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medical marijuana. conservative PM doctor. help

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 3/17/2014 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone:-)

My new pain management doctor I got about five or six months ago is very conservative. I am tired of being on opiates and want to suggest medical marijuana, which is now legal in my state of Connecticut which is like half liberal half conservative state I would say. Anyway I don't want to come across as a drug seeker...truth be told I never have smoked marijuana in my life and he can take a spinal tap to prove it. Anyway how to bring it up? I was thinking of saying something like " I have been reading studies that medical marijuana is not physically addictive like opiates and is over all better for your long term health too"... which is true.

Also don't you think doctors should treat patients with marijuana even if they are against it politically? I mean the studies speak for themselves how great it can be for people in severe chronic pain like myself there is no doubt.

Thanks for all help. Cheers:-)
Posted 3/17/2014 6:57 PM (GMT 0)
Medically, marijuana still has not proven to have the benefits that a lot of people believe, without the risks. Federal laws govern the pain meds chronic pain patients take. Federal law also states marijuana has "no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision, and a high potential for abuse."
Posted 3/17/2014 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
I'm in too much pain to debate politics and which drug is better for your health long term or short term atm. I'm more interested in knowing if its a waste of time to suggest it to him and if not how I should go about it.
Posted 3/17/2014 8:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hi and I would start by googling Dr Sanjay's article and study on MM and possibly print it out. Tell your PM you saw it and wondered if he is familiar with the Drs studies and if so would he consider allowing you to try it and if not does he know a local PM thats willing to work with it.

Be truthful and let him know you dont want to spend years building tolerance to opiate medications and assuming your CP isnt going away you would prefer to save the opiate options for later in the game. That you have no idea if this will work but you would appreciate the chance to try.

Hows that?
Posted 3/17/2014 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
Great idea. Thank you nvrthesame98 :-)
Posted 3/18/2014 12:13 AM (GMT 0)
It looks like the Medical Marijuana law is pretty new in Conn. The one site I looked at about the rules did not list Chronic Pain as one of the reasons you can receive MM for. They did include "spinal cord damage causing intractable spasticity" and they said other conditions may be added by the Dept. of Consumer Protection.

I would check to make sure if that is correct and see if they can add Pain to the list.

Most of the State Medical Marijuana programs that I have looked at did include Chronic Pain and Chronic Muscle Spasms as conditions that would allow for MM.

Everybody should read Dr. Sanjay Gupta's articles on the subject, I think the tide is finally turning in our favor.

phil
Posted 3/18/2014 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
It was Dr Sanjay's article that convinced or admin to alter the rules and allow us to discuss this form of treatment. It really is a very informative piece and even if your not considering this as a form of treatment its still very educational reading.

Welcome T-9 to the forum and if you would we would love to give you a HW welcome by starting a thread of your own and telling us a bit about yourself and how you got here.
Posted 3/18/2014 11:50 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks a lot T-9, I will definitely check it out first.:-)
Posted 3/18/2014 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
By the way I had no idea Dr. Sanjays articles had such a big impact on MM. Most doctors I know are uptight, zero tolerance for anything, hate all drugs type like here in CT. Seriously most doctors won't prescribe anything. I had to search for entire year for someone to prescribe something for my sleep and now this new PM doctor I have took them away from me and told me to find a primary care doctor who will prescribe it, which is weird because for three months he gave me ambien and out of the blue he says" I read some studies that they are bad for you" so I suggested something like Silenor for sleep instead of a scheduled drug sleeping pill like ambien, lunesta or sonata but he says " no I don't prescribe any sleeping pills" . Honestly I think the guy hates me or doesn't like me for some reason. T-9 your probably right since Connecticut is like half republican half democrat..well probably more Republican in point of fact...your probably right about the strict guidelines of MM in CT because its such an uptight state. We didn't even have like sparkler fireworks until recently, lol, no joke. This state is uptight, I mean loosen up a bit, life is short..sheesh. I also told my new PM, I saw him today actually I didn't realise my appointment was today,anyway I told him about my nearly constant extremely painful leg cramps that make me scream out in agony and could he do anything about that and once again he says" I don't prescribe muscle relaxers" more proof that he prolly hates me. I was frickin' pissed because I can't sleep, I'm having terrible cramps everyday and he just shrugs it off. I would like to see him try and handle my pain for once, he'd be crying like a baby and asking for his mommy.what the heck is he upset because he gets paid 3 million a year instead of 3.5 million or something? Sorry you can't buy that massive yacht you wanted doc and had to settle for a medium sized one..dang! Does he take his anger out on me because he has other patients that are jerks, I'm not I'm as nice and calm as can be....on the outside that is.

Anyway thanks for replies. Sorry for rant but I just want to know if anyone else ever had to deal with a.....e doctors before?

Post Edited (IH8Pain) : 3/18/2014 10:12:06 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/18/2014 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
IH, first off I want to welcome you to Healing Well. Wow, I don't know where you found this dr but I am afraid I would have to kick him to the curb & start over looking. But, let me say this, there are two type of PM drs out there. One does nothing but injections & procedures, no scripts for anything & then the 2nd type will do the same but will also rx medications if deemed necessary. What I suggest when looking for a new one, is call the office & tell the receptionist that you understand some PM drs do not rx medication & some do. Ask if the dr will rx meds if he feels they are necessary. You will not sound like a drug seeker with this approach. I know you don't want to be on opiates & I think Vickie's idea is great on how to approach a dr about MM. Regardless, you are in a no win situation where you are at now.

Good luck.
Posted 3/18/2014 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
I watched a video about a doctor studying medical marijuana and he is having patients juice the plant. Apparently this plant is a super food if juiced, and one can use much more of it if juiced. Smoking can leave you high, which is not the goal for people wanting pain management. Find the video at Dr.Mercola.com.
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