Somewhere around my 40th chemo treatment I had dropped to 117# from 175#. Puking, stomach cramps and because it was Lymphoma the pain I felt from the inside out had become nearly unbearable. Oxycodone and Valium helped, but the small amount of these drugs had little effect. I had been a pot smoker for forty years but had to quit in order to receive the pharmaceuticals that were supposed to ease my pain and help with my appetite. Valium definitely helped my appetite but the pain medication just wasn't enough.
I went back to smoking pot (and gained 17#, had fewer night sweats, and rarely if ever woke up puking my brains out and while the pain was still there it was bearable enough that the dog could still walk me around the neighborhood) but was soon busted through a random piss test.
Draconian laws in my state gave me two options. Smoke pot and I would be dismissed from the doctor, or go back to the pharmaceuticals that gave me some relief and continue my chemo (I am now ten months in remission after over ninety treatments while I still only weigh about 125#.) I was given a second chance, very few doctors in our state give you a second chance. You are dismissed from their practice and then you have to stay completely clean until you find another Oncologist (which could take weeks if not months to find.)
This folks is how Big Pharma keeps you under their thumb, and as the good doctor above explains so well how each INDIVIDUAL knows what treatment works best.
If I could choose I would take the combination of Valium, Pot and Hydrocodone (which is a milder pain reliever, although still an opioid, than Oxycodone) but in our state a doctor would lose their DEA license if they prescribe any schedule narcotic after pissing dirty from pot.
Oh, thanks to the ACA I was given nearly 2.5 million dollars worth of chemo. In earlier days when the insurance could cap the amount of care you could receive (usually a million dollar limit depending on the insurance you could afford.)
My lymphoma (Mantle Cell Lymphoma) is chronic and it will come back. Any talk of legalizing medical marijuana sends my deep red state politicians into a frenzy not seen since the days of "Reefer Madness," Thanks for reading my rant, sometimes a person just has to get things off their chest. For more info regarding MCL see: lls.org
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