Marijuana for Chronic Pain Experiences

Posted by ashby1947 @ashby1947, Mar 1, 2021

Hello Everyone - I have severe osteoarthritis in my lumbar spine ( along with a bunch of other things - stenosis, etc). My Pain Mgmt doc just signed me up for Medical Marijuana. I have no problem with marijuana, and like many of you, probably enjoyed it in our youth during the 70's. But fast forward to a 74 y.o. woman trying to figure out how best to use it for chronic pain. Florida has Medical MJ laws, which I'm trying to figure out. But in addition, the dispensing of it is not something with which I am familiar! So many different dosages and forms. I would very much appreciate hearing about your exploration and experimentation with MJ for pain mgmt. What have you tried? what has worked? what dosage? problems? suggestions? Thanks in advance for your help. I hope you are having a good day! Sue

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

@jenatsky

I neglected to add in regards to sativa vs. indica, it all depends on how you need your pain controlled. Indica typically will rock your socks while sativa is more mellow. Tinctures are usually hybrid by design and not sativa or indica. Hope this helps

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I really need to control my terrible pain... thanks 4 your experience... I'm taking notes!

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@ashby1947

HI Joan - Trulieve is the dispensary that my doc recommended here in JAX. I cannot get through to talk with anyone when I call. I have yet to schedule a consultation; however, I just wanted to visit the dispensary to get a feel for things. I'm still trying to get basic information. Some of the You Tube videos help, but I don't know about their veracity. I appreciate your comments that you have had good experience with Trulieve. Thanks! Sue

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Pain Management

People using marijuana for pain relief do not reduce their dependence on opioids. In fact, Dr. Finn said, “patients on narcotics who also use marijuana for pain still report their pain level to be 10 on a scale of 1 to 10.” Authors of the chapter on pain, Dr. Peter R. Wilson, pain specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and Dr. Sanjog Pangarkar of the Greater Los Angeles V.A. Healthcare Service, concluded, “Cannabis itself does not produce analgesia and paradoxically might interfere with opioid analgesia.” A 2019 study of 450 adults in the Journal of Addiction Medicine found that medical marijuana not only failed to relieve patients’ pain, it increased their risk of anxiety, depression and substance abuse.

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Why bother reporting such an inadequate study of such a small population?

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@jenatsky Because of the input provided by Dr. Peter R. Wilson of Mayo Clinic

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@artscaping

@ashby1947, Hi there Sue.......and thanks for the introduction @gingerw. Medical cannabis can be very helpful even to this 79-year-old woman who has been using it for pain management these last five years. I am very happy to get you started. Are you in Florida? Did your pain management provider help you put together a daily protocol for you? Frequently you will find that kind of help with product selection and dosage within the staff at the dispensary.

You can also find assistance from leafly.com, informative and authentic.

For the most part, you can eliminate the recreational products....edibles, vapes, and pills. To begin with, you only need to have just two products: tinctures and topicals. What pain or discomfort would you like help with right away? Do you need help with sleep or getting exercise in comfort, not pain? Let's begin and see how it goes. I will respond to your posts as quickly as possible.

May you be free if suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris

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I am not familiar with using medical medical marijuana however I am currently on Vicodin for chronic pain. I live in Sarasota Florida. I want to get off Vicodin but not sure how that transition would work. I want to try the medical marijuana but don’t know if that would be a problem if it does not work and I need to go back to pain management. Anyone familiar with transitioning and how this will effect things with pain management Drs. Thx

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In in PA and not sure how your mmj program works in your location. I started using CBD first in 2018 and it helped me reduce my PRN oxycodone from 6 to 4 a day. I added THC in 2019. I still use buprenorphine patch 20 mcg 1x week and I cannot take NSAIDs. My chronic pain with leg involvement from OA, stenosis, bone Spurs and an old fusion with Pedicle plates and screws is a challenge. Using mmj has helped me cope with my pain and mental stress of my illness. I’m in a mmj clinical trial from Thomas Jefferson Univ Hospital in Phila too

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@mmoss

I am not familiar with using medical medical marijuana however I am currently on Vicodin for chronic pain. I live in Sarasota Florida. I want to get off Vicodin but not sure how that transition would work. I want to try the medical marijuana but don’t know if that would be a problem if it does not work and I need to go back to pain management. Anyone familiar with transitioning and how this will effect things with pain management Drs. Thx

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You should discuss the issue with your pain management doctor, as many are okay with you trying. Then if it doesn’t help, you can tell them. I tried it, tinctures first. I looked back at my comments to my sister through messaging during that first year, and saw I immediately had a problem with nausea, to the point I thought I had a virus. I didn’t even realize it was the mmj, as the information I was reading everywhere said it relieved nausea!
I eventually figured it out and my marijuana doctor told me it happens to a small minority.
I then tried vaping, and only at bedtime, indica strain for sleep. That did not give me nausea. But I don’t feel it helped me with my spinal and neuropathy pain very much, and I didn’t like the feeling it gave me? The CBD alone does little for me. I did feel the topical helped my arthritis, so I make my own. I use on my hands and elsewhere, shoulders. It doesn’t do much for stronger lumbar pain, for me. I hope this helps, another opinion. The dispensary folks were helpful with choice of products.

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@ga29

You should discuss the issue with your pain management doctor, as many are okay with you trying. Then if it doesn’t help, you can tell them. I tried it, tinctures first. I looked back at my comments to my sister through messaging during that first year, and saw I immediately had a problem with nausea, to the point I thought I had a virus. I didn’t even realize it was the mmj, as the information I was reading everywhere said it relieved nausea!
I eventually figured it out and my marijuana doctor told me it happens to a small minority.
I then tried vaping, and only at bedtime, indica strain for sleep. That did not give me nausea. But I don’t feel it helped me with my spinal and neuropathy pain very much, and I didn’t like the feeling it gave me? The CBD alone does little for me. I did feel the topical helped my arthritis, so I make my own. I use on my hands and elsewhere, shoulders. It doesn’t do much for stronger lumbar pain, for me. I hope this helps, another opinion. The dispensary folks were helpful with choice of products.

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Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts. My back has been calm since I bought the mmj, so I haven't tried it yet. But the time will come.

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@jeanrios

I really need to control my terrible pain... thanks 4 your experience... I'm taking notes!

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I just added RSO oil 19:1 CBD:THC by putting it in ‘00’ capsules and I’ve been able to almost do away with taking Oxycodone for break through pain. I’m so pleased this has happened. CBD plus THC is my savior.

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@jenatsky

I just added RSO oil 19:1 CBD:THC by putting it in ‘00’ capsules and I’ve been able to almost do away with taking Oxycodone for break through pain. I’m so pleased this has happened. CBD plus THC is my savior.

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yes good for you oxycodone is not good for anyone believe I know off it

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