Dr. Wants Me To Quit Weed To Assess ADD Meds

[PowerFarts]

Just got done with Strattera as it gave me awful 'man junk' side effects, so I insisted on trying Wellbutrin, I had my appointment a couple days ago and got the Wellbutrin.
Well that's not the subject of this post, just laying down an outline here.

Shortly after this appointment she called and asked if I smoked any marijuana lately, I said just on the weekends, the last time she called me after my last appointment a few weeks ago I said I had stopped, and I actually did for about a week.

But after that it's back to daily use in the evenings.

What I am getting to is this, I hate lying, but I also have no intention of quitting weed either, not EVER!
Doc. insists it will mess with the assessment of the ADD medication.

I think it's all bullshit!
I think people with ADD problems like weed, not the weed that causes the ADD problems.
I've had ADD since I was a kid, I smoked no dope back then.
Been smokin' it for 20+- years now, weed is my friend, calms my mind, my mind is my dog and the weed is the bone or tennis ball. Without the weed I do not know what to do, I hate not having my evening weed, my mind paces without it.

I'd rather not quit weed.

So what do I do?
Lie and keep smokin ' happily?
Quit and be unhappy about it?

Luckily, here in Canada, you must be informed about a drug test, no random tests, so I can prepare for that.

Anyhow, since I have no intent on quitting why should I have to when quitting will screw me up more than not quitting, maybe even to the point of requiring another prescribed substance. If It appears I cannot quit, I cannot get stimulant meds of which I am hoping for, the best meds for my condition, I do not wish to abuse stims at all, but they don't see it that way.

My attitude is, let me smoke my dope, people who don't smoke it tell me it's 'bad M'kay'?
Weed is my friend.

I quit smoking and drinking for 6 months before, I hated every second of everyday for that time and it did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to improve my cognitive abilities, so on that basis, the need to quit is pure BULLSHIT!

Anyway, thanks for reading, and keep smokin' it!

 

[rangrz]

Yes, I'm sure you know more about medicine and pharmacology than your physician does, and than the sources and references she relies upon when treating you.

Sure, just ignore her. That 4 year undergrad, 4 years of med school and 5 years of residency obviously has not taught her anything about medicine. I mean ya, sure, she can probably cut you open, take a piece out and wake you up and have you walk away 2 days later, but trust her enough to refrain from taking a non essential substance for a bit to see how a different one is working? That's just absurd!

 

[DaDankyDank]

Why not just go into your test sober? Most likely she'll never know if you're telling the truth or not unless she does drug test (which I'm pretty positive this won't happen.)

I understand that you hate lieing, but really I don't think she's asking you to quit for good, she just wants to see the results of the medicine with no other factors involved. She's trying to best find what works for you, and how it directly effects you. If she does want you to quit for good, you should at least hear her out on the reasons why and then you can justify if it's the right decision or not. There's tons of people out there who do smoke on top of taking their ADD medicine and are fine, but first you need to see how your new med acts on its own.

 

[etasu]

Yes, I'm sure you know more about medicine and pharmacology than your physician does, and than the sources and references she relies upon when treating you. Sure, just ignore her. That 4 year undergrad, 4 years of med school and 5 years of residency obviously has not taught her anything about medicine.

Wow, what a mindless obedience to authority. Because doctors never, ever make mistakes. They never make decisions based on irrational personal prejudice instead of facts. Med school provides an immunity to that, apparently.

Seriously: I can't recommend you disobey your doctor, maybe something bad will happen. Quitting previous medications to observe how a new medication effects you is not necessarily a bad idea. But don't let other people like this guy tell you to obey the so-called experts without question. She says she cannot access the medication when combined with weed-- why not? Does she know anything about weed at all? Does she know nothing about how weed interacts with other medications? Maybe find someone else who does know.

Personally, I lie to my doctor about illegal drugs because I don't trust them. I told them I quit when I didn't. They don't put me to a drug test to prove it and believing that I don't have any active connections to the black market probably helps them sleep at night when they prescribe me heavily controlled substances. If the legal situation around weed changes in my state, maybe then I will feel like I can trust the doctors.

Initially, when I started new prescriptions, I quit the weed. At this point I feel like this doesn't really help my awareness of a new medication so I don't do this anymore.

 

[PowerFarts]

Thanks people.
Lying it will be then.
Denying it will bother me, but it will smooth things out a bit.

Thinking about quitting weed when I feel I do not want to, or that it isn't even needed to quit when I don't feel improved not smoking it causes me stress and anxiety which is counter productive.
And yes it's just to properly assess the medication unadulterated, but smoking dope is my normal state of being, why should I quit and give myself problems when I have no intention of EVER quitting weed?

 

[rangrz]

Wow, what a mindless obedience to authority. Because doctors never, ever make mistakes. They never make decisions based on irrational personal prejudice instead of facts. Med school provides an immunity to that, apparently.

Seriously: I can't recommend you disobey your doctor, maybe something bad will happen. Quitting previous medications to observe how a new medication effects you is not necessarily a bad idea. But don't let other people like this guy tell you to obey the so-called experts without question. She says she cannot access the medication when combined with weed-- why not? Does she know anything about weed at all? Does she know nothing about how weed interacts with other medications? Maybe find someone else who does know.

Personally, I lie to my doctor about illegal drugs because I don't trust them. I told them I quit when I didn't. They don't put me to a drug test to prove it and believing that I don't have any active connections to the black market probably helps them sleep at night when they prescribe me heavily controlled substances. If the legal situation around weed changes in my state, maybe then I will feel like I can trust the doctors.

Initially, when I started new prescriptions, I quit the weed. At this point I feel like this doesn't really help my awareness of a new medication so I don't do this anymore.

It's not that I'm suggesting to blindly obey or not to question authority, it's that a) if you are going to question it, you should be properly equipped to do so. I.E. A peer reviewer of equivalence expertise in the field, or at the very minimum, a decent level of expertise in something related to the field. b) Nothing she is seems out of left field. It's not exactly like she is making some kind of highly unorthodox or risky suggestion, it's pretty basic that to assess various drugs, it is ideal to not have any other ones as confounding variables. That's why clinical trials usually recruit people who are free of any drugs, unless they are specifically studying an interaction.

 

[PowerFarts]

All I have to say is that I don't smoke doobies on the way to the Dr.'s office and that the weed has no detrimental effects on my cognitive abilities when I am not high, I am actually worse off without it, and if that is the case, why quit?

 

[Crashing]

Yes, I'm sure you know more about medicine and pharmacology than your physician does, and than the sources and references she relies upon when treating you.

Sure, just ignore her. That 4 year undergrad, 4 years of med school and 5 years of residency obviously has not taught her anything about medicine. I mean ya, sure, she can probably cut you open, take a piece out and wake you up and have you walk away 2 days later, but trust her enough to refrain from taking a non essential substance for a bit to see how a different one is working? That's just absurd!

I would love to disagree with your feelings on this but I'm from the US, so maybe the healthcare system in Canada is a LOT better or something.

 

[nekointheclouds]

Yes, I'm sure you know more about medicine and pharmacology than your physician does, and than the sources and references she relies upon when treating you.

Sure, just ignore her. That 4 year undergrad, 4 years of med school and 5 years of residency obviously has not taught her anything about medicine. I mean ya, sure, she can probably cut you open, take a piece out and wake you up and have you walk away 2 days later, but trust her enough to refrain from taking a non essential substance for a bit to see how a different one is working? That's just absurd!

There is plenty of proof out there that doctors can often push agenda's. Listening blindly to a doctor just because they have those degree's and so on does not mean they do not have a personal agenda to push. For instance I personally believe WAYYYYY too many young adults are diagnosed with AD/HD(proper term) and put on medications too swiftly. often with little to no discussions about what the individual could do in their day to day life to help with the symptoms of AD/HD. Am I saying everyone should lie to their doctors and/or not trust them? No, but I am saying people should do some homework themselves , and dont be afraid to get a second opinion. Doctors are far from flawless.

 

[casualuser]

Most likely the reason she wanted you to quit is that frequent cannabis use can exacerbate underlying psychiatric disorders. Cannabis use alone can't cause such disorders but it can be a contributing factor and/or possibly worsen symptoms. That being said everyone is different and the occurrence of those problems are rare; because you said you've had ADHD symptoms long before you starting using cannabis and you've taken a prolonged break with no apparent change in symptoms I doubt quitting for you assessment will change its outcome. Your doc is probably just trying to rule everything else out(doing their job). Regardless of whether your quit or not for your assessment, its always good to take breaks now and then.

Out of curiosity, any particular reason you've waited so long to seek treatment for your AHDH?

 

[rangrz]

@Neko, sure they do make mistakes and one should look into things. But this seems to be a pretty clear, harmless, and conventional request his Dr is making.

I see no reason not to take a break from cannabis to assess it's effects on his disorder and it's interactions with any medicine he is taking.

 

[PowerFarts]

Out of curiosity, any particular reason you've waited so long to seek treatment for your AHDH?

I denied I had ADD and was one of those who poo-poo'd it; that's my personality, oh, I'm just depressed, I don't want to be popping pharmaceuticals, I am just forgetful and disorganized, I'm lazy because I think lazy, I couldn't follow instruction without drifting, oh well, and I'm just a slow riser, and procrastination, etc.

You can only lose so many jobs and fall so far behind in life before one realises they got a problem, I got tired of it and got help after the last job I lost, at 43 years old.

 

[etasu]

Wow, that's tough. Don't give up if you have trouble with the first few meds you try not working well. I sought treatment from ADHD at 19 and I feel some bitterness my parents didn't find treatment for me when I was in grade school. In my early 20s I am just starting to feel like I found a good place with my meds, although there is at least one new medication I want to try in the future.

 

[LonE1]

Honestly i hate when people act like weed isnt addictive. I fuckin crave smokin bud! When i stop i honestly feel sad, and emotional. Shit is so addictive. And i went through a nasty opiate addiction so i know about real wd,s but serously. Weed just had me craving to blaze all the time.

Also get some real add meds. Stratera and welbutrin and garbage. Adderall or dexedrine are the way to go.

 

[vacathizzle]

Yes, I'm sure you know more about medicine and pharmacology than your physician does, and than the sources and references she relies upon when treating you.

Sure, just ignore her. That 4 year undergrad, 4 years of med school and 5 years of residency obviously has not taught her anything about medicine. I mean ya, sure, she can probably cut you open, take a piece out and wake you up and have you walk away 2 days later, but trust her enough to refrain from taking a non essential substance for a bit to see how a different one is working? That's just absurd!

You know, you don't think that maybe the doctor is telling him to quit smoking weed because whoever employs the doctor tells her to say that? I'm not from Canada so I can't comment on their healthcare system, but if their doctors offices are anything like the one I go to, the psychologists literally have a book that tells them what medications they're allowed to prescribe because the organization they work for has deals with pharmaceutical companies to get discounts on generic drugs. It would not be in that organizations interest to even imply that cannabis is safe. It's a safe and fairly effective drug that's in direct competition with the drugs the HMO/pharmaceutical company are pushing, so they're going to try and convince you to get off of it every chance they get. Don't forget that a lot of doctors are (in practice) just drug dealers with a degree.

Honestly i hate when people act like weed isnt addictive. I fuckin crave smokin bud! When i stop i honestly feel sad, and emotional. Shit is so addictive. And i went through a nasty opiate addiction so i know about real wd,s but serously. Weed just had me craving to blaze all the time.

Also get some real add meds. Stratera and welbutrin and garbage. Adderall or dexedrine are the way to go.

You're really advocating for the use of amphetamine in this situation? This is the cannabis section of a HARM REDUCTION FORUM. This guy comes here asking if he should quit smoking weed and you're telling him that 1) Weed is addictive, 2) He's not on real medication, and 3) He should take fucking AMPHETAMINE?!

Yeah, lets get off the weed and on some physically addictive, neurotoxic stimulants! That sounds like a GREAT idea! 8(

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Sure, just ignore her.

^ this, minus the sarcasm

I know people who claim to have less ADD symptoms when quitting cannabis. I would have more ADD symptoms though without it as well as many other problems.

It's really up to you. Just don't continue to smoke weed if it in itself is holding you back.

Yeah, lets get off the weed and on some physically addictive, neurotoxic stimulants! That sounds like a GREAT idea! 8(

As I'm someone who relies solely on wax/weed, and I strongly dislike amphetamines, I'm going to have to agree. Dexedrine/Adderall are horrible medications compared to cannabinoids.

Honestly i hate when people act like weed isnt addictive. I fuckin crave smokin bud! When i stop i honestly feel sad, and emotional. Shit is so addictive. And i went through a nasty opiate addiction so i know about real wd,s but serously. Weed just had me craving to blaze all the time.

You crave smoking bud because it is fun and enjoyable. That doesn't mean it's physically addictive.

I'm sure you could say the same thing for having sex... if you break up with a girl you have been with a while you're likely to feel "sad and emotional". You could even go so far as to say the pussy is addictive to you, and you just craved to tap that pussy all the time.

That doesn't make sex physically addictive.

 

[shikidala]

I have come to the conclusion that quite a few cases of ADHD or ADD (ADHD-PI whatever people want to call it) & Autism are caused by Alcohol use during pregnancy so effectively it is a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder but repackaged for some, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders can vary wildly from one end to the other or anything in between or up down left or right just like any disorder I guess.

I know there are a lot of doctors that support Cannabis for ADHD - David Bearman the main guy I have come across, I think you should keep it up if it's helping you. I don't think it's a good thing for you if you are using it or any other drug to escape from something you need to confront or solve in life, if that is your case Imo Psilocybin containing mushrooms at a low dose are incredibly helpful to solve problems you can't even see.

No drug works for me, personally I have tried (Ritalin) Methylphenidate at just 5mg & I ended up with green hands, numb feet & feeling like I had been shot up into the sky in a human canon, it is a very strong experience more than anything else in a certain way & a lot less like reality than Cannabis which made me feel better connected but landed me with a UTI every time just like Ritalin did.

 

[LuGoJ]

Seriously, why are you even bothering to go the doctor? If you don’t want to do what she says and are going to lie to them then don’t fucking go in the first place. If you can’t handle stopping smoking weed for a little while to test out the meds then you have bigger problems to deal with honestly. It’s not like she is asking you to quit for a year dude.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you should do whatever any doctor tells you to do without researching it but you really need to be seeing a doctor you trust enough to try their suggestions as outlined without fucking lying to them. Cherry picking treatment is not going to get you anywhere. You either trust your doctor enough to at least try what they suggest or you don’t . If you don’t trust them then you need to find a new doctor. It’s really that simple.

 

[SliK_]

Keep smoking but don't lie to your doctor about it.

 

[Epsilon Alpha]

Weed and ADHD is documented to either make things much worse or slightly better. If you have ADHD symptoms that affect your daily functioning you may want to quit to see how things go, what do you have to lose from two weeks not high? Or, you could maybe lack the willpower to do so hell cannabis is pretty addictive in specific populations.