Medical Cannibis

[lynbrown]

My sciatica is very painful and pain killers dont work. How do I get some cannibis?  Happy to pay if it helped. Any tips please?  Did it work for you?   PS .Im T1 diabetic.

[barry1010]

You can buy CBD for pain relief from Holland & Barratt, Boots, Amazon, Tesco and most supermarkets 

[barry1010]

You can take it but ask your GP if you are worried 

[bednobs]

 You will not be able to get a prescription even if you pay for a private one. 

So you are left with the type advertised on the telly which has had the active ingredient removed or the illegal versioñ

[bednobs]

If you want the illegal version the best thing to do us ask around your friends and family if anyone has a supply you can try. You'll probably be surprised

[barry1010]

The NHS does give prescriptions for Sativex but only under certain circumstances, usually for MS.

GPs can't prescribe it.

[barry1010]

CBD has not had the active ingredients for pain relief removed but it won't make you high

[bednobs]

Yes Barry that's what I meant when I said she won't get a prescription. Not the right diagnosis

[Buenchico]

As others have said, getting a prescription for cannabis-based products is almost impossible.  Even families who've fought for years to be able to access medicinal cannabis for, say, children who suffer multiple epileptic seizures per day without it have found that, although their GPs might now legally be allowed to provide prescriptions, none of them will actually do so.

However, also as others have said, the pain-relieving element of cannabis, CBD, (rather than the high-inducing part, THC) is readily available from High Street stores such as Holland & Barrett.  Their product range is here
https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/cbd/
with some guidance available here
https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/the-health-hub/vitamins-and-supplements/supplements/your-guide-to-the-best-cbd-oils/

[tommy39]

by yourself a tens machine,i had the same complaint as you  and the tens worked great for me

[windywillow]

I too would recommend you try a tens machine. It was a huge relief for me when sciatica pain was unbearable.

I didn't hold out much hope but was persuaded to try it by my OH. So glad I gave it a go.

[barry1010]

Tens machine is a big help for my son's crippling migraines

[Smowball]

I've often read about tens machines - are they only good for certain  types of pain??

[Buenchico]

^^^ This might help, Smow . . . 
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/transcutaneous-electrical-nerve-stimulation-tens/

[windywillow]

It works well for my sciatica pain (which clears up but comes back on a regular basis) and my husband's arthritis. We have a tens machine each.

I'm told they don't work for everyone, but they definitely do for us. 

[Smowball]

Thanks Chris.

My MIL has just developed sciatica WW - I might mention this to her then.

 

[tommy39]

i suffer from back pain ,that affects my walking,put on the tens machine i can walk nearly all day,74yr old

[Scarlett]

Years ago, I went to a neurologist privately, and he gave me a private prescription for Sativex. I gave it to the pharmacy, who didn't have a clue what it was, or where to get it from. Eventually they came back to me, it would cost £700 for three vials – tiny little things. I asked if I could buy one vial just to try, and they said no. so if you have the money, it is possible. I went back to the guy who invented Sativex and he said it was absolutely ridiculous that they were charging that much, but there was nothing he could do.

[Buenchico]

^^^ It's a bit of a postcode lottery these days, Scarlett:
https://www.mssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/news/nice-recommends-sativex-for-use-on-the-nhs-in-england

[barry1010]

Sativex is currently around £500 for one month's supply.