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Given Choice, Patients Will Choose Cannabis Over Prescribed Opioids

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Re: Given Choice, Patients Will Choose Cannabis Over Prescribed Opioids

#11

Post by amalag »

Retric wrote: post #7
M_Grey wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It may not be as simple as all or nothing you know. It could be adjunct therapy for people who would normally reach for another pill. Truthfully though, I also wonder which pain cannabis is most effective for, compared to opiates. The truth seems to be that opiates are broadly ineffective at the relief of severe pain in many people too, but they're also toxic. It may be that this is better if only because of the lack…

Opioids reduce, but don't block extreme pain so much as make you not care about it. They work really well for short term, less extreme pain, but they become less effective over time and they side effects are nasty. So my guess is people with long term pain are probably better off with canibis long term even if Opiods work really well for post operation pain for example.

Would be great if opiods never left the hospital.

Re: Given Choice, Patients Will Choose Cannabis Over Prescribed Opioids

#12

Post by FullMtlAlcoholc »

meowface wrote: post #2

In many cases, though, cannabis and CBD oil aren't nearly as effective as opioids for relief from severe pain, right? How often is this a viable alternative for patients? This study only looked at 250 people who already have medical cannabis prescriptions for pain, so this shouldn't be extrapolated too heavily.

> , cannabis and CBD oil aren't nearly as effective as opioids for relief from severe pain, right?

Taking opioids for pain relief is a dangerous route as doctors are now more likely to cut your Rx off if they suspect abuse. IF you are addicted and/or still have significant pain, you may have to resort to street drugs with unknown potency and purity.

I'd rather go with the medication that won't lead down a life-threatening path. If the treatment is worse then the symptoms, it's not really worth it.

Re: Given Choice, Patients Will Choose Cannabis Over Prescribed Opioids

#13

Post by Grexar »

The original article and this post have a very poor headline. The study covered pain relievers, anti-depressants, and sedatives. The people were not just suffering from pain. Some had mental health issues. Some has gastrointestinal issues. I suspect the reason why cannabis was so popular is because it helps with a lot of conditions instead of just one.

Also, cannabis has a much milder effect than prescription drugs and fewer negative side effects. It's not much of a stretch to imagine someone using it in place of a prescription drug when their symptoms are not as strong.

A "friend of mine" who suffers in excruciating pain for days from the occasional kidney stone smokes weed and takes ibuprofen rather than go through bottles of prescription pain killers. They have tremendously negative side effects if taken over a long period of time that he would rather not experience on top of the pain. After seeing his sister get addicted to them after having surgery, he doesn't want to risk them destroying his life.

Re: Given Choice, Patients Will Choose Cannabis Over Prescribed Opioids

#14

Post by sergers »

My mom has benefited from cannabis to help treat chrohns. While nothing has cured, it's been the most effective with no known side effects. Plus it's cheaper than the meds she has been buying for years (spending out of pocket upwards $10k a year with $500 a pill just for flare ups even with medicare in Canada).

She has been in hell for 30 years. They wanted to remove her small intestine ~20 years ago and she didn't want to make that sacrifice and lived with the pain.

Nothing honestly helped long term till I convinced her to try cannabis 3 years ago that so far has been more effective.

She is now on low daily dose with no flare-ups in atleast a year.

From personal experience as a 15 year recreational user and 10 years actual therapy/medicinal use:For chronic pain and intestinal issues it works wonders, but it's not any immediate relief with severe pain.

That may change with higher concentrations and improvements in delivery methods.

Re: Given Choice, Patients Will Choose Cannabis Over Prescribed Opioids

#15

Post by adanto6840 »

amalag wrote: post #11
Retric wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Opioids reduce, but don't block extreme pain so much as make you not care about it. They work really well for short term, less extreme pain, but they become less effective over time and they side effects are nasty. So my guess is people with long term pain are probably better off with canibis long term even if Opiods work really well for post operation pain for example.

Would be great if opiods never left the hospital.

There would probably be a lot of people that legitimately would never be able to leave the hospital -- there really are people out there with legitimate chronic pain.

I say this after having had a C6-C7 spine fusion surgery -- prior to that, the pain was incredible. And two or three years ago I couldn't have even imagined what that kind of pain felt like, until I was actually suffering it. Luckily surgery was incredibly effective, and I hated having to take pain pills (made it difficult to work), but the pre-op alternative (living with constant pain) wasn't very great.

I certainly didn't want to sit in a hospital just to be able to move around a bit -- and I couldn't have immediate surgery, though I did have surgery as soon as I was allowed to (primarily due to insurance).

I'm sure there are people out there with far worse pain, and in many cases likely untreatable causes. Putting all of those people in the hospital certainly isn't going to help with insurance prices, nor is it a particularly humane way to treat people in the general sense.

Re: Given Choice, Patients Will Choose Cannabis Over Prescribed Opioids

#16

Post by poohbs »

WalterSear wrote: post #10
meowface wrote: post #2

In many cases, though, cannabis and CBD oil aren't nearly as effective as opioids for relief from severe pain, right? How often is this a viable alternative for patients? This study only looked at 250 people who already have medical cannabis prescriptions for pain, so this shouldn't be extrapolated too heavily.

I was diagnosed with chronic pain syndrome, and when given the opportunity, had my doctor switch my prescription from opioids to cannabis. I don't think that one can appreciate how effective it is for chronic pain, until you've had to use it for that.

similarly, those who have only had opioids for acute pain (injuries, post-op, and such) have a hard time appreciating just how much baggage comes with these drugs when they are taken indefinitely.

Re: Given Choice, Patients Will Choose Cannabis Over Prescribed Opioids

#17

Post by WalterSear »

poohbs wrote: post #16
WalterSear wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was diagnosed with chronic pain syndrome, and when given the opportunity, had my doctor switch my prescription from opioids to cannabis. I don't think that one can appreciate how effective it is for chronic pain, until you've had to use it for that.

similarly, those who have only had opioids for acute pain (injuries, post-op, and such) have a hard time appreciating just how much baggage comes with these drugs when they are taken indefinitely.

Yes, the side effects of the opioids were as much of a reason for me to want to switch, if not more so.

Re: Given Choice, Patients Will Choose Cannabis Over Prescribed Opioids

#18

Post by ehnto »

taneq wrote: post #5
meowface wrote: post #2

In many cases, though, cannabis and CBD oil aren't nearly as effective as opioids for relief from severe pain, right? How often is this a viable alternative for patients? This study only looked at 250 people who already have medical cannabis prescriptions for pain, so this shouldn't be extrapolated too heavily.

If even 250 people are taking cannabis (not physically addictive, limited health impact, no tolerance buildup) over opiates (highly addictive, rapid tolerance buildup, very risky) then that's a good thing, right?

The lack of side effects should be a key part of the decision. Effectiveness of pain relief is in my perhaps inempathetic opinion less important.

People can handle some pain, and that is fine. 100% pain relief through opiates vs 50% pain relief through less detrimental means is probably worth it.

Re: Given Choice, Patients Will Choose Cannabis Over Prescribed Opioids

#19

Post by nitemice »

sergers wrote: post #14

My mom has benefited from cannabis to help treat chrohns. While nothing has cured, it's been the most effective with no known side effects. Plus it's cheaper than the meds she has been buying for years (spending out of pocket upwards $10k a year with $500 a pill just for flare ups even with medicare in Canada). She has been in hell for 30 years. They wanted to remove her small intestine ~20 years ago and she didn't w…

According to work done by the Johns Hopkins group, smoking or vaporising can provide pretty quick relief, whereas ingestion is good for chronic pain.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/02/what-do-we-know-abou...

Re: Given Choice, Patients Will Choose Cannabis Over Prescribed Opioids

#20

Post by thescriptkiddie »

meowface wrote: post #2

In many cases, though, cannabis and CBD oil aren't nearly as effective as opioids for relief from severe pain, right? How often is this a viable alternative for patients? This study only looked at 250 people who already have medical cannabis prescriptions for pain, so this shouldn't be extrapolated too heavily.

Opioids are dramatically more effective than cannabis at relieving acute pain. Arguably, so are ibuprofen and acetaminophen. What cannabis is useful for is chronic pain, especially pain of inflammation. The use of opiods to treat chronic pain is problematic for many reasons, addiction being a big one, but there are also significant side effects. Cannabis is much safer to use long term.
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