Ptsd

[painkills2]

March 11, 2014

Abstract

Background: New Mexico was the first state to list post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a condition for the use of medical cannabis. There are no published studies, other than case reports, of the effects of cannabis on PTSD symptoms. The purpose of the study was to report and statistically analyze psychometric data on PTSD symptoms collected during 80 psychiatric evaluations of patients applying to the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program from 2009 to 2011. Methods: The Clinician Administered Posttraumatic Scale for DSM-IV (CAPS) was administered retrospectively and symptom scores were then collected and compared in a retrospective chart review of the first 80 patients evaluated. Results: Greater than 75% reduction in CAPS symptom scores were reported when patients were using cannabis compared to when they were not. Conclusions: Cannabis is associated with reductions in PTSD symptoms in some patients, and prospective, placebo-controlled study is needed to determine efficacy of cannabis and its constituents in treating PTSD.
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[painkills2]

re: P.T.S.D.

November 2013 article and video with veteran Michael Krawitz:

During his fight, Krawitz found other veterans and allies in the medical cannabis community and formed Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access (VMCA) in 2007. Together they continued to work with administrators at the VA until, finally, on January 31, 2011, the VA issued directive 2011-004, “Access to Clinical Programs for Veterans Participating in State-Approved Marijuana Programs”...

Smell the Truth » MMJ for Vets: Legalization Offers Best Access of All

 

[painkills2]

re: P.T.S.D.

Veterans using marijuana to ease PTSD symptoms | khou.com Houston

April 19, 2014

The 26-year-old combat veteran served in the Army from 2009 to 2011. During that time, he says two men in his unit committed suicide.

"That’s the hardest part. You’re here and you have a chance to survive, and yet you take that chance to zero," he said.

When he returned to his hometown, his girlfriend at the time noticed he had symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.

"She was like, ‘Hey, sometimes you get paranoid. Sometimes you get angry. Sometimes you get frustrated really easy,’" said the soldier his voice breaking up.

"And it’s hard to hear that you do that. It makes you feel like a monster," he said.

The soldier found relief in New Mexico, one of only five states with medical marijuana programs that include PTSD among the treatable conditions.

"And a lot of vets moved here for that very reason, so they can be in the program," said Hilda Chavez, a naturopath and patient advocate.

Chavez helps doctors screen patients and works with those who qualify. She and the doctors require PTSD patients who want to use medical marijuana to also get counseling.

She teaches veterans which strain is best for their condition and methods of using medical marijuana that go beyond smoking.

"We have been told consistently by most of the vets that they were over-medicated with drugs that were making them sleep all day or making them more anxious, and they would lose control of their lives," said Chavez.

The young veteran from New Mexico was reluctant to take prescription drugs after he saw their effect on his older sister, another veteran suffering with PTSD.

"You’d ask her to get something and it was almost like she was doing it in slow motion. And sometimes she’d slur like she was drunk but she wasn’t. 　She was just on the pain meds," said the soldier.

She was addicted to the medication, he said.

"She took a nap one day and just didn’t wake up," remembered the soldier.

His sister was 30 years old when she died.

Several veterans’ organizations are urging the federal government to allow veterans to use medical marijuana, including Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access. The group "advocates for safe and legal access to cannabis (marijuana) for all appropriate therapeutic uses."

The organization and others also want research on the use of medical marijuana as a treatment alternative for PTSD and other conditions.

The organization Veterans for Compassionate Care says, "Marijuana politics blunt effort to ease PTSD" on its website. The organization also wants "a professionally controlled and monitored study program focusing on veterans’ treatment for PTSD."

Veterans Affairs declined a request for an interview but in an emailed statement said: "Marijuana remains illegal according to federal law. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) providers do not participate in medical marijuana programs even in states that have made it legal."

But according to the VA, the policy does not prevent veterans who are using medical marijuana from seeking treatment at VA facilities where "the use of marijuana is taken into account when prescribing medications and planning treatment."

The young vet from the small town in New Mexico who is using medical marijuana is getting counseling at the VA.

 

[painkills2]

re: P.T.S.D.

Department of Veterans Affairs
Under Secretary for Health
Washington, DC 20420

July 6, 2010

Mr. Michael Krawitz
3551 Flatwoods Road
Elliston, VA 24087

Dear Mr. Krawitz:

This is a follow-up response to your letter requesting clarification of the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) policy regarding the practice of prescribing opioid therapy for pain management for Veterans who provide documentation of the use of medical marijuana in accordance with state law.

If a Veteran obtains and uses medical marijuana in a manner consistent with state law, testing positive for marijuana would not preclude the Veteran from receiving opioids for pain management in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility. The Veteran would need to inform his provider of the use of medical marijuana, and of any other non-VA prescribed medications he or she is taking to ensure that all medications, including opioids, are prescribed in a safe manner. Standard pain management agreements should draw a clear distinction between the use of illegal drugs, and legal medical marijuana. However, the discretion to prescribe, or not prescribe, opioids in conjunction with medical marijuana, should be determined on clinical grounds, and thus will remain the decision of the individual health care provider. The provider will take the use of medical marijuana into account in all prescribing decisions, just as the provider would for any other medication. This is a case-by-case decision, based upon the provider's judgment, and the needs of the patient.

Should you have further questions, please contact Robert Kerns, PhD, National Program Director, New England Healthcare System at ********, extension 3841.

Sincerely,

Robert A. Petzel, M.D.


Original letter on Department of Veterans Affairs letterhead; retyped from pdf file created February 7, 2013, entitled "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder And The Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, An overview of research and testimony regarding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the use of medical marijuana to treat symptoms."

 

[painkills2]

re: P.T.S.D.

Udall to Visit Veterans Clinic

August 2, 2013

Sen. Tom Udall is touring the Santa Fe veterans clinic today—following the announcement of a new VA clinic in the city.

An April 15 letter from Sen. Martin Heinrich and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan to US Department of Veterans Affairs undersecretary for health, Dr. Robert Petzel, raised concerns about the limited space at the clinic.

A new clinic will be built in the Las Soleras subdivision, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.

"We have received various complaints from veterans about the need to expand the Santa Fe [Community Based Outpatient Clinic]," the letter said. "The CBOC's extremely tight quarters have resulted in numerous concerns about quality of care, patient confidentiality, a limited range of services, laboratory issues, and accessibility for disabled veterans.

Sen. Udall—a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs—sent his own letter. Udall will tour the VA clinic at 2212 Brothers Road at 2:15 today, his office announced, and "talk to veterans about space limitations and other issues affecting quality of care at the clinic."

 

[painkills2]

re: P.T.S.D.

On March 14, 2014, in an historic shift in federal policy, the U.S. Department of Health Services granted permission for MAPS to purchase research-grade marijuana from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for our planned study of marijuana for symptoms of PTSD in U.S. veterans. MAPS has been working for over 22 years to start marijuana drug development research, and this is the first time we’ve been granted permission to purchase marijuana from NIDA, the sole provider of marijuana for federally regulated research in the United States. It took over four and a half months for reviewers at the Public Health Service (PHS) to respond to our October 24, 2013, protocol resubmission. The study still requires final approval from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and we are optimistic they will approve the study in a timely manner. The study will also require funding support. maps.org

 

[painkills2]

re: P.T.S.D.

March 2014: "Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is making a large donation to help U.S. veterans. Schultz spoke to CBS Evening News on Wednesday and announced his plan to allocate most of the $30 million donation toward researching solutions to brain trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder."

 

[painkills2]

re: P.T.S.D.

"Some scientists are linking Lariam [malaria drug] directly to the historical rise of suicides in the United States. As a dark cloud grows over Lariam, there is both good and bad news. The good news is in 2013, the Surgeon General's Office of the Army Special Operations Command told commanders and medical workers that soldiers thought to be suffering from PTSD or other psychological problems or even faking mental impairment may actually be Lariam victims. The bad news is a new malaria drug developed at Reed during the same time period as Lariam called tafenoquine is now fast-tracking toward FDA approval." AlterNet.org

 

[painkills2]

re: P.T.S.D.

"While awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has grown in recent years, standard methods of treatment are sorely inefficient. A recent study at the New York University Langone Medical Center has found a connection between pot and PTSD, most notably that people suffering from this affliction have higher levels of cannabinoid receptors, called CB1 receptors, in the parts of their brain associated with fear and anxiety. Marijuana use can restore the balance of endocannabinoids in the brains of sufferers. This breakthrough study promises to be the beginning of a fuller understanding of PTSD which is notoriously resistant to traditional medical treatments." HighTimes.com

 

[lavieboo]

Hi painkills2
I was recently approved in NM under the PTSD qualification. I realize your post is mainly concerning veterans and PTSD but I thought I'd add my pointless and unsolicited thoughts on my experience with the process.

At the suggestion of my therapist I got in contact with the local mmj advocate, a naturopath. The advocate assisted with the applications process for mmj patient card and production license. She helped obtain medical, psychiatric, court & police records, set up the appointment with the mmj prescribing doctor (a different psychiatrist than mine), made sure all records & forms were correct and acted as intermediary when NMDOH requested more info.

She has held 2 classes we attended. One dealt with mmj legal stuff and the other was strictly on growing, oil & tincture making and other delivery methods. Mind you, this assistance was not free. I paid $100 at the initial appointment with the advocate, $100 at the meeting with the prescribing psych, and $60 for myself & my husband to attend the 2 classes.

I've read that no one should be paying for this process (besides the state fees) but I'll be honest, it has been a relief for someone to help handle some part of the run around, record acquisition, and dealing with DOH. An aspect of my PTSD is rapid frustration, emotional breakdown, panic attacks, etc and not having to deal with officials on the phone or running around trying to get some paperwork from out of town LEO has been a blessing. I realize many people cannot afford this. It is too bad that there isn't, in my southern NM city at least, a reduced cost or just free advocacy program for such assistance, because for me it was a big help, mentally if nothing else.

To be honest, it moved pretty quickly from application to approval once I was in contact with the advocate. State paperwork said to wait 40 days before contacting them about follow-up. They contacted the advocate 2 days after I sent my application (certified mail) for more records which she obtained for me. Then everything came in the mail less than 30 days after that. I really expected a longer wait and more runaround.

I've read all your NM posts and I hope you continue to update on mmj and legalization happenings in NM. Nice work.

 

[painkills2]

Thanks for your post, lavieboo, and your explanation of how the process worked for you. I'm glad that you were able to afford assistance -- a lot of patients can't. When I entered the program in May of 2013, I didn't have any assistance with the process, but I didn't have any problems either. But I understand that the Department of Health has changed the (unwritten) rules since then, especially for "severe chronic pain" patients, so it may be more difficult.

It is my understanding that, for PTSD patients to enter the program, they are required to try all "standard" treatments first. Was that your experience? And it would really be helpful if you could post the information on the doctor that certified you -- with his or her permission, of course.

I know I post a lot about veterans, as they are one of the largest patient groups in New Mexico -- and really, pretty much the only advocacy group in this state. So I am glad that others with PTSD are finding the information I have posted helpful, and I hope you will post information too. I'll look for it... And good luck with your home grow!

I try to keep up to date on all cannabis news, but unfortunately, I am no longer in New Mexico's program, so I am not the best source for information. Actually, I really don't know of a great internet source for information on the program in this state, but I keep looking for one...

-------

I just wanted to mention a tragic story out of Deming (9/26/14) about a veteran (William Smith) who basically committed suicide by cop. There's a possibility that he was suffering from PTSD, and I would really like other veterans to know that cannabis CAN help, not only with treating PTSD and depression, but chronic pain too. And if you need help, or someone to talk to, you can call the Suicide Hotline 24/7 at 800-273-TALK (suicidepreventionlifeline.org). But if you don't want to do that, just post here on this website... cannabis lovers are very empathetic, and I'm betting someone -- if not me -- will respond. (Look for the light, please.)

 

[lavieboo]

There are a number of hoops to jump through for the PTSD certification. My situation probably does not reflect the regular process for certification. I only began seeking treatment in March because prior to the ACA I could not afford health insurance and been without medical or psych help for over 15 years since my assault. It was pretty much immediate that the psychiatrist & therapist got on to the process ( I was actively suicidal). I didn't even know I COULD get mmj for my situation before that. Exclusive Psychiatric in LC & my therapist at Lohman Atrium Suites pretty much got it all lined up for me and all had to do was show up for appointments. I wish I could share the names of the advocate who helped me but she did say she works by med/pysch referral because of safety issues for herself , which I can so relate to.

By the time Obama's health care initiative took effect I was over the edge and clinging by fingertips. We have tried several "standard treatments" but some have left me even farther out there. Right now I am on buspar, trazadone and for episodes xanax and valium. The weed starts on my head while waiting for the RX to kick in. There is no doubt now that if we had tried other standard stuff for too long I would have checked out.

Deming is my hometown. Mr Smith was from EP. He was chased by police from west of Deming over here to LC where he was shot after a standoff. I don't know what his issues were but the location he chose make his stand left a lot of innocent people in the crossfire. I am glad (strange word choice) that my desire to be gone has never included the wish to take others with me.

When Susanna Martinez took over as Gov she closed numerous mental health agencies across the state. She brought in out of state auditors with no notice to the agencies. They demanded treatment records, including those for people newly receiving help who were in flux as it were and in various states of upheaval and financial transition. Because some records were not complete for some of these patients she denied medicaid payments to their therapists, closed programs and accused providers of receiving state money fraudulently. ( I know one case was closed because the client had failed to sign an agreement for treatment even though she had been in treatment and making progress for over a year. She was left without treatment after that).If I recall, some 15 clinics were closed. Interestingly, she then appointed an AZ company to oversee mental health operations in NM. This company, though based in AZ, is an offshoot of a PA company where a major contributor to Martinez' campaign is in a top position. It irks me every single time that commercial comes on and she is bragging about giving kids a book to read over the summer.

 

[painkills2]

I've been following the crisis created by Governor Martinez in New Mexico's mental health program, and I can't tell you how sorry I am that you got caught up in it. Waiting to here how many operations were actually committing any type of fraud, although I think none have been proven to have done so. Well, not really, as I think they found some incorrect coding -- something that goes on in American health care every single day.

I still can't believe that Martinez got away with this... upending a health care program, then outsourcing contractors from another state to provide new services. How is that legal? Especially when no fraud has been proven?

I'm glad to hear a story from a real person about the ACA helping -- that, at least, is good news.

 

[painkills2]

Veterans Crisis Line
veteranscrisisline.net
800-273-8255
Text 838255
Confidential Chat available
Support for deaf and hard of hearing

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
suicidepreventionlifeline.org
800-273-TALK (24/7)

 

[painkills2]

As reported by Mainstreet on 11/17/2014:

Widespread Reports Surface of Veterans Denied Pain Meds if They Use Cannabis

"In 2011, the VA issued a directive stating that veterans who use state marijuana programs to help deal with pain management cannot lose their benefits and it is up to doctors and patients to craft an individualized treatment plan. Three years later, the results are less than ideal."

 

[painkills2]

As reported by Science Daily on 9/4/2014:
Cannabis prevents negative behavioral, physiological effects of traumatic events, rat study shows

As reported by Colorado Daily on 11/18/2014:
A new study led by a researcher at the University of Colorado shows that physical pain and social pain are processed by distinct neural circuits, which could help direct scientists and clinicians toward prevention and treatment options that work best for emotional suffering.

As published by PubMed dot gov on 11/18/2014:
Pain sensitivity in posttraumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders: a preliminary case control study

As published by Linda Nee (private disability expert) on 11/30/2014:
Mental and Nervous Disability Claims -Wrongdoing In Plain Sight