I've actually been considering using MM myself. I live in a state where I could get a card so I may try to start the process. I'm trying to decide what is worse for my body...large doses of pain meds or a joint?? I haven't ever smoked so I'm not sure how I'll react so it's kind of scary. From what I've been told you need to do it a few times before making a decision. Some people get relief others just get paranoid. I will be seeing a Pain management doc tomorrow so I will have a very honest conversation with him. Who recommended it to you? I wish you luck on your search for answers....

I have actually talked to several people that have their cards....I would love to sleep....and from what I've learned,there are some anti-inflammatory benefits too. Now...back in the 70's from which I came,the sleep part was for real...but,of course,at the time I wasn't too concerned with the other.What I would be concerned about now, are the laws.....even with a card,federal and state laws are not the same.My thinking is,it might not be worth the risk...legally.But...that's me...

hi!! i live in california and have a card to use medical marijuana.. it helps with pain, anxiety and sleep for me. i have cut down on all my medications and feel that it is better to smoke marijuana than put all those pills in my body for so many years.. i have taken medication for over 40 years and feel my body needs a break.. i found a great doctor who explained the different ways to use the marijuana and just what to expect from using it.. i have not been disappointed..i use a vaporizer which cuts out all the by products and puts only the THC into my system. please, don't be afraid to try something which may really help you. believe me, i am not the oldest one in the dispensery and i am over 50!! the dispensery is right down the street and i have never had any problems legally.. good luck to you!! Jenny

Tried it and it did help me get a good nights sleep. I didn't wake up in the middle of the night either needing meds. I hurt like hell like normal now but I expected that....good luck sagehen in your journey!

I live in Ohio and I had a surgeon make the suggestion that it may help. Although might add it is not legal in Ohio
Susan

Wow it's interesting that he suggested you try it. My PM doc was really cool about it he he has lots of patients that use it in addition to other things and it works. I totally felt weird asking him about it because it is a strange topic for me. Just never thought I would even consider it. I'm not sure how many states actually consider it legal now with a card of course. I am in a legal state but I wanted to see if it worked before I went through the hassle of getting a card. From what I've heard from law inforcement people I know it's like just getting a citation in my state. They don't consider it more than that unless you carry enoough to be considered a dealer. Like I said I'm still not too sure about all this so we'll see.

Here in Australia its illegal but I have spoken to plenty of people who smoke daily and have given up their medications totally..They also take handmade tinctures to assist with pain relief and they are working on a way to have this process legalized here in Australia.

It would make sense that it works as we have cannabanoid receptors in our own brain,taking the tincture doeasnt get u "stoned" as to speak.
i believe it can be very strain dependant and some cannabis can actually cause the pain to be intensified.

good luck
hope u get some relief
take care

There are 14 states that have approved Medical Marijuana and many more are working towards it. Approved uses in those states usually include chronic pain, chronic muscle spasms, and chronic nausea.......I have all three of those, and it does help them all. Probably the biggest thing is that full night of sleep without waking up 10 times in pain.

Degenerative Sally,hi! in all my years of marijuana use i have never heard of it causing pain to be intensified..if anything, it does just the opposite! it can be difficult to get people to try marijuana, even if it is legal in their state and statements such as this do not help with their decisions to use medical marijuana...please, unless you have tried it yourself, and speak from acutal experience, be careful about your advice with marijuana. it can really change a person's life around and it would be a shame for someone not to try it because of a statement like that! Jenny

Lulusheart- I think I know what Sally means. I have heard that for some people it can cause paranoia which intensifies the pain. It could be different strains I know some are better for pain than others. I personally haven't experienced that.

MMJ is legal where I live with a Drs prescription for chronic pain and also used for nausea and other reasons. I don't like it as it alters my thoughts and doesn't benefit me. This new article is on SH. http://www.spine-health.com/news/20100714/promising-cannabinoid-research...

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2005559,00.html

My brother became schizophrenic at age 17. He used to use THC and weed. I also think there's a gene that runs in the family that causes schizophrenia triggered by marijuana or THC. I also have two cousins with same. It's sad. That's why I don't like this marijuana. However, if they can isolate certain parts of the cannabis that only works on nerve issues it should be effective for some of us who have nerve pain.

I think if you can get a medical MJ card, why not at least try it, as long as its lawful where you live?

Its always boggled my mind that MJ (at least for medical reasons) is against the law but I won't go there right now. I feel that if there is something "out there" that can help people with their pain and other symptoms then it should be made available to them. Geez, think of cancer patients-it can be very helpful with the nausea, etc.

I know it can be a touchy subject for some but its something that really should be addressed and made available to those that it may help. We're not talking here about a bunch or teenagers looking to "score some weed", but legitimate patients that may benefit from the THC/mj.

Just my humble opinion.....

Thanks for the articles I like reading things like that. I am now completely legal and I am having really good luck with it. I only use it before bed and it really helps me get a good nights sleep. I have definatly met some really interesting people but thanks be to God I have found some cool people that are helping me. This is definately an interesting journey. I would be more that thrilled that is between the SCS and the THC I could mostly drop or totally drop the narcotics I would be extremely happy. To each their own...

What's funny is for years I locked people up for using MJ - but we are talking the 'illegal' stuff, and high quantity. Am I an angel? Nope, I tried the stuff at 13, and I just vibrated! That was the 'start and end of my drug' trying. Now honestly (as I obviously didn't have these problems back then), if they approve it here in Florida come November, I will ask to try it to see if like many of you, find the 'pills' go down!

I hate pills, and too hate the "what if" as to what is my body going to have in the end in so far as side affects from my meds. MJ (to me) is safer than alcohol! I am hoping it passes here in November.

Brenda

But i guess they might as well make it legal, with maybe a doctor's script.

the government spends billions of dollars a year fighting the war on drugs.
so if it is legal they would make billions of dollars yearly, plus factor in the billions they dont spend fighting it and it's a start to helping the economoy.

just so lomg as they take this in small easy steps, it could be a gold mine.
also no i do not use it and i have no intention of using it.

If we legalized marijuana in the US we could tax it just like we tax alcohol. We would save millions more by reducing the war on drugs. We would save some lives by regulating the content of the drug. And we would have a new manufacturing industry to create jobs.

I would guess that would help reduce the zillion dollar deficit that we have. So why haven't we? Is it possible that the drug trade is influencing our politicians?

This country is ruled by the all mighty dollar. While politicians take their payoffs millions of people suffer.

And now I'm legal in Ca. But I bought 4 different types. And tried 3 hits of each on 4 different occasions. It helped but all 4 made me too high. And getting my mind back is the objective here. So when I get around to it I'll try a vaporizer. Maybe 3 hits is too much. I don't know. When I was a kid we all smoked it all of the time. And we would smoke 1 or more joints. But I never got this high back then. I guess they grow much stronger stuff these days. And I just don't want to be that high! I was 3 sheets to the wind!
Jim

jhowie-from personal experience I've had to adjust how many hits I take. The first stuff I used one bowl wouldn't do anything. When I got hooked up with my card and found a grower the meds he provides me only take a hit or two and I'm good. Anymore than that and I'm too stoned. I really do get a better nights sleep it has been nice because rest is super important. I am also considering getting a vaporizer need to do somemore research on that....

Maybe I should just try 1 hit. But the vaporizer thing is something that might work better for me. The guy at the dispensary did say that it ain't the stuff you smoked when you were a kid. Right now I'm in a holding pattern cause I just got too stoned and too paranoid. And I've got all of this stuff left. and the Dr. appoint. And card wasn't cheap either! My P.M. Dr. told me I should give it a try. But he dosen't prescribe it. So I had to go to another Dr. and pay cash.
Good luck, Jim

I hear you about the spendy thing. I had to fork over money to the clinic,pay the state for my card and buy my meds. Yikes!!!! I have heard that some types of marijuana can cause people to be paranoid. I luckily haven't had that problem. I have also been told that Stavia plants work well for pain and they usually don't caused paranoia. Try one hit and maybe a different type....good luck!!

Here in Australia its illegal but I have spoken to plenty of people who smoke daily and have given up their medications totally..They also take handmade tinctures to assist with pain relief and they are working on a way to have this process legalized here in Australia.

It would make sense that it works as we have cannabanoid receptors in our own brain,taking the tincture doesnt get u "stoned" as to speak.
Believe me, it can be very strain dependant and some cannabis can actually cause the pain to be intensified.

j. howie,

I think the one hit suggestion is a good one. I do that if I need some during the day, in the evening I usually have 2 or 3. You can always have another toke but you can't untoke.

Sometimes pain can be intensified for a short time, I think because it makes you more aware of your body. But that usually goes away after about 10 to 20 minutes when you relax. You can also use that time to stretch you muscles out.

Sativa strains are generally supposed to be for day time while Indica strains are for sleeping. Some call it couch-lock?!?! cause you can't move off the couch.

I was a smoker long before I had chronic pain, lately I have stopped because my pain is manageable and I don't like the dry mouth and laziness it gives me. It can cause paranoia so make sure that if you try for the first time you are with someone who can take care of you and you are not in a social setting (you lose most of your social skills). I found that it didn't always help with pain, sometimes it would make me more conscious of my pain and increase the 'shakes'. However, when I am really stressed out, cannot get my mind off of the pain, and am starting to break down emotionally, it has helped immensely. Mostly it has given me quality of life where there was none. I get sick of watching movies and MJ can make just about anything really entertaining. It can also make you giddy and laugh a lot which is a godsend when you are depressed. It will take your normal base of thinking out from under you and allow you to think about things in a new way, which can be helpful when you're stubborn about moving slow, taking care of yourself, not talking to certain members of your family. For me it has allowed me to cry and break down when normally I would fight these thoughts. It can take your mind off of the pain BIG TIME, and can increase the effectiveness of your pain pills. Unlike all of the other pain meds, it is not addictive, will not screw up your stomach, and is very inexpensive. I would advise buying a little glass pipe for your first try and smoking a very small amount and then waiting a half hour. If you are not floating down a river of laughter by then, try a little more. Remember to stay away from social settings, turn off your phone, lock your door, close the shades, and don't have any responsbilities for the day (this helps for people who might feel ashamed of doing an 'illegal' drug, hey at least it's not synthetic heroin=oxycontin.) My mom tried smoking with me a while ago after being really depressed about my suffering and her inability to help and having menstrual cramps. She literally had a blast! Was crying laughing, very playful and excited to do pottery and stuff, and very romantic with my dad. It can greatly improve your mood when you need it most. If you are dealing with CP and it's not going to go away next month you have to try it, it is not dangerous and can be a great help. If you decide you like it, get a vaporizer or a water pipe, buy the best quality you can find (higher THC has most beneficial effects, low degraded THC has detrimental effects), and smoke the least amount that gets you high. The only other thing I don't like about it is that it makes you crave sugar because it makes you tired and therefore makes it hard to eat normal food. However if you are losing weight and not hungry it can make you VERY hungry and make food very enjoyable. Conclusion: it's safe, effective, cheap, and it's not wrong to try when you are in need of some quality of life. Have fun (-:

It is legal in my state, and the other day I went down to a dispensary to ask questions. My dr. wrote me a prescription, so they checked me out and answered all my questions. They had so many strains that were different potencys, some for sleep, some for awake, some to smoke, some baked goods, recopies, pipes, pills, vaporizers, and more. It was all very overwhelming. My biggest concern, as i read from others too, is that I dont wanna be stoned. I want better pain relief and sleep. and being that I have never done marijuana before, I am nervous. But Im gonna give it a shot now that I have been cleared to take anti inflammatory meds again.

I went to college in an area where mj is the popular culture and it was everywhere! I never liked it due to it making me paranoid, but I use it every now for pain and it is fantastic for me. I still dont like the adverse effects it has on me so I only take it at night when the pain is all consuming and the meds dont touch it. When I smoke it, I take one to two hits tops and that is more than enough to help me out. I will find my mind wandering and if I wasnt in pain I wouldnt like that effect, but my mind isnt focused on my pain, so I love that. For me I am not able to sleep well on it, but the distraction is well worth that and I wouldnt be sleeping due to the pain anyhow.

If this is something that you feel comfortable trying, I would advise giving it a shot. I also would add that this isnt something that I would try for the first time in a social setting, at home with no responsibility is the only way I would suggest it. I find it interesting that for me the side effects are very simular to lyrica or neurotin, but all the side effects leave after the few hours is up .