Treatment of Chronic Pain by Sharon Chandler
I am a 44-year-old married woman with three chronic pain diseases--. reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. The RSDS was diagnosed by an orthopedic physician 7 years ago. Four years later, the fibromyalgia was diagnosed, then 2 years later the arthritis. Many doctors tried every kind of medication they could think of until I told them I quit. I have pain, and I need pain medication. My doctor gives me Darvocet, Valium and Flexeril. Unless these are is taken in multiple doses at once, there is no effect. I began to smoke marijuana in the first 2 years and found that it provided pain reduction within moments. I have used it daily for at least 6 years. The cost of the marijuana is far less, and it works ten times better and quicker. For the last 5 years I have been in college, majoring in psychology. I carried a 3.65 GPA with a few semesters a 4.0. I feel that I would not have been able to go to college had I not had the marijuana to dull the pain enough for me to function and write essays and make it to class. All the while I smoked daily. The side effects of prescribed medications are not always good. I know of no side effects of marijuana that have affected my health. I hope that your research will help the plight of people who must live with chronic 24/7 pain.