Furthermore, there is this throbbing question regarding the nondisclosure of one’s marijuana usage, and the question is “should I tell my Doctor if I am using medical marijuana’? However, to answer this question objectively, it is advisable to inform your doctor if you are using medical marijuana. And this doesn’t exclude your usage of other drugs or health remedies you are using without the knowledge of your doctor. By now, you are probably thinking what benefit lies in informing your doctor about your marijuana usage. Fortunately, there a handful of reasons why you need to acquaint your medical practitioners and some of them are highlighted below.
Why should you tell your doctor?
Nothing can substitute doctors’ professional guidance. The availability of their medical guidance which is based on their in-depth health-related knowledge goes a long way in saving lives and upholding peoples’ healthy living. For instance, do you know there are various types of marijuana out there? They also come in different version and functions. Findings have also shown that medical marijuana comes from Cannabis plant which possesses different categories of strains. These strains or cannabis-related substances as some would like to call it also perform specific actions. But the questions you must ask yourself here are:
- Do I know the nitty-gritty of the medical cannabis you are using?
- Do I know the type and form of medical marijuana to use?
- Do I know the right dosage of medical marijuana to use?
- Do I know have any health conditions that can worsen with the usage of marijuana?
- Am I allergic to the form of health remedy or a particular substance in its composition?
- Can I effectively manage any side effect arising for its usage?
Discussing medical marijuana with your doctor in Florida
Medical Marijuana Information For Doctors and Card Holders in Tampa Florida
Is Marijuana Addictive and Does It Have Side Effects?
Marijuana also known as weed is a drug obtained from the cannabis plant, which comes with mind-altering properties. It is gaining popularity amongst people but for illegal reasons. However, it also provides both medicinal as well as recreational purposes. Initially, many start using this drug for the “high feeling” it leaves.
Medically, marijuana has been shown to reduce chemotherapy-induced vomiting. In addition, it suppresses nausea for individuals undergoing cancer treatment. Individuals suffering from HIV will benefit as it helps to reduce nerve damage pain. As a recreational drug, it is growing in popularity due to its short-term psychological effects.
Is Marijuana Addictive?
Overtime use of marijuana will lead to an addiction. This is because it causes psychological effects on the brain. The mental state then registers its use and it in turn reduces the production of dopamine. This means that the brain relies on using the drug, as it cannot provide its own dopamine sufficiently. Secondly, constant intake will reduce production of endocannabinoid receptors.
Marijuana use develops into an addiction, but at a lower percentage. The marijuana use disorder will start in the form of dependence. The addiction occurs when a person experiences changes in behavior because of the drug. It is possible to be dependent without being addicted on marijuana abuse. An addiction will also lead to withdrawal symptoms in the event the individual stops using the drug. This said, marijuana doctors agree that it is an addictive drug.
The duration it takes an individual to become an addict will vary from one person to another. Factors that contribute towards addiction include the intake amount, the method of ingestion, as well as the duration of use/abuse. For example, people abusing the drug over a longer period are more likely to become addicts.
Side Effects of Marijuana
Medicinal marijuana is naturally safe for use and it will not come with many side effects other than the intended effects. Recreational use of marijuana on the other hand comes with several side effects. Some will last in the short-term, whereas others will last longer, especially for addicts and individuals who are dependent on the drug.
When an individual is high on this drug, the side effects include:
- Unpredictable mood changes
- Poor coordination
- Temporary memory loss
- Poor problem solving skills
Other effects include dry mouth, dizziness, constant fatigue, dry eyes, coughing, persistent headaches, as well as an increase in appetite.
Some short-term effects of marijuana occur shortly after ingesting it. They include poor concentration with a feeling of highness.
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Conclusion
Marijuana doctors agree that the drug is addictive but at the same time, not everyone who is dependent on the drug is also an addict. Marijuana abuse also leads to several side effects with a majority of them leading to negative effects in the long-term. The effects may vary from one individual to another, which means that the provided list above does not occur with everyone. An individual will not experience one side effect but they may not experience all the side effects either.
If you or someone you know is interested in seeing a marijuana doctor in your area, please contact our offices today to schedule your next appointment.
Does Marijuana Help Treat Glaucoma or Other Eye Conditions Florida Patients
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a condition which is characterized by the optic nerve getting damaged over time. The first effect is reduced peripheral vision which can possibly lead to total blindness. A cause of optic nerve damage is known as Intraocular pressure (IOP), which simply means that eye pressure is higher than normal.
Why marijuana?
The legalization of marijuana is becoming more widespread in the US and Canada, for medical and recreational use. This has led to conversations and studies around the use of marijuana in the treatment of many health conditions.
Marijuana is known to lower blood pressure, therefore, it serves that it would be a good option in the treatment of Glaucoma. I would advise that it isn’t that easy. Research conducted in the 1970s and 1980s showed a measurable decrease in intraocular pressure for about three to four hours after ingesting THC or smoking cannabis. However, this is a really short time considering that to treat Glaucoma and preserve vision, patients require that their eye pressure is controlled 24 hours a day.
Downside of Marijuana
You might already begin to see the problem here. In order to treat Glaucoma using marijuana, intraocular pressure would have to be reduced by 3-5 mmHg and maintained. This means that about 18-20 mg of THC would have to be ingested six to eight times a day, every day. To put it in perspective, marijuana would need to be smoked every 3-4 hours. This would be impossible for anyone with an active lifestyle or who operates machinery or drives cars all day and any sound Marijuana Doctor in Florida would not recommend it.
Marijuana cigarettes would also not be the wisest of options considering they contain chemical compounds that can cause damage to the lungs just as smoking tobacco cigarettes. Studies also show that chronic use of marijuana can have permanent effects on brain function.
What about other forms of marijuana?
One may argue that the undesired effects of marijuana use in the treatment of Glaucoma could be averted by simply making marijuana eye drops. However, studies conducted show that these can lead to burning, irritated eyes and no significant reduction in eye pressure. The reason for this is probably because THC is insoluble in water and it has been difficult to develop a solution with high enough THC content to be effective.
What is the way forward?
As it is, any doctor who prescribes marijuana cigarettes to treat Glaucoma would as well prescribe alcohol every hour for the same. This is because alcohol also lowers blood pressure. This is however unrealistic. Scientists are still years away from seeing how cannabis compounds can be isolated, made long-acting and their side effects eliminated in order to be effective in the treatment of Glaucoma and other eye conditions.
Please contact our offices to schedule your next appointment.
