rookie back w/ a few more questions...appreciate some insight.

Hello all. I haven't posted in quite awhile, but have continued to read throughout. I started a few months ago due to a chronic pain issue, and I have to say I am/was surprised by the benefit. I admit, I wasn't exactly on board with smokers in high school/college...had many friends that would partake, which was cool, but I just chose not to at the time. Many moons later I was in a car accident...mega back issues....35 years old...been to every chronic pain doc on earth,etc.etc.etc. I'm sure ya'll have heard this song and dance before.

Sooooo, here's my questions. I was hoping to completely ween (sp.?) off of prescription meds once I started smoking (also had a spinal cord stimulator 'installed' about the same time). I ended up stock-piling them (I don't know why I did it...I guess I feared if I flat cut the scripts I might have trouble (Dr.'s) either getting the scripts themselves, or just having there be a lag having them 'in hand') but recently have had to increase my 'big dogs'; oxy/morphine/neurontin/etc. I am highly doubting this, but are there any studies that focus on potential side effects of pot w/ prescription meds? I've been 'mixing' for several months, but with my recent increase in meds, I'm getting a little more concerned about sides or long-term issues. Does anyone know of any studies, or possibly have personal experience with this?

Thank you!

As long as you maintain control, follow your plan, take them when required and don't overdue either, you'll be fine.

Marijuana is one of the very few substances can be mixed with other substances with very little side effects. Since you smoke and take prescription opiates, you should know the positives and negatives quite well.

Control is the important thing man. I would be more concerned about the opiates than weed.

"I started a few months ago due to a chronic pain issue, and I have to say I am/was surprised by the benefit."
I've been through a lot in which marijuana helps with. I had a Brain Injury from a car accident, and then a sub-sequent accident caused me to seek a Lawyer because of pain, who sent me to a doctor who gave me Neurontyn, I didn't like it, my Lawyer sent me to another doctor who experimented with me.
Long story short, for the past three years, after all the medications failed, marijuana deafens the affected area and I can only feel where I was injured (obviously, a permanent injury), but no pain. I wake up in the morning with slight pain (but only sometimes), which goes away "miraculously" as I start my herb-smoking schedule. The prescription medicine numbed it. So, that's just some background.

"are there any studies that focus on potential side effects of pot w/ prescription meds?"
I've been looking for some, but no there are none, trust me.

But be careful with mixing them because it may cause a "nervous" reaction.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...022&query_hl=2
This is a study done on poly-substance abusers.

Oh, and I meant, no, there no permanent side-effects. I could've sworn I typed that in, but maybe I hit the back button. :stoned:

I've always been very careful with the opiates, 'cause frankly they scare me to death. :o I could look this up, but I'll ask it anyway...is pot an opiate? Over the years I've had oxy, morphine, vicodin, etc.etc.etc., all of which I handled very well except vicodin. I abused them fairly hard for almost two years...and looking back, I'm extremely pissed I did it for a few reasons. I am a stay-at-home father for our daughter (and one coming), which was likely going to happen regardless, but w/ my pain there wasn't a choice involved. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE IT (most of the time! ;) ), but those 'abusive' years took place the first two years of my daughters life. I remember very little of those two years...which yeah, I don't remember some of the 'firsts' which sucks, but what pisses me off is how intentionally/unintentionally (depends how you look at it I suppose) put my daughter in danger by taking as many as I wanted. That pretty much scared me straight...so all of these extras I have aren't even a temptation.

The neurontin was is something I've been on for awhile. I didn't realize how much they helped until my doc tried to lower my dosage. I hate how they make me so drowsy, so to 'combat' that I am also a caffeine addict like you wouldn't believe. :dance:

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. Ya know, I don't know if this correlation is warranted or not, but this site being full of potheads is one of the nicest boards I've ever been involved in! :D

wife uses neurontin also, weed at bedtime plus neurontin does helps her sleep, eases her muscle spasms. this is due to her progressive ms.