Medical Marajuana in UK

[Bramble2000]

Hi, has anyone tried medical Marajuana in the UK? Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

You probably need to go through your own doctor and be referred- this from nhs site -

england.nhs.uk/medicines-2/...

[Bramble2000 in reply to DorsetLady]

you can do it privately. I just wondered if anyone had any success with if. X

[Kendrew]

nhs.uk/conditions/medical-c...

Hi Bramble2000,

This link gives you some general info that might help.

[Bramble2000 in reply to Kendrew]

Thank you

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I discussed it with the lady at the Pain Clinic here and she says it isn't as good for pain as people think.

More relevant maybe is the experiences of people in the USA where it is legal anyway.

[Bramble2000 in reply to PMRpro]

i imagine it works better for some things than others.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Bramble2000]

Well I think it does relax you which often helps your overall wellbeing but it also causes other issues.. so it's like most things, a bit of a lottery...

[Bramble2000 in reply to DorsetLady]

I’m thinking the medical stuff is a very different thing to what you’d find on the streets. I think it has either No or very little THC in it.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Bramble2000]

Yes it is, but not sure it’s been in use long enough to know how good it is… but if you don’t try (if you can) you won’t know,,and in your case it’s probably worth a try.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bramble2000]

Ah yes - but remember in the USA there is a real business with it, not just street use. PMRCanada and others have used it. SO far no-one has said it helps with the PMR but it may help with other aspects like insomnia.

[PMRCanada in reply to PMRpro]

Indeed here in Canada cannabis is legal for both medical and recreational use. In medical prescriptions a specifically trained medical dispenser can help find the strain(s) that may work best for your presenting issues.

For me, consuming it helped more with insomnia and mindset (relaxed, less worry/anxiety) which was present at higher doses of pred, not necessarily with PMR related pain/stiffness. I am also mindful to look for cannabis product that has low or no CBD as I’ve learned it can have negative interactions with pred.

Good luck with your search in the U.K.

[winfong in reply to PMRpro]

Yank here. I like the CBD drugs (incl. CBN & CBG) as well as Delta 8. They give you some pain relief, and also help with insomnia & anxiety, but without the high. I've tried regular cannabis, but really have no interest in getting loopy. Do note that the pain relief is nothing like taking opioids, but it does help.

[Bramble2000 in reply to winfong]

I take opioids, they don’t help. We can only really get CBD here in the UK

[piglette]

Very few people in England are likely to get a prescription for medical cannabis. Currently, it is only likely to be prescribed for the following conditions:

children and adults with rare, severe forms of epilepsy

adults with vomiting or nausea caused by chemotherapy

people with muscle stiffness and spasms caused by multiple sclerosis (MS).

In some cases, however, it may be prescribed for pain as part of a clinical trial. The only other way is to buy it from that guy hanging about on corners!!

[Bramble2000 in reply to piglette]

you can get it privately, it’s very very different to what you’d buy on the street

[piglette in reply to Bramble2000]

I was joking!!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bramble2000]

You still have to qualify to have the Cancard - and the qualifying illnesses are clearly defined.

[Bramble2000 in reply to PMRpro]

I tick loads of boxes on this…

Cannabis UK

[Pixix]

I wouldn’t normally mention this…my brother became a drug addict. That’s where he started. He’s dead now, though not just the drugs. I think you should see a doctor, & ask for medical marijuana if you want it. I’m discussing pain, acute & chronic 24/7 pain, with my gp, I will ask him & get his point of view (ha ha or a precription). I don’t think polymyalgia is a disease that warrants marijuana…As you know I’ve had every side effect steroids can throw at me, & it nearly ended our happy marriage. Sweated soaked bed last night, having coffee with a neighbour & water pouring out of my head…tea towel wrapped round neck. Etc etc etc. But still I cannot believe your doctor just doesn’t say ‘take pred’!! Ah, I do have one friend on it…she keeps offering me some & says it will help my pain…she literally chain smokes it now, after a slow beginning, it has altered her outward behaviour, & that’s sad. BUT she lost her eyesight, regained it, & has multiple sclerosis. I understand her choice. If your choice is marijuana or pred, I’d take pred. Not sure you can drive on marijuana??

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Pixix]

"Not sure you can drive on marijuana??" TEchnically not - doesn't seem to stop people though.

[Pixix in reply to PMRpro]

My friend doesn’t, though her eyesight is fine now. I’d like to think nobody drives if they’re taking it!! S x

[Highlandtiger in reply to Pixix]

Lots of people do sadly but with recent advances in quick and easy drug testing in the last 2 or 3 years lots of people are now being banned from driving as a result (same penalties as drink driving). It doesn’t seem to be widely known as yet but hopefully word will get around eventually…

[Pixix in reply to Highlandtiger]

good, that will safeguard others a bit! And good to know they lose their licence, too!

[Highlandtiger in reply to Pixix]

Also, unlike drink drivers who don’t lose their licence until the case actually gets to court, the DVLA revoke drug drivers' licences immediately, quite apart from what the court imposes.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Pixix]

Unfortunately that isn't the case! Ask the traffic police ... If you have even the slightest knock you are automatically breathalysed - not sure if they do the roadside testing for drugs automatically too.

[Bramble2000 in reply to PMRpro]

they do drug testing at the roadside in the UK. If they pull you over for anything, you’ll be tested, same if you have any sort of accident. However, the roadside test will only detect Cannabis or Cocaine (I think). If they suspect you’ve had an accident and it was caused by something else you’ve taken, legal/illegal or prescribed, they will arrest and take you to the station for a blood test.

[Pixix in reply to Bramble2000]

that’s bad, it should include all non prescription drugs. If it picked up somebody on medically prescribed drugs that would then be OK, I guess (unless their driving under the influence could have caused it!)

[Highlandtiger in reply to Pixix]

At the moment the mouth swabs just pick up cannabis and cocaine but I guess that may change in the future. When you think about it they are probably the two controlled drugs most commonly taken before driving

There are rules about driving under the influence of prescription drugs too but as they are not unlawful per se it’s more about impairment.

[Pixix in reply to PMRpro]

good point!

[Bramble2000 in reply to Pixix]

I’m not talking about the stuff you’d smoke. The medical stuff has very little or no THC in it. It can be a very very effective treatment for many things. There’s loads of private clinics in the UK you can get it from.

[Pixix in reply to Bramble2000]

i was just reporting what a friend does, & how it affects her, that’s all! You asked to be pointed in the right direction to buy cannabis…but now you say there’s loads of private clinics you can get it from, so that looks as if you’re sorted! Good news.

[Bramble2000 in reply to Pixix]

I asked about MEDICAL MARAJUANA.

[Pixix in reply to Bramble2000]

I beg your pardon. But …now copying & pasting from internet…Generally, there is no difference between marijuana and cannabis and the two terms are often used to describe the same thing.Cannabis describes cannabis products in general.Marijuana specifically refers to cannabis products that are made from the dried flowers, leaves, stems and seeds of the cannabis plant.” This is why I was talking about CANNABIS. Marijuana can be purchased from a Clinic in Harley street, It’s called the London CANNABIS Clinic. A number of private clinics can be found by Googling…cost can be £10 a day. As PMR pro says the criteria for obtaining medical cannabis (Marijuana) in UK is limited to a few medical conditions, which are stated on a number of web sites. You may find out more in a forum where it is dispensed eg multiple sclerosis, or cancer.

[S4ndy]

My experience with various non THC cannabis products is that they help with relaxation, digestive issues and insomnia but I got no actual pain relief for PMR. If I were to use products containing THC then there is short term pain relief of my other joint problems caused by osteoarthritis but not enough to warrant the cost of obtaining good cannabidiol products. I have spoken at length with my GP and Rheumatologist about this subject and come to the conclusion that on a cost -v- benefit basis, for me, its just not worth it. I guess like all drugs its trial and error.

[Bramble2000 in reply to S4ndy]

Thank you for your reply. Very interesting.

[Poshcards]

I asked my rheumy about trying this and she said to give it a wide berth x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Poshcards]

The pain clinic specialist here said the same!

[Bramble2000 in reply to Poshcards]

medics often say that but without backing it up

[Poshcards in reply to Bramble2000]

She is not just a medic she s my consultant x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bramble2000]

And mine is a pain specialist who has used it