Pubdate: Mon, 11 Apr 2011 Source: Missoulian (MT) Copyright: 2011 Missoulian Contact: http://www.missoulian.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/720 Author: Jason Brander MEDICAL MARIJUANA GIVES PATIENTS THEIR LIVES BACK My name is Jason Brander. I am a medical marijuana patient. I am a type 1 diabetic with severe neuropathy in my lower extremities and I am starting to get it in my hands. I was on 2,400 mg of Nuerontin three times a day for pain, 25 mg of Reglan three times a day for diabetic gastroperesis, 10 mg of Percocet three times a day for pain, Ropinerole for RLS in my legs so my legs won't cramp at night, 60 mg of Adderall XR for ADD, numerous depression medications, Ambien 10 mg to help me sleep and 10 mg of Metropotol two times a day for my heart condition, SVT. I am also on an insulin pump for my diabetes which uses Novalog insulin. I am disabled, so I am on Medicaid. These prescriptions cost nearly $3,000 per month. I had a doctor in Arizona who told me about medical cannabis and that he thought I could really benefit from it. But it was not available in Arizona at the time. My quality of life was very bad and I had to do something. I sold everything so I had to get enough money to move back to my home state of Montana because of the medical marijuana laws. When I left Phoenix three years ago, I was unable to walk around the grocery store and had to use an electric cart. I am a father of two and felt my kids need to have me around for a while and at this rate I won't be able to leave the house in five years. My life was falling apart. Since moving back to Montana, my life has changed for the better. Due to having marijuana for medicine, I have nearly cut out every prescription drug I was taking in Arizona. I now smoke marijuana every three to four hours and the only drugs that I currently take are Metropotol for my heart condition, 7.5 mg Loratab two times per day for pain. I owe this to that little green plant! Today I am able to walk around three miles, doesn't sound like much, but I was damn near in a wheelchair three years ago. I am able to do more things with my kids and life is good. Please don't take away my medicine and the medicine for many others that have similar stories to me. Marijuana is the only thing that works for 80 percent of the things I have, My quality of life is great now. If you take our medical marijuana away, you will turn me back in to a pill-taking zombie with absolutely no quality of life and all the taxpayers will be paying Walgreens $3,000 a month for my drugs once again. Jason Brander, Missoula - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake