Medical Marijuana and nerve pain

[Nihola and Bernard]

Bernard has been using mj for a while now, thanks to the help of his physician and the great work of the BC compassion club, and it definately assists in making the day and night more tolerable in regards to pain. He's eaten and smoked it and both work. Smoking doesn't last as long, but begins sooner. Make sure that you have access to try a variety of types. Pure Indica strains are the only ones that help him, because the other strain, or blends, cause him to worry too much (he's a thinker). He also only takes a very small amount, much less than most people would use recreationly. Taking more just brings greater awareness of the pain. I'm not sure if this is true of all conditions, but for back and nerve pain, it certainly seems to be the case. It does make him less of a go getter, so we try to get something accomplished, however small, before he takes it. It does make him happier, because the body relaxes a bit and doesn't constantly tell him all about the pain that's going on. He's still on other pain meds, the max. daily's of Gabapentin, Ibuprofin and Acetaminophen, although often enough he can reduce the amounts now that he uses mj too. The other things we've tried this winter is a full spectrum light, just to try to keep depression from creeping in too much and causing even more pain. We bought a 10,000lux SAD light, and it does seem to help (but that's another story).

Good luck

[dshobbies]

Hi there N & B,

Glad you joined us. Your information is interesting and should my pain increase, it's something I just might look into. I'd also like to know a little more about the full sprectrum light for depression??? Never heard that before.

Please start a new thread and tell us more about Bernard and his condition, remedies, etc.

Welcome to the forum, Dale

[Maria]

Very glad you joined this forum and appreciate your input on this topic.

I've often wondered if because of my long ago use of mj in a recreational way it usually seemed good if it was good (stuff that is) however being much older now and when in serious pain tend towards a depressive line of thinking that definately "thinking too much" would not be good nor would anything that would enhance the depressive train of thought.

I've been told with medical mj there are many more blends that are available than "back in the day" and it sounds more like going into a local coffee shop with all the varieties.

So it's interesting to hear Bernard's experience and actually I think it would be interesting to know more about medical mj and the varieties available that are prescribed to help various conditions (such as migraines, back/neck pain) because I believe that reaching that peaceful state of mind where musculoskeletal relaxation is evident would be excellent in terms of reducing spasms that cause pain if nothing more.

And just mental peace of mind goes a long way. thanks again.

[Eddie G]

I find cannabis works for my spasms so I prefer it over Valium. I take 1 to 2 less Oxycontin with cannabis. I prefer to vaporize over smoking. Eating it is safer than smoking too. If I have to smoke it, I would use a bong with ice to cool the smoke.
The have different strains for different reasons. Some are more
"heady" and some are more physical and muscle relaxing (my preference) which I think they call "couch lock". I assume thats an Indica or a hybrid.
They took chronic pain out of the NJ law which leaves out ALOT of patients. I just hope that "Intractable Skeletal Muscular Spasticity" is a fancy term for my severe back spasms or I'm left out too. The "wasting syndrome" and "chronic pain" in the NJ law is related only to HIV/AIDS and cancer. Not the wasting & chronic pain from spine trauma like I have.
Is there really a difference though?

[mmglobal]

Flipping channels last night, I stumbled into a program called cannabis weekly. It was interesting to see the low-budget attempt at a news magazine type of program about such a hot-button topic. They had commercials for vaporizers (like the one above), products to enhance your tomato production (called "Bud Grow"), high-tech hydroponic systems and more.

The news items surrounded local city council meetings and the efforts to control the pot stores. Many legitimately want to shut down the stores to keep from having pothead gathering centers near schools, or they simply don't want to see such establishments in their neighborhoods. The flip side is the need to provide access to patients who truly need and benefit from the availability of medical MJ. They had poignant presentations by 70 year-old cancer patients... unfortunately offset by the screams of the less needy patients who get a medical MJ card for a stubbed toe and are now crusaders for the cause.

I still haven't gone there yet and hope I don't have to. If I ever need it, I hope it's available.

Mark

[Maria]

For medical mj is very good where I live (downtown city area) and I would be an ideal candidate I'm sure considering I have backpain, neck pain, and migraines plus whatever else pops up here and there. Many people that I meet walking the dog in my neighborhood when chatting away about health probs reveal they are using medical mj. It surprises me at the number of persons that are utilizing and the ages (much younger than myself). This area has a high number of gay persons and seems many use for the symptoms with associated with full blown AIDs/HIV.

So far I've not needed to "go there" either however I do find it interesting that there are so many strains now and supposedly designed to help with various symptoms/conditions.

I don't think my PM would support the use of medical mj while on the opioid medication yet I've not never spoken with him about it. The office is very conservative (Scripps Mercy San Diego) and don't even want him to prescribe Suboxone for fear there will be persons coming into their very nice office in various stages of withdrawls. This being said I think that someone coming into this particular office smelling of mj would probably be frowned upon even if it is being utilized as an adjunct medication to help alleviate pain or other symptoms of various conditions.

The only reason I don't even inquire re use of medical mj with my PM is that I don't want to plant any seeds of suspicion just in case I'm right about the level of conservatism in this office as I now have a good working rapport with my PM.

[Eddie G]

I found this floating around cyberspace:

Talking to Your Doctor About Medical Marijuana

Asking your general practitioner to recommend medical marijuana is a good first step toward becoming a medical marijuana patient. Doctors are legally protected from punishment for recommending medical marijuana to patients, so your doctor should be both willing and able to discuss medical marijuana and/or offer a referral to a specialist.

If you suspect that your physician will be reluctant to recommend medical marijuana or to refer you to a specialist, come prepared with research indicating that your medical condition can be effectively treated or mitigated by using cannabis. Be prepared to disclose any current marijuana usage and its effect on your symptoms.

After your doctor agrees to recommend medical marijuana, protect yourself by requesting that this recommendation be made in writing. This will help you defend yourself if you are ever prosecuted for a crime in connection with your use of medical marijuana.

If, however, your usual physician is reluctant to recommend medical marijuana for you, or if you're uncomfortable discussing this matter with your general practitioner, you may wish to see a medical marijuana specialist.

Seeing a Doctor Who Specializes in Medical Marijuana
Medical marijuana doctors who specialize in this particular area are most easily found through referrals from other doctors or patients. If you're not able to find a medical marijuana doctor via personal recommendation, looking online is always an option. Try to focus on reputable online directories and professional websites. Don't answer ads related to marijuana on free classified sites like Craigslist.

Once you've found a medical marijuana specialist, it's your task as a patient to make the most of your appointment. Take the following steps to increase your likelihood of receiving a medical marijuana recommendation from your medical marijuana doctor:

•Bring a copy of your medical records to your first appointment, including any written referrals to the specialist.
•Be prepared to clearly and concisely explain your symptoms and what you hope to gain from using medical marijuana.
•Understand that most medical marijuana doctors issue recommendations only to patients who genuinely need to use medical marijuana. Getting an appointment doesn't mean you'll get a recommendation.
•Have a written list of questions for the specialist, including things like: "How do your other patients acquire their medical marijuana?" and "Do I need to hire a medical marijuana caregiver?"
If you have a qualifying condition like fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, cancer, or glaucoma, any medical marijuana doctor should be able to give you a recommendation. If for any reason you feel uncomfortable with the doctor you've chosen, feel free to thank the doctor for his or her time, exit the office, and look for a different medical marijuana doctor.

I will be having my doctor/patient chat next month. I think it will go well considering he seems very attentive to my needs. He has written me scripts for everything, from anti-depressants to human growth hormone. He's not afraid to try anything, (me neither) He should be open to me needing less Gabapentin, Oxy and NO more Valium & Amrix.