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Old 12-30-2011, 08:09 PM
 
Location: Near a river
16,042 posts, read 21,918,038 times
Reputation: 15773

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A dear older relative, age 89, lives in California. She is in terrible pain due to back surgery and can barely walk. None of her pain meds are working, including Oxytocin.

I'm trying to get info on how one goes about getting an M.D. prescription--do all doctors do this, or only some? How easy or hard is it? Does health insurance cover the Marijuana cost? And, she is going to need to know how to get it when it's medically prescribed.

Any and all info pertaining to the laws and how-to in California much appreciated.
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Old 12-30-2011, 08:14 PM
 
Location: The Valley
14 posts, read 22,242 times
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I seriously doubt that THC is going to out-do Oxy.
Just find a pot store and within one city block you will find a dozen doctors offices. All of them will give anyone that can sign their name and pay the fee a prescription.

A friend of mine got one because of anxiety, he said he was scared of losing his job............
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Old 12-30-2011, 08:22 PM
 
Location: Near a river
16,042 posts, read 21,918,038 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ibejohn818 View Post
I seriously doubt that THC is going to out-do Oxy.
Just find a pot store and within one city block you will find a dozen doctors offices. All of them will give anyone that can sign their name and pay the fee a prescription.

A friend of mine got one because of anxiety, he said he was scared of losing his job............
I just talked with her again by phone--she said that actually the Oxy is giving her terrible side effects, so she can't use it. Other pain meds are doing nothing. I'm thinking inhaler - hope that's as good as smoking.

Is this likely covered by insurance?
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Old 12-30-2011, 08:39 PM
 
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
2,190 posts, read 6,834,042 times
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I have a m.m. license and it's a painless process.
If you can let me know (dm if you prefer) which county she is in, i can help you find an m.d. and a nearby dispensary although unless it's in S.C. county i'll just be searching via the internet as i have no direct m.m. experience with other counties in the state.
In Santa Cruz county they are referred to as collectives.
She'll need to see an an m.d. who evaluates patients for a medical marijuana license and, unless the m.d. thinks that there is a medical reason that marijuana is counter indicated she'll receive a license "on the spot" and it will be a temporary one that will be good for a few months (i think 4 if i'm remembering accurately) and then she'll have to have a follow up appointment during that temporary phase and during that appointment she'll need to provide note and/or records from her primary doctor validating her condition and then she'll receive a new license that will be valid for the entire year. She'll need to be reevaluated after the year is up.
That's how it works in Santa Cruz county ... i assume that it's the same throughout the state.
If marijuana will help alleviate her symptoms, it's a far, far, far better choice than oxy whatever.
The collective that i use in Santa Cruz is extremely friendly and helpful and so if she's able to find a good one with good heart-ed people they will be able to help her choose the best "delivery method" and the best product.
I'm pretty darn sure that insurance does not cover m.m. but i'm kinda outside of the system and so clueless about that kind of thing.
They may or may not cover the evaluation appointment.
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Old 12-30-2011, 10:14 PM
 
Location: Florida
2,011 posts, read 3,540,525 times
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Pot for terrible pain? I guess it really has been decades since i touched the stuff. Are they planting it in soil laced with Ibuprofen now? A mild ache...perhaps. Terrible pain...I doubt it.
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Old 12-31-2011, 08:42 AM
 
Location: Near a river
16,042 posts, read 21,918,038 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CarawayDJ View Post
Pot for terrible pain? I guess it really has been decades since i touched the stuff. Are they planting it in soil laced with Ibuprofen now? A mild ache...perhaps. Terrible pain...I doubt it.
I've heard MD's on talk shows discussing mm for cancer patients and others in terrible pain. Not having firsthand exp in using it for med purposes, I'm wondering to what extent this could help. Better than nothing, which is what she's doing now.

Anyone else have experience with mm and pain?
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Old 12-31-2011, 10:42 AM
 
Location: Santa Monica, CA
1,626 posts, read 3,998,860 times
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It's worth a shot, she should know pretty much immediately if it's more effective or not. I've seen plenty of people on TV claiming it works for pain but who knows if they're telling the truth. Oxycontin is basically synthetic heroin so marijuana is safer and has fewer side effects.
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Old 12-31-2011, 10:53 AM
 
Location: SW MO
23,593 posts, read 37,349,391 times
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LOL! What a joke and how predictable. Become a pot-head to cure all your ills. Great excuse to become a "licensed" addict with the help of Quacks-Я-Us.

The "original" argument for legalizing herb, with some efficacy, was to counteract the upset effects of chemo. Since then it's become nothing more than a scam to get high quasi-legally.
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Old 12-31-2011, 11:01 AM
 
Location: Eureka CA
9,519 posts, read 14,672,354 times
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I think it basically relaxes the muscles and thereby helps alleviate the pain. Every county is different but it's not hard to find doctors who prescribe. Look at the ads in your local alternative weekly. No idea about insurance but any pot dispensary would have some info. Hope she gets some relief.
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Old 12-31-2011, 11:07 AM
 
2,222 posts, read 10,626,371 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by newenglandgirl View Post
I've heard MD's on talk shows discussing mm for cancer patients and others in terrible pain. Not having firsthand exp in using it for med purposes, I'm wondering to what extent this could help. Better than nothing, which is what she's doing now.

Anyone else have experience with mm and pain?
I have experience with MM. I am a leukemia patient. One of my side effects is bone pain and MM does help.

Health insurance will not cover any part of MM costs. It is out-of-pocket, something to consider.

Have you spoken to your relative regarding using MM? That would be my first question. There are also side effects to MM. They are quite manageable but, in my opinion, an 89 year old would need some help with this on a daily basis. A care giver is given an additional authorization to enter MM collectives and can purchase for her. My husband is my care giver and when I am too sick to pick up MM, he can go for me.

There are guidelines you must follow in California. But remember, it is still against federal law. You do not want to just go to any MM doctor. Those docs are eventually expelled from the collectives and will not do business with doctors who write authorizations for just anyone. But currently, this is not well managed.

Once you find a reputable doctor who authorizes MM, you take her medical records in to the appointment. If the doctor determines MM would be of value to her, all paperwork would be done at that time. The cost varies, but $100 would be appropriate. There are cheaper doctors, but I would caution you on those.

You then take the authorization(s) to your closest collective for processing. Then you can purchase on the spot. You must renew annually. The cost is usually about 20% lower the next year.

I hope that answers some of your questions. I'm sorry your relative is having so much pain. Pain from back surgery is one of the reasons MM can be authorized. I have a friend who was in a motorcycle accident years ago and had a failed back surgery. Nothing helps him but MM.
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