mmj for panic attacks/anxiety disorder in washington

[Inquisitor Maus]

So ive had anxiety disorder and gotten panic attacks for roughly a year and a half and started out just drinking a lot when i started to panic. Turns out that makes it worse, go figure right? So i finally went to my doctor and he put me on some pills to help it, they work but it makes me feel like shit. Ive changed pills a couple times and they either make me super super depressed or a robot and i stop taking them because some of its side effects are the same as having a panic attack. Grinding teeth, clenching fists, headaches... Its to the point where im panicking myself being afraid of getting a panic attack because im terrified of having them. Agoraphobia i think its called. Anyway, a couple months ago my friend made me take a bong hit because i was about to panic when i was at his house, im 21 and had never even been around people smoking pot much less smoked it myself, ive never felt so calm in my life. Within minutes the anxiety was completely gone and for the first time in a very long time i had no problems going to sleep; and the next day i felt great. Since then ive smoked a fair amount more, smoking when im started to get anxious. Im just wondering if this is something i should seek getting a card for cause smoking seemed to help tremendously. Is it hard to get one for anxiety disorder? Any advice?

[marleydog]

HERE IS YOUR ANSWER:

The WA Medical Quality Assurance Commission and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine/Surgery will conduct a hearing at 7pm on Wed. Dec 2, 2009. The Medical Quality Assurance Commission received a petition to add bipolar disorder, severe depression and anxiety related disorders, specifically social phobia to the medical conditions for which medical marijuana would be beneficial and that are permitted under state law RCW 69.51.A.010(4). The Medical Commission in consultation with the Osteopathic Board will determine whether the medical conditions submitted by the petitioner will be added to the Medical Marijuana Law.

Hearing Location: Radisson Hotel 18118 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98199

The Medical Commission and the Osteopathic Board committee invite written information from members of the public who are FOR or AGAINST adding the medical conditions to the MM Law. Written comments are to be submitted to the Commission's office no later than close of business on 11/12/09 and will be provided to the committee for consideration prior to the 12/2/09 hearing date. Written comments will be received by mail or in person at the Commission's office in Tumwater.

Mailing Address:

Maryella Jansen, Executive Director
Medical Quality Assurance commission
P.O box 47866
Olympia, WA 98504-7866

Physical Address

Medical Quality Assurance Commission
243 Israel Road SE
Tumwater, WA 98501

Oral testimony will be heard 12/2/09 at 7pm from members of the public who are for or against adding the conditions of bipolar disorder, severe depression, and anxiety related disorders, specifically social phobia as conditions for which medical marijuana would be beneficial and that are permitted under state law RCW 69.51A.010(4). The length of oral testimony may be limited by the committee.

The committee will deliberate in closed session after the hearing to consider oral and written testimony. The committee will make a recommendation to the Medical Quality Assurance Commission and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery to accept or deny the petitioner's request to add additional medical conditions to the Medical Marijuana Law. The decision will be announced at the Business Meeting of the Medical Quality Assurance Commisision at 9am on Friday 12/4/09 at the Radison Hotel, 18118 International Blvd. Seattle, WA 98188.

For more information, email julie.kitten@doh.wa.gov or erin.obenland@doh.wa.gov


A friend forwarded this info to me...I'm passing it along. I too have chronic panic disorder/anxiety/agoraphobia (for over 10 years now) and I will do everything in my power to attend this event and testify. I recommend any and all of you other Washingtonians that suffer from anxiety, depression, panic disorder, bipolar disorder, etc. attend, testify if possible, or write in. The fact is, our disorders keep us from enjoying life and being able to attend such events. My thought is that if enough of us attend (or at least write in), we can show how VERY important this is to us.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN MAKING THIS CHANGE IN THE LAW, WE CAN END SO MUCH SUFFERING. REMEMBER, 'YES WE CAN' and 'BE THE CHANGE'...Here's our chance!

[Ralta]

Can I write in, even though i'm a bipolar Brit, in France? Lol.

I know from my own experience of anxiety, that MJ helps calm me down and stops me worrying. In fact, if MJ could cure all my symptoms, I would use it on its own. I am taking a low dosage of depakote to control the mood swings, and MJ for the anxiety. My new psychiatrist's main argument against it is that it is carcinogenic. Big deal, I said, I smoke cigarettes and I know they are also carcinogenic...

Happily stoned Ralta

[ftr]

Originally Posted by marleydog

HERE IS YOUR ANSWER:

The WA Medical Quality Assurance Commission and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine/Surgery will conduct a hearing at 7pm on Wed. Dec 2, 2009. The Medical Quality Assurance Commission received a petition to add bipolar disorder, severe depression and anxiety related disorders, specifically social phobia to the medical conditions for which medical marijuana would be beneficial and that are permitted under state law RCW 69.51.A.010(4). The Medical Commission in consultation with the Osteopathic Board will determine whether the medical conditions submitted by the petitioner will be added to the Medical Marijuana Law.

Thank you very much for posting this. I'm a WA resident and am VERY interested in writing in favor of adding these conditions to MMJ. I have never used MMJ myself but have been looking at it to treat my bipolar and anxiety disorders. I don't have personal experience, but regardless of whether it works for me, I believe the option should be open for others.

I am totally new to MMJ and activism--do you have any suggestions for what I should include in my letter? What reasoning to use and what to avoid? I've been familiarizing myself with the Granny Storm Crow list and could draw from that.

Thanks!


ftr

[Cheynems]

I have been suffering from Bipolar disorder since I was about 16, coupled with terrible anxiety attacks. Is the hearing on December 2 legit? Smoking is the only thing that has helped ease my symptoms and make day to day activities somewhat manageable, so this would be such a lifesaver.

What are the chances bipolar will be added to the list and what can I do to improve the odds?

[mrsoft47]

Originally Posted by Inquisitor Maus

So ive had anxiety disorder and gotten panic attacks for roughly a year and a half and started out just drinking a lot when i started to panic. Turns out that makes it worse, go figure right? So i finally went to my doctor and he put me on some pills to help it, they work but it makes me feel like shit. Ive changed pills a couple times and they either make me super super depressed or a robot and i stop taking them because some of its side effects are the same as having a panic attack. Grinding teeth, clenching fists, headaches... Its to the point where im panicking myself being afraid of getting a panic attack because im terrified of having them. Agoraphobia i think its called. Anyway, a couple months ago my friend made me take a bong hit because i was about to panic when i was at his house, im 21 and had never even been around people smoking pot much less smoked it myself, ive never felt so calm in my life. Within minutes the anxiety was completely gone and for the first time in a very long time i had no problems going to sleep; and the next day i felt great. Since then ive smoked a fair amount more, smoking when im started to get anxious. Im just wondering if this is something i should seek getting a card for cause smoking seemed to help tremendously. Is it hard to get one for anxiety disorder? Any advice?

hey just wondering, if you never had a panic attack, and never touched the stuff #$@$@#$ then how..... but more to the point what strain were you smoking? I ask because i'm very much in the same situation as you..... and none of my meds have worked.

But if I touch the wrong stuff it makes me panicky for days........ be careful not to over do i with the smoking either, you don't want it to actually become something that triggers panic attacks....... that would suck


cherio

[Ralta]

From my understanding of MMJ against my bipolar, it seems that a predominantly sativa strain (higher ratio of THC to CBD) works very well for combatting depression, for example one of the kush strains.
For mania, a predominantly indica strain (lower thc/ higher cbd), like afghani/nepali works well as a calming influence.

Ralta

[Weedz]

Hopefully they do add the aliments to the list of conditions I have suffered from severe depression since I was eight. Cannabis really helps me, and not the "medication" my doctor prescribes.