As the nation deals with a full-blown opioid crisis, medical experts are trying to find ways to cut addiction rates and fatalities.
Caught in the middle of all this are people with chronic pain, but one soon-to-be study could help people go pill-free by using medical marijuana.
Sandra was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis in January.
“It’s unbearable, I’m crying the whole time, you know. It’s it’s awful,” Daidone said.
Diadone was hospitalized six times the following month with extreme pain.
She says her opioid prescription expires next month. Although her pain won’t go away, state guidelines prohibit her doctor from prescribing more opioids.
Daidone says her doctor has suggested medical marijuana.
“Cautiously optimistic about what it can do for pain,” Dr. Andrew Koons said.
Dr. Andrew Koons says Lehigh Valley Health Network expects to launch a study on the effectiveness of opioids versus medicinal marijuana in managing pain.
“We have seen in talking with pain management doctors that it’s been extremely effective in doing that. They have gotten people off of huge doses of opioids by starting medical cannabis in a controlled setting,” Koons said.
Koons says the study will follow 50 to 100 people to determine if opioid consumption increases or decreases if there is a relapse, and to what degree pain is impacted.
Diadone says eliminating her pain would be great, but she’s intimidated by the thought of using medicinal marijuana.
“I’m just very concerned about, you know, like the high feeling, you know,” Diadone said.
“I am an Uber and Lyft driver so you know I also need to function for driving.”
Diadone is a member of a chronic pain management support group.
She says members frequently share anxiety about losing access to opioids and whether medicinal marijuana is right for them.
But she says she is willing to try anything to get relief.