Concerns over mum's arthritis medication + medicinal cannabis use q's.

[GarethSE]

So, my Mum's been on some arthritis medication for some time now, and their side effects are worrying me somewhat, because at this point I'm not sure (and I think she's pretty skeptical too) of whether it's worth her taking them.
For the amount of pain relief they give her, the side effects seem pretty ridiculous, namely liver damage.

I've jokingly mentioned in the past couple of months that she should have a toke of whatever I've been smoking, but I'm beginning to get pretty worried about these pills she's on, so I figured I'd ask for your guys' advice before I talk to her more seriously about it.

Has anyone here had experience of using cannabis to ease the pain of arthritis (I'm expecting not, because we're generally all pretty young here,) or known anyone who has?
If so, care to detail whether it helped or not, pro's and cons, blah blah, all that good stuff?

I mean keep in mind this isn't just an excuse to get my Mum high, this is out of genuine concern for her health, so keep the snarky comments to a minimum if you please.

Cheers in advance.

 

[Josh Burgess]

Is she open to the idea? If so, why not just let her try it a few times and see if it helps? If not, no harm done really.

 

[roy22341]

Whatever you do don't forget the most important thing - you're NOT a doctor.

 

[Harry Hughes]

I've read a fair bit about this actually.
It's not a concrete thing. It works for some, and for others, it does nothing, which you can come to expect because weed just doesn't affect everyone the same.
I assume your mum is taking NSAIDs, which can have pretty nasty side effects.
Just try the weed out on her.
If it works it will ease the pain, but just remember that shit doesn't have have the anti-inflammatory properties of NSAIDs which is what helps to really keep arthritis at bay the most

 

[GarethSE]

i think she's open to the medicinal properties, not sure about the getting high thing. i wanted to get some second opinions from people before i sit down for a chat about it with her

 

[plague_rider]

I know where you're coming from on this one Gareth. My gfs mam has the same thing and she was in the same place you are a year or so ago, she was worried about the effects the meds would have on her mam.

She's discussed weed as an alternative for pain relief also, but she's also about to start a new treatment in a month, so she's waiting for that... apparently you can actually get weed medicinally over here in the UK on the NHS, but its only if it can help the particular patient with pain relief.

Suggest to your Mum the alternative to smoking, cooking it and what not... i'm not making a joke, but space cakes, things like that would maybe be a better way for her to try it...

 

[-Gavin-]

Whatever you do don't forget the most important thing - you're NOT a doctor.

Agreed.

Seek proper advice that won't land anyone in jail.

 

[GarethSE]

alrighty, cheers for the advice guys
ill have a chat with her later

 

[JMarz]

Gareth, easing the pain of arthritis is the single and sole reason my Mom smokes pot in the first place. Just tell her to do it. She'll thank you.

 

[SocialNumb]

My grandmother smoked medical Marijuana for Arthritis and Cataracts for about ten years. They came rolled up like cigs.

 

[JMarz]

My grandmother smoked medical Marijuana for Arthritis and Cataracts for about ten years. They came rolled up like cigs.

She must've baked the best fucking cookies EVER

 

[Erik Monsonis]

I know a guy who has arthritis, his treatment is morphine patches + hash, he's been doing it since he was 18 (now he's 55) and he's still OK.

 

[Jind]

Agreed.

Seek proper advice that won't land anyone in jail.

While I'm all for medical marijuana usage (I'm a two time cancer survivor), I also tend to agree with those that land on the side of seeking out the advise of a proper doctor prior to embarking upon something that may not only have a negative effect, but possibly land someone in legal trouble.

We all take risks, but we also are fully aware of the possible negative implications of the risks we take and while it may be a risk that I would be willing to take, I'm pretty sure in my case it is not one my mom would be willing to undertake (by the way - my mom suffers horribly from arthritis as she has gotten older.)

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

Well it's not like there's any danger in weed (nor has it ever been shown to interact badly with any pain medications to my knowledge), so I don't see why you should consult a doctor or anything

EDIT: The only reason I could think of to be wary about it would be if she's had any anxiety issues, but just make sure you're there and in a relatively clear state to talk her down if she starts FREAKIN' OUT MAN or whatnot (never once happened to me FWIW)

 

[DanLights]

Well it's not like there's any danger in weed (nor has it ever been shown to interact badly with any pain medications to my knowledge), so I don't see why you should consult a doctor or anything

I agree with this. Just give it a try

 

[006]

Well it's not like there's any danger in weed (nor has it ever been shown to interact badly with any pain medications to my knowledge), so I don't see why you should consult a doctor or anything

EDIT: The only reason I could think of to be wary about it would be if she's had any anxiety issues, but just make sure you're there and in a relatively clear state to talk her down if she starts FREAKIN' OUT MAN or whatnot (never once happened to me FWIW)

+1

She doesn't even have to smoke it, my friend's aunt just makes the brownies/cookies and eats those for her arthritis, has for over 15 years AFAIK. She's also nice enough to share when we have visited her

Zillions of people have smoked weed in the past I dunno zillion years without seeking out a doctor's opinion first, without incident, so I don't see what the big deal is.

 

[cloy26]

I'm doing a presentation for speech class on the legalization of medical marijuana. I am a huge advocate for it and I don't even smoke.

Have her, if she agrees, only smoke a little bit so she doesn't get too blasted. lol

 

[P-E]

EDIT: The only reason I could think of to be wary about it would be if she's had any anxiety issues, but just make sure you're there and in a relatively clear state to talk her down if she starts FREAKIN' OUT MAN or whatnot (never once happened to me FWIW)

Maybe this.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

There should only be a concern for her smoking if she is on medications that increase the chance of seizure, because like caffeine, THC acts like a stimulant (it is a psychoactive drug) which increases your chances of seizures period, regardless of who you are. But how many people have you heard of dying from a seizure as a result of drinking a soda, coffee, or taking a toke of gonja?

 

[narcossintese]

Pot as painkiller is incredibly overated but, as JoshuaLogan said, let her try a few times and see if it helps. If not, no harm done.