How to get a marinol prescription?

[funkydude]

Hello, My wife has a chronic regional pain disorder (rsd) and is in constant pain and usually intense nausea.  We live in pennsylvania, and her doctor refused to prescribe anything but narcotics ( he said because he has never prescribed marinol, he isnt going to prescrtibe it), which have not helped much with the pain, and make the nausea so much worse.  Does anyone have any experience in getting marinol prescribed?  We are willing to travel out of state to find a doctor who is more open minded about this.  A Pennsylvania doctor would be more convenient, but judging from how PA handles "touchy" subjects like this proven medication, my hopes arent high that we will find any local doctor who will help. 

Thank You

[HeartLess]

 I recently had a friend pass away from lung cancer. Near the end he recieved a Marinol perscription. Im sorry I dont know the doctor who perscribed it but I do know most of his doctors were in the Allentown area. Maybe you could start looking there. Are you sure this is what she wants?
 Chemical compounds in cannabis, known as cannabinoids, are responsible for its numerous therapeutic benefits. Scientists have identified 66 naturally occurring cannabinoids.The active ingredient in Marinol, synthetic delta-9-tetrahyrdocannabinol (THC), is an analogue of one such compound, THC. However, several other cannabinoids available in cannabis -- in addition to naturally occurring terpenoids (oils) and flavonoids (phenols) -- have also been clinically demonstrated to possess therapeutic utility. Many patients favor natural cannabis to Marinol because it includes these other therapeutically active cannabinoids. For example, cannabidol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that has been clinically demonstrated to have analgesic, antispasmodic, anxiolytic, antipsychotic, antinausea, and anti-rheumatoid arthritic properties. Natural extracts of CBD, when administered in combination with THC, significantly reduce pain. Clinical studies also demonstrate CBD to be neuroprotective against glutamate neurotoxicity (i.e. stroke), cerebral infarction (localized cell death in the brain), and ethanol-induced neurotoxicity, with CBD being more protective against glutamate neurotoxicity than either ascorbate (vitamin C) or alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E). Clinical trials have also shown CBD to possess anti-tumoral properties, inhibiting the growth of glioma (brain tumor) cells in a dose dependent manner and selectively inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) in malignant cells.
 Patients prescribed Marinol frequently report that its psychoactive effects are far greater than those of natural cannabis. Marinol's adverse effects include: feeling "high," drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, anxiety, changes in mood, muddled thinking, perceptual difficulties, coordination impairment, irritability, and depression. These psychoactive effects may last four to six hours. About one-third of patients prescribed Marinol report experiencing one or some of these adverse effects.
 Marinol’s oral route of administration is responsible, in part, for its heightened psychoactivity compared to inhaled cannabis. Once swallowed, Marinol passes from the stomach to the small intestine before being absorbed into the bloodstream. Following absorption, Marinol passes through the liver where a significant proportion of the drug is metabolized into other chemicals. One of these chemicals, 11-hydroxy-THC, may be four to five times more potent than natural THC, and is produced in greater quantities.Thus, patients administered Marinol experience the psychoactive effects of both THC and 11-hydroxy-THC, greatly increasing the likelihood that they will suffer from an adverse psychological reaction. By comparison, only minute quantities of 11-hydroxy-THC are produced when cannabis is inhaled. Moreover, Marinol lacks the compound cannabidiol.
 Now Im not a doctor but maybe she would like to try a vaporizer. Vaporization is an alternative method of cannabis administration that holds distinct advantages over both smoking and oral administration. Cannabis vaporization suppresses respiratory toxins by heating cannabis to a temperature where cannabinoid vapors form (typically around 180-190 degrees Celsius), but below the point of combustion where noxious smoke and associated toxins (i.e., carcinogenic hydrocarbons) are produced (near 230 degrees Celsius). Healthier, safer... natural; and dont forget it would remove the headache of trying to find a doctor to perscribe the Marinol and then trying to get it filled
 I hope this was of atleast some help to you and your wife. Good luck.

[funkydude]

Thank you so much for your in depth response and info.  The main problem with natural cannabis is that its illegal in PA, the other problems circle around that, such as finding someone who sells it ( a dealer, most are shady), if you find someone who has something with potency, it is so expensive for such a small quantity.  Another problem with most dealers is that they dont have a selection of different strains, and not all strains have the same medical benefits.  My wife's pain and nausea is extreme, and the Sour Diesel (the only decent strain I can locate in my area, mostly because of my lack of connections to dealers) is good for her nerves and nausea, but doesnt help the pain.
I will look up some doctors in the Allentown area, but if it was an oncologist who prescribed the marinol, he/she isnt going to even see my wife, since she doesnt have cancer.
If you have any idea of the type of doctor that prescribed it, it might help my search.
Thanks Again!

[HeartLess]

 Sorry I dont even know who I could ask. He was a private guy when it came to his medical problems. You are correct though, most of the dealers here in PA are shady. I remember like three to four years ago, herb ran like water. Then a harsh year of busts and a few deaths and BOOM!! everything doubled in price and now half the guys selling it cant be trusted cuz well they dont even speak english other than "its haze, its haze." and I assure you; it is never haze. lol. You dont know if its laced wit PCP or sprayed with some other chemicals. Did you know that a few years ago in Europe they were having a problem with dealers adding tiny glass shavings to the bags? It would make buds appear crystalized, and because of how fine the glass was, reportedly, you couldnt feel the difference when holding it or breaking up a bud. There was no major health threat and none if you used a bong (sorry, I mean "water pipe"). lol. Its just the danger we face for living in a corrupt state.

[donl]

Hi  i'M donl...belong to normlnj..but belonged here years earlier...anyway on the prescription thc...In june of '06 I went through a radical neck disection surgery for stage 4  laryngeal cancer...the doctor wanted me to have a backup of chemo and radiation..just in case...3 weeks into the chemo..I just couldn't take their ''helpfull'' meds anymore..so I asked about marijuana...now this was at Jefferson..there answer was..we'd love to be able but it's illegal..can we try a marinol..artificial [ not really though] thc..I said I'll try anything to get my appetite back..help w/the pain and ...throwing up...my Ins.Co. wouldn't pay for this ''legal'' pill...so I paid for it myself...taking that one pill was probably the worst mistake I'd made in years..!!...medical MJ..is maybe at best 18-25% thc...depending on what you need..this pharmaceutical ''pill'' was 99% thc..didn't have pain...did'nt gain an appetite either...it knocked me flat out!....thankfully I was at Jeff's chemo lounge when it happened..they gave me a bed to sleep it out..went home sick and groggy next day...and this was a tiny pill.....was running out of alternatives..got nailed for attempting to grow my own..seems the hydroponics shop in Woodbury was staked out by state narc cops..and me w/ a pony tail to my butt..in my 60's spelled..hippy.!....good legal team..lotta cash got me clear..stage 4 felony to be expunged soon...what I'm getting at is are you really certain you want marinol..I've read and heard so much thats negative...for shits sake..get a bong and some good weed...btw..I' quit that chemo and radiation..then and there..so far so good!...I preferred Quality of life..you've no idea what the alternative would have been to get food into me....love your smiley collection here!...

[Jay]

Wow, that's a harsh story. I hope you find some that works easy soon without all that.

[Bob_in_PA]

You might want to try asking the doctor if he can reccommend anyone who actually has some experiance with it and *WILL* prescribe it.  If he can't at least help you there, tell him you're dropping him as your doctor and start trying different doctors until you can find one with some compassion. (Just mentioning dropping your current doc as your primary care provider, will probably earn you some aditional consideration).

Also keep a few things in mind here: With this doctor or any new doctor for that matter, try to establish a working relationship with them. Try to be as warm and conversational with them as you can. If you come in with full-length dreads, wearing tie-dyed clothing and are covered head-to-toe in grateful dead / phish tatoos, that will greatly undermine your credibility.

You can also try mentioning to your doctor that, out of medical necessity, your wife has resorted to at times using Marijuana, and lo and behold, it worked. Explain to the doctor that if your wife has to keep resorting to such drastic measures as buying an "illegal plant," the implications to her health if either you or your wife were imprisoned would be far greater than any likely side effects of Marinol. Print out and bring in the marinol prescribing information for the doc to read, and if the doc still won't let her at least TRY it to see if it works for 30 days (hell, even 10 would be a start), then I would seriously drop that doctor.

[iamhewhoisnot]

Man I have no advice for you, but my heart goes out to you and your family. It's sad that someone in this day and age has to choose between breaking the law and risking jail, or suffering. Not to sound too corny, but I will pray for you and your wife. Its the best I can do. Good luck mate, and please keep us updated.