Medical Marijuana For Symptom Control

[JNBunnie1]

I probably am as sensitive as you and it did not spark any kind of a reaction. I think all the small things that are not ingested are worried about far too much. If you had a reaction, it may be an allergic reaction....that's entirely possible. I have followed all of the guidelines that are current with regards to this disease and they must be correct because I have had no problems and nothing is showing in my bloodwork....repeatedly. I don't know how anyone can be any more convinced than that!

Sorry, which guidelines? I kinda thought we all just didn't do the things that made us react..... Regardless of whether or not they make someone else react......

[scissorhappygirl]

I got glutened from puffing on a j rolled in a zig zag last weekend. Even if you don't roll it, everyone sharing moistens the paper a little, making the glue wet again. That's enough to make me have a celiac attack. The super high effects from smoking wear off after a few months, so you won't always be flying. It's been a lifesaver, because I was literally starving to death, and it gives me the munchies. I'm taking in about 4000 calories a day. I was recently diagnosed, and I have esophagitis from Small intestinal swelling, so it just sort of makes everything chill.

[Amber M]

I got glutened from puffing on a j rolled in a zig zag last weekend. Even if you don't roll it, everyone sharing moistens the paper a little, making the glue wet again. That's enough to make me have a celiac attack. The super high effects from smoking wear off after a few months, so you won't always be flying. It's been a lifesaver, because I was literally starving to death, and it gives me the munchies. I'm taking in about 4000 calories a day. I was recently diagnosed, and I have esophagitis from Small intestinal swelling, so it just sort of makes everything chill.

I thought I'd drop a line since it has been a few weeks now. I am doing pretty well with the dosage of 3 or 4 drags about every other day, some times once a day. It has helped my facial symptoms and balance. If I have a neck ache, it doesn't seem to help that. The relief I am getting though, is enough for me to keep on with it. I am sleeping better at night too.

[mysecretcurse]

Medical marijuana does help with nausea and it does give users an appetite. I knew a woman with cancer who used marijuana as a last resort because she absolutely could NOT eat anything.

However, I think it might not be the best idea for a celiac patient to use it, just because of the specific dietary needs of the patient. I'm not saying that every celiac would do this, but I think good judgement seems to fly out the window under the influence of controlled substances. Or, maybe not a lapse in judgement, but the inability to think clearly--what if someone who has just been glutened uses marijuana to assist with appetite, only to accidentally eat something with more gluten?

I'm not saying it would happen, but look at all the times people have accidentally eaten gluten, being of sound mind and body. I can see where the chance of that happening would increase dramatically, smoking pot.

Er.. well you'd have to either be stupid or just have absolutely no self control for this to happen. I suppose some people have problems with self control whether they are high or not, but it really has nothing to do with being high. Have you smoked before? I only ask because people who don't use pot tend to sometimes have major misconceptions about it's effects due to the media and what not. It really doesn't mess you up very much. It's not like alcohol, which noticably impairs your judgment. I have never suffered from the "inability to think clearly" from a marijuana high, if anything (and I think most smokers would agree) pot tends to make you think about things a little deeper than normal, if not a LOT deeper than normal, lol.

Oh and don't worry about posting that you smoke pot regardless of it being illegal or not. I SMOKE POT! I've always been open on the net about the fact that I smoke pot. Hell, my myspace has pot stuff on it and I'm a part of pro-pot groups on facebook which has my full address and everything. I don't care; smoking pot is something I believe in and something I am proud to respresent. The police are not browsing the web looking for people saying they smoke so they can go arrest them. lol Don't worry.

I have concerns over papers as well(especially the flavored kind), and while I have used them in the past without a reaction I prefer smoking out of a glass water pipe. It tastes better and the smoke is way less harsh on the throat. Definitely helps with symptoms as well as just relaxing.

[GFgirly]

I just want to remind you all that this is a public site, and anyone has access to your comments. Please consider the possible consequences to yourself before casually posting that you are doing something that may be considered illegal where you live.

Who said that the people posting that they have smoked haven't already recieved the proper licensing?

[GFgirly]

I got glutened from puffing on a j rolled in a zig zag last weekend. Even if you don't roll it, everyone sharing moistens the paper a little, making the glue wet again. That's enough to make me have a celiac attack. The super high effects from smoking wear off after a few months, so you won't always be flying. It's been a lifesaver, because I was literally starving to death, and it gives me the munchies. I'm taking in about 4000 calories a day. I was recently diagnosed, and I have esophagitis from Small intestinal swelling, so it just sort of makes everything chill.

It's a great way to get your appetite back in times of loss. For me it's a never ending cycle, if I get nauseous and can't eat, and because I can't eat hypoglycemia kicks in making the nausea worse etc. etc. Using medical cannibis wisely helps to end the cycle everytime. Even for things like minor headaches, fibromayalgia, and the other many symptoms of celiacs disease relief can be brought by a mild dose every once in a while or even up to a couple times a day. Medical clinics sometimes sell butter that you can buy and then cook with so that anything you make you can substitute it in for regular butter. May I add to clear up some confusion that nobody has ever died from a THC overdose where up to millions have from asprin; a commonly used pain reducer. I prefer the natural, safe way; even if it isn't as accepted in society it's safer.

Also if you're concerned about effects of smoking cannibus and would like a faster way to medicate than eating it, try a vaporizer. I've know cross countriers and other avid atheletes that condone this as the best way because smoke is purified in to just the good stuff that makes you feel better and eliminates any possible bad things in it.

[SGWhiskers]

I feel terrible body aches almost constantly and have been through almost every test possible for other autoimmune diseases. I'm taking Cymbalta for fibro and low doses of tylenol almost daily. Medical marijuana was passed in my state recently and this discussion has me tempted to try.

I've got some worries though:

1) I would really rather eat/drink it. Just the thought of smoking anything triggers a migraine.

2) What about work? I'm a medical professional. I need to have a clear head when I'm at work.

3) Is there any research about the possible negative/positive effects of marajuana on the gut lining?

Oh, but the thought of being able to enjoy a weekend without pain... I've missed out on so much of life because of the chronic pain. How does it do with migraines?

[GFgirly]

I feel terrible body aches almost constantly and have been through almost every test possible for other autoimmune diseases. I'm taking Cymbalta for fibro and low doses of tylenol almost daily. Medical marijuana was passed in my state recently and this discussion has me tempted to try.

I've got some worries though:

1) I would really rather eat/drink it. Just the thought of smoking anything triggers a migraine.

2) What about work? I'm a medical professional. I need to have a clear head when I'm at work.

3) Is there any research about the possible negative/positive effects of marajuana on the gut lining?

Oh, but the thought of being able to enjoy a weekend without pain... I've missed out on so much of life because of the chronic pain. How does it do with migraines?

1) By all means if you don't want to smoke it try it! Just keep in mind that the effects are going to last longer

2) As long as you don't indulge it in the few hours before you go to work you should be fine. I have school everyday in the morning until noon and as long as I make it through the work I need to do (maybe take a small dose of advil or ibuprophen if you're in pain at all, however doing so everyday or more than once a day can cause harm to your body) after I'm done and home it's nice to find some relief.

3)Here are some tidbits of information and their sources:

"Studies indicate that cannabinoids in marijuana bind with cannabinoid receptors in the digestive tract, especially the small and large intestine, causing muscle relaxation, reduction of inflammation, analgesia, increased nerve-muscle coordination, anti-emesis, and relief of spasms such as those that cause nausea."Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

I didn't really find anything on negative effects.

As for migraines, the links say that it helps with any type of pain. Start with a small dose

Hope this helps!

[stillpine]

My conclusion is that I like to do everything drug free if possible. Just go on a gluten free diet and everything will get better.

All drugs are not equivalent. What research have you done or information do you have to support your conclusion?

[positivenrgfairy]

I think the day they made medical marijuana legal for ceilacs will be the best day of my life.

[GusMck]

I would like to set the record STRAIGHT....... for people who are morally against marijuana you are entitled to your opinons, and do not have the right to force your MORALES against another person who is using it for MEDICAL reasons,

an example is I DO NOT GET SEIZURES if i smoke pot,

I DO NOT GET DIORREAH if I smoke pot

I DO NOT VOMIT OR HAVE NAUSEA if I smoke pot

I DO NOT GET DERMATITIS OR THE SKIN RASH PROBLEM if I smoke pot,

I DO NOT LOOSE WEIGHT if I smoke pot,

and having not smoked pot in the last 3 months and also being on a STRICT gluten free diet, I AM STILL SICK WITH a gluten free diet... but not as bad.

BUT with pot I can chop up firewood, put on muscle, work better, sleep better... and I actually can dream.

I do not get muscle aches, I do not crap out blood in the toilet, I do not get cramps I do not get spasams, or feel like my insides are on fire.

WHAT gives a human being the right to turn around and say "oh well so what its illegal, you cant have it so your just going to have be sick because people who abuse it ruined it for you, and blah blah blah blah....ect.

I have been told by doctors to 'just deal with it, theres nothing more we can do'

and let me give people out there a peice of my mind when it comes to medical marijuana,

my grandfather had celiac disease and got small bowel cancer at 20, I am 20 years old, I have had 6 tumours cut out of my colon.

and IF one person has a go at me for my choice in medicine, which will stop me getting worse all I can say is that they are an ignorant human being.

glad I got that off my chest.

[KateGrace]

I'm a little late to the topic here, but I'd like to make this note: I hardly smoke pot (despite the fact that my boyfriend is a licensed grower), except when I am REALLY hurting. I treat my body with respect, and I use this particular herb in a way that is respectful; as in-only when necessary. I'm a little extreme, because I'll usually wait until I'm curled up in fetal position and crying, whether from a migraine or period pain, before I smoke any.

I have had digestive/mysterious allergy problems for years (hello, edema). Before I was (self) diagnosed as a celiac, I didn't know what was wrong with me. A month ago, I was constipated for days and throwing up involuntarily. Because I was vomiting up pain medication, and my stomach was hurting, I finally smoked a little pot.

My stomach immediately settled down and the vomiting stopped. Awesome. But the most startling thing is what my mind did: in my stoned, hazy-yet-sharp state, I sort of "connected" my body and mind (sorry to sound ambiguous here) by putting all my focus on my digestive system. For the first time, I could actually feel my organs, one by one, and how overburdened and torn up they were. It was scary and enlightening. I realized that my body was literally protesting against something. For the first time, I was able to listen. I concentrated intently on picturing different foods, and could feel my body "responding" at the mere thought of them. Um...cool?

I won't go on, but let's just say, I cut out all gluten, dairy, soy, and egg whites from my diet. The next day, I started a meticulous food diary, and three weeks later, once my stomach had settled down, I started experimenting (sorry, stomach). I have only tried out scrambled eggs and wheat so far, but sure enough, I reacted. BADLY. "The body doesn't lie" has a whole new meaning for me!

SO, yes, marijuana has helped ease my digestive pain. It also facilitated a mental "breakthrough moment" as far as my health is concerned. But if you're like me and don't like to smoke it, I'm with you! Just listen to your body, would be my advice--REALLY listen. I've never meditated or anything, but because I'm still recovering, I take a few minutes every now and then to focus all my attention towards my body. Kind of like, "Hey, how you doin'? Want some soothing herbal tea? Or protein--mm, protein. Yes? No?" I slow down, close my eyes, and ask it what it needs. It sounds loopy, but it works.

btw, it is currently healing. And very happy with my new diet.

[Jritch4848]

I would like to set the record STRAIGHT....... for people who are morally against marijuana you are entitled to your opinons, and do not have the right to force your MORALES against another person who is using it for MEDICAL reasons,

an example is I DO NOT GET SEIZURES if i smoke pot,

I DO NOT GET DIORREAH if I smoke pot

I DO NOT VOMIT OR HAVE NAUSEA if I smoke pot

I DO NOT GET DERMATITIS OR THE SKIN RASH PROBLEM if I smoke pot,

I DO NOT LOOSE WEIGHT if I smoke pot,

and having not smoked pot in the last 3 months and also being on a STRICT gluten free diet, I AM STILL SICK WITH a gluten free diet... but not as bad.

BUT with pot I can chop up firewood, put on muscle, work better, sleep better... and I actually can dream.

I do not get muscle aches, I do not crap out blood in the toilet, I do not get cramps I do not get spasams, or feel like my insides are on fire.

WHAT gives a human being the right to turn around and say "oh well so what its illegal, you cant have it so your just going to have be sick because people who abuse it ruined it for you, and blah blah blah blah....ect.

I have been told by doctors to 'just deal with it, theres nothing more we can do'

and let me give people out there a peice of my mind when it comes to medical marijuana,

my grandfather had celiac disease and got small bowel cancer at 20, I am 20 years old, I have had 6 tumours cut out of my colon.

and IF one person has a go at me for my choice in medicine, which will stop me getting worse all I can say is that they are an ignorant human being.

glad I got that off my chest.

I have a very similar situation to your own. All my life I have gotten constant diarrhea, stomach pains, and all of the above for celiac. I have dealt with depression, complete loss of appetite, moodiness, and insomnia. And all of this while on a strict gluten free diet.

For the time I spent smoking cannabis, I felt like a normal person again. I was coping with celiac in a much more positive way, and had a much better outlook on the situation I've been genetically thrown into. I ate a lot more often and put on healthy amount of weight, returned to regular sleeping habits, and did not encounter any sort of stomach pain anymore. Note while in this time i continued to be a straight A highschool student and my grades actually got better because I felt that my life was better.

I understand some of the reasons why cannabis is not fully legal yet, but I do believe the positives out-weight the negatives by far and believe that cannabis can help people like you and me who have celiac.

Unfortunately it is not medically legal in PA (where I live) yet so I can not obtain it legally, and have recently stopped smoking it for personal reasons. In conclusion, people need to realize that this plant is not as harmful as once thought and can truly help people.

[Mizzdy]

Hi newbie here! I would like to add my own take on pot, its has allowed to walk, sit, stand, get through the day. Part of my graves disease has come a weird assortment of muscle problems even resulting in a brow lift when the muscles in the forehead atrophied, I have severe pain in my hip and left leg, the muscles that surround my eyes are in constant states of swelling, etc. One problem though is that my smoking it I probably masked a lot of my gluten problems over the years but am grateful that I do have this to help when I do get glutenized. I just love that phrase 'been glutened' I am going to have to use that often! lol I do admit to being a smoker most of my life when I discovered it helped with a migraine I had. I did go almost 6 years without smoking any and that was when I started to develop graves after I started smoking again my eyes stopped swelling and started to look normal again. I never get high anymore unless I smoke a joint and its a very short lived high. Theres not a soul I am around who can tell if I have been smoking except by the look of my eyes. I had no idea Celiacs could get medical pot!

[Kathy59]

Wonder how much of this prescription medicine I could so without by using for medical reasons only..the nerve pain with the muscle spasms is driving me crazy and that is with medication for it..However, not legal in NC and I wouldn't be able to pass a drug test for employment if I could ever feel well enough to go back to work, but if a little pot would make me feel better then I could work, but I wouldn't be able to pass the drug test..and I don't want to be arrested..endless cycle. I've always said it would never be legal federally because of Pharmaceutical Companies...just think how much money they would lose..and I'm not talking about smoking to get high..I'm talking about a hit or two for pain relief...people abuse pain medications just as easlily..and although pot can become psychologically addictive; it is not physically addictive!

[Celiac101]

_{Now the legal status of this practice is extremely varied based on your area, so as a disclaimer : I'm not advocating doing anything illegal.}

Either those still healing, or on occasions of accidental gluten-consumption; often prone to difficult menstruation, digestive/joint/muscle pains, loss of appetite, migraines, extreme stress, inability to sleep, depression, and many other problems marijuana has been used to treat.

Have there been any studies done on the potential benefits/harms of Medical Marijuana for Celiacs? Does any do/has anyone tried this, and if so, what was your conclusions?

I've had celiac for about 4 years now, known about it for just over 3 years. At the beginning of this year I started trying to experiment with weed and the fact that I have celiac. If I accidently eat wheat and I start to feel ill and I smoke weed, I feel better. If I'm high and I eat wheat, I'm fine. I don't get any of the symptoms if I'm high and then eat wheat. Even the next day when I find the symptoms continue to bug me when I eat wheat, it doesn't bug me. I don't know if this is just me, but I can eat wheat when I'm high and have no symptoms affect me. Mind you, I'm no doctor and I have no idea if even though I don't feel any symptoms, it still doesn't affect my insides and kills my digestive system. I don't do it often but when I get a craving I do it, it works for me.

[aggrolounge]

I've had celiac for about 4 years now, known about it for just over 3 years. At the beginning of this year I started trying to experiment with weed and the fact that I have celiac. If I accidently eat wheat and I start to feel ill and I smoke weed, I feel better. If I'm high and I eat wheat, I'm fine. I don't get any of the symptoms if I'm high and then eat wheat. Even the next day when I find the symptoms continue to bug me when I eat wheat, it doesn't bug me. I don't know if this is just me, but I can eat wheat when I'm high and have no symptoms affect me. Mind you, I'm no doctor and I have no idea if even though I don't feel any symptoms, it still doesn't affect my insides and kills my digestive system. I don't do it often but when I get a craving I do it, it works for me.

Woah.. silent damage isn't better damage. I have no problem w/ weed for CC but that's just dumb, imo.

[scuzy]

I have been against smoking my whole life, but finally I had decided to try it so that people could stop calling me sheltered and stuff. But anyway, I tried it once (before I was gluten free, still having all my symptoms and stuff) and I had no D for like 2 days!!!!! It was amazing, I thought it was a weird reaction at the time and I normally would pee like every hour, but when I tried pot I was peeing every half hour, but no D!!! I'm not sure I agree with it being legal or how it could affect your life, but it did make me not have D while I was eating gluten and that says something.

[ravenwoodglass]

I've had celiac for about 4 years now, known about it for just over 3 years. At the beginning of this year I started trying to experiment with weed and the fact that I have celiac. If I accidently eat wheat and I start to feel ill and I smoke weed, I feel better. If I'm high and I eat wheat, I'm fine. I don't get any of the symptoms if I'm high and then eat wheat. Even the next day when I find the symptoms continue to bug me when I eat wheat, it doesn't bug me. I don't know if this is just me, but I can eat wheat when I'm high and have no symptoms affect me. Mind you, I'm no doctor and I have no idea if even though I don't feel any symptoms, it still doesn't affect my insides and kills my digestive system. I don't do it often but when I get a craving I do it, it works for me.

Your playing with fire with this little 'experiment'. Even if you don't feel symptoms if you are celiac you are doing damage. While celiac is one of the things that medical MJ is prescribed for, in some states, and it can be very useful when glutened using it and thinking you are safe eating wheat is not a safe thing to do. As far as I know MJ does not stop the antibody reaction but it will relieve the GI symptoms and perhaps some others. If the antibodies are active they can attack any organ they chose to and just because your gut symptoms are relieved doesn't mean the antibodies are not attacking your liver, gallbladder, brain etc.

[lucia]

I've been wondering about this. When I'm suffering from gluten, *nothing* relieves the pain - not hot baths, not asprin or Tylenol, not massage, not going to sleep. It's excruciating. This would be an interesting option (at least to try) EXCEPT that it's not legal in my state and I don't want to mess around with something that's illegal.

[sandsurfgirl]

I have trouble trusting any of the science behind medical marijuana because everyone has an agenda either for or against it. I know there are all sorts of things on the net saying it's good for this that or the other, but I think much of it is from people who want to get high and want it legalized.

There are so many doctors prescribing it to people who aren't even sick. I know several people with RX cards for pot who have no illnesses and the "pharmacies" are a joke. I have never been to a pot pharmacy and I don't do it any form, but my friends who do have told me they have games and spin wheels to get free things and it's like a fiesta in there. Hard to take it seriously when they treat it like a joke.

So my point is, I think it's really going to be hard to justify because there are too many people taking advantage of the system to just party and get high, and I don't buy the claims that it's good for all of the things they say it's good for. I mean they claim smoking pot is good for asthma. That's just ludicrous.

So... you have a SERIOUS medical condition, an autoimmune disorder that wreaks havoc in ways that doctors don't even realize. Is it really worth putting a drug into your body when you don't really know what it's going to do to you? For me the answer is unequivocally no. It's not a judgment. It's my opinion for me and my life. Do what you want and let the chips fall where they may, but personally I think it's crazy to do that to your body when you're already sick. It's not like a cancer patient who is dying and pot is a last resort so they can function. You have a cure. Gluten free diet. You may feel better for the moment but you don't know if the pot is doing other undetectable damage to your body or your brain that will get you later.

But in my experience people who want to smoke pot are going to smoke pot and it doesn't matter what anyone else says.

[RideAllWays]

I live in BC where weed is pretty much legal (it's not, but I have seen cops walk right pas people rolling joints in public), and there is never a shortage of pot. I don't smoke it anymore, because you never know where it is coming from. One time, after a horrible glutening, I decided to try cannabis tea because I don't like smoking, and it calmed my intestines a lot.

Also as a bit of a side note: I'm in a Drugs and Behaviour class at my university and we talk a lot about expectancy and placebo effect. If you are smoking with the goal of getting high, chances are that effect will come out much stronger than if you are smoking the marijuana for symptom relief. Not that it really matters here, just found it interesting. Lots of studies say that pure marijuana cannot really harm you, others say it can be worse than ecstasy (The Lancet, March 2007). In my opinion there is always going to be bias, so do what feels right for you.

[jackay]

I have been against smoking my whole life, but finally I had decided to try it so that people could stop calling me sheltered and stuff. But anyway, I tried it once (before I was gluten free, still having all my symptoms and stuff) and I had no D for like 2 days!!!!! It was amazing, I thought it was a weird reaction at the time and I normally would pee like every hour, but when I tried pot I was peeing every half hour, but no D!!! I'm not sure I agree with it being legal or how it could affect your life, but it did make me not have D while I was eating gluten and that says something.

I was also against it my whole life but tried it a few years ago for anxiety. I didn't know at that time that gluten was my problem so was still consuming it. I got no relief from it. I wonder now that I am gluten free if it would help me. For the past couple of days I have been sick again so sure wish I could give it a try.

[Jritch4848]

I'm also a Celiac patient and I use marijuana. Like said in earlier posts, the way to a proper celiac diet is a diet with absolutely no gluten......but lets get real here, the world hasn't exactly gone gluten free yet haha. And I definitely have regular experiences where some sort of cross-contamination with food occurs; and when that happens I swear having pot saves my life. No stomach cramps, long nights where I can't fall asleep, so many trips to the bathroom I can't even count, or even just feeling like poop in general. If I smoke a little bit, everything in my body just completely chills out and I feel I can finally relax, take my mind of it for the brief time and actually feel normal. I lost my appetite years ago, so long I honestly can't tell what year it was, but I swear the first time I ever smoked was the first time I was hungry in the longest time.......needless to say I was extremely excited and since I have finally put on a healthy amount of weight and I'm the healthiest, mentally and physically, I've ever been in my entire life. I've done my fair share of research and had Political college courses, and it just doesn't look like America is going to legally accept weed in the near future. In my humble opinion, it should just be legal. I could sit here and be that guy types out all the researches I've found online (no offense to those who actually do that, cause I do learn from them haha), but in my personal experience it has been a great aid in dealing with this disease in every aspect, and I smoke with plenty of non-Celiacs and I just don't believe it to be overly-harmful to keep it from being legal. I have a 3.69 GPA......smoke weed everyday =p. But in all seriousness, I hope anything I had to say answers the original question or any questions anyone who just happens to read this has.