If you suffer from a qualifying ailment described in their list, then you will receive a MMJ. (You'll have to look those up for yourself, to see if your qualify because I didn't list the qualifications here..at this time, but might add them to the post at a later date.) There are sites that give you the qualifying conditions.
I do qualify for it and have dealt with chronic pain and nerve damage pain for many years, etc, etc...
Using MM is suppose to be an alternative treatment that supposedly will help those to get off of strong meds...like Opiods. I'm sure that you've heard of the Opiod epidemic out there and this is NOT the reason why I want to give this a try. It is because I've heard so many good things about the Medical Marijuana, that I wanted to see if it would help me. I don't have a problem with my medications or am I an addict. I'm not going to say that I'm not dependant...because I am, but I have a list a mile long of things that is wrong with me and depend on my medication to help me. I can say one thing...I DON'T EVER ABUSE MY MEDICATIONS!! I never have and I never will. Matter of fact, I take my medications as prescribed, always have and even have medications left over in a month, where I haven't taken all that was prescribed. Now, an addict(I've heard) will take all of their medications in a short period of time and run out early. I've never called to get more medication from my pain clinic and I'm proud to say it too. I am not the kind of person that seeks a high, I just want relief from my pain. My pain level can reach a 10 sometimes, but it usually stays between a 4-6. I have a high pain level tolerance and grateful to that. Most of the time...I just deal with it and stay in my bed, where I can rest on a heating pad and watch tv. I don't get out much, but have learned of my limitations and what I can and can't do. I know that I'll never have a zero pain level, but I am grateful that the medications have given me some relief of my pain. It isn't fun dealing with pain, nor is it fun having to take medications all of the time, to relieve that pain. I JUST WISH THAT I NEVER HAD TO SEE ANOTHER PATCH OR PILL AGAIN!! But, unfortunately...I don't believe that will ever happen. I'm sure that I'll have to use some form of pain relief, for the rest of my life and hoping that by using the MM, it will take away some of the meds that I have been prescribed...like the Hydrocodone...and hopefully the Gabapentin.
About the MM, it's not that I want to smoke or get high, but that I'm fed up and tired of taking the same medications, which could possibly affect my liver. I don't want it to cause me to have another problem. With the MM, maybe I can be relieved of taking one or more of the strong meds and in hopes that it will work for me. I've taken these meds for years(almost 12 yrs) and believe that I've just become immune to it and don't want to go up on the Fentanyl Patch dosage. I'm on 50 mcg now and have since '07. It's just that the dosage I'm taking has just become not as helpful or as effective or maybe, my pain has intensified. To me, I believe that I've become immune to their effects. I just don't get much relief anymore from taking them, not like I was at the beginning. My pain level has been steadily increasing and that is what scares me!! I sure hope that the MM will give me some relief and believe that it will. At least, to where I can get off of the Hydrocodone 10/325mg that I take 4x's per day.
I do believe that Medical Marijuana does and can help people that deal with seizures and nerve damage issues. I've seen it happen and that it helps people! I am glad, at least that there are alternative solutions to taking Opiods out there. I must say that I am still a bit skeptical that using MM is going to relieve ALL of my PAIN. WHY? Well, I'm in severe pain and take very strong medication for it and it only gives me half the relief that I need. I just deal with the rest, but as I said above..I don't believe that I'll ever have a zero pain level and I'm pretty tough. I'm tougher than people give me credit for. I have for a long time now and truly believe that is because I have a positive attitude and strong faith. I'm just very tired of dealing with all of the medications. It gets very tiring to deal with and I have hopes that this will be my solution to my problem.
I JUST NEED YOU GUYS, TO CONVINCE ME OF IT....THAT IT WILL WORK!!
I have an appt on the 24th of this month(August)...so, I need a reply pretty soon on this...
As much as I want to get off of these strong medications that I've been prescribed to take for over a decade, I am just very skeptical that MM is going to totally relieve my pain...without me needing to take them. I hope and pray that it'll be able to take the place of everything. DO you believe by looking at all that I have wrong with me(listed below)..that I will?
I mean, I have a lot of bad issues going on in my back and I'm taking some pretty strong medications for it===the Fentanyl Patch and the Hydrocodone!! :o
I am really hoping that it is true and I will be able to get off of them.
I'm asking you guys out there, who have also taken the same strong meds as I am taking now, IF IT IS possible to do so. Do you believe that by using the MM...that it WILL or WILL NOT relieve MY pain? CAN I can get off of THESE MEDICATIONS and JUST TOTALLY RELY ON MM?
I really want to be OFF of it and be free once and for all! The Fentanyl Patch and the Hydrocodone, I've relied on to relieve my pain for many many years and it is just hard for me to leave it behind and believe that it will work. FOR GOOD REASON...I'M SCARED!!! But, IS THIS REALLY POSSIBLE?? Can by just smoking MM relieve most of my pain??
I NEED TO KNOW BECAUSE I AM AFRAID!!! I'M DEPENDENT ON THESE MEDICATIONS AND WILL HAVE TO ENDURE A TON OF PAIN, IF IT DOESN'T WORK!!!
To be honest, I really didn't want to go this route because of the stigmatism associated with it, but so much evidence has been provided and given to show that it DOES help those suffering with nerve damage and chronic pain. After all of the research I've done and all of the articles, videos and posts, I've read..I sure hope so. I've decided to give it a shot.
First, I want to hear from ALL OF YOU out there and see your viewpoint on it. Please answer my question honestly and tell me which direction, you would go in.
In my own opinion, we can serve to reduce stigmatism by speaking about these conditions more openly and be able to come to a civil conclusion. If something really can work..that is natural and help those of us suffering, it should be discussed. Either it works or it doesn't. From what I've discovered about it scientifically in research, it does.
I'm just afraid because it would be such a drastic change for me and all that I would take for my pain. Who wouldn't be afraid of this substantial change without gathering as much evidence as they can?
See....
I have extensive nerve damage that is so unbearable at times, I can't function and my arms/legs constantly pulsate and throb and SPASM. My legs are so badly damaged that I have had to use a mechanical bed and I use a setting called-- vibrate mode. I do this, to fool my brain into thinking it is the bed moving...and not my legs. :/ Yes, it is that bad and it has gotten to where it is affecting my speech even. I have a fine tremor in both of my hands too that I know is nerve damage from being hit by a nerve block. It was called a "wet tap" that I was hit with and it immediately made my hand/feet numb. I couldn't feel my feet or hands for years. Just last year or so, I started to feel the sheets on my bed again and it felt so good. I just got out of the tub, when I crawled into the bed and for once in many many years, I felt the cold sheets hit my legs. It really felt good, but it also done something else...it woke up the nerves that has caused it to spasm and tremor. Did you know, IT takes a nerve 1 year to grow 1mm. That is a long time, just for one millimeter!! :o
Just to show you how bad my pain is, once...I had to do without my Fentanly patch for only ONE DAY and this was in the last couple of years. The pain was uncontrollable and horrific!!! I was literally screaming in pain! It was horrible and right then, I realized just how much my medications were giving me relief. No one could even touch my back because it was in so much torture. Mom was trying to rub a pain cream on my back and couldn't even touch it. I just don't see how it is possible that by just smoking some marijuana is going to solve my pain problem. IS it really possible it would work??
Plus, I have many other chronic pain issues:
FIbromyalgia--(Dx'd in '08) It affects muscles/joints in the body. I have all 18 out of 18 tender pressure points. Just one Rheumatologist I saw, said that I had Myalgias and do believe that I could have some sort of Dystonia or possible Neuropathy too.
Lyme disease-(Dx'd in Nov '13) -It can mimic any disease and very deadly. I have known many of my friends that have it, to pass away. Right now, I'm in a regressive state, but it does flare.
Adrenal insufficiency--(Dx'd in May '12) First, I was dx'd with Addison's disease and treated for it, for 2 yrs. The Adrenal insufficiency affects my adrenals(endocrine system) and believe it or not, my cortisol level was 1 at one time. I have to stay on top of this and I still take medication daily for it.
Hyrdothyroidism--(Dx'd '12) My Thyroid gland is affected and I have nodules on it.
Hidradenitis suppurativa--(Dx'd '15) This condition features pea- to marble-sized lumps under the skin that can be painful and tend to enlarge and even drain pus. It has been so bad to where I couldn't even move either arm...the knots were so large. I've had it under both arms for the past 4-5 yrs and they have never gone away. They were in both breast at one time. The ones in my breasts have dissipated at this time, but the ones under my armpits stay.
Hormonal imbalance--(Dx'd '09) Hormonal balance is vital to a healthy, cancer-free mind and body, but can be disrupted in many ways. Hormone fluctuations occur naturally, such as in puberty, menopause and perimenopause. Hormone imbalance may also be caused by toxins or an unbalanced lifestyle.( I do my best to eat healthy, drink plenty of water and do some yoga, if possible)
Above are the diseases/issues that I've been dx'd with and below are the musculoskeletal issues:
My back has extensive damage and a NS(Neurosurgeon) dx'd me with having every layer affected. Luckily, he stated that I didn't require surgery at this time, but there are issues that might eventually need to be operated on.
I have...
DDD(Disk Degenerative Disease)
Spinal Stenosis in my Cervical Spine
Spondylosis
I also have....
T3-T4 compressed fractures
T8-T11 herniations
T8-T9 ruptured protrusion
..and something called an L4-L5 anal tear(spelling?)--(neurological symptoms are sciatica).
I have also been dx'd with Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a rare but serious condition that describes extreme pressure and swelling of the nerves at the end of the spinal cord. And..I was hit by a nerve block, a "wet tap" that caused me to have nerve damage. The docs also have it documented that I have a Venous Angioma, in my left cerebellar hemisphere and a Chiari Malformation. I'm sure that last entry was due to an accident back in '95, when my head hit the roof of the car.
As you can see that I deal with a lot, but can tolerate pain quite well and only because I've been dealing with it so long and have been on strong medication to try help control it. But, I still have pain and the medication I've been taking doesn't cover all of it. The strong medications for it has only given me partial pain relief and why you can see why I'm scared to be off of it and only smoke MM. I just don't want that severe pain---ever again!!!
I just don't see how by using the medical marijuana is going to treat all that I have wrong with me and relieve my pain, but willing to hear what you guys have to say. I am willing to try it because I'm willing to do anything, to be free of these medications and out of my life. I'd never have to take anything but that!! That would be a relief!!!
I told them at that Progressive clinic about the severity of my issues and of the pain level that I've experienced...and that the meds only partially relieve it. They said that I would be off of the meds and only smoke for relief. IS THAT REALLY POSSIBLE??
I am just afraid of getting off of my Fentanyl patch and have to endure that strong level of pain again. They assured me that I would be able to do it, but it sounds to good to be true and you know what they say about that. They sounded quit confident, BUT I'm VERY SKEPTICAL and maybe that is because I have never only used THAT(MM) to treat it before!! o.O
Give me your answers because I REALLY NEED TO KNOW IF IT IS GOING TO COVER IT!! Thank you in advance...God Bless. <3 ^_^
Please tell me....Has anyone out there been able to stop taking their strong medications...like the Fentanyl Patch and Hydrocodone...and only smoke Medical Marijuana and it control their pain?
