed that with three gummies (a total dose of 30mg), I’m able to focus on whatever task is at hand better. I’m not attributing the additional focus directly to the Medix gummies, however. I’m just assuming it’s easier to focus when you’re feeling comfortable and calmer.

The Bottom Line

Beyond treatment for epilepsy, CBD is still a medically unproven, try-and-see product. It may not land for everyone, but it did impact my life in a tangible and overwhelmingly positive way. I asked my doctor if I should continue to take it, given how well it was working. Her response: "Absolutely. It won't harm you, and if it means you're off opioids, I'm all for it."