Hows the study going Mikey???
- Thread starter KFld
- Start date
Mikey
Psycho Gorilla Dad
Not good so far. Just got a call from the doctor in charge of the program, and the screening caught some possible cardiac or pulmonary problems that need to be evaluated before they let him in.
After reading up on the 'Net, many of the health issues he related during the screening can be directly attributed to cannibis use (low BiPolar (BP), fainting, low pulse, etc...)
So now I have to find a pediatrician cardiologist to get a workup on McWeedy before he can go any further. His normal doctor brought this up to him a few months ago when he had abnormally low BiPolar (BP), said it was possibly from the hash oil. McWeedy blew it off as typical middle-age "Reefer Madness" hysteria.
Guess he'll have to rethink that position.
Mikey
After reading up on the 'Net, many of the health issues he related during the screening can be directly attributed to cannibis use (low BiPolar (BP), fainting, low pulse, etc...)
So now I have to find a pediatrician cardiologist to get a workup on McWeedy before he can go any further. His normal doctor brought this up to him a few months ago when he had abnormally low BiPolar (BP), said it was possibly from the hash oil. McWeedy blew it off as typical middle-age "Reefer Madness" hysteria.
Guess he'll have to rethink that position.
Mikey
Big Bad Kitty
lolcat
Lots of good thoughts and prayers your way, Mikey.
Mikey
Psycho Gorilla Dad
Well, called the pediocard recommended by the study. Turns out he's the head of the pediocard unit for a local childrens hospital. Talked to him about the situation. He said it isn't life-threatening, but that the symptoms should't be there for someone his age and in reasonable health. He recommended that McWeedy be seen within the next few weeks.
I explained the situation - that I'm trying to expedite the consult to get him cleared while he's still interested in participating in the study (and by the way, it's the only SA "treatment" he'll consent to). doctor says "I understand. I can fit you in on Monday - is that okay?"
:smile:
Yep, it sure is. In to see a specialist in less than two days? You betcha. Now we wait until Monday to see what other little hidden gems are waiting for us in the further adventures of Sir Pots-a-Lot and the Pothead Posse. Stay tuned for the next episode...
Mikey
I explained the situation - that I'm trying to expedite the consult to get him cleared while he's still interested in participating in the study (and by the way, it's the only SA "treatment" he'll consent to). doctor says "I understand. I can fit you in on Monday - is that okay?"
:smile:
Yep, it sure is. In to see a specialist in less than two days? You betcha. Now we wait until Monday to see what other little hidden gems are waiting for us in the further adventures of Sir Pots-a-Lot and the Pothead Posse. Stay tuned for the next episode...
Mikey
SunnyFlorida
Active Member
Well....at least you're ruling out any additional and/or unknown medical conditions. :nonono:
TYLERFAN
New Member
"Sir-Pots-Alot and the Pothead Posse" :rofl: :rofl: :bravo:
I can't tell you how much I enjoy your posts.....at lease we still have our senses of humor in tact. :smile:
Anyway, I am so sorry he is having medical problems on top of the other stuff. Hopin g the Cardiologist can help.
Blessings,
Melissa :angel:
I can't tell you how much I enjoy your posts.....at lease we still have our senses of humor in tact. :smile:
Anyway, I am so sorry he is having medical problems on top of the other stuff. Hopin g the Cardiologist can help.
Blessings,
Melissa :angel:
Mikey
Psycho Gorilla Dad
Just got back from the pediocard. They did all sorts of tests, including an echo, EKG, etc. Bottom line: he is "normal" for a teen with an "athletic heart". No problems, he can start the study.
So, why am I bummed that my son has a perfectly healthy heart?
:slap:
McWeedy left early (his girlfriend came with us and waited in the waiting room during the exam). I stuck around and asked the doctor about the effects of regular pot use on his heart. He said "nothing that I can see - he's perfectly healthy, better than many kids his age. Even if he's been smoking regularly for 3-4 years, the primary risk is to his lungs, nothing with his heart."
Am I supposed to be sad about that? On one hand, I'm glad that there's nothing wrong. On the other hand, I had some hope that this would be yet another "wake-up call" for McWeedy. Instead, he now has a smile on his face and some spring in his step because there's nothing "wrong", and I'm worried that it will bolster his overconfidence in his pot use.
Wow, you really can't win when you have a difficult child, can you? Guess I'll take the healthy heart and make the best of it, and hope for something to happen with the SA/ADD study over the next 16 weeks. Now I just have to keep McWeedy from feeling invincible because he's been "cleared" by a doctor.....
:rolleyes:
Mikey
So, why am I bummed that my son has a perfectly healthy heart?
:slap:
McWeedy left early (his girlfriend came with us and waited in the waiting room during the exam). I stuck around and asked the doctor about the effects of regular pot use on his heart. He said "nothing that I can see - he's perfectly healthy, better than many kids his age. Even if he's been smoking regularly for 3-4 years, the primary risk is to his lungs, nothing with his heart."
Am I supposed to be sad about that? On one hand, I'm glad that there's nothing wrong. On the other hand, I had some hope that this would be yet another "wake-up call" for McWeedy. Instead, he now has a smile on his face and some spring in his step because there's nothing "wrong", and I'm worried that it will bolster his overconfidence in his pot use.
Wow, you really can't win when you have a difficult child, can you? Guess I'll take the healthy heart and make the best of it, and hope for something to happen with the SA/ADD study over the next 16 weeks. Now I just have to keep McWeedy from feeling invincible because he's been "cleared" by a doctor.....
:rolleyes:
Mikey
Ephchap
Active Member
Mikey,
I understand your concern, so I'd remind your son that the doctor did mention the harm it does to lungs, and mention his asthma attacks. Hopefully he'll realize that it's doing harm.
Fingers crossed that his participation in the study helps. As I mentioned to you from your very first post, I truly believe in dual-diagnostic, which is what the study sounds a bit like. Dealing with just the psychiatric or substance abuse alone is sometimes not enough. They need to get at the underlying stuff going on, as well as treating the drug use.
Deb
I understand your concern, so I'd remind your son that the doctor did mention the harm it does to lungs, and mention his asthma attacks. Hopefully he'll realize that it's doing harm.
Fingers crossed that his participation in the study helps. As I mentioned to you from your very first post, I truly believe in dual-diagnostic, which is what the study sounds a bit like. Dealing with just the psychiatric or substance abuse alone is sometimes not enough. They need to get at the underlying stuff going on, as well as treating the drug use.
Deb
KFld
New Member
I understand how you feel. You were hoping to give him a medical reason that would scare the heck out of him and he would quit. Just remember though, his near death asthma experience didn't make him quit, so even if he had a heart condition, it probably wouldn't have stopped him either.
Hope he gets something out of this study.
Hang in there!!!
Hope he gets something out of this study.
Hang in there!!!
Mikey
Psycho Gorilla Dad
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: KFld</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I understand how you feel. You were hoping to give him a medical reason that would scare the heck out of him and he would quit. Just remember though, his near death asthma experience didn't make him quit, so even if he had a heart condition, it probably wouldn't have stopped him either. </div></div>
Well, not quite. The near-death asthma attack didn't get him off pot, but it DID get him to quit cigs. AFAIK, he hasn't smoked one since then. It's been great - his clothes don't stink anymore, his car doesn't stink anymore, and he doesn't sound like he's hacking up half his lung every morning.
And for a while, he didn't even smoke pot (he found other ways to ingest it, though). Now, I think he's "smokin da bowl" again, but that's all he's smoking.
As if that weren't enough.
However, the attack did get him off of cigs. I was hoping for some significant (but treatable) heart problem that could be directly attributed to his pot use. Worked for cigs, so I had my hopes up for having a health-based excuse to exorcise the ganja god from McWeedy as well.
No such luck, though, so we'll still have to do it the hard way I guess.
Is there any other way but the hard way, when you have a difficult child in your life?
Mikey
Well, not quite. The near-death asthma attack didn't get him off pot, but it DID get him to quit cigs. AFAIK, he hasn't smoked one since then. It's been great - his clothes don't stink anymore, his car doesn't stink anymore, and he doesn't sound like he's hacking up half his lung every morning.
And for a while, he didn't even smoke pot (he found other ways to ingest it, though). Now, I think he's "smokin da bowl" again, but that's all he's smoking.
As if that weren't enough.
However, the attack did get him off of cigs. I was hoping for some significant (but treatable) heart problem that could be directly attributed to his pot use. Worked for cigs, so I had my hopes up for having a health-based excuse to exorcise the ganja god from McWeedy as well.
No such luck, though, so we'll still have to do it the hard way I guess.
Is there any other way but the hard way, when you have a difficult child in your life?
Mikey
