General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: It appears a fair number of DUers are unaware of an opioid crisis, [View all]haele
(12,650 posts)Primarily since he can't smoke or vape (addiction to ciggies), and dosing edibles is not accurate at all (he hates couch-lock).
He's got psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, and degenerative disk issue in his spine. Along with bi-polar.
None of his doctors (including his very conservative psychologist) have issue with topical marijuana; they're more concerned with potential interactions internally with his current drugs - the problem with smoking, vaping or edibles.
Before I'd allow him to spend the money on a licenced medi-mari prescriber and card (not to mention the product - $50 for two weeks, and it's not covered under the HSA...), I did some serious study on the subject.
NIH did a study on topical cannaboids, and found there was some positive effect in the ganglia nerves and other close to the skin surface nervous structure - especially in Parkinson's patients; they're still trying to figure out the optimal ways of delivery (patch, spray, gel) and to manufacture it, but for now, an alcohol tincture spray and a camphor-based unguent made by a "friend of a friend" for that girl's grandmother seem to work well for him. As you said, it takes the edge off for four to five hours, and he can do things like use the computer for more than an hour, go to a movie, or even just be able to regularly head to the kitchen, stand long enough get himself a sandwich and a large glass of juice or water, then bring them back to his "chair", which used to be very difficult some days.
I'd like to see some studies on fibro patients, but if there are some studies, they've either not been published or peer-reviewed yet in the UK. Of course, we're not going to see any US studies on this for a while.
Haele