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This image shows an image of cannabis leaves used for medical uses.
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What is Medical Cannabis?

by Davinder
This image shows an image of cannabis leaves used for medical uses.

Medical cannabis is the term given to any kind of cannabis-based medicine that is used to relieve symptoms of physical/mental illnesses. You can purchase many cannabis-based products online but the quality and content are usually unknown and they may be illegal and possibly dangerous.

There are some products on the market that claim to be medical cannabis, CBD oil and hemp oil are prime examples of this, can be bought legally as food supplements from health stores. There is no guarantee that these products will work or provide any benefits to health. Certain cannabis-based products are available only on prescription as medicinal cannabis which benefits a small number of patients.

How to obtain medical cannabis?

In England, it is much harder than say countries like the US to get a prescription for medical cannabis. At this point in time, there are only three likely conditions that medical cannabis could be prescribed to which are:

  • People who suffer from a condition called multiple sclerosis that causes muscle stiffness and spasms
  • Adults and children with rare and severe forms of epilepsy
  • Adults with vomiting/nausea caused by chemotherapy

On top of this, medical cannabis in England is only considered when past treatments for a patient were not suitable and hadn’t worked. 

Nabiximols (Sativex) for MS

Nabiximols (Sativex) is a mouth spray that is a cannabis-based medicine. Nabiximols is licensed in the UK to be prescribed to people with MS-related muscle spasticity that doesn’t seem to be getting better.

Epidyolex for Adults and Children With Epilepsy

This cannabis-based medication is a highly purified liquid which contains CBD (cannabidiol). CBD is a chemical substance that can be found in cannabis which has medical benefits. CBD doesn’t get people high as it does not contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) which is the active chemical in cannabis that gets people high. Epidyolex is usually prescribed to patients with Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndrome which are both rare forms of epilepsy.

Nabilone for Chemotherapy Patients

Almost everybody who has to undergo chemotherapy will have periods of time where they feel ill or the need to vomit. Nabilone can be prescribed by a specialist to help relieve the symptoms of chemotherapy but this is usually only done when other treatments haven’t worked or are not suitable for the patient. Nabilone is a medicine which is usually taken as a capsule. It has been developed to act in a similar way to THC which means that patients may experience similar effects.

An image showing you the concept of buying cannabis on a shopping trolley.

Side Effects of Medical Cannabis

Medical cannabis can come with a range of side effects which vary depending on the type of cannabis consumed. Here is a list of the possible side effects you may develop if you use medical cannabis:

  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Hallucinations
  • Feelings of euphoria
  • Loss of appetite
  • Weakness
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Behavioural changes 
  • Mood swings
  • Diarrhoea

If you take medical cannabis and experience any of these effects you should report them to the medical team in charge of your treatment. You can also use the Yellow Card Scheme to report any side effects. 

THC and CBD can interfere with other medicines which can cause even more side effects or stop the medicine from being effective so always refer to a specialist before you take medical cannabis with other medications. CBD is also known to affect how the liver works so if you are taking it your doctor will need to keep a close monitor on you.

Is it Safe to Take Medical Cannabis?

More clinical trials are needed to discover the risks of using cannabis products which contain THC as the at this point in time they are not fully known. Products which are considered pure (cannabis that only contains CBD) do not come with the unknown risks linked to THC. Most medical cannabis does contain THC though even if it is a small amount.

There are two main risks of taking cannabis products that contain THC which are psychosis and of course dependency on the drug. In some cases, regular cannabis use can increase the risk of developing psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia and epilepsy which can induce psychosis as well as increase the likelihood of you becoming dependent on the drug. The risk of dependency is relatively low if it is controlled and monitored closely by a specialist doctor according to scientists.

The more THC that a product contains, the more risks that come with it. The most dangerous cannabis is bought illegally on the street which means that the quality and strength is unknown.

How to Get a Prescription for Medical Cannabis

GPs cannot prescribe cannabis-based medicine as it can only be prescribed by a specialist doctor. It is unlikely that many patients will be prescribed it either as it is only given to a small number and it is usually under special circumstances. A specialist doctor may consider prescribing medical cannabis to:

  • People who suffer from a condition called multiple sclerosis that causes muscle stiffness and spasms
  • Adults and children with rare and severe forms of epilepsy
  • Adults with vomiting/nausea caused by chemotherapy

The specialist will then discuss all other options of treatment with you first before considering cannabis-based products. Medical cannabis will only be prescribed when it is considered to be in the best of your interests and when all other treatment options have been exhausted and have not worked.

The Law

The UK law use this image to say no to Cannabis

Cannabis is considered by the government of the UK to be a class B drug which means that it is illegal to purchase, consume or sell. The government at this time doesn’t seem to have any intention of legalising the use of cannabis for recreation uses. This includes medical cannabis too so if you are caught with it for any reason and do not have a prescription you could be charged, fined and possibly even face prison time depending on the amount.

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The Importance of Taking Medication as Instructed

by Davinder

Medication Management

Taking medication that a doctor has prescribed to you should be taken seriously and you should follow all advice and instructions given to you. If you do this you will get the most benefit out of the medication you are taking and have a better chance of a health outcome. Taking the medication improperly or not taking it at all means that whatever the medication was prescribed for might not get better or may even develop further and cause even more problems.

edicine doctor holding a color capsule pill in hand with icon medical network connection on modern virtual screen interface in laboratory background, medical technology network concept

Paid Medication

First of all, if you are paying for medicine as prescribed, you have been advised to follow the instructions given to you, not only for the benefit of your own health but also because what is the point in spending money on something and not using it properly? If you don’t stick to what your doctor prescribed you to do, then it won’t work properly and you’ll just have wasted more money trying to treat yourself. 

Schedule Your Doses

You should be making sure that you remember to take your medication at the same time every day, at proper intervals and not at the wrong times!

To make sure you stick to this you should divide up the time you take your medication doses evenly throughout the day. This means taking two doses every 12 hours for medication that needs to be taken twice a day or every four hours if medication needs to be taken six times a day and so on. To do this, you should set up a schedule that doesn’t interfere with your daily routine and aim to take your medication within an hour of the time that you have scheduled. 

Colored pills and granules medical realistic composition on white vector illustration

Furthermore, you should be taking all doses of the medication as prescribed to you each day so that you stick to the plan and the drugs can take effect as they are supposed to. If you forget a dose, which is easy to do, you should try and take it as soon as you remember, unless it is close to the time of the next dose in which case you should skip it and carry on with the schedule as normal.

As long as this happens only occasionally it shouldn’t interfere much with the treatment and the medication should still work.

It is important not to take a dose you have forgotten if it is close to the next dose as this could cause side effects or worse depending on the type of medication you are taking.

Properly scheduling your doses helps you to absorb the right amount of the medication you have been prescribed so that side effects are less likely to happen, and the drugs can work how they are meant to.

Some medication requires people to be on an empty stomach while others work better if food is consumed a certain amount of time before or after the medication is taken. It is important to read the instructions on any medications you are taking so that you don’t miss important information like this. If these conditions aren’t met, then the drugs may not work properly or could cause nasty problems in your stomach, leading to possibilities of nausea and stomach pains.

Side Effects

Side effects are common in many different types of medications, some more than others, and they can come in many different shapes and forms. Most side effects, such as nausea or vomiting, are temporary and relatively easy to get past while some can last hours or the whole time you are taking the medication. 

The majority of people who experience side effects state that they are much worse during the first couple of weeks after starting the course of medication they have been prescribed. Even if this is the case you should not change the dosage you are taking or stop your medication without talking to your doctor first.

After a few weeks, most people find that they have gotten used to the medications they are taking and the side effects are no longer present or are very mild. If the side effects continue or worsen, you should talk to your doctor as soon as possible to discuss what the best course to continue is.

medication illustration

In some cases, side effects can be more manageable if the dose of the medication in question is lowered. This, however, depends on the medication itself and what particular drug is used. Lowering the dose of some drugs too much can actually make whatever it is supposed to be treating more resistant which means that it loses all effectiveness meaning the medication becomes useless to the individual taking it. You should always talk to your doctor first before lowering the dose of your medication to alleviate side effects. 

It is best to completely stop taking the medication altogether if the side effects are severe or seemingly endless. If this happens, consult your doctor or physician to see if you can lower the dosage or be prescribed a completely different medication. Never lower the dosage of your medication unless you have been advised to.

If you experience any of the following you should stop your medication and seek immediate medical attention:

  • Unexplained bruising/bleeding
  • Sudden shortness of breath
  • Heart pounding and chest pains/tightening
  • Fever or chills
  • Sudden and severe stomach pains followed by nausea or vomiting
  • Severe rash with or without symptoms like fever, swelling of the facial area, muscle and joint aches

Do I have to Buy More Medicine to Finish my Medication?

It may be the case that you’ve finished the course of treatment but you are still feeling unwell. If this happens, the best thing to do is to consult your doctor to get their advice before purchasing anything. Your doctor may prescribe you a completely different medication or they may be able to up the dosage.

This can save you both money and stress as if you were to just buy more of the same medicine whatever you are taking it for may become resistant and you would just be wasting money. It is always best to consult your doctor or physician before making any decisions when it comes to medication.

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