[Dramajic]

I am in my sixties. I suffer with chronic osteoarthritis (It hurts like hell). I can either pay $1.75- $2.75 for a Bextra or Celebrex, or smoke a joint. The DEA last week (the medical marijuana case with the Supremes) admitted that MJ is a pain reliever, but that there are legal alternativies. They conveniently did not mention the price of these "alternatives." The pharmaceutical companies are fighting the legalization of pot for obvious reasons. If you know of someone with arthritis, have them try pot. It beats the hell our of Bextra. AND WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME SOMEONE SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK AFTER SMOKING A JOINT.

[cough_cough_eer]

Not only the price of the alternatives, but most of them can cause bleeding ulcers. I ve never gotten an ulcer from smoking a joint :wink:

Hello Dramajic ... Sorry to hear about your illness ... Glad you found the right Meds. Merry Christmas and Welcome aboard.

Peace Mo,

I agree with you 100%, Dramajic. I have arthritis in my finger joints. Nothing the doc gave me is worth a crap. I quit taking all of it. Reefer helps alot.

Welcome to IC.

[BushyOldGrower]

I agree that marijuana should be totally legal but even pot may cause heart attacks if smoked. There seems to be some data that the same risks are present for smoking almost any plant material as it is always carcinogous. I know tobacco to be worse for heart health but I don't call Pot mothers milk either. While there may be anti cancer agents preventing the occurance of cancer I still worry about heart health and smoking. Currently I am switching over to vaping more but I smoke too just to help me stay away from tobacco smoking it seems more satisfying.

Certainly when given the alternatives we all have a right to choose our poison and I wonder why anyone would mind under a Dr.s approval. My Dr. might not approve it for me but I also have osteo arthritis. My Dr. placed me on Celebrex and I was the one who stopped it. Lifesaver works at least as well as 200 mg. a day of Celebrex and celebrex always had a risk so why would my Dr. have me take it? Kick backs?

Did you know that pharmaceutical companies pay Dr.s for every pill they prescribe that gets sold especially with expensive new drugs?

We really need to win some court cases involving patient/Dr. rights first and then we need to really look at the drug pushers who have the country hoodwinked.

Won't even allow importation of the same drugs from Canada just to be safe? BAh Humbug. BOG

Well I have had Ankylosing Spondilitis (a severe form of arthritis that affects your organs and other parts of the body as well as your joints) for over 12 years now and have tried EVERY anti-inflammatory, Methotrexate, Indomethecin, Gold, Cortisone, you NAME it, and NOTHING worked!
After 5 years of trying to treat my disease, I was told that there was nothing more they could do, except replace a joint here or there over the years.
The reality of that is that at 45 yrs old I face at least TWO more joint replacements (in my lifetime) for EACH JOINT that they replace in my body!
On top of that, both my hips, and shoulders, my neck (which they can do NOTHING about at all!) and soon my knees, ankles/feet, wrists, and hands will be screwed as well.
I can't see myself as a BIONIC man quite frankly, (LOL) and a lifetime of surgery is not on my list of things I want to do!
So that leaves me with the choice of taking SHITLOADS of morphine, which is REALLY BAD for my liver (did I mention I have hep C too?) or finding an alternative....CANNABIS!
My docs totally support my cannabis use, and once the stupid gov't here gets a grip and makes the RED TAPE that holds Docs back from signing papers up here, AWAY, I wil be exempt as well!
In the meantime, I use about 1/3 to 1/2 as much morphine as I would without supplementing with cannabis, and my liver will be happier alot longer!
As a pain and nausea reliever cannabis is BAR NONE the MOST effective thing there is!
I am also conducting research (a private clinical trial) in conjunction with a lab and some other folks up here using a standardized dose 50 mg cannabis capsule, and have found that cannabis is an effective trteatment for a HUGE number of illnesses including MS, Epiliepsy, Hep C, Pain related illnesses (including neuropathic pain) and a host of others!
A couple of those caps, is almost as effective as 20 mgs of morphine for my ailments!
Lets hope we continue to realize and bring to the forefront the many illnesses that cannabis treats and increase public awareness of this wonderful medicine!

[BushyOldGrower]

Meduser, you and so many people are able to reduce their toxic meds with non toxic cannabis and cannabis is a blessing just as other medical herbs are. Even opium.

People realize that the same poppys that make Heroin also make morphine. No one would want their Dr to be powerless to help them or their family members so when will this insanity end?

What other plants aren't we allowed to grow? Why if it is for the individuals use and a Dr. is recommending this then why? How can the gov't justify their superstious beliefs?

We won't stop so we will win if it takes 100 years but why has it taken so long already? Mean people who care more about killing than reducing sufferring I guess. BOG

[DrJay2001]

There's nothing to be ashamed of NattyNatty. Pain management is very complicated. It's not about a medically rational approach to easing distress since there are so many beliefs about addiction complicating the issue. Most pain patients are undertreated or mistreated so you are not alone.

Cannabis is not all that great as a pure pain killer such as morphine or oxycodone but it works to make them much more effective. That's the part Dr.'s refuse to recognize.

With my own 10 year odessy of pain I've had times where cannabis alone managed my pain. Other times I've required some pretty potent doses of narcotics which I build tolerance to very quickly. Using cannabis, particularly at night, has reduced the amount of pain meds needed, helped me sleep, kept my mood stable, and controlled both nausea and appetite. Not bad.

I wish you a pain free Christmas and better times for next year!

Yours,
Dr. jay

I know alot people think that Michael Moore is a idiot but he sure has got the pharma companies up in arms these days. They are the subject of his next docudrama, apparently he is on a mission to expose them. Honestly I hope he succeeds. Why do you think so much money is poured into advertising new drugs, they want you to ask your docter for them... Sales! That's all that matters to them, they want you hooked on their drugs.

Mo,

[BushyOldGrower]

I love Michael Moore and so does most of the world who see America as corrupt in many ways. It is corporate america that hates Moore and the rednecks who believe the liars who mislead our people. BOG