Medical Access

[merl1n]

A couple of months ago I asked my GP about obtaining cannabis to treat my ongoing symptoms.

"Ohh ahhh, I don't know anything about the processes, I wouldn't know where to start..."

Being that I'm in SA and there being no clinic's here (our state Gov't (Liberal) still have their heads buried firmly up their own arses)  I thought the whole process would be a waste of time

I went investigating and found a clinic in NSW, who would go through the whole process online.

 

So after a couple of weeks of paperwork both from myself and my GP, today I got the call from the clinic and have had the initial approval.

I now have to obtain the approval from the TGA but from what I've been told this should not be a problem and should take less than a week.

The Dr I spoke to has told me that what he would be prescribing is a CBD and THC combination as my situation is pain related.

I asked the Dr about the cost of the medication itself as it is NOT on the PBS and I have to say it is NOT cheap.

The Dr himself would not actually tell me a defined cost but advised me to call the chemist in Victoria.

Upon doing so I was told $270/50ml + postage ($30), so $300 delivered. First thought "Fuck, it'd be cheaper to go buy an ounce" but have decided to follow through with the process.

 

At this point I have not been told of the recommended dosages, so how long that 50ml is going to last I am unsure.

I am also unsure if I may be able to get my local chemist to get it in for me or whether it needs to come from an approved compounding chemist, solely in Victoria.

 

So the processes have been started. The dr and the prepaid TGA approvals have cost me $550 so far (that's without the script itself), so let's see how much more it's gonna cost

When I have any further info I will let you all know.

 

Just thought others maybe interested

Merl1n

[merl1n]

Next Update.

 

Had another review with the canna dr.

Another $80

Still finding the need for the opiates along with the canna, but according to the dr we seem to have found 'a sweet spot', a good measure between canna and opiate.

My aim was to cut or reduce my use of the opiates and this has occurred, so that's plus.

The repeat scripts have been sent to the pharmacy and the pharmacy has forwarded another container, another $130

The canna dr has extended the next review until the end of July, so, from a monthly review of $80 to 4monthly review of $80, so the costs are reducing over time.

 

Merl1n

[Aqua420]

Next Update.

 

Had another review with the canna dr.

Another $80

Still finding the need for the opiates along with the canna, but according to the dr we seem to have found 'a sweet spot', a good measure between canna and opiate.

My aim was to cut or reduce my use of the opiates and this has occurred, so that's plus.

The repeat scripts have been sent to the pharmacy and the pharmacy has forwarded another container, another $130

The canna dr has extended the next review until the end of July, so, from a monthly review of $80 to 4monthly review of $80, so the costs are reducing over time.

 

Merl1n

Is it buds at $130 a month?

Just joining you on this trip now.

Hubby is taking 2ml every morning,says he can taste the thc but no effect.

 

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

[merl1n]

Yes, it's bud. And yes $130, but per month....???? It's only 5 gms of the med so, per month?  that depends how much ya smoke. 

They started me off on a low dose at the beginning, then upped it and upped it again. Well, that was the dr I'm seeing anyway.

Back on pg 7 is a photo of the oil bottle and paperwork and on pg 13 is a photo or two of the bud and container. What are the details on your hubby's med? Is it the same manufacturer?

 

Someone has asked before about effect, but the effect is nothing like smoking, more like eating a cookie, a very mild cookie. I did 'double dose' for a couple of days and......YEP, it's got THC in it lol

[GreatSouthernMan]

https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/medicinal-cannabis-inquiry/12090294

[Aqua420]

https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/medicinal-cannabis-inquiry/12090294

Thank you. Very interesting. If need be I will submitt this when i go to court after the current crisis if they agree to have it a adjournment.

 

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[GreatSouthernMan]

You could try to contact Lucy Haslam ? 

[GreatSouthernMan]

I first heard of her when I saw this campaign in change.org 

https://www.change.org/p/decriminalise-the-use-of-medicinal-cannabis-for-people-with-terminal-cancer-like-my-son

[MongyMan]

Such a shame Lucy sold out to big pharm and chased the dollars instead of REALLY helping patients when she had the chance after so many genuine people helped and backed her and her son Dan. These days Lucy is one of the people who has been very happy for patients to wait while she has been involved in and been backing businesses growing research hemp crops instead. When her son needed medical cannabis black market cannabis that was supplied to her was fine. After he passed she took the stand of ONLY pharm canna is ok and has fought hard against home growing and speedy patient access since. United in Compassion should change their name to United in Corporate Cannabis if they were honest.

[merl1n]

In Lucy's defence, you can be assured that with the public persona she has on the subject, she would have been lobbied by every which side of the argument. From pollies to pharmas to patients, I for one don't envy the woman one bit.

Let's face it, this was not her fight, but Dan's (her late son's) and by her own admission she was not knowledgeable re:Canna or Medical Canna in the beginning and was even anti the whole idea in the beginning. So the antics of vested interest groups have to have made a huge impact on the route she has taken. And, yes there are people who think she's taken the wrong info from the wrong people, but those are the choices we all have to make. And if anybody amongst us has ALWAYS made the correct decisions in life, you're dreamin. As they say 'You live and learn'

 

We are going to be stonewalled everywhere going about this from a recreational stand point and when it comes to medical those vested interests have the connections ie political which at the very least have more say than you or I on which direction the whole canna paradigm and debate go (or don't go). We need a voice at THAT table, we've gotta get it accepted as medical to be going anywhere near recreational. Small steps. And she is making those steps.

 

Yea, OK, so it's taking too damn long, I agree, but 10-15yr ago we were told we were dreamin even to get it to this point. It's being discussed more openly now by the decision makers than ever before, we've even got a Federal parliamentary enquiry happening, that hasn't happened before.

 

These are all the steps that need to be made. As I said in a former post "We can all bitch and moan, yell and scream, petition and protest but if we don't play their game it simply ain't gonna happen."

IMO Lucy's just playing the game

 

Merl1n

Edited March 29, 2020 by merl1n

[Serrated edge]

Small steps ,,,,maybe .

 

But my line of thinking is the Legal pharma will lobby for harsher penalties for home growers.