An East Knoxville woman claims CBD oil gave her life back after it took away her uncontrollable shaking.
Norma Miller has suffered from Dystonia for 17 years. It's a neurological disorder that caused her pain and uncontrollable muscle movement 24/7. It wasn't until September 2019 that she started to get a reprieve.
"This movement was so exhausting, I mean I spent the majority of my life either in bed or in a recliner," Miller explained.
Miller couldn't walk long distances, often having to use a wheelchair and motorized scooter. She would have to lay down in the pew and in Sunday School at church to control her shaking.
She said noise and light triggered her spasms even more, but she didn't want to give up on life.
You wouldn't be able to tell she once lived that way now.
"It was just so dramatic that people just didn't believe it, they couldn't believe it," Miller noted after members of her church failed to recognize her one Sunday after her shaking stopped.
After 17 years, her shakes are gone and her life is back, and she credits that control to CBD oil.
"In three weeks, I woke up one morning and I wasn't having any movement, except what I wanted to move," Norma smiled.
It's a drug typically described to help internal ailments like anxiety, arthritis and pain.
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"But you don't see that," Norma admitted. "You can't see the difference and you can't see how it's helped them, but me I'm like a makeup thing. It's a before and after. You can see a big difference."
A life-altering one. In four months, she went from barely being able to sign her name to running a race.
"It was life-changing, totally life-changing," Miller said. "I could do things that I haven't done in years. I mean I've done a 5K since then. Since September, I've done a 5K. Never did that before."
That's an accomplishment old version of Norma only dreamed of.
"I feel so invisible now when I go out because nobody is staring at me anymore," Miller smiled.
Miller said she takes a full-spectrum CBD twice a day. She gets hers from a trusted pharmacy. She described her regimen of leaving the oil under her tongue for five minutes to absorb and then swallowing it as a way that works best for her.
She strongly encourages people who are struggling to do research and get help like she did but do it the smart way.
Kris Wysong put together a side by side video to show how Norma's system reacted with and without CBD.
CBD is not currently regulated by the FDA. Pharmacists urge doing your research.
One local pharmacist, who wished not to be named told 10News, said it's important people always consult with their doctor before taking CBD products, especially if on different medications.
Make sure to read labels and understand what's in the drug you're taking.
He said the CBD oils found in pharmacies are typically different than products found online or in gas stations.
Also keep in mind CBD oil cannot get you high, but certain ingredients can show up in drug tests.