Near death experience moves patient to try cannabinoids

Medical

FRX Health Case Study:

Near death experience moves patient to try cannabinoids

Medical

FRX Health Case Study:

Near death experience moves patient to try cannabinoids

Patient (002) has a long history of back pain. She visited us in desperation with an off-brand bottle of CBD in her hand asking, “how am I supposed to take this?”. She had an incredible story of a work injury that led to narcotic pain pills, then surgeries, and then ultimately a morphine pain pump. The dose of the morphine was more than her system could handle and her young son found her one morning not breathing.

She had tears in her eyes as she explained the Narcan drips and hospital staff that brought her back to life in the emergency department. She vowed then and there to stop using opiates to treat her back issues, but her family was opposed to the use of marijuana as a pain treatment. This is what led her to purchase CBD and ultimately to our dispensary to figure out what dose to use.

Can cannabidiol (CBD) help back pain?

Many studies show that CBD can be a successful part of standard pain treatments (Role of Cannabinoids in Pain Management Russo, Hohman). But the road to get there can be very confusing for patients. The over-the-counter CBD products range from poor to excellent in their value. First there are full and broad-spectrum CBD oils, isolate CBD, and hemp seed products. Then there are issues with potency, as products available start as low as 100 mg per bottle and can go up over 2000 mg. With most studies showing doses in the range of 15 – 50 mg cannabidiol per dose, the costs can become overwhelming. For instance, a 30 ml bottle with 1000 mg will end up having 33 mg per dropperful. And because the ½ life of CBD is short, many patients would require taking each dose at least 3 times a day. This might only last 10 days, and that bottle can cost as much as $100. Combine this confusion with the lack of standardized testing with these products, and we can see why many people ‘give up’ on CBD. Often my conversation on this topic can take up to an hour with patients! Our pharmacists explain the general anti-inflammatory effect of the CBD in medical marijuana products. We further discuss the combined pain fighting ability of CBD with THC as well as the extra benefit of CBD to control the euphoric effects of the THC. Finding the right combination of these two cannabinoids is crucial for pain relief. So don’t give up!

Patient Follow Up

This patient’s story has a happy ending. We started her with an all-THC concentrated drop to use along with the CBD she had purchased. It took a few months to find the right combination,
but she is currently off all opiate pain pills and even recently went sled riding with her grandchildren!

Conclusion

At FRX Health Dispensaries we will always advocate for our patients! We want you to get the medicine you need in this program and appreciate when you tell us your stories. Visit us at FRXOhio or DM us on Instagram. To speak with our Director of Pharmacy contact: [email protected].