With COVID, we have never been more aware of critical shortages of masks, ventilators, hospital beds, etc., all leading to rationing. In this BLOG, Dr Frankel, examines how rationing in our medical care is a much bigger problem than just face masks.
Perhaps I’m somewhat settled in my ways, but as I’m completing my seventh decade of life, I find that I get cranky about things that, in the past, never seemed to bother me. To be more specific, certain terms, words, or concepts almost seem silly to me. Let me give you an example…
“Micro dosing” is a terminology that seems to be cropping up a lot lately, when in fact, folks have been micro dosing drugs for decades. I assure you, it’s nothing new, it means very little, and when you break it down, isn’t it possible that a “micro" dose for one person is a “macro” dose for another? Of course this is the case. For one person, a very low dose of 1 or 2 mg of CBD might be perfect for their anxiety, but another patient may need 10 or 15 mg. I have seen this hundreds of times.
After forty two years practicing internal medicine, I am quite certain that the correct dose for any medication is the lowest effective dose that has the least amount of side effects. Starting low and going slow always makes sense, and with cannabis, often less is more… but not always.
There are plenty of patients who absorb cannabinoids differently, metabolize cannabinoids differently, and excrete metabolic breakdown products of cannabis in different ways. For one patient, THC makes their anxiety worse, while for another, THC is more helpful than CBD.
Also, it is no longer just about “the ratio,” nor is it just about CBD and THC. The scope of our knowledge and experience has expanded and evolved. It is also about THC-Acid, CBD-Acid, THC-V, CBD-V, CBG and more.
Catch phrases like “micro dosing” are great for the media, but not so great for patients. Every patient should have the option of receiving an individualized, customized, very specific treatment plan with detailed instructions on how to begin, what to take, how to take it, and of course, dosage recommendations. Once these details have been determined, I invite our patients to touch base with me periodically through our messaging portal to stay updated, ask any pertinent questions, adjust dosages or formulations of CBD:THC ratios if necessary, or even to change cannabinoids entirely. I encourage continued communication, as our journey to health is an ongoing, ever-evolving process.
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With COVID, we have never been more aware of critical shortages of masks, ventilators, hospital beds, etc., all leading to rationing. In this BLOG, Dr Frankel, examines how rationing in our medical care is a much bigger problem than just face masks.
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