In keeping with our philosophy that there are a wide range of modalities that may be used to help treat and heal our patients, Whole Health & Healing offers qualified patients the opportunity to be evaluated for medicinal use of marijuana. In addition to the 30 minute personal physician consultation, patients need current medical records (within the past three years) documenting their illness(s) or symptoms and a valid photo ID. Each patient is evaluated and deemed eligible for medical cannabis based on the criteria spelled out in MT 148.
Because Whole Health & Healing cares about the long-term health of each of our patients, INDIVIDUALS MAY BE DENIED MEDICAL CANNABIS CERTIFICATION. Certification may be withheld pending further diagnostic testing, if the doctor deems that the patient's medical workup has not been sufficient to rule out potential life-threatening conditions.
An example might be a patient who presents with "migraine headaches". If the patient has not had an adequate work up to rule out that such catastrophic conditions as a brain tumor, aneurysm, or arterial-venous malformation are not present and responsible for their headache symptoms, the patient will be denied medical cannabis certification and referred to the appropriate specialist so that such conditions can be safely ruled out.
Whole Health & Healing does not guarantee that every patient evaluated for medical cannabis certification will be granted a certificate. Ultimately it is the doctor's discretion (as per MT 148) to refuse or grant certification based on the patient's individual situation and condition.
Initial 30-minute medical cannabis evaluation with Dr. Geci-Black: $200. We offer a sliding scale fee for those individuals with special financial hardships. Some documentation of financial hardship needs to be provided prior to your appointment.
Conditions approved for medical marijuana use under MT 148 include: cancer, HIV, chronic wasting syndrome, severe or persistent nausea, chronic or severe pain, seizures, muscle spasms due to multiple sclerosis or crohn's disease.
MT 148 also provides physicians with the opportunity to use their discretion for medical illnesses not specifically listed. we make every effort to reference research papers from the medical literature to support your use of medical marijuana, when indicated. if we cannot find credible research supporting patient use of medical marijuana, we cannot issue you a certificate, as the state registry office will simply return the application to us.
There are a number of medical conditions which act as relative contra-indications for medical cannabis use by patients.
Pregnancy: under no circumstances should women casually medicate with cannabis during pregnancy. Numerous studies suggest that excessive cannabinoid stimulation may make children susceptible to numerous behavioral problems like drug addiction, anxiety, schizophrenia and depression.
Anti-coagulation: If you are taking the blood thinning medication warfarin (Coumadin), you should tell your doctor. Cannabis use can affect the effectiveness and toxicity of this medication. Have your blood levels (INR) checked for the first several weeks after using medical cannabis. Please report any unusual bruising or bleeding to your doctor immediately.
Liver disease: Patients with liver disease need to tell their doctor(s) that they are using medical cannabis. Patients with Hepatitis C and other liver ailments need to monitor their liver enzymes for elevations and stool for excessive fat content (steatorrhea).
Michael Geci-Black, MD
michael@wholehealthandhealing.com
607-434-4866