The unspeakable

[claradragon]

MARIJUANA

Yes i use it for relief. Yes it works for me. Yes you do build up a tolerance but abstinance repairs this. Used only before bed as some of the effects can be as interesting as traditional pharmaceuticals . Relief is gained within minutes.

Not ideal for general everyday use so it doesn't take away the need to find relief in other forms. Not one hundred percent effective as it doesn't work so well when triggers are present.

Marijuana is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination and i would not advocate the use of it but i did want to bring the topic out in the open. Your thoughts and comments would be very much appreciated.

[sardsy75]

LOL, you go girl!!

I briefly touched on the subject in one of my posts, ages ago and I think Jumpy has mentioned it once or twice as well. But noone has actually brought it out into the open as you just have! Way to go!

I'm part of a couple of other support groups who sink into all out war when this subject is brought up, but hey, were all adults here and it's certainly not a topic that shouldn't be discussed and debated.

Happy Grass is illegal here in Oz. Although, if you live in the ACT (the Capital State, where Canberra is) you are allowed to carry a small amount. Makes me wonder what the politicians REALLY get up to after "question time" is over

YES I've tried it (and inhaled ) and yes it does have a calming effect on ye ol' RLS. (Man, that's two long limbs i've been out on in less than 24 hrs, that can't be good for my health )

However, on the flip side of all the red tape here in Oz though, if you can show enough evidence that Happy Grass is indeed warranted for the maintenance of your health and wellbeing (i.e. Terminally Ill Cancer Patients) one may just be lucky enough to get a "licence" to use it.

I know of a few people here in town who are allowed to use it due to their illness.

I totally agree on the following:
Definitely not ideal for everyday use!
Can definitely cause some side effects as good as the prescribed stuff!
Does nothing for RLS symptoms when used in conjunction with alcohol or strong coffee!

[claradragon]

It was the only way I could get it out of my system This subject has been niggling at me for a while and finally demanded too much of my attention to be ignored!

It's illegal over here too but at a similar status to ACT laws. I'm considering asking my doc about a medical licence, he already knows I have used it for relief and his response was if it works use it

[sardsy75]

It just dawned on me (like a literal whack in the back of the head) that someone else has also mentioned using Happy Grass on this board.

Forum Index -> Non-Pharmaceutical Therapies -> My Many 'Pseudo' Remedies

[claradragon]

Yes i have read it (i don't think there is a post on this site that i haven't read!) but it was mentioned amongst a myriad of other things. I believe that this is a subject that warrants it's own topic due to it's unique status.

[becattx]

I was one of the people that mentioned it.
Now let me state for the record this is no longer an issue for me. I am too old and have too much to loose to put myself in that position.
BUT, When I was without children and in my 20 I used it to sleep at night.
My symptoms were mild and controlable then, and the smoke helped.
As I have seen it help with many different medical problems.
Our Government doesn't seem to understand that the pill form is not the same, and does not give the same relief.
After watching several people go through cancer treatment, MS, and stomach problems I for one think it's a great crime to not make available some natural that can make a world of difference. The US government says that there are no studies supporting the helpful qualities of happy grass, but they also will not allow proper studies to be done. For what ever reason this is taboo to the older generaton and will take some younger brains to see the benefit it has medically. And again not in it's pill form. It's a shame so many people are allowed to suffer for no good reason. Quality of life has to become an issue here and in the medical community. It hasn't been pushed enough.
Again I will repeat, that my experience is some 20 years removed with the stuff. I do not use it now. If it were legal, who know's.

[jumpyowl]

I have not tried to smoke M. yet, so I have no first hand experience.
However I studied it and I beleive that it can be quite useful for several conditoions. E.g. for people on chemotherapy, who are absolutely miserable.

The criminal status is unjustified. I think the Government takes in too much territory and takes away too much of our freedom by prohibiting such things. And one cannot help but be suspicious when one examine the problem in depth. It is pure politics and money matter.

If M. would be legal, the profits of companies on anti depressants, sedatives, and many other proftable items would drop tremendously. If you think that does not influence things, you are in La La land (I like the expression Carla.).

Well, I had better stop here.

[claradragon]

I have not tried to smoke M. yet, so I have no first hand experience.
However I studied it and I beleive that it can be quite useful for several conditoions. E.g. for people on chemotherapy, who are absolutely miserable.

The criminal status is unjustified. I think the Government takes in too much territory and takes away too much of our freedom by prohibiting such things. And one cannot help but be suspicious when one examine the problem in depth. It is pure politics and money matter.

If M. would be legal, the profits of companies on anti depressants, sedatives, and many other proftable items would drop tremendously. If you think that does not influence things, you are in La La land (I like the expression Clara.).

Well, I had better stop here.

Jumpy I would like to hear your opinions on this..please don't stop. This is similar to what is over here with the polititics and money and that is why M is still only available with a medical licence and those medical licenses are hard to come by!

[jumpyowl]

Not much more to be said. I am such a trouble maker at times. However, I think that politics has no place in the treatment of patients.

BTW there is an OTHER:.............. place at several locations in the questionnaire and some people already mentioned the use of such drugs. Nobody should worry, all the data will be handled confidentially.

Clara, please keep in mind your photo especially when one of your friends buys a digital camera.

[claradragon]

Currently working on it

[Sole]

Clara,

So proud of you for finally "coming out of the closet!" LOL! I totally agree that the restrictions on Mary are a conspiracy of the worst kind. I've never heard of anyone stoned going out to rape and pillage. Ridiculous! I have, however, met many who are helped by using it responsibly. I totally support the efforts made by groups who are advocating for legalization of Mary. It's too bad their efforts are so easily thwarted by the powers that be and the ignorant.

[corynski]

Greetings All

I'm new here so I thought I'd weigh in quickly with the real me.

I've used the herb marijuana since 1959 for a variety of reasons which I can call 'quality of life'. I own my home, pay taxes, help the poor, have a retirement account, etc. I learned in my 20's that it would dry up my nasal passages and stop colds from spreading. It also often eliminates dreaming which is a benefit for people like my deaf son who wakes up screaming from nightmares of his early years at a deaf school. Face it, marijuana IS medicine, except if you are a politician.

I never realized I had RLS and PLMD until I was about 48 years old, and I thought the symptoms were from the heavy plant nursery labor I was doing, or a hold-over from my Attention Deficit youth.

Let me state that I am a 66 year-old Libertarian and free-thinker who believes governments have no place in deciding what is and is not medicine, or how I am to die. John Ashcroft is a lawyer not a doctor. He has a political agenda, and it is obvious that YOUR pain and suffering mean nothing to him. There is plently of research on the web, such as Lester Grinspoon's RXMarijuana and others, just Google it.

I do not, nor ever will, recommend marijuana use for anything or anybody, but the facts should be known. There are a multitude of problems surrounding it due to it's illegality, from getting it to staying out of jail, and it should be considered as a last resort measure. Currently mirapex and tramadol take care of my problems.

I guess I should have posted this on the 'getting to know you' page.

later
charley/66/florida

[Caper]

Hi All,
This will be my first time contributing, but I do hope someone will have some comments for me. I am 29 years old, and have suffered from rls for as long as I can remember ir (my partner and I refer to it as the 'heebie-jeebies'!). I have tried M twice in my life, once about ten years ago, and once a couple of weeks ago. Both times I had the same reaction -- total loss of control of all the muscles in my body. I literally went into spasms/seizures that lasted for hours. My mind was completely functional and I was aware of what was happening, but the loss of muscle control was extreme and did cause some pretty severe bruising and definately a big scare for everyone. This time round, I had random spasms for 48 hours afterwards, significant enough that I did not feel comfortable leaving the house and definately not driving a car.

I have researched this on the internet, but the search has turned up nothing. Does anyone have any idea if this might somehow be related to rls??

Thanks,
Caper

[jumpyowl]

While some of us may have resorted to M in the past, by no means can we be considered an expert on its use. And I have not considered its use in the questionnaire as it is illegal in the US.

Still someone may know something about that. This is quite a diverse group.

It perhaps would be a good idea for you to keep away from that stuff. You never know how your body will react to it for the third time!

[corynski]

Caper

Your post made me recall my first experiences with cannabis, as I too, went all beserk, with muscle and visual effects, and of course weird mind effects, incoherent babbling, etc.

These initial effects seem to be the mind adapting to a stange substance. And many people, especially kids, keep expecting these strange things to go on happening but they don't, as the mind adapts as use continues. Long term users of this medicine find that they don't get 'high' like they did before, but the medicinal effects may continue.

The best site I know of is this:

http://www.davidhadorn.com/cannabis/CM-guideline.htm

MJ alone worked for me for years before I knew what RLS was, until the RLS/PLMD got worse and Mirapex seems to work best now.

charley/67/florida