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Patient Testimonials
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These are testimonials from
patients using cannabis to treat MS. If you have a testimonial you would
like posted, please send it to: memorial@cheryldcmemorial.org |
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STATEMENT OF JOHN E. PRECUP
AGE 39, MANSFIELD, OH
I was diagnosed with secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis in 1986, after waking up on the morning of April 5th with the worst case of the "bed spins" imaginable. I was unable to keep anything down, even water. On April 6th I was admitted to the hospital for a seven-day stay during which the 'spinning' continued for six days straight.
When I was sent home, the dizziness had subsided a little, but I still could not function well at all. My neurologist prescribed the drugs Compazine and Antivert. They had little affect on the nausea and no affect on the appetite, even after the dosage was doubled. After a couple of weeks of feeling sick and not eating, I had lost 15 pounds and no medication was helping. I was truly in fear for my life. It was then that I decided to try smoking Cannabis/Marijuana.
At first I felt worse, but after the effects of the smoke were gone I began to relax and get an appetite. I could finally eat again.
Since that time, I have used cannabis to maintain a healthy body weight and a decent standard of living. For years I left my prescription drugs setting on the counter, as Cannabis was more effective.
By November 1993, the disease had progressed to the point that I needed to use a cane and a wheelchair. The damage to the nerves that control the lower part of my body and legs caused my legs to be spastic and ache. Again, I saw a real benefit from using Cannabis, it allowed my muscles to relax. I was given a prescription for the drug Bacoflen in 1993 to help control muscle spasms. I experienced little benefit from the drug, it didn't alleviate the pain in my legs. However with cannabis I got relief and, without the spasms, I could get a good night's sleep.
I briefly discussed the benefits I had been getting from the cannabis with my neurologist, Dr. Vilnius S. Ciemins, upon my initial office visit with him in 1986. After learning of Ohio's medical marijuana defense law in December of 1996, I decided to talk him again about my use of the drug and the short-lived law. Dr. Ciemins, agreed that Cannabis is useful in the treatment of my condition.
He provided me with a handwritten recommendation that states: "Told patient that marijuana may relive nausea, realizing that as yet the drug is still illegal."
I feel the reason for the prohibition of cannabis is misinformation and the stigma that surrounds this medicine. So I have become active getting people informed and involved.
I am currently the president of the Ohio Patient Network, a member of the OPN speakers bureau, and on several committees for OPN. I am also a member of the Ohio Cannabis Society.
Today I weigh 155 lbs. and use a wheelchair most of the time. Cannabis has no doubt, given me a better life than I would have had without it. I didn't ask for this. I would gladly give up using Cannabis and all the other drugs that are prescribed for me if I were miraculously cured.
I don't consider myself a criminal just for using the only thing I know that works to try to maintain what quality of life I have left.
John Precup |
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I have Multiple Sclerosis and have been able to receive little to no relief from the FDA approved medicines my doctors recommended. The doctors had me on Ritalin to give me energy and Prozac to keep my moods level. I took Vicodin and Soma to help with pain. I had to learn to give myself shots, so that I could take my
Copaxone drug that at the time was still in trial) each day. I am 22 years old now and will for ever be scared from the many shots I did give myself, but I am not taking any of those drugs now, I haven't for four years now
I have been smoking medical marijuana. Since I have been medicating my body with marijuana I have never felt better, my disease has mostly gone into remission, I still have some trouble with my vision and my balance is not the greatest at times but I am able to work part time and that was not something that was thought possible four short years ago. Marijuana has changed my life with the best possible thing.....Hope.
Thank You,
Meagen Boyd |
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I would like to say that Cheryl Miller has open up my eyes to what multiple sclerosis can do for you, I have the same illness. But She has given to me hope, and understanding on what medical marijuana can do for my illness. I have used marijuana because it helps , not any kind of medicine- drugs from pharmacy helped me- So in her memory I am so grateful just to learn from the strength that she had to help get our
medicinal marijuana out to so many people whom suffer from their illness. I am from Riverside County and new to this fight for safe access. We need the knowledge out there and I am doing my best to pass the word to others whom know nothing of this, like we once did. God bless Cheryl- she will remain with me always. At this moment we are still facing legalities with the Courts here in Temecula so going out of the state will not be a good ideal- hopeful Friday the 22nd of August it will be dismissed. So put my name on that list to show them that I too - know that ma!
marijuana works. Federal needs to bend- give the people what they have voted for and allow the state to govern their people and stay the ## out .
Lavonne |
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I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis about 4 years ago. Since that time, my doctors have tried many medications, including many that did not work for me. For extreme nerve pain, and spasticity, I've found that smoking small amounts of marijuana help keep my symptoms in check, much more efficiently than medications in pill form.
Thank you,
Brian |
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I lived in the middle-eastern US in 1996 when California's Prop. 215 passed. The mindset was (and still is I think) of the nature that marijuana is just an illegal recreational drug and is looked down upon. Even I thought it was ridiculous that these "sick" people needed marijuana...it all seemed to be a ploy for stoners to legalize this bad, evil substance.
Then, I got "sick".
I am a patient suffering from multiple sclerosis, and have found amazing amounts of relief from marijuana.
I was diagnosed about 6 months ago, self-diagnosed a year ago.
My neurologist put me on a steroid treatment, involving 10 grams of methyl prednisone
through an IV for 5 days, and then a tapering dose of oral prednisone for the next 19 days after that.
I ate everything I saw for those whole 24 days, got acne all over my chest, and gained 15 pounds. My level of disability improved soon after the treatment began. About five days after the treatment was over, I was back to almost the same level of disability again. I have nothing to show for all the toxic steroids I put into my body, and who knows what other medical problems will come up as a long-term side effect to this treatment.
Next, my neurologist put me on Rebif, a MS disease-modifying drug. This consisted of giving myself a shot Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of every week. Hey, at least I got the weekends off, right?
The biggest side effect I had with the Rebif was "flu-like" symptoms, so after about a month and a half of feeling like crap all the time, always being tired, and not feeling like the Rebif was doing me any good, I stopped taking it.
I felt a lot better within 3 days after discontinuing the Rebif, so I decided that feeling better now (I'm 21, let me enjoy what I can while I'm young.) was much better than feeling horrible for what basically is supposed to result in my MS progressing 30 percent slower than without treatment.
I have been through Amantadine, Baclofen, Ultram, Provigil, Soma, and
Prednisone, plus some that I probably have forgotten. All of these medications either provided little or no relief, and/or had very undesirable side effects for me.
Before learning that I had a disease that was probably MS, I had used marijuana maybe 10 times in my whole life. I started using it more regularly, and noticed that I was feeling much better all around when smoking marijuana. I could get around better, I felt better, I was in a better mood, and I ate (something that is often very difficult for me).
Being a California resident, I obtained a doctor's recommendation, and am now legal to use medical cannabis in California, and would like to see it made legal everywhere.
Marijuana is now the only medication I am using to treat my condition, and I would be so much less functional without it that I don't know what I would do (or COULD do for that matter).
-Nathaniel |
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