I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on medical marijuana for Fibro.
Medical Marijuana is legal in my state, but not legal to buy. I am not opposed to it except that there needs to be a law that says you must get it from a pharmacy, with a prescription. There is too much risk associated with buying it off the street as it may be laced with who knows what. And that is a scary thought.

Imput? Do you think it would help symptoms?
Im not sure I would want to try it.

Gracie

I have a couple friends that use it for FMS. In Cal. They say it helps a lot.

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Dale

I think people with FM have very sensitive systems and we need to build up and strengthen ourselves constantly. I think MJ would probably cause more harm than good. I am very sensitive to toxins alcohal makes me hurt everywear. Becides who needs more brain fog. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/eek.gif not me!
Just my oppinian.

Forgot, They get it from an Rx. They said at the start they got high. Like any drug they got use to it. They just say it helps, a lot.

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Dale

Hi Gracie,

Here in CA, medical marijuana is obtained just as you described you would like it to be in your state.

Once a patient has a prescription from their dr., they present this to a state licensed provider. There is a sign up process and the patient recieves a photo ID stating that they are a sanctioned user. They are then able to purchase this medication from the provider. Sales receipts, documentation and log entries are all part of the process, much like a traditional pharmacy.

The main benefit, as I am aware, to FMS'ers is the reduction of muscle spasms, MINOR pain reduction, digestive calming and appetite stimulant.

There are ways of using this without smoking, too. Many people prefer it tinctured to a liquid, or ground to a powder and encapsulated. I've heard of folks using it topically on sore muscles. Others like to cook with it as an added 'spice', or baked goods ingredient - think Arlo Guthrie & "Alice's Restaurant" http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

There is debate as to effectiveness of these different methods i.e. which is most effective tincture base, alcohol or glycerine? Some believe the active constituents do not "leach" adequately into the glycerine base. Others believe NO constituents are activated without the application of heat. (this is remedied with tinctures by adding solution to coffee-hot water).

As with any medication there is, as mentioned, often a period of acclimation necessary to move past the 'high'. Also, continued 'highness' is an indication of overdose.

Which form of administration you choose will determine your response to this med in terms of side effects or symptom relief. There are purported to be over 400 active contituents to marijuana. Some we know how they function, some we don't. Some are burned up when smoked, some disolve in glycerine, some only in alcohol, some are reduced in the gut, others not. There are still alot of unknowns. One given is that some of these constituents settle in the body's fatty tissue whether it is smoked, applied or injested. The repercussions to this are largely unknown.

If weight gain is an issue, baking cookies probably isn't the best way to use mj, if lung/respiratory problems are an issue, smoking it is out, and tincure might be best.

When injesting mj, its' form (liquid or plant) will determine how quickly you feel the effects. Liquid will be fastest, digesting the plant material will take longer. Either way, effect will not be profoundly noticeable (as with the 'high' of smoking), more of just a subtle awareness that negative symptoms have reduced.

I hope this provides you with some answers.


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Copper
Let Miracles Replace all Grievances

Dear Copper,
Dang your'e good!!
That was just the kind of imput I was looking for..information.
So Fibro is one of the conditions of which MJ is legal in CA. I dont think I would like to smoke it, its nice to know there are alternatives to smoking it. I think in my case it would have to be in tincture or capsule form that way you dont have to put up with that smell. Also maybe you wouldnt get that red eyed look that tells everyone along with the smell "hey I'm high"


Anyone else with opininons?

Gracie

Hi Gracie,

I am with Kaiser HMO and the docs (well, with this HMO, not many docs', but PA's and NP's) i've found, there is a HUGE resistance in treating FM with opioids, and I got finally convinced my doc that I am not going to get addicted to 6o vicodin a month...so she gives me that.. which means I have about 6 days a month that I feel good enough to clean my house ( I got to sweep and mop my floor the other day..whoohooo) and have pain free days.. the rest of the month is spent working with Trazadone and Robaxin and Aleve.. right.. well... about Medical Marijuana..Yes I've turned to that. WHEN I can get it, which is not really often. What it does for me that's good is it releves my pain to a point where I can relax my muscles, and it helps me dissassociate the pain. It allows me to do deeeeep stretching and I can walk for about three times as long with out pain stopping me. I can swim until my skin shrivels and I can have pain-free sex. ahem.. well, that IS important <g> And sleep.. I don't need sleep meds.. and probably MOST important, it makes me LAUGH and I do believe that laughter IS the best medicine..with the endorphin release and all.
Now the bad part. To smoke it makes me seem to get bronchitis if I go for too long (which does not happen much, but twice in the last three years) I don't like the coughing and smell of the smoke. I only cough when I am smoking though. I don't like the fact that it gives me munchies and since I am already 280 (down from 300 though ) I don't need to gain more weight, and I find it immpossible not to eat... soo... that's the worst thing. Its' illegal, and even though it's suppose to be medically aproved in WA I have yet to find a doctor to help me. Have I said Kaiser sucks? (however their dentists are fantasic)... Since it's illegal its' cost prohibitive and hard to get (for me cause I don't know any one else).
I have experimented cookign with it, and actually would prefer that, but it seems to take 3x as much to do the same thing for me.
If it were a legal prescriptive drug it would probably be the only drug I would take for my symptoms. The war on drugs is a JOKE, and our governement leaders are fools for not seeing the benefits of not only medical marijuana but industrial hemp.. now I could go on and on and ON about that..
Anyway.. thats my thoughts and experiences on the subject. Any more questions?

Mitzi

[This message has been edited by spiritasmitzi (edited 06-16-2002).]

I'm all over the board tonight! Hello everyone. My therapist(which I have never had one before, and was sent to her to cope with no longer being able to be s nurse) told me last week it would be good because it relaxes the muscles so well. My friend died of Pancreatic cancer a year ago, before I got so bad with this. I talked to the docs I worked with, and had some the next morning. Go figure!!! She went into a coma the next day,so didn"t try it. I gave it back, and now wish I hadn't, but it's illeagal in my state. Husband has a top secret security clearance, and I was worried about that. I stopped smoking @ 1 year ago, but really want to start again......Oma

That was cigarettes that I stopped smoking a year ago. Just wanted to clarify what I have smoked. See Ya, Oma

Well Mitzi, I am so glad to find another fibro sufferer whose doc "allows" the use of Vicodin. My rheumatologist has no problem with writing a prescription for it for me; some days it helps just knowing that there IS medication in the house that I can use if needed. Most days I need to! Funny about the marijuana issue though: I have found that it just makes my pain more noticeable. Or maybe it's just that I focus on it more? Don't know. I haven't done it in almost a year, but since I don't use vicodin every day, I find that it is still effective, even if it is just redirecting my mind away from pain!!!

You said it all Mitzi http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif TOTAL AGREEANCE WITH YOU

Hi,
My husband just called, Hes on the road, a Truck Driver. He said he ran into a female trucker who has Fibro and take Merinol(sp) Pill form of MJ. She is working and feels pretty good most of the time. She isn't able to take narcotics due too driving, so she trys other things, she even says it doesn't affect her driving and it is a RX from her Doctor. He told me to ask my Doctor. I have never tried MJ, smoking or any other way, yet I am about to try anything. My husband says that he thinks it will work. He says he wants to bring me home some pot. I told him no that since it is illegal I want to only try it if my Doc OKays it. I am bring this thread back to the top so if there is any more people with experience on the subject please post. I am also going to ask about the Patch too. Thanks, Raven