canabis for treatment?

[holmes1981]

For the last 7 years i have had several test done to diagnose the severe chronic pain in my shoulder and the surrounding nech and back area, with all test coming back fine the diagnosis was simply Chronis pain disorder. Without a diagnosis i have been treated for several things that it could be with no success. I have FMS but this is not the cause of the severe ongoing pain in the shoulder area. I have tried all non medication ways for pain management with no improvement. I have tried multiple medications as well. The strongest pain medication i have tried so far is darveset which does not help at all.My new, 5th doctor wants to try steroid injections. IF this does not help then she will most likely put me on a stronger opiod medication.I have ALOT of concerns. They have a risk of dependancy, cause damage to the body and the side effects that i have heard about sound like they will further negatively affect my quality of life. Then someone mentioned medicinal marijuana. I know this is a very Taboo treatment, but I'm sure there are some that are regularly used today that used to be taboo when they first started too. I am unable to do a lot of research on this with the web as i only have computer access while at work and anything with the word marijuana in it is blocked from viewing. I know many people look down on this treatment, but mostly those that dont have to deal with chronic pain all day every day without so much as a diagnosis to why. I also have ADD and am taking aderal for its control, which has worked great. From what i have heard ADD is also a qualified condition to be treated with canibus. If it could control my pain,insomnia and treat my ADD so that i can discontinue the aderal and triazolam and not be forced to use opiods like morphine and oxicoton should i be more open minded? Now that i have to focus more on the pain control without a true diagnosis being made and i am unfamiliar with the stonger pain medications i dont know where to turn. As stated before, i've done everything recommended by all the doctors ive seen for non perscription ways to improve the pain and it has not worked so now i have no choice but to start taking the stronger medicaions. Any advise?

[SageRave]

Opiates and marijuana need lot leave you so stoned that you can't function, if the dosage is adjusted. Most medical marijuana patients only use it in their homes. However, if you are in a state that has not allowed medical marijuana for a few years, you risk jail, housing discrimination, and your doctor may terminate your pain treatment.

You need to get copies of all of your medical records, especially those describing what has been seen on xrays and MRI's.If problems or abnormalities are seen on your imaging, a diagnosis isn't truly necessary as the evidence it already there.

Just a head up...I got my medical records and there is actually a description of the problems with my neck that my primary never told me about. You may find useful information in your medical records, as well.

[holmes1981]

I have tried Pt 16 weeks; 12 sessions of accupuncture,25 sessions with my areas top chiropractor. water arobics, massage therapy and tai chi mind over matter techniques. I have noticed that what i learned from the instructer does keep it from getting worse,if i dont do certain strethces thru out the day the pain gets unbearable. My family are semi-traditional anishnebek(american indian) And always treat things first with natural herbs such as bear root for headachs, mint for upset stomach and other natural herbs that i cant remember the name of(i'm not as "traditional" as they are and have not learned much about the herb remedies they use). In the past with other things like accessive anxiety or stress it's always worked and the herb tea packs that my grandmother makes for me does help with the FMS pain,but not the shoulder.  My hopes are high for the steroid injections tomorrow but I have to think ahead of something else that might work if they dont. I have not tried a osteopath, i will look on the web for what that is. I asked my last doctor about having my brain looked at once he hinted it was "in my head"after the anit depresents, anti convulsants and anti-inflamatories didnt work. I dont think he took me seriosly as i told him that the only way this pain was in my head is if it  was going to be literaly. He said it was not neccessary and would not recommend that my insurance authorize it. Should this be something that i should bring up to my new doctor? Are there things that could cause the pain that could be seen in a brain scan if it has not showed up on contrast MRIs or lumbar x-rays? I dont want to sound like an idiot bringing it up to her if it is actually pointless.

[M4Y0U]

Opiates and cannabis are two last resort treatment options. I would go with anything your doctor is willing to do to help you before going with opiates and/or cannabis. Smoked cannabis is extremely bad for your lungs while THC tablets increases your risk of mental illnesses (just like smoked cannabis). Opiates like Paxiled mentioned are addictive and the tolerance builds up quickly but if you want to go with opiates I would use morphine patches. Cannabis might not help at all. (I once been a pothead so I would be supposed to tell you go for it if I were biased but I'm just telling you the truth).

M4

[Paxiled]

Normally, I'd say whatever works.  The problem with mj and opiates is they leave you stoned, and being stoned on mj makes it difficult to work at most jobs.  With opiates, you have to keep taking more to keep working because they're addictive but the high is less than the high with mj; with mj the longer you use it usually the less you need and you can quit any time, but the high gets stronger, too.  And when you said you exhausted all treatments, I mean, all of them?  Acupuncture, physical therapy, massage, seeing a naturopath, osteopath, a non-bone-cracking chiropractor?  There are also a lot of anti-inflammatory natural remedies that can be combined in nearly endless combinations.  Just to say, whatever works is still my philosophy, but make sure you explore all of what this will mean and all of what's out there.  Good luck.