I recently listened to a Medical Doctor speak out against the use of medical marijuana in Kansas.   His main argument was that there is a process in the United States (the FDA or Food and Drug Administration) that makes sure drugs brought to the market are safe for patients to use.   He went [...]

Over the course of three years I have taken care of thousands of patients who want to use marijuana for medical reasons.    Over that same period I have spoken to addiction specialists who regularly treat people who abuse marijuana recreationally.      There is a distinct difference between using marijuana recreationally and using it [...]

Today I took care of 79 year old women who suffers chronic pain from severe arthritis in her hands, hips and feet. For the past 10 years she has used medical marijuana exclusively. She did bring in a plastic bag full of old medications and dumped them on my desk. They consisted of NSAID’s, Opiates, Muscle Relaxants, Benzodiazepines, Sleep Aids and a antacid for reflux.

She was happy to report that since she started using medical marijuana she has not had to take one other medication! Cannabis use in the elderly is rapidly increasing. Elderly people socialize together and talk. As soon as she told all her friends at Leisure World about her success they are ready to sign up. READ ON…

Today in my Long Beach office I evaluated a 42 year old male who had been using medical marijuana to treat the pain and inflammation associated with Tietze’s Syndrome. Tietz’es Syndrome is an inflammatory process that affects the junction where the ribs attach to the sternum. This area is known as the costo-cartilage. This patient describes having sever bouts of chest wall pain which in the past have required toradol injections, heavy NSAID doses and even opiate use. Currently his symptoms are treated exclusively with medical marijuana. READ ON…

Last week the FDA decided to ban the use of Darvocet (propoxyphene) by doctors in the United States and for drug companies that make it to pull it off the market immediately. The reason: they found it increases the risk of fatal heart arrythmias!

Darvocet is an opioid narcotic used to treat pain. It is the same class of drugs as percocet, vicodin, hydrocodone, oxycontin etc. It was approved by the FDA in 1957 and has been regularly prescribed for pain in around the world. DOCTORS CONSIDERED IT SAFE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES THAT STUDIED IT SAID.

WELL ONCE AGAIN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY GOT IT WRONG. And in this case patients died because of it. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT SO MANY OF MY PATIENTS COME IN AND TELL ME “I WANT OFF MY PAIN PILLS AND WANT TO USE SOMETHING MORE NATURAL AND SAFER”… HENSE THE REASON MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS THRIVING RIGHT NOW.

Today in Irvine I took care of a 56 year old man who has a herniated disc between his 5th and 6th vertebra in his neck and has debilitating pain, weakness and numbness to his right arm. He has been using medical marijuana occasionally for the past 12 months to treat his symptoms and wanted safe regular access to it because of how good it made him feel. He had been on a regimen of Tramadol (for sleep), Vicodin (for pain), Ibuprofen (for pain) and Prednisone (to reduce the inflammation). ALL of those medications were causing significant side effects and he no longer could tolerate them… read on.

A recent study performed by researches at McGill University in Montreal demonstrated a reduction in pain in patients who used medical marijuana. Here is the link to the article regarding the study.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20015148-10391704.html

Although the study had only 23 patients in its pool I think their findings align with my conversations with over 5000 patients who I have treated for chronic pain. READ ON…

This past week I have had 5 patients who have completely eliminated their dependence on pain pills after receiving their recommendation to use marijuana (cannabis) legally. The improvement to their overall quality of life has been dramatic. No more nausea, constipation and the feeling of being dependent on a drug.

For the past month I have been treating a 62 y/o women for chronic pain that had been taking 18 pain killers every day. (12 oxycontin!) Not only did they stop working but they made her nauseated, constipated and feeling “loopy” all day. She told me that her life felt like she was out of control. Her pain management doctor spends 6 minutes with her and hands her a re-fill prescription for oxycontin. I am happy to report that after one month of using cannabis to treat her pain she is completely off opiate narcotics! Congratulations. I am glad you have control of your life again. There is hope!

A week ago I blogged about a women by them name of Sam who had been taking 12 Norco and 6 Oxycontin daily for the past 5 years. I was elated when after ONE WEEK she had decreased her opiate use to 4 Norco and 4 Oxycontin.