How to discuss MM options with your medical team??

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Grumbly-Guts

Grumbly-Guts

Joined
Dec 31, 2010
Messages
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Does anyone have any advice on how to approach this topic with your medical team?
I live in Canada where (as far as I have read) MM is medically accepted (on paper) as a tx for symptoms of CD.
I have in the past carefully brought up the conversation and it seems the only docs I have that are all about it is docs who I see while admitted in the hospital, not my reg. docs, so unfortunately they cannot rx this to me.
I am seeing a new GI Feb 8 and would like to go in to see him with some suggestions (as my entire medical team including the ER yesterday is at a complete loss, that's why I am being sent to a new GI for some fresh ideas). I want to discuss, LDN, stem cell transplant, and MM. I am ok with the info I have for stem cell and LDN BUT I have no idea how to approach the MM due to the stigma attached I am afraid my first appt. will "judge" me on what I bring up to dicuss.
So, any ideas on how this topic should be approached with your medical team, or if you are rx'ed MM how did you go about getting it?

Thank you for ANY advice in advance!

GG
 
First of all if you are currently using marijuana, when he asks what medications you are taking put marijuana in your list along with whatever else you are taking. be up front about your use. Whenever any one asks me, from the admitting ER nurse right down to the dietitian, I am very up front with it.
I don't have the gov't exemption, although I will talk to my new GI about getting it.I had planned on discussing it with my previous GI, but as it turns out my appointment last week was my last one with him as he's switched his focus.
I currently get mine from a compassion center, because of the IBD all I needed for access was a statement of diagnosis. I'm not sure if there are any in Newfoundland, but a lot of the compassion centers do mail order.
 
no there is not a compassion center but would love to know how to get it sent here. How to I get in contact with them in TO, and are there special forms that need to be filled out? Also, will gov't insurance cover it or do I pay myself and if so is there a tax break in there somewhere?
I am also very upfront with my medical team, for the most part they all know and it is in my charts as well. I am not ashamed nor scared to tell any of them (even after I had a nurse call child services and complain, which I might add they felt compassion for me and say as long as I have another adult supervising my children they cannot determine when or where I may have smoked it), which I think is bull, but whatever.
Thank you Von for the info and any further info you can offer me.

GG
 
When I get home I'll PM you a website. Neither the Gov't nor insurance will pay for it, even with the MMAR it will not be covered. It is out of pocket, but the cost is cheaper than buying from the street. On my first visit they mentioned having patients in Halifax who had never been there, the conducted the interview and orientation over the phone.
 
Whenever I see a new doc, and it doesn't matter what kind of doc, I mention that I use cannabis.
GG- I agree that it seems that the docs that I see when I'm in hospital are the ones who are more gung-ho on the whole MM thing. Also, in my experience, nurses are the most accepting of cannabis use.

Since I am in a horrid southern state (backwards when it comes to sensible laws), I can give you no further info. Sorry:( But it looks like vonfunk hooked you up, so cool!
 
Nytefyre, I think most docs are fine with it as long as they are not responsible for it. All too afriad to take a stand for what is best for their patients (so much for that hypocratic oath hey?! lol). And yes Von has really helped me out, this site and the people on here are so much help. I am so happy I found it when I did

GG
 
My daughter is using this to help her relax and being able to eat more; which she needs. We were up front and honest with her doctors. Although it certainly isn't legal in our state. It was a little hard for me to say; I can live with this; her basically smoking weed. But then her specialist said that her doing this will have less side affects then any pain med's he could give her. And since she has had her share of side affects from Pentasa and 6MP; I am okay with this. I so wish I could get her more of the medicinal type; however I don't think I have a way to do this were we live. They are very very careful of where they get it; and so I am happy for that.
 
M2M said:
My daughter is using this to help her relax and being able to eat more; which she needs. We were up front and honest with her doctors. Although it certainly isn't legal in our state. It was a little hard for me to say; I can live with this; her basically smoking weed. But then her specialist said that her doing this will have less side affects then any pain med's he could give her. And since she has had her share of side affects from Pentasa and 6MP; I am okay with this. I so wish I could get her more of the medicinal type; however I don't think I have a way to do this were we live. They are very very careful of where they get it; and so I am happy for that.
Click to expand...

What state are you in? Are you close to California?
 
M2M said:
My daughter is using this to help her relax and being able to eat more; which she needs. We were up front and honest with her doctors. Although it certainly isn't legal in our state. It was a little hard for me to say; I can live with this; her basically smoking weed. But then her specialist said that her doing this will have less side affects then any pain med's he could give her. And since she has had her share of side affects from Pentasa and 6MP; I am okay with this. I so wish I could get her more of the medicinal type; however I don't think I have a way to do this were we live. They are very very careful of where they get it; and so I am happy for that.
Click to expand...

I don't know where you live, but if you want the least amount of possible side effects you should either use it orally or use a vaporizer instead of letting her smoke it. In Europe there's a few medical brands that use vaporizors, bayer and a few others. It's 1:1 THC CBD, but they're working on a new very low THC / high CBD one. Up until that point, all the medical marihuana had gotten nothing but flack from doctors here, but once Bayer got involved many have changed their mind, since they are a really renowned chemical company.
 
kiny said:
I don't know where you live, but if you want the least amount of possible side effects you should either use it orally or use a vaporizer instead of letting her smoke it. In Europe there's a few medical brands that use vaporizors, bayer and a few others. It's 1:1 THC CBD, but they're working on a new very low THC / high CBD one. Up until that point, all the medical marihuana had gotten nothing but flack from doctors here, but once Bayer got involved many have changed their mind, since they are a really renowned chemical company.
Click to expand...
Fascinating! Would you care to share some info/sources for that? I would love to see what Bayer is doing (off to google...) :)
 
I have never smoked marijuana before or digested it. I was diagnosed in 2006 after several failed attempts to get my Crohns into remission including 2 surgeries, this past year I asked my GI about MM and he said to me "I don't know enough about it." I said to him well "you are the doctor do some research!!" MM is Legal in Maine and has been since last year.
 
Going to a new GI doc today and I will be discussing my oral cannabis use....I'm kinda nervous because I've never had to discuss it with a doctor before. I don't smoke it and rarely vaporize, it's 95% oral for me so maybe he'll be more inclined to listen. I'll be bringing in at least 50 pages of scientific studies that show CBD and THC and their positive effect on IBD. Will report back later.

edit: my new GI doc was really cool about my cannabis use :thumleft: he was skeptical about it keeping me in remission, but then I pulled out patent 6630507 (US department of health patent on cannabinoids to treat multiple conditions, including crohns and colitis).

He was still skeptical, but he was respectful and told me to continue using my tinctures if I thought it was necessary. I think he was just naive on the subject, although he did say a lot of his crohns/colitis patients use cannabis along with his traditional western medications. He also admitted that it was the best anti nausea/appetite stimulant on earth.
 
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FullM3lt: I'm impressed with your 50 pages of info you brought to your doctor! I know the info is all out there, but it seems as though you might have bookmarked all of the various corners of the internet where it resides.

I own a print shop and work with PDFs everyday. If you'd be so kind to PM me links, I'd happily grab all of the web pages, convert them to a nice PDF, and then post a link for anyone to download and print to use when they approach their own doctor. It could be a terrific resource. Please PM me if you're interested.
 
daniel74z said:
FullM3lt: I'm impressed with your 50 pages of info you brought to your doctor! I know the info is all out there, but it seems as though you might have bookmarked all of the various corners of the internet where it resides.

I own a print shop and work with PDFs everyday. If you'd be so kind to PM me links, I'd happily grab all of the web pages, convert them to a nice PDF, and then post a link for anyone to download and print to use when they approach their own doctor. It could be a terrific resource. Please PM me if you're interested.
Click to expand...

Here are two of the US patents on cannabinoids. 6630507 is the patent that the US Department of Health owns...6410588 is a patent that The Mathilda and Terence Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology and Yissum Research and Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem own....both provide specific info on the use of cannabinoids as anti inflammatory agents that can heal all sorts of auto-immune and inflammatory related diseases. Unfortunately, CBD is hard to isolate.

Patent 6630507

Patent 6410588

Those are the two main ones (probably 30-40 pages of info right there)

Here are a few more links from the National Library of Medicine. I have dozens...but I only have time to dig up a few.

Cannabinoids as novel anti-inflammatory drugs

Interaction between cannabinoid CB1 receptors and endogenous ATP in the control of spontaneous mechanical activity in mouse ileum

Gastrointestinal endocannabinoid system: multifaceted roles in the healthy and inflamed intestine.

The role of the endocannabinoid system in the pathophysiology and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.

Cannabinoid CB2 receptors in the gastrointestinal tract: a regulatory system in states of inflammation

Endocannabinoid overactivity and intestinal inflammation


I got links on deck....hope that helps a bit. It's crazy how much scientific evidence we have for cannabinoids and their role in gastrointestinal health, but most people have absolutely no idea.

What's even CRAZIER is that the US Department of Health has a patent on cannabinoids but cannabis is still a schedule 1 drug with no accepted medical value. They just haven't found a way to properly isolate CBD...

:thumleft:
 
That is excellent - thank you! I've thrown together an extremely preliminary version so you can see what I was talking about. I'm not new to Crohn's but my interest in MM in relation to Crohn's is a recent development. So, maybe a document exists like this somewhere, but I haven't seen it. filetea.me/t1s91013
 
daniel74z said:
That is excellent - thank you! I've thrown together an extremely preliminary version so you can see what I was talking about. I'm not new to Crohn's but my interest in MM in relation to Crohn's is a recent development. So, maybe a document exists like this somewhere, but I haven't seen it. filetea.me/t1s91013
Click to expand...

I actually got most of these links from this PDF. It has cannabis related information for almost every disease known to man....just click on the picture of the plant to download the pdf. It's an extensive list

Granny Storm Crow Cannabis Research List
 
Does anyone have any experience with this in New Jersey? I know we've only recently legalized it for medical purposes, and then only barely.

I've taken it upon myself to try it out first-hand already, and aside from how it generally is a nice experience, I've found it makes me feel better inside. I'd really like to do this legally, though. None of my doctors are MM prescribers, although I know there are two in my county.

I know because of confidentiality, there's no real risk in bringing it up to my doctors, but I worry about the stigma associated with marijuana. I also wonder if going to a MM doctor and saying, "I'm coming to you because I want MM" is somehow considered a red flag (kindof like how in some places you can't buy a water pipe/bong/hookah if you call it by the wrong name in a store).
 
If you have an official diagnosis of IBD, just get copies of your medical records from your GI so you can prove you aren't some random person wanting a MM card.
 
ctrl z said:
If you have an official diagnosis of IBD, just get copies of your medical records from your GI so you can prove you aren't some random person wanting a MM card.
Click to expand...

Exactly, do this. I just brought all my medical records to a licensed Naturopath and she had no problem giving me a recommendation for a small fee. It's not a red flag if you have a legitimate illness. :thumright: I don't know the qualifying conditions for NJ, but in my state IBD is 1 of 6 conditions you can qualify with.

edit: New Jersey MMJ "Debilitating Conditions"


Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Terminal cancer
Muscular dystrophy
Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease
Terminal illness, if the physician has determined a prognosis of less than 12 months of life.

You definitely qualify.
 

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