Does medical marijuana work for chronic pain?

Posted by mmoss @mmoss, Mar 27, 2021

Does Medical marijuana work for chronic pain. Looking for alternatives to Vicodin.

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

@oceanlady22, @artscaping, @meri91364, and all...Hello, Chris. I've missed seeing your words of wisdom popping up and helping other pain wanderers. You indeed have helped me and so many others through this ridiculous journey with pain. So much information in your kind head and heart. Thank you so much for so much.

I think our Montana friend, oceanlady22, needs to find the State MM program online and appt for a MM card after seeing a good, MM doctor to guide you re your personal issues. In Florida, where I am, the state has a list of licensed MM doctors. I went unknowingly to a pillbox doc the first time, with a bunch of folks who use all kinds of pain drugs and so on I quickly left him, made an appt with my spine/pain clinic. They have an orthopedic doctor who is licensed to prescribe MM. He knows all the strains of marijuana, how they affect each person's need, and what is the best route for you. I now see a MM doc in my primary doctor's group. My problem now is money. It's a cash pay visit and of course, the MM is cash only. At least here....due to state authorization and it's still illegal nationally.

My son helps me know with purchase costs, but a quarterly 250 cash charge is a whopper for me now. So, one day at a time, we'll see what happens.
The relief and consistency of pain and anxiety relief are so important and I only get that with MM. You are able to control how much and when, based on your needs, and learn to accept and tolerate a level of pain you continue to have.

I prefer to use licensed distributors in my city rather than buying CBD from the corner shop. I feel safer, that the distributor has different qualifications for license and perhaps a better quality product. I'm a baby MM user, so Artscaping, Chris Trout, is my go-to person. She has so much information to help with your steps forward.

I wish you well. This is an interesting challenge for you and you're surrounded by folks to help, who've walked the same steps. Blessings. Elizabeth

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mm can help with pain as well as getting you off Vicodin. i have used mm for several years now which has helped me titrate me down on pain meds. and you don't have to smoke it to use it. there are other ways of taking it depending on where you live. either your doctor or specialized pharmacist will tell you how much to start with.

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@rebsue

Thanks for all your suggestions here! I live in northwest Montana, where marijuana has just been finally legalized. I'm 74--somehow, missed the Reefer Madness craze when I was young, and trying out THC tinctures for the first time, to be added to my CBD tincture. I am having pain, itching, burning from a stroke 11 months ago. The ratios you've mentioned here are confusing because it seems the THC tinctures come in MLs or Mgs, and there's a huge difference in absolute amounts in a ratio. I do not want to feel high but sure would like to take the edge off of my suffering and wonder if you could refer me to a site to figure out the dosage and strains which I should be examining. Thanks!

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Good afternoon @rebsue. I'm sorry that my message was unclear. Since you reference "here" and I don't know where "here" is, I will just add a note of clarification that is true for all of my tincture bottles with a dropper. There are 30 ml in 1 fl oz. The cannabinoids are measured in mgs, e.g. CBD 480mg, THC 240 mg. And that reduces to a 2:1 ratio of CBD to THC.

Most droppers have measurements expressed in "ml" along one side, so you can figure how many fl oz of the final mixture you would be taking. Not all tincture bottles are the same. You may ask someone at the dispensary if you need help with the conversions.

And in case you struggle as I do with remembering all of the math, check the product website or call customer support. Good luck. I sure hope this helps.

Remember one thing......the golden rule for administering cannabis dosages. "You can always ask for more, you can never ask for less. "
Do you have additional inquiries?

May you be free, safe, and protected from inner and outer harm.

Chris

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@oceanlady22

Good Morning Chris, I might try the CBD oil or other products. I am concerned about what is a legitimate seller of these products. Every empty store front seems to open as a CBD shop. Right now I manage my pain with 20mg of oxycodone, Salonpas, & heat/cold pads. I have such a good care team (oncologist ,palliative care PA, neurologist & the best GP ever. My husband is wonderful and I thank GOD everyday. I hope your journey is as safe & pain free as possible.

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.....and good evening to you @oceanlady22 Thanks for your response. I agree with you and your concern about legitimate sellers and also regulated cannabis products that meet medical criteria for help with pain and other discomforting symptoms. That is why it is so important to legalize cannabis products across our country. It will force regulation in product development and growing practices. Recreational CBD shops of which you speak do not need to meet in medical criteria or be subjected to third-party testing.

Before medical marijuana was legalizaed in CA, you had no assurance that 10 mg gummies would be consistent from one day to the next even when they were packaged together. I remember the shocks I used to feel when I realized that I could not count on unregulated products.

So.....perhaps it is best to pursue a medical cannabis card in states that have them to ensure that you can securely live your life pain-free. Most states that require proof of a medical need of the cannabis products have special pharmacists to help patients make the best choices of the medical cannabis products that are licensed and available to qualified buyers. The CBD flags that seem to fly on quite a few street corners are tantamount to promoting providers of street drugs.

If you choose, please share the state you live in and I will see what I can find that will define your opportunities. I would sure feel better knowing that your pain was being controlled by medical cannabis than oxycodone. How do you feel?

May you be safe, protected, and free of inner and outer harm.
Chris

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@meri91364

Can you tell me what you're taking please? I have arachnoiditis and its very painful. Am on no drugs, can not find a Dr that treats.

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Good evening @meri91364. It is nice to meet you. Arachnoiditis is a difficult disease to manage. Pain control can be difficult. I am sorry that you haven't found a doctor that is qualified to provide treatment for the accompanying
pain.

As far as my medical cannabis bag of tricks for pain control of small fiber neuropathy, I choose simple and effective products. I use tinctures with CBD and THC in different dosages and topicals, also in different dosages, e.g. 3:1 CBD/THC topical balm for chronic pain and 1:3 CBD/THC for acute pain. The tinctures are in bottles with droppers so that you adjust the amount that you are using as well as choose from quite a number of CBD/THC options.

Does that help? Do you have other inquiries?

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

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There are so many different chronic pains that a general statement about MM working is impossible. For me, I have been dealing with server nerve pain in my leg since aTKR 3 1/2 yrs ago. I researched all the MM and tried it well , now I smoked pot yrs and yrs ago so I felt I knew something about it ,well I can say without a doudt it made my condition worse. Pot was a way of heighting your senses so with me my nerve pain only grew. I have found some edibles help me sleep better. Everyone is different so best of luck and start small

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@sprinrosa64

There are so many different chronic pains that a general statement about MM working is impossible. For me, I have been dealing with server nerve pain in my leg since aTKR 3 1/2 yrs ago. I researched all the MM and tried it well , now I smoked pot yrs and yrs ago so I felt I knew something about it ,well I can say without a doudt it made my condition worse. Pot was a way of heighting your senses so with me my nerve pain only grew. I have found some edibles help me sleep better. Everyone is different so best of luck and start small

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@sprinrosa64
Hello sprinrosa. I'm sorry you experience such pain since your TKR. Living with a chronic pain condition like Central Sensitization Syndrome (CSS) is frustrating to say the least, I experience it also. You describe hyperalgesia which is a hypersensitivity to pain and stimuli. How do you manage your symptoms currently, besides edibles? Have you ever considered Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center (PRC)? You sound like a good candidate.

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@rwinney

@sprinrosa64
Hello sprinrosa. I'm sorry you experience such pain since your TKR. Living with a chronic pain condition like Central Sensitization Syndrome (CSS) is frustrating to say the least, I experience it also. You describe hyperalgesia which is a hypersensitivity to pain and stimuli. How do you manage your symptoms currently, besides edibles? Have you ever considered Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center (PRC)? You sound like a good candidate.

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Right now I go to UPENN PAIN CENTER in PHILADELPHIA they are trying different drug cocktails with no good results yet, so I have been using Mindfulness Training and found a fantastic book MANAGE PAIN BEFORE IT MANAGES YOU, I find it very helpful But I have not looked into Mayo Clinic , there is not one near me and I hear it's tough to get in , do you know anything about how one gets accepted

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I have seriously been considering medical marijuana. It's legal in lots of states and NJ where I live it is legal to purchase it.

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@artscaping

.....and good evening to you @oceanlady22 Thanks for your response. I agree with you and your concern about legitimate sellers and also regulated cannabis products that meet medical criteria for help with pain and other discomforting symptoms. That is why it is so important to legalize cannabis products across our country. It will force regulation in product development and growing practices. Recreational CBD shops of which you speak do not need to meet in medical criteria or be subjected to third-party testing.

Before medical marijuana was legalizaed in CA, you had no assurance that 10 mg gummies would be consistent from one day to the next even when they were packaged together. I remember the shocks I used to feel when I realized that I could not count on unregulated products.

So.....perhaps it is best to pursue a medical cannabis card in states that have them to ensure that you can securely live your life pain-free. Most states that require proof of a medical need of the cannabis products have special pharmacists to help patients make the best choices of the medical cannabis products that are licensed and available to qualified buyers. The CBD flags that seem to fly on quite a few street corners are tantamount to promoting providers of street drugs.

If you choose, please share the state you live in and I will see what I can find that will define your opportunities. I would sure feel better knowing that your pain was being controlled by medical cannabis than oxycodone. How do you feel?

May you be safe, protected, and free of inner and outer harm.
Chris

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Mississippi is the state where I live.

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