North Stonington – After discovering the benefits of medical marijuana for her patients suffering from chronic conditions, a local physician hopes to bring relief to patients who live in remote areas or cannot travel using telemedicine.
Dr. Stefana Pecher, a licensed physician who operates the Country Doc Walk-in and Wellness Center at 391 Norwich-Westerly Road, said her 10-year practice combines classic medicine with a holistic approach that includes a chiropractor, an acupuncturist, two medical masseuses, and a holistic nurse. She is also the medical director for the Medical Marijuana Patients Advocate Support Group for Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Two years ago, she became interested in marijuana’s capabilities for symptom relief because of her patient, Lois Arias, of Westerly, who had cancer and was using narcotics to manage her pain.
“Lois came to me asking for an increasingly greater dose and it’s something we don’t prescribe here, so I declined and she knew I didn’t think it was safe,” Pecher said Thursday. “But she got the medication from a different doctor and accidentally overdosed and almost died,”
Pecher said that Arias had read up on medical marijuana as an alternative to pain meds, leading Pecher to find a physician who would prescribe it for her.
“Over the course of two years, she did so well – she had been on 18 medications – she went down to three medications,” Pecher said. “She was no longer on narcotics for pain and she actually went back to her [volunteer] job.”
Then, around one year ago, another patient, Lisa Perreault, of Norwich, asked Pecher for certification to receive medical marijuana.
“A routine gallbladder surgery turned into a nightmare and she was in the hospital for a long time,” Pecher said. “She came to me a mess, in a wheelchair, and very petrified of doctors.”
Perreault was already using medical marijuana for pain and PTSD but wanted her own doctor, Pecher, to prescribe it.
“I was hesitant, but after Lois’ nagging and Lisa’s nagging, persistent, I gave in,” Pecher laughed.
Pecher went to the Slater Compassion Center in Providence, a medical marijuana dispensary, for training and later became licensed to certify patients who have qualifying conditions in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
“Physicians don’t prescribe, they just certify that a patient has a qualifying condition,” Pecher said.
Each state has its own list of qualifying conditions that can include cancer, glaucoma, HIV and AIDS, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s Disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, among others.
Once patients are certified, it is up to them to find the right strain and dose of medical marijuana to alleviate their symptoms and that’s where Perreault, who is trained in clinical aromatherapy, has begun to work with Pecher by teaching classes for medical marijuana patients at Pecher’s Wellness center on the last Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m.
“Only patients may give information to other patients,” Perreault said. “Dispensaries can label the product but not recommend dosages or strains, and doctors cannot tell the patient what strains to try and how much to use.”
Figuring out the right dosage becomes a trial and error situation for the patients, she said. “But, once you break the marijuana down into an oil, all of the constituents are the same as it is with any other essential oil, so I’m able help patients choose their medication based on science.”
Marijuana, or Cannabis, contains cannabinoids, which are chemical compounds secreted by cannabis flowers that provide relief from symptoms such as pain and nausea. The plant also contains tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is known for its psychological effects.
“Cannabinoids are the main constituent – THC is the one that makes you euphoric but there are many others,” she said. “The state of Connecticut tests for these all of these little parts and people are able to look at the bottle, but if you don’t know how to read the labels and pick your medicine then you’re going to have a very long trial and error period.”
Insurance does not cover medical marijuana expenses, which can go from about $100 a month for a light user to more than $500 and up depending on usage. The price is based on the THC content, Perreault said.
The next step, Pecher said, is to bring medical marijuana to patients who are too ill to travel, are in nursing homes, or live in remote locations using a website with video capabilities.
“Telemedicine would help so many people,” she said. “In Connecticut, the patient still has to be face-to-face with the physician and Rhode Island is still clarifying its position, but it will come.
More research is needed to provide hard data on marijuana’s medical uses, which will ultimately open more channels for patients, she said.
“It’s giving people their life back and allowing them to come off of narcotics and other medications,” she said. “This is a science unto itself – more needs to learned and we should open our minds to it.”
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Once Hesitant, Physician Focusing On Prescribing Medical Marijuana
Author: Catherine Hewitt
Contact: 401-348-1000
Photo Credit: Harold Hanka
Website: The Westerly Sun