Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 628568

Shown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Pot vs. Morphine

Posted by bogeydune on April 4, 2006, at 2:00:26

I realize that a few of you out there think that the idea of medical marijuana is as out-dated as hippies. This is sad, because it shows that government propoganda is educating the masses, instead of medical fact. I have been dealing with chronic pain for over 3 years now. I have tried various "nerve drugs", and a few pain-killers as well. I was recently accepted into a pain clinic, and was rather shocked to find out that they drug-test for marijuana, and have a zero-tolerance for it. Instead, the clinic prescribed me an increasing dose of morphine to be taken twice daily possibly for the rest of my life. I am 29 years old. How much morphine am I going to need in 10, 15, 20 years? Yet I could use an herb in the privacy of my own home that (when prepared in food with higher THC concentration) eliminates my pain with NO DOCUMENTED CASES OF PHYSICAL DEPENDANCE. The contract I had to sign with the pain clinic states that within 3 weeks I WILL be physically dependant on morphine. It's time to re-read the literature and open our conservitive minds to non-pharmicutical treatments. In reality, which is worse... pot or morphine?

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine

Posted by psychopharmacon on April 4, 2006, at 4:37:07

In reply to Pot vs. Morphine, posted by bogeydune on April 4, 2006, at 2:00:26

I agree. I know of a man who was addicted to codeine because of a back injury. He had to constantly increase his dosage of codeine, and it still didn't remove his pain completely. But one day he got the chance to smoke some pot, and he said afterwards that it removed all his pain. After a while, though, his suppliers wasn't able to get hold of more pot. Then some sleazy dealer convinced him to buy some heroin from him. I don't know what happened to the guy afterwards. A really sad story.

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine » psychopharmacon

Posted by linkadge on April 4, 2006, at 10:11:21

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine, posted by psychopharmacon on April 4, 2006, at 4:37:07

Personally, I would have no problem with using marajuanna for pain. I don't think it went out with the 60's there is a bit of a revivial these days.

Marajuanna is arguably less addicting then morphine. There are a number of other compounds other than THC in marajuanna which may confer analgesic effect. Another difference I see, is that morphine and other opiates generall supress hippocampal proliferation/neurogenesis which may lead to depression. Certain compounds in marajuanna however have been shown to have the oppisite effect, that is promote hippocampal neurogenesis, which may actually help depression.

You can do a google search on marajuanna + neurogenesis if you like.

Linkadge

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine

Posted by med_empowered on April 4, 2006, at 10:37:32

In reply to Pot vs. Morphine, posted by bogeydune on April 4, 2006, at 2:00:26

yeah...pot's pretty benign and helpful, too. I think we should legalize it across the board. What some people have found is that the although pot won't always replace heavier pain killers, it can reduce the need for them. So, basically, the patient gets the best of both world: the morphine (or whatever) keeps working well--and at lower doses--and the pot helps with nausea, pain reflief, appetite, and fatigue, and may have an antidepressant effect. In addition, this sort of set up would minimize escalating the dosage of the morphine, which would improve the patient's quality of life (I have no problems with giving people as much as they need, but less medication=less sedation and better quality of life, so that's a plus).

I don't know why the government insists on classifying pot as dangerous and not useful medically (although Marinol, a synthetic THC pill, is available and very expensive). Its simply ridiculous--this is what happens when science is forced to take a backseat to prohibitionist dogma.

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine

Posted by bipolarspectrum on April 4, 2006, at 11:52:21

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine, posted by med_empowered on April 4, 2006, at 10:37:32

Hi,
I once enjoyed a discusion with a prominent Canadian neurologist who told me that marijuana's only long term side-effect (excluding those that stem from smoking it) is short-term memory loss... i think thats a pretty good tradeoff compared to the adverse effects associated with morphine...
bps

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine » bipolarspectrum

Posted by linkadge on April 4, 2006, at 13:56:57

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine, posted by bipolarspectrum on April 4, 2006, at 11:52:21

The short term memory loss is because certain compounds are strong anticholinergics. Ie it is just an chamical amnesia, no evidence of structural dammage.

Linkadge


 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine » linkadge

Posted by psychopharmacon on April 4, 2006, at 14:20:37

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine » bipolarspectrum, posted by linkadge on April 4, 2006, at 13:56:57

Of course, I would never recommend smoking pot to people with anxiety and/or personality disorders. Personally I can't tolerate pot.

On the other hand, I believe that certain extracts of cannabinoles could be quite useful in treating a lot of disorders.

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine » psychopharmacon

Posted by psychopharmacon on April 4, 2006, at 14:31:02

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine » linkadge, posted by psychopharmacon on April 4, 2006, at 14:20:37

In fact I get schizophrenic symptoms when smoking pot...

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine » psychopharmacon

Posted by linkadge on April 4, 2006, at 16:34:06

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine » linkadge, posted by psychopharmacon on April 4, 2006, at 14:20:37

Really. I personally found marajuanna very helpfull for anxiety. That is, after execerebation of anxiety by SSRI's and SNRI's and TCA's.

Marajuanna also helped by insomnia on day one, where AD's made it much worse for a long time.

But I think it is wise to realize that not everbody reacts to it the same way. I had a mild bit of paranoia, but other than that it was just "fun". I was kindof giddy.

Linkadge

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine

Posted by Meri-Tuuli on April 5, 2006, at 8:12:24

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine » psychopharmacon, posted by linkadge on April 4, 2006, at 16:34:06

Its funny how governments have actually banned a plant. A plant!! I mean, poppies aren't banned! There are lots of other plants out there more danergous than a pot plant. Deadly nightshade etc etc.....

Anyway this is completely off topic, but what the hell...

Did you know that pot plants grew commonly throughout all of the UK? For instance, Hemel Hempstead in London is named because so much hemp grew there naturally.... Hemp rope was used commonly I believe, but a Lord who had interests in jute production sought to ban hemp because jute had to be imported and so his company importing the jute, as opposed to home grown hemp, would flourish. As he was a Lord, he got hemp banned, probably citing its use amongst the population as a 'drug' as evidence....

Anyhow, I think now in the UK it is legal to carry small amounts of pot for personal use but actually dealing it is still an offence.

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine » Meri-Tuuli

Posted by ed_uk on April 5, 2006, at 14:19:19

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine, posted by Meri-Tuuli on April 5, 2006, at 8:12:24

Hi Meri

>Anyhow, I think now in the UK it is legal to carry small amounts of pot for personal use but actually dealing it is still an offence.

It's not legal as such, it's just less illegal than it was before ;-)

Ed x

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine

Posted by linkadge on April 5, 2006, at 14:58:56

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine » Meri-Tuuli, posted by ed_uk on April 5, 2006, at 14:19:19

I am not sure of the exact laws in canada. I think it was decriminalized. I'm not sure what that means, I think that it means that you can't get a criminal record for posessing small enough quantities.


Linkadge

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine » med_empowered

Posted by jerrympls on April 7, 2006, at 4:11:43

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine, posted by med_empowered on April 4, 2006, at 10:37:32

> yeah...pot's pretty benign and helpful, too. I think we should legalize it across the board. What some people have found is that the although pot won't always replace heavier pain killers, it can reduce the need for them. So, basically, the patient gets the best of both world: the morphine (or whatever) keeps working well--and at lower doses--and the pot helps with nausea, pain relief, appetite, and fatigue, and may have an antidepressant effect. In addition, this sort of set up would minimize escalating the dosage of the morphine, which would improve the patient's quality of life (I have no problems with giving people as much as they need, but less medication=less sedation and better quality of life, so that's a plus).
>
> I don't know why the government insists on classifying pot as dangerous and not useful medically (although Marinol, a synthetic THC pill, is available and very expensive). Its simply ridiculous--this is what happens when science is forced to take a backseat to prohibitionist dogma.
>
>

Med- I really like your posts!! I totally agree with what you've said above. The evils of Marijuana are so completely over-hyped. It's the only thing that helps my brother severe OCD. And if I am correct, there have been NO documented cases of death from marijuana use/abuse/overdose, etc. I believe that alcohol compared to marijuana is much more dangerous/toxic, etc. And have you ever read in the newspaper about marijuana-driving as opposed to drunk-driving? How many people die because of drunks behind the wheel? TOO MANY. How many die because of a pothead behind the wheel - perhaps some - but nowhere near the numbers of alcohol-impaired drivers.

When will our government stop wasting our tax money hunting down people who use marijuana? The US Government lost the War on Drugs years ago.

Oh well... off my soapbox. Just wanted to chime in.

Jerry

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine » med_empowered

Posted by Colleen D. on April 7, 2006, at 20:52:21

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine, posted by med_empowered on April 4, 2006, at 10:37:32

I read somewhere on the net that 80% of patients using morphine for chronic pain discontinue it because of the the side effects. I have morphine on hand and use it as a last resort because it is constipating as h*ll (just what I need on top of the same caused by ADs) and causes me to itch all over my body. I will take 4 motrin before I opt for the morphine. On the marijauna side, I know more and more people who are using it to help them with chronic pain, some of whom used it regularly recreationally in their youth and have now discovered its pain-relieving properties. This includes myself. ;-)

Colleen

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine

Posted by Caedmon on April 9, 2006, at 23:53:07

In reply to Pot vs. Morphine, posted by bogeydune on April 4, 2006, at 2:00:26

> In reality, which is worse... pot or morphine?

I don't think one is worse than the other. They both have legitimate uses. I suspect either could be helpful for various pain states as well as psych. problems.

Marijuana is much maligned, but no more so than opioids, which are tremendously safe as a general rule.

- C

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine

Posted by bart on April 11, 2006, at 17:13:10

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine, posted by Caedmon on April 9, 2006, at 23:53:07

morphine by far dude.

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine » linkadge

Posted by FredPotter on April 11, 2006, at 19:57:07

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine » psychopharmacon, posted by linkadge on April 4, 2006, at 16:34:06

It can give me very bad panic states. It has also been reported to cause Depersonalisation Disorder (one smoke and you're stuffed for life)

 

Re: Pot vs. Morphine

Posted by Declan on April 12, 2006, at 2:34:44

In reply to Re: Pot vs. Morphine, posted by bart on April 11, 2006, at 17:13:10

I think they make one of the great combinations


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