Marinol or Sativex

Hey there!

First of all, I am sorry that your question was never answered.  I just found it today...hiding in all the rest.  I just came aboard after your question was posed so I will give it a try now. 

You ask a darn good question.  The use of medical marijuana to treat Multiple Sclerosis symptoms is still a controversial topic. 

Did a literature search and found two good articles on this topic.  Here is one for you to read as well as an excellent article here from Stu's MS Views and Related News site.

I think a lot of docs are just not comfortable going outside the mainstream and there has not been the push for it as in other countries.  As far as I know...they have not been FDA approved here in this country. 

So there is not much you can do but to voice your opinion or urge for legislation to get this type of med approved. 

Thanks for your question...it was really interesting to research.

Sativex is still not available in the USA, but hopefully soon the FDA pushed it straight to 3 stage trials Jan '08.  I am however taking Marinol for my MS and it helps, but still not the total answer.  I have severe problems with Neuropathy, Muscle Spasms and Chronic pain and started the Marinol (15mg to 20mg/day)recently and seems to reduce it and causes further drowsiness.  I prefer it over the lyrica, zanaflex and ultram I have been taking, but still need the Ultram sometimes when it gets too severe.  BTW Once Sativex gets approved they are planning on trying it over the Marinol.

All I can say is you just need to find a good doctor willing to work with you I have some of the top Beverly Hills docs and they help much more than others. 

Hi - you and I are in the same boat.  I have ms and a spine that has 7 diagnoses'  from my next to my coccyx.  I am allergic to or have severe intolerance and sensitivities to all chemicals.  Morphine was tried, allergic and all the way down to aspiriin to methadone.  A  pain doc who I never want to see again in Phila. started my script of Marinol - but the pain psych I go to wants someone more local to work with it.  I need to get as much information for my primary.  Even the doc who prescribed the morphine won't do the marinol.  Good God people - how can someone who calls themselves doctors let someone suffer just because of ignorance.  In less than one month I will be in a bed in so much pain that there will be no sleeping, no eating, stuck in the mire of our medical system.  Marinol is very legal -keep on trying, look up on the net of a pain clinic in your surrounding area and talk to a guy who gives meds. for pain.  I pray as I understand what you are going through.  You try to get it and I'll try to educate a doc that needs more infor.......Stay in touch.....Ouch

Apparently you are not too familiar with drug classifications. Marinol is not an opiod.

it is a marijuana derivitve using mainly THCfrom the marijuana. Sativex is also a marijuana drug using the entire plant. It is not awaiting FDA approval for packaging, but is undergoing Class II/III testing to determine if it an effective drug that will actually treat any specific diagnoses or if it will be classified the same as pot, LSD, etc. Gabipentin is not an opiod either. It is a drug mainly used in the treatment of seizure disorders, but prescribed by doctors because it also has a direct effect on pain.

Apparently you are not too familiar with drug classifications. Marinol is not an opiod.

it is a marijuana derivitve using mainly THC from the marijuana. Sativex is also a marijuana drug using the entire plant. It is not awaiting FDA approval for packaging, but is undergoing Class II/III testing to determine if it an effective drug that will actually treat any specific diagnoses or if it will be classified the same as pot, LSD, etc. Gabipentin is not an opiod either. It is a drug mainly used in the treatment of seizure disorders, but prescribed by doctors because it also has an indirect effect on pain. Lastly, Soma is a muscle relaxer and is in no way a "heavy duty opiod". An opiod is a drug  that directly binds opiod receptors primarily in the central nervous system.    They are categorized as natural opiates, which are directly derived from the opium poppy plant or synthesized opium alkaloids(morphine and codiene), semi-synthetics (Vicodin, Oxycontin), and full synthetics (Fentanyl and methadone). Analgesics are pain relievers and are often opiod drugs and should not be confused with muscle relaxers, Neurontin and Lyrica,  and other often prescribed drugs that help with pain, but are not actual analgesics.

if  you find out pleaseeeeeeee let us know  ms  patient

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