Cannabis vs pain med

[GWC58]

I'm curious about medical cannabis. Okay, I live in a state that, at least in theory, has med. cannabis. You can't find any dispensaries, because there aren't any. This interests me because for the past, let's see, 20 years I've been on narcotic pain relievers. I don't want to say exactly what they are, though.

The reason I'm on them is because of an auto accident in 1994. In fact it was 01 Nov. At any rate since then I've had four (4) cervical fusions, one of which failed, two (2) shoulder ops (L) and one (1) shoulder op on the right. In June 2005 surgery was performed on my lower back, @ the L-5/S-1 level.

I'd love to be able to get off this poison that I'm on, or at least lower the dosage. I believe medical cannabis could help with this. This is another reason I don't want tRump in the White House. He says he's for something one day, the next not so much.

Any help with advice would be greatly appreciated. Just wish Maryland would get this thing "up and running." Thank you

[crabsley]

1. you might contact a dispensary

And ask what the process is to be able to buy medical cannabis
http://www.letsblum.com/sitemap

http://www.letsblum.com/

[ghostsinthemachine]

2. Cannabis DOES NOT replace your meds

You will cut back, but they do not replace your meds. It can't. Doesn't work the same way.

[Warpy]

3. Anxiety is a huge component of pain

Opiates treat both the anxiety and the pain. What cannabinoids do well is decrease the anxiety and that allows many people on both medications to taper the opiates down over time, instead of becoming more dependent and needing a higher dose.

Chronic pain requires pain medication and opiates are the safest for long term use (the drug war's dirtiest secret), OTC meds all being found to damage the heart and/or kidneys.

[beveeheart]

7. I was taking opiates for chronic pain due to osteoarthritis in my left hip.

Prior to my hip replacement, I had to use both a cane and walker because of the pain. Once I started medical marijuana, there was no tapering off of prescribed opiates. I stopped them immediately and only had to start using them again in the few days following the hip replacement operation.

[Warpy]

9. Were you on long acting opiates taken around the clock?

That's what I was addressing.

I've been on opiates for 25 years but only during the day. I wake up frequently in pain at night, that's what I'd love to have medical cannabinoids for. Unfortunately, this state is medical cannabis in name only. The board in charge of processing applications is almost a year behind and got chewed out by a judge two weeks ago. You have to be nearly dead to get it.

[GWC58]

10. I take

80 mgs in the morning when waking & 80 mgs in the evening. I use Percocet 7.5's for breakthrough. I've been on this regimen almost 14 years.

[GWC58]

11. Here in

Maryland it's been around, in name only, since 2003. Everything got settled in 2014 and, here we are, in 2016. It might be up by 2018, maybe. Who knows?

[beveeheart]

12. I was on them for a year and a half and, yes,

around the clock because the pain from moving/turning in my sleep would wake me up. I hated the side effects, especially the constipation, so my motivation to rely on medical marijuana edibles was very high. I can't imagine having to rely on them for years as you have.

[Warpy]

14. I love Ultram

because the buzz is minimal, meaning I can usually find things after I put them away. It's the buzz I can't stand, everything else is fairly easy to control.

I would love to get a prescription for edibles at night. Staying off narcs at night has kept me from being physically dependent on them but it's miserable to wake up in pain and have to do something else until exhaustion kicks back in.

[GWC58]

13. From 95 through 03

I was on a concoction of narcotics, anti inflammatory drugs & other OTC's. The Motrin tore my stomach apart. So much so that I've been taking Nexium since 2002.

[womanofthehills]

17. I live in NM and the Board of Health just added 2 docs to process faster

Now it's 60 days from your application - it is supposed to be 30. But everyone I know on the program, has gotten certified within 60 days since the Board of Health hired more staff. I would go for it if I were you. A recent court case made it easier to qualify too. NM went from 16,000 patients to over 60,000 patients in a year. They are processing thousands of applications each month and will probably have over 100,000 patients by the end of the year. I believe NM now wants as many patients and dispensaries as they can get as they are making good money off of this program. As you know, the state is in debt because of dropping oil and gas prices. A local sheriff just retired and opened a dispensary on Lomas . He put all these people in jail for drugs and then opens a dispensary. He said he changed his mind about marijuana because he wanted to go off opiates for his chronic pain.

There are 35 companies who can grow in NM and many have multiple dispensaries - besides collecting taxes, dispensary growers pay $90,000 to the Dept of Health for every 450 plants - which is the limit for each individual grow - most dispensaries have multiple grows so NM is making lots of money just on the plants growing. I live near a dispensary outdoor grow, and always talk to the guys who work there - run into them on the dirt road. Because of the limit per grow, they are growing the plants as big as small trees .

If you are just a patient, you can grow 16 plants - only 4 in flower at any one time and you can have 3oz in your house.

My best friend has MS really bad and is in chronic pain - a combination of mj and a Valium cuts her pain big time. The dispensary delivers to her house. Another friend with really bad arthritus eats mj cookies for her pain. My long time male companion has anxiety and mj takes it all away. Sorry for your pain - I have chronic knee pain in one knee and it's a drag. I also have friends who only use mj to sleep.

[GWC58]

26. The western states are

going much faster than the states east of the Mississippi River. Maryland has, at least technically, had mmj since 1003. Here we are, almost into 2017 and still "nada." I don't understand the constant, unending delays. I'm not surprised though since we elected an anti cannabis governor in 14.

[GWC58]

27. 2003, not 1003

[mountain grammy]

4. I have friends taking opiates for chronic pain..

with weed, they've cut back. One friend is completely opiate free. Its' not just the smoke, it's the edibles, the patches and the lotions. One friend is a recovered heroin addict. She just had surgery and cannot take any opiates. Her surgeon prescribed heavy duty Ibuprofen, some other non opiate pain med, and told her to smoke pot.
Look online to find CBD products. You should be buy them and have them shipped to your door. No high, but relief. Good luck.

Studies have shown:

http://hightimes.com/culture/10-little-known-uses-for-cbd/

[GWC58]

5. Thank you

for the info. When Maryland finally gets their program "up & running" I'll find a dr that recommends cannabis. I believe they can't actually prescribe it. Again, thanks.

[Buzz cook]

6. Cannabis is not a wonder drug

This site is very informative.
https://www.leafly.com/finder

Usually a dispensary can refer you to a doctor that will issue a green card. Once that happens you will have to trust to the community and your own research as to what strain and what method works best for you.

IMHO the real differences are between indica and sativa, and between high and low THC vs High or low CBD.

My preferences for pain are strains named Gorilla Glue #4, Dr. Who, and Grampa Grape. But this is in Washington and the strains might have different namrs or ones with these names might not be the same in your state.
Another consideration is that people tend to have confirmation bias. By that I mean they tend to think their recreational favorite is also the best therapeutic.

Also IMO eatable is a better way to take marijuana for pain than smoking. Be aware that you will have a stronger effect if you don't have a full stomach when you consume eatables.

[GWC58]

8. Valuable

info. Thanks so much. This is an exciting time. Sometimes I wish I lived out there, either Washington State, or Colorado. One day, can't say when, this state will get its act together. There's so many people this could help. I realize it's not a wonder drug and it may not be right for everyone. I get the right strain I could take less, not eliminate, the pain meds I'm now on. They do help with my aching lower back pain. There are times I wish I had the body I did when in my 20's. Best shape I'd ever been in.

[TonyPDX]

15. Manufacturers of Fentanyl seem to be threatened by legal cannabis

They're apparently fighting legalization in Arizona:

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/maker-deadly-fentanyl-kicks-half-million-dollars-defeat-pot-legalization-arizona

[GWC58]

16. Can't be

digging into pharmas profit margin! Greedy bastards. They appearantly don't care if people might od on their poison. I was on Fentanyl for a month back in 2003, November it was. Didn't like it and told my dr to "take me off that crap!

[PinkTiger]

18. There are places online to purchase cannabis

herb, edibles, tinctures, waxes, and more.
Just google online marijuana dispensary.
This is where I get mine, and have for several years.
I live in a state without medical mj.

[Ruby the Liberal]

19. Those are legit?

Thats surprising.

[PinkTiger]

25. Well, they are real

But not legal. But chances of being arrested are nil.

[eShirl]

29. can you discuss it with a pain specialist?