Magnus....
When you get to the withdrawal point with the opioid be certain to do that with cannabis. The cannabis will potentiate the opioids, making it possible to reduce the dose of Fentanyl right from the beginning. The cannabis can be safely used to any extent you find necessary to get through symptoms. Hizzy is just finishing up his own withdrawal from opioids, documenting that adventure in the CCO Lounge. It might be a little rough now and then, but you'll get through it.
By then you'll be on capsules that reduce, if not eliminate the anxiety. That'll make the transition even better. You'll be fine. We won't let it be any other way.
Dear SweetSue AND HashGirl,
Your messages brings tears to my eyes. And no, it's not because I'm still feeling the effects of yesterday. You are both so kind to me, so generous with your love...
I've got a doctor who really knows his stuff. At the pain clinic, he is the one who titrates all the clients off of their opiods and puts them on cannabis, so I hope/think he's really used to this stuff. He already told me he's not going to take me off the Fentanyl until he is sure the cannabis is working to control the pain. Since the Fentanyl doesn't seem to work anymore to control at least all of the pain (I am having more and more breakout pain incidents as the weeks wear on), there's a lot of pain right now for him to work with! Whatever happens, i'm sure he won't let me experience the pain of withdrawals without using the cannabis to help control both the pain and the experience of the withdrawals. Also, I'm pretty sure he'll take me off the Fentanyl slowly. That is the impression that both Ginette and I got from him, though I don't remember him actually voicing it in that way. But that's the feeling we both got from him.
I'm not sure if I ever explained to anyone here what happened with my appointment with him. Because of my bipolar disorder, he's reluctant to just put me on the cannabis. Apparently, the Canadian Government has a warning out to doctors saying that anyone with bipolar disorder may in fact be at risk for increased manic activity as a result of medical cannabis use. Because of this, he wanted to get my psych to sign off on using cannabis first before prescribing it for me. I told him that my psych has already told me that he'd never allow one of his patients to use cannabis! I told this to the doctor, who then said that he'd like me to see their in-house psych to see if she would sign off on my using cannabis.
Now, I used cannabis for a period of one + years about 4 years ago, with no adverse manic activity. So I really believe I have nothing to worry about. If anything, it helped me sleep better, and poor sleep habits is one of those things that will make a bipolar person have manic episodes like no other. So I really feel like I've got no issues to worry about.
But anyway, I have to jump through the hoops... And on Monday I have an appointment with the psych to see if she will sign off on my cannabis use. I've no idea what she is like or where she sits on the issue, but I hope that, given that she works in this particular clinic where they prescribe it regularly that she'll be down with signing off on me for it.
And if she says no, then it's a no-go at this pain clinic.
But all is not lost... No, all is not lost.
I've made an alternate appointment with a doctor who writes prescriptions for cannabis almost for a living! He was referred to me by the woman who owns my grow-store. She said that he signs off prescriptions all the time, and that's almost all he does because he knows how hard it is to get prescriptions in my home province. So my appointment with him is on 17 Feb 17.
And if THAT doesn't work... As Ginette says... Fuck 'em, Magnus. We'll do it anyway. We're already growing our own, we'll continue to do it and soon enough it'll be legal throughout the whole country to use it recreationally (Canada DOES rock sometimes, you know) so who is going to stop us from growing it for your own medical use?
And I agree. Fuck 'em. If they aren't going to listen to me when I tell them that I don't get manic on the stuff, then too fucking bad. I'll grow my own for my own personal medical use. (Can you see how angry I am? I never swear. Well, fucking almost fucking never...)
So that's the story. I may, or may not, be given the cannabis to control the pain. And if not, then I'm damned well going to use it anyway to control the pain. And the anxiety. And the depression.
I should probably be writing all of this in a private message, right. Oh well. Too damned bad.
And with that, I'll sign off. Much love to both of you. Hope you're both doing well this beautiful Saturday afternoon.
Have a wonderful continuation to the day. 
