So doctors have been told not to prescribe medicinal cannabis to people with MS! According to The Times newspaper, so what has the MS society’s campaign been for?
I’ve also read reports that doctors refuse to prescribe it anyway.
Many of us have seen/read reports and it has become common knowledge that cannabis based medicine is beneficial for some MS sufferers and yet the powers that be have chosen to ignore this, throughout the discussions the people who have been cited as those who would benefit most from legally available prescription of cannabis were MSers and yet…
I think this is all about money! Statins are about 3p a pill how much more expensive will cannabis medicine cost?
I also suspect that so few NHS prescriptions will be issued, and that will somewhere down the line justify scrapping the new law although private prescriptions will still be available to those who can afford it!
I saw my neuro rehab doctor this morning and talked about cannabis with him. He said the only thing available right now that he could prescribe would be Sativex. I had mentioned taking a cannabinoid in place of or to reduce the Baclofen I currently take. In terms of usefulness for spasms, he reckons it would give more side effects than benefits.
On being part of the cure for General MS I’m finding it hard to see the wood through the trees here because, on the one hand, genuine scientists doing long term studies with MS people will find there are too many variables to say whether it is good or not - such as candidates’ diet and lifestyles and genetics and lack of metrics (scientific measurements and tests for things like memory, lassitude etc must be difficult to ratify). I believe for this same reason Nhs doctors don’t actually officially recommend things like the Best Bet Diet. On the other hand, a lot of the articles claiming cannabis benefits will be from salesman type people wanting to promote their strains/brand. But it is possible that this magic plant could hold some real benefits.
I for one will be very interested to see if there any developments to this from Canadian people with MS. From research i have done one the web it seems that Sativex (CBDs) is the only thing that has been actually prescribed for people with chronic pains from MS and no doubt it would help but cause extra drowsyness. It seems that there are a lot of claims that the antioxidant properties of cannabis in THC combined with the CBDs could improve some of the other underlying causes and symptoms of MS with psychoactive effects being just a delightful side-effect. Most agree that smoking it however, is not good for this but consumables may be the way forward. I have read about strains with a certain mix of THC/CBDs which create a more alert euphoric high (rather than the classic red-eyed “monging out” effects that you see in hippies and teenagers) and I suggest and hope that more people will now focus on producing more strains like this now it is a viable commercial industry in those countries where it is legal.
The legislation says that cannabis can be prescribed for people with spasticity in ms. It will be interesting to see how many people are prescribed this after trying other drugs.
Can I just say why I believe in cannabis, please? Our body has cannabinoid-receptors throughout, a mother’s breast-milk has endo-cannabinoids in it, and cannabis has cannabinoids in it. I’m just thinking that nature has done this for a reason. Cannabinoid receptor - Wikipedia Each to their own, but I’m just chuffed that the powers that be have finally admitted that cannabis has medicinal properties, after years of lies and obfuscating. Have a good weekend!
I take your point, but actually the powers that be haven’t accepted that cannabinoids have any medicinal properties. As was highlighted in today’s Times, Doctors may only prescribe a cannabinol when it’s been proven in written research papers that the drug works for the specific purpose it’s prescribed for, and that the person has tried other existing drugs which were not tolerated or worked.
This is the reason why Billy Caldwell, the boy with epilepsy who sparked off the latest changes, is now about to travel back to Canada to receive a cannabinol drug for his epilepsy.
Hello Ssssue, I feel that this is going to be a long road, with umpteen bumps along the way and a lot of resistance from the powers that be. Where cannabis has received only negative headlines, over the years, it’s going to take a long time for people’s minds to be opened up to new possibilities.
Moving it to a Schedule 2, from Schedule 1, acknowledges that it has medical properties and that is a lot more than I expected, this time last year! So, be grateful for small mercies and the knowledge that things are changing. A thousand mile journey begins with one step.
Sue, I’ve just remembered that the government gave licenses to grow medical cannabis, making us the world’s largest exporter of medical cannabis and then, in the next breath, they question its medicinal properties. They’re playing games, for me. What’s new?!
From personal experience, I think this subject needs alot of research by every potential user.
My GP prescribed Oxycontin for the pain I was getting, ms hug. This was in 1998 and the prescribed dose went up from 20mcg daily to 160mcg over a period of 4 years. In 2012 this was changed to 75mcg fentanyl transdermal patches which seemed to work well.
Over the last ten months in conjunction with my GP the patch strength has been reduced to 12mcg looking to completely stop using them in Jan 19.
I have felt so much more alive since reducing the meds and I would like to say to people considering strong analgesics to really consider it seriously and look into other ways to help with pain and spasticity.
It really feels to me, that I’m getting a bit of my life back and will no longer have to rely on these patches.
It has been 20 years for me on these strong analgesics, and it seems to have passed me by in a flash, so please be careful anybody who is considering these drugs.
Hello Robert, I’m sorry to hear about your situation, but I’m glad to hear that it’s under control and on the right road.
In the US they’ve had major problems with Oxycontin leading onto an increase in heroin users, because their doctor has cut back on the Oxcontin/Fentanyl prescriptions. A mess, where those that need the help suffer the most.
Sue has succeeded, as always, in outlining the difficulties in obtaining any cannabis based products under prescription. Legalising medical cannabis proved to be a great back-slapping headline for the Home Office, but the devil was always going to be in the detail.
MS Trust has published an easy to read guide on the subject.
What also make interesting reading, are the two links to NHS documents for clinicians and patients on the subject.
As Sue has pointed out, clinicians cannot offer products that do not have a proven track record, in layman’s terms, and the only licensed product currently available is Sativex. Buried in the document is the damning paragraph:
‘However Sativex® is currently subject to a NICE ‘do not do’ recommendation: Do not offer Sativex to treat spasticity in people with MS because it is not a cost effective treatment.’
That’s that then, quite clearly, unless you can afford to pay for it yourself, or can wheedle your way onto some trial at your local hospital.
The guidance to patients does clearly state that the new change in the law will mainly affect children with severe epilepsy and adults with nausea as a result of chemotherapy.
Later on the document does, probably a little rashly, offer a glimmer of hope to MS patients with severe spasticity who have tried all other medically approved options.
Trebles all round in government circles leaving the rest of us to scratch our heads and wonder what all the fuss was about. It will take many years before any other cannabis products are tested and licensed for use.
