Cannabis. A fork in the road.

beatle · 05-15-2014, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nsw43

All good points. However, not everyone lives in a state where MMJ products are legal. If it gets approved, Sativex could be a godsend to some who don't have access to the wonderful products available in Colorado and other states.

I should clarify that I am not completely against Sativex. I generally support anything that has the potential to help people however, my primary issue with Sativex is that the cost prevents it from reaching many who could benefit from it. It's already a problem in the UK where there are many complaints from MS patients (for which it is approved) who can successfully obtain a prescription from their neuro but since the NHS doesn't cover it, they have to pay 550 British Pounds (or $900 USD) out-of-pocket for a 4-6 week supply. That's a problem.

beatle · 05-15-2014, 06:17 PM

Minnesota is about to become the 22nd state in the US to legalize medical marijuana. Patients will be permitted access in pill, oil, or vapor form, not smoke however since it is generally less healthy.

Dr. Smith · 05-15-2014, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beatle

Keywords: "derived from"...

And the "mixture of compounds" is just THC and CBD, the same as literally hundreds of MMJ products, many of which are now being grown organically under strict, controlled conditions and offered without the following additives of Sativex:

Extraction solvent: Liquid carbon dioxide
Excipients: Ethanol anhydrous, Propylene glycol

That's how hemp oil is extracted, and made atomizable for the delivery method. (See links below)

You're concerned about liquid CO2? Ethanol is the alcohol in liquor. I won't get into a debate about propylene glycol; I'll just point out that it's probably in more products you're already using than you realize. Anyone who uses an e-cigarette type vaporizor as a delivery method is going to be breathing ethanol and propylene glycol (which is one of my issues with the cussed things, but that's not what we're talking about).

Quote:

Propylene glycol is considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and it is used as an humectant (E1520), solvent, and preservative in food and for tobacco products, as well as being one of the major ingredients of the "e-liquid" used in electronic cigarettes along with vegetable glycerin. Vaporizers used for delivery of pharmaceuticals or personal care products often include propylene glycol among the ingredients they are filled with.[4] Propylene glycol is used as a solvent in many pharmaceuticals, including oral, injectable and topical formulations, such as for diazepam and lorazepam which are insoluble in water.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propyle...l#Applications

The Uses of Propylene Glycol in Daily Life

If they bother you, be sure to find out how any hemp oil you get is "derived"/extracted.

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Medical-Marijuana-Oil

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZXGH6mYr3Y

And how do these methods test/ensure purity and potency, and deliver measured dosage?

I've yet to see that with ANY "natural" MMJ products, and that's my point. Doctors are used to medications they can prescribe precisely.

You should realize by now from my previous posts, I'm not the opposition here.

Doc

Dr. Smith · 05-15-2014, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beatle

my primary issue with Sativex is that the cost prevents it from reaching many who could benefit from it.

Did you miss where I said:

Quote:

Your other points seem spot-on.

???

Doc

eva5667faliure · 05-15-2014, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beatle

I should clarify that I am not completely against Sativex. I generally support anything that has the potential to help people however, my primary issue with Sativex is that the cost prevents it from reaching many who could benefit from it. It's already a problem in the UK where there are many complaints from MS patients (for which it is approved) who can successfully obtain a prescription from their neuro but since the NHS doesn't cover it, they have to pay 550 British Pounds (or $900 USD) out-of-pocket for a 4-6 week supply. That's a problem.

nuts just nuts
any other reason
heaven forbid it be for the good
of the person in the pain of things
while monies hold a person from obtaining it
the whole blanking thing is nuts
me

Sophie_ · 05-16-2014, 01:19 AM

Hi Beatle,

Thank you for posting this one, I think it's an important thread to help with pain, unfortunately it's absolutely illegal in this country. I have tried it though, smoking and is once made brownies with the proper weed and it didn't help with my pain at all, chilled me out maybe but that's it no pain relief, I haven't tried it since. As you said yourself what might work for one may not work for another.

Best of luck with it yourself, I hope it gives you some relief. I would like to see legalised in this country but Holy Catholic Ireland nope, it would be a sheer disgraces to allow this madness into the country! I'm taking the p**s out of priest and their law abiding ways except when it come to children of course?

All the best,

S

Quote:

Originally Posted by beatle

I live in Colorado where cannabis, both for recreational and medical purposes has recently become legal. For two years, I have suffered from debilitating PN and like many others, I have submitted my person to science in many ways for all of the testing associated with ruling out underlying causes. I am glad I did it. I have earned my PN badge. It’s not something I ever wanted but there it is. Also like many others with PN, the underlying cause in my case is unknown. I don’t have cancer or HIV and I was told that unless I changed my lifestyle dramatically, I will never be diabetic. I have been tested for everything that the best neurologists can think of and my Peripheral Neuropathy was determined to be idiopathic in nature, aka IPN.

Since the onset of my symptoms, I have educated myself, poured tens of thousands of dollars into it and devoting myself to making it all better to ultimately improve my now diminished quality of life. I have been prescribed the typical: Gabapentin, Klonopin, Lyrica, Cymbalta (in that order) and recently compounding cream. I have tried countless OTC supplements & creams, literally countless. I have three shelves of them and routinely go through them to box the ones that I am sure haven’t helped to make room for the new ones that just arrived. I use devices like The Rebuilder and Anodyne, I even own a traction device. I have built an arsenal of the things that help a little but I am nowhere near where I need to be, having my condition managed so I can go on with my otherwise happy, successful, great life. I recently ran into a snag with my insurance covering Lyrica (which isn’t all that great IMO) and while that was being sorted out and I was spending the usual countless hours researching PN in my endless search for relief, I came across a reputable study on cannabis and then the pain relieving components of the plant. Then I read another study and another, all posting positive results in the area of treating neuropatic pain. Why haven’t I tried this?

Everyone is different and what works for one, may not work for another so I don’t know how long this thread will travel but I am at a point where I will try anything and today I am trying CBD, the organic, pain relieving component of the marijuana plant. There are no psychoactive properties, there is no high or smoking but rather just the pain relieving benefit from the plant. If I am willing to put all of these lab-manufactured chemicals in my body, why not try something that grows from the earth? It is legal and available here and there is research to support it so I am going to give it a shot.

I'll post back with my experiences, positive, negative or neutral.

ginnie · 05-16-2014, 07:26 AM

Hope the plant works for you. I have PN and I know it does for me. However not everyone gets the relief. Let us all know how you do. All information helps those seeking answers. ginnie

Dr. Smith · 05-16-2014, 11:22 AM

The plant you tried may have had more THC (the chemical that induces "highs") than CBD (the chemical that treats pain). Some strains are now being bred specifically with low THC and high CBD.

It appears that, as in some other countries, while cannabis/marijuana is illegal in Ireland, hemp is legal (even though they're the same plant). Some here (review the thread) are looking into hemp oil, which may contain the CBD for pain, without the THC. I don't know if this is an option for you, but I think it's worth looking into.

http://hempworld.com/Hemp-CyberFarm_.../irelandh.html

hemp in ireland

Doc

Balanchine · 05-16-2014, 01:09 PM

Very interesting thread and thanks to the original poster for bringing it to everyone's attention. I don't have pain associated with my IPN but tons of numbness and tingling. Since I live in California it shouldn't be tough for me to get a medical MJ license. Then I can at least do some research in the stores to see if any carry the CBD product. If it helps with the tingling alone it'll be worth it.

Dr. Smith · 05-16-2014, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balanchine

If it helps with the tingling alone it'll be worth it.

Please keep us updated on that. I've not heard of anything yet that substantially helps tingling & numbness from PN.

Doc

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