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Am I doing this right? Input on my testing.

Discussion in 'Medical Marijuana Usage and Applications' started by nancygail, Aug 6, 2019.

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  1. #1 nancygail, Aug 6, 2019
    Hi!

    I've been testing various types of marijuana to help my pain (fibro) and severe anxiety/depression and I've not had a lot of luck yet. (Starting to think I'm the only person on the planet who does NOT feel good with stuff. Ü )

    KEY POINTS
    • Taking for pain (fibro) & severe anxiety/depression.
    • Never used marijuana before this year. Not a smoker or drinker. (if that matters)
    • Limited budget so testing has been slow. I need the most cost effect method that works.
    • Vaped dry herb to begin testing a few strains. I either felt nothing OR became a little fuzzy headed (not pleasant) OR I'd get nauseated. No pain relief. No good feelings.
    • One small bong hit. Nauseated for 3 days. It was horrible. No pain relief and no good feelings.
    • Tested edibles from dispensary. 20 mg of indica brownie lets me sleep at night as it makes me slightly tired. Lasts all night.
    • Tested 10 mg Sativa brownie during the day. No effect. (I need to test a higher dose.)
    • Taking self-made oil extraction capsules during the day. Mixed results.

    OIL EXTRACTION CAPSULES
    I've been making the recipe from BrassNwood. I've used three different strains or hybrids for different batches and it doesn't seem to matter so far as far as effect.
    I'm currently taking what I believe is 40 mg (I put 20 drops in each capsule and take 2). Takes 2 hours to notice a minor effect with a small edge taken off my pain. Nothing for anxiety/depression. No good feelings. It wears off quickly at that point so I take 2 capsules every 2 hours to allow for the overlap.

    How I Make It
    The recipe BrassNwood gave me made a small batch which I did twice. I then adjusted numbers to make a larger one: 15 gr. decarbed bud ground fine (sativa) 10 TB MCT coconut oil (does not get hard) 1 1/ tsp lecithin Heat 220 for 20 min.​

    Problem
    It tends to separate easily so it's difficult to get the exact amount of herb in each capsule. I prefer to pour it all in a bottle and fill capsules for a few days at a time but the herb settles to sludge on the bottom of the bottle and I have to shake it then try to get drops into capsules quickly because it separates fast.​


    QUESTIONS
    1. Are these capsules considered edibles? If so, shouldn't it last longer than a couple hours?
    2. Am I making them correctly?
    3. Is my mg figure correct for the amounts I used?
    4. Any ideas how I can make it more effective?
    5. Is it possible there is some "magic" strain that would make a difference?
    6. Can I correct the oil/herb separation issue I talk about below?

    I can't afford to go see a naturopath to walk me through this so I'm kind of on my own. This forum has been invaluable.

    Thanks so much.
    Nancy Ü
     
  2. #2 Wake'n Bakester, Aug 6, 2019
    220 for 20 decarb is not optimal.
    240 for 40 has been lab tested and is the general concensus for best decarb.



    Hey, @BrassNwood ....can you help Nancy with her journey?
     
  3. #3 nancygail, Aug 6, 2019
    Interestingly enough BrassNwood had it listed as 220 on some posts and 240 in others. I can certainly adjust it.
     
  4. #4 bkarnaze, Aug 6, 2019
    The total THC in 15 g bud, assuming typical 15% THC, is
    THC = (15,000 mg Herb)*(0.15 mg) = 2250 mg

    The total volume of of the mixture (assuming everything is the same density) is about
    Volume = (16 mL Herb) + (5 mL Lecithin) + (150 mg Oil) = 171 mL

    THC concentration = (2250 mg THC)/(171 mL) = 13 mg/mL

    The approximate volume of 1 size 00 capsule is 0.9 mL, and it holds about 30 drops, so
    1 Drop = (0.9 mL)/30 = 0.03 mL

    Your Dose Volume = (40 drops)*(0.03 mL/drop) = 1.2 mL
    Your Dose Strength = (1.2 mL)*(13 mg/mL) = 16 mg THC

    Here are my answers:
    1. Yes they are edibles that should last much longer than 2 hours
    2. It looks like your decarb is wrong, as Wake said above
    3. My calculations show that you are using less than half the THC you thought, which explains the lack of effect
    4. Take a bigger dose, about 3-4 times as big to compensate for poor decarb.
    5. My opinion is that all MJ strains are 90% alike, and predicting effects (other than sleep) beyond sativa/indica is nearly impossible
    6. If you keep the herb warm and well mixed it's easier to put into caps, but it's a messy struggle.
    I use this with the tip cut off to fill pills sitting in a CapMQuick
     
    • Like Like x 1
  5. #5 bkarnaze, Aug 6, 2019
    If 220 F for 20 min was your actual decarb, and you now have oil, it might be possible to fix it.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  6. #6 nancygail, Aug 6, 2019
    I appreciate the info. I'm making a new batch today and off to the dispensary right now. I'll decarb it better. I can't afford to take much more so hopefully that will increase it's efficacy.
     
    • Friendly Friendly x 1
  7. #7 Wake'n Bakester, Aug 6, 2019
    Good luck, hon. I hope it helps you to find some relief.
     
    • Friendly Friendly x 1
  8. #8 BrassNwood, Aug 6, 2019
    Decarb = 240 for 40 minutes.
    Processing 220 for 20 minutes.

    Easy to remember.
    The freeze and second heat is mostly to help smooth the grittiness of the cannabis material and can be skipped
    I use a Mr. Coffee mug warmer to keep the coconut oil, cannabis mix nice and hot for capping and stir constantly.
    Stir, Fill a cap, Stir, Fill a cap, Stir. And so on. It'll get to be quite routine after a few dozen capsules.

    BNW
     
    • Like Like x 1
  9. #9 bkarnaze, Aug 6, 2019
    Decarb @ 220 F works fine if you bake for 90 min.
    But decarb is radically different in oil, and 240 F for 2.5 hours is needed for that.
    Your 220 for 20 min decarb was about a 20% decarb, so decarbing 80% more might fix the oil not already in caps.
    80% of 150 min is 2 hours, so baking your oil @ 240 F for 2 hours might fix it.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  10. #10 nancygail, Aug 6, 2019
    You told me that before I'm sure but it got lost in all my posts and notes. I'll do it right this next time. Ü
     
    • Like Like x 2
  11. #11 nancygail, Aug 6, 2019
    To help my oil extraction not separate if I want to store it in a bottle would it be possible for me to emulsify it after it's been cooked with either a food processor or an immersion blender to where it's literally so blended can't separate?
     
    • Like Like x 1
  12. #12 bkarnaze, Aug 6, 2019
    About all you can do is make sure the herb is ground to very, very fine powder.
    Then it goes into caps more easily.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  13. #13 nancygail, Aug 11, 2019
    Finished a new batch and it turned out much better. Made sure the herb was ground VERY fine and it made a difference. I filled some capsules with 30mg each then put the rest in a jar. The mixture still seperates after sitting a while but I'll just reheat it a little each time I fill capsules.

    These capsules are more potent, however, they still don't affect me as they do most. I take 2 or 3 and I get nauseated and dizzy. One seems to be what works with this type. Takes the edge of the pain most of the time. Still doesn't make me feel "good" as far as what others seem to experience.

    [​IMG]
     
  14. #14 bkarnaze, Aug 11, 2019
    Happy to hear you have good caps.
    Strain makes a big difference in how you feel.
    Only trial and error can find the ones that make you feel best.

    For example, I use mainly for sleep.
    Any stain, indica or sativa, will put me to sleep at night.
    The sativa hybrids provide slightly shorter, less restful sleep, and I feel slightly jittery in the morning.
    Some of the indica hybrids produce much better sleep than others.
     
  15. #15 nancygail, Aug 11, 2019
    I'll test different strains as I can afford too. Ü
     
  16. #16 JKill, Aug 11, 2019

    I've tried literally every variation of this I can think of using different strains/oils/lecithins/pill types/course grinded weed/fine grinded weed/ Strained weed from the oil, EVERYTHING. everything I can think of and I still get bad stomach cramps. I spent probably close to 4months trying to work out a solution. nothing has worked...

    I am going to pick up a 1000mg distillate syringe tomorrow and try making a few pills with distillate.
    and Thursday I've got a whole bunch of weed/trim that I'm going to make cannabutter with.

    I'll update in @BrassNwood thread on how the caps/butter works out on my stomach. I've taken about 2 months off of edibles, and am ready to start trying to figure out a solution again.
     
  17. #17 nancygail, Aug 11, 2019
    That makes me feel a little better... most people have no issue at all. It's been frustrating! I'd love to know how that works.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  18. #18 bkarnaze, Aug 31, 2019
    You might need to try some oil tincture that will eliminate a lot of plant matter.
    Here's a recipe for a 2 g trial size:
    1. Decarb 2 g flower @ 240 F for 40 min
    2. Grind to fine powder
    3. Add 50 mL 190 proof alcohol
    4. Length of soaking time is a big issue. Fast, freezer-cold everything will decrease potential stomach-irritating substances, but will leave medicine behind. Slow, multi-day soaks can pick up everything.
    Personally, I soak for days with much agitation, and leave mostly cellulose behind. Multiple soaks in 50 mL, followed by straining is the equivalent of what I do.
    5. Strain each wash.
    6. Boil/evaporate/distill off all the alcohol
    7. Add 0.6 mL lecithin (0.55 g) and enough of any oil to get a final volume of 4 mL (3.7 g).
    8. At this point, infusion is the issue, and either BrassNwood's excellent procedure can be followed, or the mixture can be pre-heated on a stove top to 220 F, and then be baked at that temp for 40-60 min.

    Tincture made this way bothers my stomach a little less than similar whole herb recipes.
     
  19. #19 nancygail, Aug 31, 2019
    Thank you! I've not made it with alcohol yet mainly because I'm nervous about that. Ü But I'm copying this to do a test run this way at some point.
     
  20. #20 bkarnaze, Aug 31, 2019
    190 proof is unavailable in many places, and 151 proof leaves too much water behind.
    For places like these, "culinary solvents" and super-strong vodkas are available mail order.
     
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