I really don't know that much about meds but was eductaed more at the pain clinic program where many were overusers though I am not at all myself. During this 6 months of pain for a few months I was on vicadin and when I quit completly before I went about a month ago I had no craving or issues. I think it depends on the person. I did notice from the people who had issues with prescription drug and overuse they also used other drugs that were not prescription. I may be wrong and I'm sure there are some who just overuse the prescription but I did see a trend of both drugs overused. For a person who the prescription drugs seem to not work for other then the bad side effects I'm in a little different spot. In general I do think its a combo of things to work overall. So maybe the meds,supplements,therapy,pt so on.

Jarrett, yes I agree with you on most things you said. I have personally known several people who should stay far away from mmj (medical marijuana).

I just know what it does for me... or would do if I was allowed to use it these days.

I have had rsd/crps since 1993. I had a surgery that went bad. The dr.s immediately saw that I had rsd and decided to cut their losses and declare me "ready to return to work".

I received NO monetary or physical aids in any way after that, except what I managed to procure on my own. I managed to get great dr.s to treat me and HOPE they get paid one day, I even got into the fed. trial study of Guanethidine.

But of course I couldn't get meds. I could barely feed my kids and dogs, and we lived in a decrepit tin-roofed house in the Az. desert so I could get the trial study done in Phoenix. But then one day a friend came to me and suggested mmj. I tried it, and it worked. Simple as that. And it cost me nothing, so I wouldn't have complained anyway, lol. The barter system is a wonderful thing.

I eventually won my work comp case, but all the money went to the dr.s. I also got on SSI and medicaid. I had to get aids first, but at least I am getting help for whatever time I have left.

But here's the rub: I cannot use mmj or I will lose all my benefits. Mind you, they prescribe Marinol, the pharmaceutical version, for me and my partner every month. It costs the taxpayers $2000 each month, and doesn't do as good a job as mmj. I feel like crappola about it, too. If they would let me grow my own mmj, I would cost the citizens of this country far less each month than I do now, and would have some self-respect, too!

Here's the list of meds they have had to prescribe just to get me through a day. ALL of them were unnecessary when I was using mmj. I take other meds too, but they can't be replaced by mmj.

Baclofen, vicodin, morphine, marinol, phenergan, ambien & relpax.

Also, before I started taking all these pharmies, there was never any indication that I had epilepsy... but I have it now! I didn't have migraines, which I now have at least twice a week.

If there was ANY way I could go back to using mmj to treat myself, I would in a minute. But as it stands, I will lose my money, my housing, my dr.s and my aids meds. Crazy, isn't it? I live in a "Green State", but the feds have everyone running scared. I can't get an rx from a reputable dr., they are too afraid of losing their licenses. They straight up tell me it would be much better for me than the pharmies, but their hands are tied. The other alternative is to pay $300 to a "dr." that doesn't care about his license because he is inches away from losing it anyway, due to his own issues. But then, if I ever got caught, while the feds and the state argue about who gets to have jurisdiction over me and my health care, I will be broke, hungry, homeless and in pain. Or, possibly, I could be in jail not getting my meds at all. Great choices, huh?

What it all boils down to is this: I should have the right to treat myself with the medicines that the dr.s think would help me most. MMJ is tops on that list. And all the taxpayers would benefit as well.... my partner and I are NOT the only aids patients on Marinol! There are at least 100 patients here locally at the aids clinic that use it, too. And most all of them are on medicaid too. At $2000 a month per person, that is totally insane! That's just in one city of 500,000 folks. No way should the taxpayers have to foot the bill for all of us.

So for anyone who doesn't want or need mmj, or doesn't know anyone who needs it, there is STILL a reason you should work to help make it legal everywhere: your own pockets.

Hello Sky spirit
I want to response to your questions about taking herbs. Along with an anti-depressant taken at low dosages to take care of neuropathic pain, I also take omega 3, vitamine C's, for summer time. In winter I add salmon oil. The natural elements of my daily intake targets the pain in my joints specifically.
Last year I was taking vitamine C's at the dosage of 3-4,000mgs daily. It helped me tremendously. I now lowered the vit C's because my body tells me that I don't need as much.
Personally I believe that conventional medicine and allopathic medicine can be friends and complement each other as long as one has studied the interaction between the two. My pain level can become quite intolerant to say the least, I refused to be in pain constantly and become inactive as a result of it. So I take both. My neurologist is aware of it as well and has approved.
It is thought that herbal preparations are not as potent or damaging as chemically prepared meds. I have a different outlook about that. I feel the herbal preparations can be as damaging as the chemical meds if not taken properly. One has to be careful not to damage the liver which is the Great Filter of all.

louise
arachnoiditiscanada.com