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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

#171

Post by M_Grey »

nol13 wrote: post #156
awestroke wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LSD cannot be patented, so Big Pharma cannot make money on it - they'd have to compete on price, which would lead to really slim margins. If LSD is kept illegal, they can sell patented "alternatives" at huge margins.

As much as I believe that psychedelic experiences should be available to those who seek them, and pro rec mj, LSD can't be legalized. Enough dumbasses out there will drink a vial and then try to drive their car to the moon. Penalties should be much less extreme though. Maybe designated psychedelic theme parks where it's legal and quality controlled with no access to motor vehicles? (with music too?)

How is that different from drinking a fifth of vodka and doing the same? The difference is that in the years of people drinking, and the years of people dropping LSD, we have good stats on which is deadlier.

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

#172

Post by dandersh »

AlwaysRock wrote: post #162

I've got serious neck and shoulder pain from wrestling in high school and college. Currently don't have the time to get proper treatment. Doctors have tried to prescribe opioids and even tranquilizers for the pain to help me sleep but I'm terrified, with good cause, of becoming addicted. I took a run of percocet in high school for my wisdom teeth and enjoyed them too much to ever have that be a regular part of my lif…

Someone mentioned physical therapy, which is a good idea. Another one might be going to a chiropractor (if it is an alignment issue).

Given your aversion to taking opioids I would suggest trying to determine the exact nature of the pain (muscular, alignment, etc.) and attempt a suitable non-medicinal treatment (PT, chiropractor, yoga, etc.)

As someone who occasionally gets mild and (easily treatable) shoulder/neck pain I hope you get better, it's not something that is easy to deal with.

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

#173

Post by mireofthedeep »

throw20170301 wrote: post #133
X-Istence wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pain from gout is excruciating. It is incredibly painful, and you can't put pressure on it, you can't even cover it with a light sheet, you can't sleep... and it goes on for days, sometimes weeks. My longest attack was 2 months long. Standard opioids didn't touch. Should have tried MJ instead.

for you or others reading -- you need to find a rheumatologist. go to urgent care if you need to, and get a recommendation. there is absolutely no reason for you to suffer for weeks on end. it's fucking awful. stop doing this to yourself. it's 2017, these problems were solved decades ago. an acute attack can be stopped with prednisone (a steroid) and toridol (a super strong nsaid) these injections are like $20 each w…

Havent heard of those here in the Nordics (edit: cortisol being destructive it is not a good long term solution, hence avoided). Naproxen worked for me, but took days.

It took me two years to realize what is the source of gout. D/RNA molecules. They are 50% purines which humans dont metabolize, just excrete (other animals can metab them). None of the "what to eat with gout guides" stated this clearly, which stymies me. Anyhow, now i know to avoid eating DNA rich stuff - go milk!

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

#174

Post by Symmetry »

PastaMonster wrote: post #56
doctorcroc wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You also incidentally hit upon the reason why it's been marginalized by industry for so long -- it represents a huge dent in profits. Whenever something seems awry, a good question to ask is, cui bono (who benefits)?

and who loses? Drug industry can't patent it and own it and restrict it to cause demand and price increase. Alcohol and tobacco industry will lose customers. The governments, politicians and industries will loose face for example over the fact they have told lies for decades for profits.

If they can find a way to patent fish oil they'll find a way to patent weed, provided it becomes legal for them to do so.

https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/06/15/fish-now-by-prescripti...

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

#175

Post by alextheparrot »

Joakal wrote: post #93
jessep wrote: post #28

I get kidney stones pretty often (6 times in the last 8 years). I vomit from the pain, convulse on the floor, lose all sense of self as I just struggle to survive the sensation. It is intense. Usually I have to go to the emergency room for IV opioids. Then they give you some to take home after you pass the peak of the pain. Last time it happened to me, I went home at around 6pm after going into the hospital that morn…

Have you tried riding rollercoasters with kidney stones? Apparently some people did a study and found that it can be effective at passing kidney stones. Was in news last year https://www.ems1.com/medical-clinical/articles/129734048-Stu... They also said it's good as preventative measure (dislodging before they get too big).

I wonder if certain professions have a lower incidence of kidney stones, which can be linked to exposure to G forces or vibrational forces applied (Pilot, truck driver, etc.). That'd be an interesting occupational health study (When controlling for all other occupational factors).

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

#176

Post by discombobulate »

deelowe wrote: post #6
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.

Treating chronic pain has less to do with pain relief and more to do with mental health. Sometimes people just want to forget or feel different for a while. Also, opiates suck!

I've had a ton of pain for a few months (chronic?). It didn't affect my mental state, as far as I know. It did however hurt.

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

#177

Post by lavamantis »

jessep wrote: post #28

I get kidney stones pretty often (6 times in the last 8 years). I vomit from the pain, convulse on the floor, lose all sense of self as I just struggle to survive the sensation. It is intense. Usually I have to go to the emergency room for IV opioids. Then they give you some to take home after you pass the peak of the pain. Last time it happened to me, I went home at around 6pm after going into the hospital that morn…

> flabbergasted

Not really surprising at all.

http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2016/09/opioid-lobbying-ph...

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

#178

Post by magic_beans »

mistermann wrote: post #158
magic_beans wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know someone who gets them about once a year. It can be genetic, and has a higher incidence in men.

I just learned (or read, at least) the other day that spinach can cause them, I imagine other foods as well.

Intriguing. Spinach and other dark leafy greens are also goitrogenic (can contribute to goiters). I wonder if there is a correlation.

Do note: eating massive amounts of spinach is unlikely to cause a goiter or kidney stones if you are not already susceptible to them.

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

#179

Post by Symmetry »

awestroke wrote: post #129
Broken_Hippo wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see people say this, and I disagree. And just for clarity, I'm definitely pro-drug legalisation - even of drugs I never want to be in the same room with. I think drug companies are precisely the sort of place to produce medical-grade LSD (and other therapudic "recreational" drugs) that has predictable dosages. Same goes for cannabinoids in pill form - especially the sorts meant for folks that would rather skip the…

LSD cannot be patented, so Big Pharma cannot make money on it - they'd have to compete on price, which would lead to really slim margins. If LSD is kept illegal, they can sell patented "alternatives" at huge margins.

You're right that they can't use LSD straight. But they can develop a nearly identical molecule with identical effects, shepherd that molecule through the FDA approval process, and then have a profitable monopoly. Which on one level sucks but on another level means that if we really can benefit from LSD as a drug then we should expect Big Pharma to let us get it through our doctors once the regulatory/legal barriers to using it go away.

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

#180

Post by dekhn »

johnward wrote: post #154
dekhn wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The negative health effects of smoking cannabis are relatively low. See the recent NSF report; there is definitely a problem with chronic respiratory issues for extremely heavy smokers, but no risk for cancer except for a type of prostate cancer which is easily treated.

My assumption that burning and inhaling anything would be dangerous has been proven wrong a few times on HN. Users have posted studies that show no real negative effects of smoking cannabis.

Yep! It does seem surprising to a first order, given our previous experience with tobacco. But it turns out that tobacco is terrible in this respect. The current opinion is that smoked cannabis may actually have a pro-health effect. Which would be wonderful to study scientifically, although setting up the clinical trials to get unambiguous results would be challenging.
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