Medical Marijuana for Fibromyalgia in Boston
January 22, 2015 5:03 PM Subscribe
I have decided to transition off of my pharma meds for Fibromyalgia. I did a quick review of articles and it appears folks are experiencing reductions in symptoms when taking medical Marijuana for Fibromyalgia. I am wondering if anyone knows more about this, or has any experience. I don't know how this works at all and thinking of asking my Dr but not sure how she will respond. any advice is helpful
I have a friend with fibromyalga who tried medical marajua. It made her feel significantly worse. Her meds allow her to work and do light work outs most days. The pot through her system all out of whack.
posted by Kalmya at 7:04 PM on January 22, 2015
posted by Kalmya at 7:04 PM on January 22, 2015
Since I can't take pain meds for my fibromyalgia (for... reasons), I thought I'd try medical marijuana and... it helps a little. It's not a huge relief, but it's nice to not be in as much pain as I usually am. I plan on experimenting more with different strands later.
posted by patheral at 8:34 PM on January 22, 2015
posted by patheral at 8:34 PM on January 22, 2015
I am a lawyer in Massachusetts and have an inflammatory bowel disease. (I am not your lawyer.) As a practical matter, obtaining cannabis in a manner sanctioned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is virtually impossible right now.
First: Two years after the ballot initiative and there are still no dispensaries open. Options are 1) go to the black market, 2) grow your own, 3) find someone else to grow cannabis for you who is not already growing for another patient. Dispensaries may be opening this spring. Hopefully.
Second: You need to find a physician who will provide a "recommendation." The physician needs to participate in DPH's "MMJ Online System." In order to do that, a physician first must complete 2 continuing education credits on medical cannabis. You must have an ongoing treatment relationship with this physician. After getting the recommendation:
Third: You need to register through DPH's "MMJ Online System." There are, of course, registration fees.
posted by mattbcoset at 11:54 PM on January 22, 2015 [3 favorites]
First: Two years after the ballot initiative and there are still no dispensaries open. Options are 1) go to the black market, 2) grow your own, 3) find someone else to grow cannabis for you who is not already growing for another patient. Dispensaries may be opening this spring. Hopefully.
Second: You need to find a physician who will provide a "recommendation." The physician needs to participate in DPH's "MMJ Online System." In order to do that, a physician first must complete 2 continuing education credits on medical cannabis. You must have an ongoing treatment relationship with this physician. After getting the recommendation:
Third: You need to register through DPH's "MMJ Online System." There are, of course, registration fees.
posted by mattbcoset at 11:54 PM on January 22, 2015 [3 favorites]
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About fifteen years ago I spoke with my MS doctor about this briefly. He's a leading researcher in the disease. He asked if it helped, and I said it did, and he said, "fine, then do it." He was very casual about it.
Fast forward to the present day. Massachusetts voted overwhelmingly passed a ballot initiative 2.5 years ago legalizing medical marijuana. The state has worked very slowly and incompetently to implement the will of the voters. There are still no marijuana dispensaries in Massachusetts to allow the legal purchase of the drug.
In the mean time, I have spoken to my current MS care provider about using medical marijuana a couple of times. I see them once a year, in December. I wanted to get a sense of whether they would write me a prescription (it's not really a prescription, I forget the term) when the RMDs finally open. Both times they were very uncomfortable with the subject. This may change when the RMDs finally open and people get used to them, but currently many doctors (my doctors at least) are very nervous about prescribing pot. They are afraid of losing their licenses, of losing the ability to practice medicine and describe drugs. The federal government has a lot of power of them, and this is uncharted territory. Plus, pot hasn't been systematically tested the way that they are used to. So it's very awkward. It appears that a lot of the pot prescribing may come from a handful of doctors who basically make that their business. That's unfortunate as it reinforces the delegitimacy of the drug.
I can't speak to fibromyalgia specifically, but that's the general lay of the land with medical pot in Mass. You'll currently have to get it some other way than through an RMD, and when the RMDs open you'll need to find doc willing to write you a scrip for it.
posted by alms at 6:26 PM on January 22, 2015 [1 favorite]