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]

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/medicinal-cannabis-could-be-available-in-australian-chemists-without-a-prescription-as-early-as-next-year-as-olivia-newton-john-calls-for-weed-rules-to-be-relaxed/ar-BB149FwB?ocid=spartanntp

 

'...without a script...' ????????? At what price??

[Dingo-2008]

Ya I checked that out on Tv as well Merl.They said it would end up cheaper.

 

Yes it would have to be at least half the price of what we are paying at the moment for medical cannabis.

 

The day that I receive my medical canna oil I re order for a new script that same day as it takes just on a week for me to receive my medzzz from NSW.

[Dingo-2008]

Just a quick up date on my Cannabis  medication.

 

I received my Tilray medical cannabis oil,[125ml bottle of 10% THC & 10% CBD OIL] An the cost of the Tilray.

 

Last week the price was total cost =$125.00,This week it cost me $67.50 an that includes postage as  well.

Just about half price from the week before.

 

Things are looking up for the price of the medication.

 

All the best crew,Regards,Dingo-2008.

[louise]

I'll have to read up through this thread when I have more energies. I'm glad it's working (to some extent) for you guys. 

 

Crikey Dingo, Ordine 10... I'm humbled. I thought I had pain, but I'm only using Ordine 2 with Targin 10. It does't kill the pain, but manages it enough that I can put up with it.

[Dingo-2008]

Hi Louise.The  Ordine10 with the other medzz seem to be helpping me more than just the morphine medications  that I take.

 

Louise I have been able to drop down to taking the ordine 10 only1 to 2 times a day now an some days I don't even need it.As you know louies pain is all ways changing some days it like fuck it the end of the world an I just take some medzz an things just settle down for me.

 

The combination of the medical cannabis & my normal medzz  has given me quite a bit of pain relief .But I think  that I need a stronger amount of cannabis as it takes just about 2 to 4 hrs for the cannabis to start working for me.

 

Louise the GP Doctor has me on A drug called [ Jurnista16mg  an Ordine10Ml ] Jurnista16 is a 24hr slow release tab of morphine an as you know all about the ordine2 its the same as the ordine 10ml 21/2ml 4 times a day  if needed I try to  keep  the ordine 10 down to about the 2 t0 3 times a day to keep it under control the morphine is a nasty drug but if you keep  on top of it an don't mess around with it .Well it seems to work for me .But everyone is different hey an what helps one person may not help another person.

 

Al the best  to you Louise & Merl.

 

Regards,Dingo-2008.

[Gokugonemad2]

“The combination of the medical cannabis & my normal medzz has given me quite a bit of pain relief .But I think that I need a stronger amount of cannabis as it takes just about 2 to 4 hrs for the cannabis to start working for me.”

 

Hey Dingo just an idea, you could look at maybe upgrading to the stuff Merl1n is on. More thc and less cbd. Cbd is a thc inhibitor, and thc is a painkiller. So by extension cbd is a pain relief inhibitor. It blocks the action of thc and stops it from doing its thing.

 

Cbd does a bunch of good things but if u are talking straight up pain relief, its big brother thc is what u want. Thru regular cannabis use I’ve reduced my headaches down from persistent daily ones requiring codeine, down to once every couple of months requiring paracetamol. And if I ditch the paracetamol and try kill the headache with some extra weed, 1:1 thc:cbd isn’t strong enough to knock it over but any thc dominant weed will kill it fast. New legal cannabis med patients are all directed to the 1:1 stuff to begin with by default, as far as I’m aware, and that’s a damn good idea in my opinion because u gotta crawl before u can walk. Some people can’t handle the psychoactivity of high thc so best not to scare them. And people who don’t mind the psychoactivity and are in a lot of pain will generally ask for a bump up real quick. If u commonly take morphine etc for ur pain then I’m pretty sure ur looking for a bump up, just understand that increasing the dose of ur current meds is probably not the most efficient way to do this because cbd blocks the mode of action of thc, and cbd will continue to build up in ur system over time

[merl1n]

...The combination of the medical cannabis & my normal medzz  has given me quite a bit of pain relief .But I think  that I need a stronger amount of cannabis as it takes just about 2 to 4 hrs for the cannabis to start working for me.

 

Hey Dingo,

I STRONGLY recommend you talk to the clinic about this '2-4hrs' it takes to work. Because the oil is a digestible oil it has to pass thru your stomach and your liver before the effects kick in and that takes time. I found the oil sort of like a maintenance dose and the bud for break thru. But if I took the oil at night, in the morning I had me an goddamn awful hangover. YUCK. 

I explained this to the dr by saying 'I don't need the benefits in 2-4 hrs, I need it NOW'. Flos (or dried flower) gives that effect 'NOW'. Smoking is the big medical no, no. So they'll probably recommend using a vape, they did with me, and I do have a vape, but I smoke it in a pipe.

 

I also agree with Gok regarding the 1:1 ratio, it seems to be the standard starting point. But as with any medication it's a case of finding what works best for you. I've tried a few differing THC:CBD ratios and it really is, again, a case of mix'n'match to best meet your personal needs. As I've said before "What maybe the key for one person can be of SFA use to another, it's finding what works best for you personally". And believe me, there are a shitload of people out there with an opinion of what works best. They don't know shit.... ...you're the one dealing with your situation... ...not them and if it works for you, who cares about the other opinions.

 

Merl1n

[Dingo-2008]

Thanks for the info Merl & Gok,

 

I have an appointment with my cannabis clinic today an I will ask him for a stronger THC  combo or  just stronger straight THC to get on top of the pain.

 

 

 Thanks for the info guys.

 

 Regards,Dingo-2008.

[louise]

Hi Louise.The  Ordine10 with the other medzz seem to be helpping me more than just the morphine medications  that I take.

 

Louise I have been able to drop down to taking the ordine 10 only1 to 2 times a day now an some days I don't even need it.As you know louies pain is all ways changing some days it like fuck it the end of the world an I just take some medzz an things just settle down for me.

 

The combination of the medical cannabis & my normal medzz  has given me quite a bit of pain relief .But I think  that I need a stronger amount of cannabis as it takes just about 2 to 4 hrs for the cannabis to start working for me.

 

Louise the GP Doctor has me on A drug called [ Jurnista16mg  an Ordine10Ml ] Jurnista16 is a 24hr slow release tab of morphine an as you know all about the ordine2 its the same as the ordine 10ml 21/2ml 4 times a day  if needed I try to  keep  the ordine 10 down to about the 2 t0 3 times a day to keep it under control the morphine is a nasty drug but if you keep  on top of it an don't mess around with it .Well it seems to work for me .But everyone is different hey an what helps one person may not help another person.

 

Al the best  to you Louise & Merl.

 

Regards,Dingo-2008.

 

Definitely sounds like it would be worth trying a higher dose of the cannabis. 

 

"morphine is a nasty drug but if you keep  on top of it an don't mess around with it"  Totally agree on that, Dingo. I plan on living for quite a bit longer and plan for optimum quality of life during that time. Part of that is making sure I don't irreversibly bind up all my opiate receptors.

 

I also agree, pain is a very personal and individual. I read, years ago, about social learning and pain tolerance. Essentially, part of the way we learn to deal with pain relates to our earlier experiences. People who grow up with expectation that a certain amount of pain, is to be tolerated in daily life. These people generally have high tolerance of pain. If you don't grow up with expecting to experience some pain, you are more likely to have a lower threshold for pain in later life. <<< just having a 'geez louise' random factoid moment.

 

The Targin (oxycodone and nalaxone) is the slow release side of my personal opiate schedule.

 

All the best to you too Dingo and Merl1n.

 

lou 

[seedsmanspain]

In case anyone is looking, I found Cannabis Access Clinics very helpful. All done by telehealth and they smoothed out a mile of paperwork for me, now I am using a THC oil and a CBD oil, with a pretty seamless system from doctor to pharmacy , meds express posted to me.

I am happy with them.

https://caclinics.com.au/

 

Happy to assist anyone who needs help with this in any way I can.

 

Ta

Mick