Originally Posted by alanlee11

Thanks for Reading my post in Advance.

I have a friend who has been suffering from Depression for a few years and was drinking, but in September suffered from a Shoulder injury at work and now is suffering from Reflex Sympathetic dystrophy in his right/dominant hand and is moving to his left hand.

Since RSD his drinking has gotten a lot worse and He has been admitted to ICU twice in two weeks once for extreme malnutrition and now for swelling of his feet and legs.. I am pretty sure he was an alcoholic before the RSD, but now it has become his excuse for Drinking. He tells me he cannot sleep for the pain in his hands without drinking. I do not know if this is an excuse or a justification, but i do know it is wreaking havoc on his body.

He has not been formally diagnosed with RSD however a neurologist confirmed the diagnosis while his initial stay in the ICU. He has lost his job and insurance because he is not able to work with the RSD which is just fueling his depression.. He will only take calls from his brothers and myself and rejects any other's calls, so i feel that if I cannot get through to him no one will be able too.. He lives over an hour drive from me and his closest brother so we are not able to monitor him and will not leave where he is currently living.

I have told him that he needs to get a formal diagnosis of RSD so he can apply for disability as he is quickly running out of savings. But i feel the alcoholism is keeping him from doing what he needs to do, instead locks himself into his room and drinks his days away.. I also fear even if he gets to see pain clinic they will not do anything with his level of drinking.

I am completely at a lose to what to do to help him, but i fear he will not last long at this rate...

1. Does Marijuana help with the pain? I have read where some people say it does, and if he could off set the Alcohol with Marijuana i think it would be helpful just to get him to stop drinking..