THE EXPERIENCE OF PATIENTS WITH MARIJUANA

dayzee · Post by **dayzee** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 7:32 pm

[i can feel for your situation...living with ms for 8 years now and smoking pretty much the duration of that time i think that marijuana has many benifits for people dealing with ms...i was on perscribed medication for a period of that time and since have taken myself off of it...i truly believe that the medication i was on was not at all helping me...i believe that marijuana does...have a great day!

bigfoot14 · Post by **bigfoot14** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 7:41 am

here in Illinois they introduced a medical marijuana bill and it got buried in the comittiee ....

My wife finally tried it a few months ago and it works much better in controlling her leg spasticity and nerve pain than the meds the DRs proscribed.....her nuero supports her decision to use pot

My wife does not like the "high" so she will take one or two puffs right before bed a few times a week or eat a brownie I baked for her and sleep through the night (unlike when she takes the proscribed meds)

Start of political rant

I think that if a big pharma company came out with a single usage dose,
that was sold only in pharmacies, that had to be proscribed by Drs, and taxed to the high heavens and the pharma co & DR lobbies spread money around the state capitol then med marijuana will have a chance here in Illinois ....because ain't nothing good for the people of Illinois is gonna happen unless the politicians get their$$$

End of rant

Robin

Johnnymac · Post by **Johnnymac** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 7:59 am

Marijuana has been a big part of my wife's MS management.

1) Stress - stress causes an almost immediate flare-up in Courtney and MJ is huge in her stress management (smoke a bowl or take a xanax...thats a no-brainer)

2) Spasms - Baclofen definitely helps, but it doesn't really do anything with the associated pain and discomfort from the spasms. Pot not only helps the spasticity but helps with other things surrounding having a spastic foot/leg/knee.

3) Sleep - Courtney wakes 4-5 times a night due to either spasms or bladder urgency, and smoking a little pot helps her get right back to sleep. Otherwise shes up for an hour or two just trying to get back to sleep and we all know how important that is when you suffer heavily from fatigue.

4) Depression - I don't care what anyone else says, the psychotropic effects of pot are very important parts to the puzzle. Laughter is the best medicine in so many ways, and you know what....getting a little stoned and laughing at Family Guy or even the Sham-wow commercials actually make her feel better....and now I wonder if its not the increased blood-flow in the brain that laughing can induce that doesn't play into it.

Here in Texas we take our lives into our own hands buying pot, they don't take it lightly here. I've written to local and state government for years asking for support for medical marijuana and we're just now as a state starting to maybe move in the right direction. The latest bill that I hope passes will allow for the "legal defense" of medical marijuana should you get busted. Right now that argument isn't even allowed in a court of law in Texas. If I could find someone to help me get started I would absolutely grow it myself.

On a lighter note, here's a little Friday laugh for you:

Loobie · Post by **Loobie** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 9:39 am

Have you tried growing your own? I think, if you have the property and no teenage kids

, that's the way to go. You never have to make a transaction that way.

Johnnymac · Post by **Johnnymac** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 9:51 am

Loobie wrote:Have you tried growing your own? I think, if you have the property and no teenage kids , that's the way to go. You never have to make a transaction that way.

actually we rent a home but I've seen our landord all of maybe 1 time in the last two years and I wouldn't be opposed to growing in the rental property (small amounts of course).

Loobie · Post by **Loobie** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:10 pm

Look up hydroponics. You can grow them really effectively inside and keep them bushing out instead of up by pruning them. I didn't grow any this year, but have in the past outside. I got hooked up with a guy that had experience and he can make them look like a bush instead of the beanstalk I had. There's really nothing to it. Plant a few in starter pots and then when they start to show their "sex", pull all the males and the buds go nuts. You can find out anything you need to know through Google! I know people who never take them out of their pots and grow it on their decks. Granted they are big pots, but it can save you a lot of money. I quit for about six weeks because it was making my legs weak. I have since started back up, but only once I'm actually in bed so I don't feel the legs effects and can sleep better. It beats the shit out of Ambien and Lunesta that's for sure! So I don't smoke when I'm upright anymore! I was using it too much just for kicks, but now only use it as a sleep aid. For that, it is wonderful.

bigfoot14 · Post by **bigfoot14** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 6:49 pm

It beats the shit out of Ambien and Lunesta that's for sure! So I don't smoke when I'm upright anymore! I was using it too much just for kicks, but now only use it as a sleep aid. For that, it is wonderful.

That's exactly how my wife feels about it... 2-3 puffs then off to bed

on those nights when she puffs, she cuts way back on the valium and dosn't take the ambien at all