Medical Marijuana - A Better Alternative for Ostomy Patients?

I live in a place where I can obtain medical marijuana. I find it helps with anxiety, pain, and occasional insomnia. Before you put it down, it's far better than alcohol, especially if you are taking other meds. Any thoughts?

I know, it is highly controversial. People are so grossly prejudiced against a seemingly harmless alternative medicine that I, for one, am reluctant to admit to using it in most circles. However, as you said, it helps a lot!!! I was getting really sick, well sicker that is, taking all those pills that the doctors had me on in and out of the hospital. I believed I was going to die if I didn't stop taking them. So I did. Now mind you, I was not smoking pot at the time. I spent two months in and out of hospitals, doing chemo, etc. I was only using our western medicine's approach to treatment as prescribed by my physicians. They almost killed me. Repeatedly. I finally got to go home and started reading all the precautionary literature that comes with all our pharmaceuticals that they send you home from the hospital with and "Holy Smokes," I wasn't supposed to even be taking certain pills with other ones they were giving me, and the side effects and damage to my body that were caused by taking the pills in the first place were not worth the risk. So long story short, I only use medical pot that I grow myself. I know what I put on it, which is nothing. I know what it gets fed, which is the goat manure I plant it in. No, it does not get very big by most people's standards, but I am looking for a quality medicine, not tons of pot. It works!! I threw away the pills for nausea, bowel function, headaches, stomach aches, sleeplessness, nervous tremors (caused by some of the meds), pain pills I kept just in case, but I last renewed a prescription for them in 2010. I substitute medical pot for everything, and I am still here, much to the amazement of the medical staff that took care of me in the hospital. They expected me to die. I would be dead if not for the grace of God and God's most perfect medicine, pot. I worked at our local hospital in the 80s. What I saw there shook me up so badly that I went to beauty school and became a hairdresser, which is a long way from the radiology department. I lost my faith in western medicine back then, and my recent acquaintance with it reaffirmed what I learned back then. Fool me twice, right? Anyway, sorry for the rant, but in all honesty, I believe if you eat the crystals that fall off the dry buds (either by just taking a spoonful or sprinkling it on a salad or some other food), it will help you the most. I have been reading up on hemp oil and other processed products, but I believe the healthiest product that helps you from medical cannabis is simply the natural crystals that fall off when tapped against a screen. The government, however, will consider you a drug lord as they call the crystals "hash" and still consider hash a felony, along with pot itself, but evidently having just the crystals is worse. It makes no sense. The states say it is okay for you to use medical pot but not the part that contains the most medicine. Really strange. Anyway, good luck in your journey in health and life. God bless and know that you are not alone in your choice of meds. Far... far from it. We just rarely post on forums about it because Big Brother does monitor all our communications and always has.

Hello itchy22.  I've never taken this sort of stuff myself but certainly would not rule it out.

The medical drug-pushers would have us believe that the bad effects of their drugs are 'side-effects'. If one looks at the results of their own drug trials it becomes clear that these negative things are the 'effects' of their drugs.  Drug-pushing is a big money-spinner in the medical profession and cash is so often the motivation behind getting us to 'buy-into' things, so 'buyers beware'.

Apart from that little rant ,I did do a single verse some years ago as a response to so-called 'therapies' which included synthetic drugs in the medical services.



HAPPY DAYS.



When I retire I'll not need

therapists on which to feed.

For up my walls grows my own weed  

and in my garden poppy seed.



                                B. Withers 1989



Best wishes  Bill

Well... interesting topic and great posts! Though I do not use the herb, if it legalizes in my area I will, at this point in time in my life, consider that option of experimental medicinal value for my own chronic illness, severe pains, rare type of insomnia/sleep disorder, and other medical issues. It would be far safer than what doctors have fed into me over the years, and that is a researched actual fact.

Like anything, there is 'use' and 'abuse'... but I believe in many cases, the benefits of this natural Earth-giving herb have been underestimated, unappreciated, and unfairly judged into a tangle of hype by society in general for many years...

We shall see what happens.

In the meantime, stay happy, healthy, and well everyone xoxoo

The world should take a tip from California, Oregon, and BC. That's the entire West Coast of N. America...almost. Here, we have many ways of ingestion. All the smokables, of course, but for those who cannot inhale or simply don't want to, there are sublingual sprays, edibles (i.e. cookies, brownies, drinks), all kinds of stuff. THC...the only medicine that is safe and fun to take.

Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Good Lord, I'm surprised all people with IBD don't smoke pot, lol. If you aren't into smoking it........well......you see all the ways to ingest it that don't involve smoking, lol. When my Crohn's disease was really, really bad - smoking pot was the only way I could drum up enough of an appetite to eat. And at that point, I weighed less than 100 pounds and I'm 5'7". I was so skinny it was ghastly. If it wasn't for marijuana, I wouldn't have eaten at all and probably would have wasted away completely, lol

I hear you girl,...my Crohn's had wasted me nearly to nothing in the past as well :/ and a person becomes desperate to survive such a battle.......

I am attempting to analyze this a bit with a more open mind than I have in the past,.......hell, if I agreed to years of the dangerous and controversial Remicade that caused so much damage in my body,...I should be able to get myself to examine a careful test of a natural method more closely.

If more doctors are allowed to prescribe it to their patients in test trials at the very least, to document its value, this could be very interesting, maybe at that time I will step on board.    
Wow, what an experiment THAT would be, lol, .....someone film me and Youtube it for your enjoyment, LOL.    I can almost hear my doctors laughing if they were to read my post in here, .... because I am little miss 'Health Nut', I'm not big on alcohol (quite seldom actually), I don't smoke, I don't use illegal drugs, I eat as organic as possible and preach strongly against pesticide use in gardens, all big into a healthy lifestyle and keeping fit......... I think my friends and doctors would be tossing big money on the betting table that they'd never get me to use weed for some of my problems, lol ..........but ...........    I'm tired, I'm old, ...and us Crohnies know full well how awful our struggle can be and our will to stay alive, ....if it does that much to assist in nausea, anxiety, promote eating, among other things I know are true, then perhaps I shouldn't second-guess it so much pertaining to my own life ........I have clearly seen how helpful it's been for patients, improved their health and quality of life and eased the psychological terrors of their treatments and extreme pains, alleviating some things that other therapies could not make a difference.....

......but as with all things, there must be a careful balance regarding usage.

If it becomes legal, and my situation worsens, I just might step out of my strict box of thinking and give it a go .............................

........................................ or not..................................LOL

Let's put it this way,........it would shock the Hell out of people if I did, lol, ...including myself.

But then, I surprise myself sometimes.

In the meantime...........(holds up her icy glass of lemonade) ... Cheers!

~Doe

Just a thought about legalization. Up here in Canuckland we had a party leader who was destined to be the Prime Minister. Just before the last Fed. election, he died of cancer. He was determined to legalize, or at the very least decriminalize pot. So, at the election the Creepy Conservatives won because there was virtually no opposition. We now have a Prime Minister who acts like a dictator. BC is our only province that allows "Medical Marijuana." Thank goodness............ironically right across the street from the dispensary is a police station.

Decriminalizing the herb might be a good thing, but I do think some sort of 'control' should be enforced, as with anything...... and another point you hit on in your first post is the fact that it's safer, from what I understand thus far, than alcohol and for those who enjoy their alcoholic beverages but also are on meds, the two normally do not mix........however the herb, in some cases, might be safer in certain situations.    

I never advocate things that are illegal, and I will never encourage anyone to act on any illegal activity or anything that might question or compromise their health in any aspect. In fact, I'm well known to promote quite the opposite...........and we must also keep in mind that everyone's situation is different in countless ways. This is why I most sincerely remind all of you to be careful........but this topic does have very interesting depth and curiosities.

The following link to YouTube is an example of what we are discussing.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R38zCtYO7k

You could always move to Washington State or Colorado where it is legal. I think this December is when WA State will be starting to sell it to the public. Right now there is no legal location to buy it unless you have a medical marijuana card. I don't know anything about how it all works in Colorado.

If I may state without regress... We smoke some more and all bitch less.

I just got bleeped for using a word that means a female dog. Give me a break.

Last year we visited Amsterdam and found ourselves in one of Amsterdam's quaint "coffee shops" not unlike those typically found here in gentrified neighborhoods. Instead of coffee, however, there were shelves filled with a variety of exotically named cannabis. Customers appeared to discuss the scent and curing of pot much like they would inquire about the aroma and bouquet of wines elsewhere. All of this activity seemed so natural and commonplace there. But over here, the police would charge in like gangbusters. Why?
Why are alcohol, tobacco, and firearms easily accessible but pot outlawed? I think it's ultimately a matter of revenue. Once it is legalized, people would grow their own recreational or medicinal pot safely, right in the backyard next to the tomato plants and zucchini. Regulation for taxation would become impossible. People might even cut down their purchase of nicotine and liquor which brings in hundreds of billions in state and federal revenue annually.
Underneath many policies is economics. Remember the expression: "Follow the money." Too bad fiscal considerations trump personal freedom in this case. That's my opinion. And, in case you are wondering, I puffed but did not inhale....
PB

Good post PB........full of truth for sure.........

Lol... Weed is great for everything that ails people on this site...
My doctors at Princess Margaret say the weed saved my life...
Helped kill the tumor...

You should all watch this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tShnVEmdS2o

Watch with your buds... lol

Last night at the Willie Nelson concert in Boise, ID, my three daughters and I signed a petition to legalize cannabis in our state. I did ask if I could "sample before signing"...ha ha. The concert was great and sold out days before. We had good seats. As Willie sang, a lovely smoky cloud wafted above the crowd.

Great topic! It does have its benefits and is not toxic like some meds really are. Worth a shot. Works for me.

PrimeBoy, we all puffed and didn't inhale! I always enjoy your responses.

Jeez. I wish I had parents like you. It seems strange to me that alcohol was legalized and pot has always been taboo. Seems it should be the other way around. Anyway, Canadians and Americans are getting closer to seeing the light... I hope.

I was born in the early sixties - and weed was very popular. I believe it's better than any Rx out there. It helps with depression, nausea, and poor appetite. I believe in it so much.

When I was hospitalized for septic shock - I was given a med to help with my appetite - as I had an emergency ileostomy and was malnourished. The med I was given had many hormones in it, and after being 10 years into menopause, I started bleeding again. My OB/GYN said it was the meds. Weed has never done that to me - so use it, people.

Marijuana got started in the US with a bad rap: reefer madness. People falsely understood that pot led to mental disorders and social maladjustment. Not a problem as long as happy days were allowed back with the repeal of prohibition. Years later, pot was associated with the anti-war movement and Timothy Leary's counter-culture as expressed by "tune in, turn on, and drop out." The whole protest scene along with the drug scene were written off as anti-social and anti-American. Over time, however, social protests, particularly those relating to racial justice, sexual equity, and the peace movement, all gained some respectable ground in the arena of human progress. Drug use, however, remained sub-rosa for artists and anathema for students.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta's recent documentary on marijuana is going to have a bombshell effect on popular misbeliefs about the drug. We need to shake off the shackles of past thinking by exposing outdated ideas to the light of critical analysis and common sense. The next great breakthrough in scientific research will be our understanding of how the brain works and what it needs for proper development. Clearly, what it does not need is age-old certitudes blocking progress at every turn.

On a personal note, I think the brain is actually "the final frontier," as Captain Kirk would say. We already know intelligence is multidimensional and uniquely present in each individual. Some drugs might even have dramatic impacts on our ability to learn in different modes. But progress is grindingly slow, and I am afraid the villain here is caution and tradition. Myth Busters like Dr. Gupta will hurry the process along. Posts like those in this thread will help create a climate where researchers can boldly examine data and fearlessly present unpopular findings. I think the world is on the brink of unbelievable advances in medical sciences, and I plan to stick around and see it.

Such seriously great posts in here!...........and our Primeboy just hit a grand slam with his last post!! ...Certainly sums it up, most perfectly worded and straight up with many highlighted points.

Well........let's hope for faster evolution with government, modern science, society awareness,.........sometimes we need to look behind us to find the answers to lost knowledge and grasp a better understanding for the benefit of 'future' ........

Totally agree! It has been used for hundreds of years by human beings for its medicinal (and other) properties. I'd rather try something like that all day instead of having to put the poison of Humira and Cimzia and Remicade in my body like they want me to. I just can't see the rationale of making you sick to make you well.

And honestly, people with Crohn's know all about not eating - no appetite - food tasting like ash because you know how much it's going to hurt you after you eat it - nausea - all of it - and marijuana was the only way I could alleviate that in all these years. It really does work and it won't give you lymphoma or a life-threatening infection. The only thing it will give you is the munchies, which we sorely need to have.

I've switched from chemo to Rick Simpson oil. The chemo wasn't working and it was ruining what time I have left, so I figured the oil will at least let me live happily till the end and might even cure me. I've had a lot of chemo and surgery, and I'm in stage IV, so the oil has to rebuild my body back up to a point where it can then resolve the cancer. Mostly, I feel normal and good, and my body appears to be regaining health. My hair and skin haven't been thriving for years, and now they are, and I have the energy of two, though I can crash and burn pretty easily and absolutely must rest when tired, or I end up in pain that is mild but is telling me I'm not resting enough and can't recover if I don't. I appreciate the reality check since I have the type A cancer personality, lol.

I find it interesting that cancer cells have forgotten how to die. That's why they take over the body, and if I am stressed, I can stay awake for days without wanting to really. I have always stayed awake as long as I can, not wanting to miss anything, even watching TV till I fall asleep if I can find something worth watching. I am attempting to cooperate with the THC and eat and sleep more regularly because I do want to raise my kids and see my grandchildren and help babysit them and make parenting easy for my kids. But frankly, if I'm going to die, I'm going to do so taking the medicine of my choosing. I have the right to be as happy and as good feeling as I can be, and I haven't had so much as a parking ticket in twenty years. I'm a tax-paying, cooperative, and even pleasant and helpful citizen that volunteers in my kids' schools, feeds stray animals, and wants the best innovations and products our marketplace can come up with. I don't ever deliberately hurt people's feelings, I respect marriage, I don't molest kids. My happiness comes from good, clean living surroundings and people that are well-meaning and seeking their own independent happiness while happy to be courteous and respectful or oblivious of me. I just can't find a thing wrong with being me. I can't in good conscience find any flaw in the way I live, and I ingest quite a bit of THC quite often all day, every day. I prefer ingestion; it is more discreet and very easy to take no matter what's going on around me. I don't need to set aside time or have strict privacy, and there's no chance of my kids getting it into their system through the air. Now that the medical people are studying THC more seriously, they are finding that the age when you first start ingesting does have an impact on developing brains. The impact is demonstrable within the white mass of the brain, and there is peer-accepted theory that what the white mass differences are demonstrating is a decreased or at least slower processing of information in order to reach conclusions. I personally am open to the idea that it is demonstrating slower and therefore more accurate processing of information, given that I personally was exposed to THC regularly within the ages studied (I was twelve, actually), and I have an IQ of 152. That's a very low (very low) scoring genius. I'm not pushing that envelope at all with my kids, however. Like me, if they go to pot, it will be another kid that turns them on to it, and like me, I expect that all the other stuff out there will not be good enough in comparison...pills, powders, alcohols, they just come with too many consequences: hangovers, sexual indiscretions, not remembering what happened, overdoses. Who needs to risk all that when there's pot that doesn't cause any of that stuff, and it is just as or even more fun? I am responsible and happy with this natural product, and without it, I am responsible and stressed, and I don't eat and sleep and simply sit the heck down enough. No brainer which one I pick!

One other thing...I had to do five months of 30mg sustained-release morphine during my cancer care, and wean myself off the morphine by myself after my surgery. I could really see the difference in my mental processing after the morphine; it was distressing. I was forgetting words to end almost half my sentences for about a year after being completely off the morphine (I spent six weeks weaning myself off; it was a bit touchy). I haven't been doing that for the past month or so; I seem to be coming out of it. I am quite relieved; my mind has always been my best friend and greatest entertainment, actually. Nice to have my thought processes improving again, even though I'm ingesting regularly! Put that in your pipe and smoke it, anybody!

Oh yeah, and I have a permanent ostomy from the cancer. LOL, that's my membership card and why I'm relevant to this thread. And I just love that I can pop in with my ostomy, and nobody here cares. It's old news, and everybody has one, had one, or will be getting one. Yay! I'll take a thread and a topic of anybody's choosing once a week and give it some thought and try to answer either happily, intelligently, or happily hilariously. Either way works for me when I'm looking for something to read and with someone/thing to relate.

THANKS!

Hello patri.  What a fantastic post!!  Not a lot more I can say except that I enjoyed it so much I think you ought to write a book.

Best wishes

Bill

I agree with everything PB said. I received a card 90 days ago. The meds I've been taking the past 4 years since my surgery have thrown me into renal failure and liver failure and caused my high blood pressure. My doctor said my liver can no longer process these high-risk medications. I try to wean myself off but the pain, anxiety, depression, and nausea are just too much for me. I either feel like I'm about to vomit or I hurt so bad I can barely walk.

Anyway, the dispensary closed in my hometown, so I have to go to Albuquerque to get my first dose?, box? baggie?... whatever they call it. If it works, I'll apply for a grow card. I'm like a lot of others here, very conservative and afraid of law enforcement, as well as feeling uncomfortable about using it. I have friends who have spent time in prison back in the 70's for using it. I see how that prison time, not the weed, ruined their lives. They still use the weed. Thankfully, it is now legal in my state, so I can try it without feeling so terrified.

If I don't get off these meds, I will need either a liver or kidney transplant in 5-7 years. That scares the hell out of me. I'm even too scared to get a reversal, not that any doctor would perform one now with my organs in the shape they are in. My doctor is desperately trying to hold me at Stage 3 in the kidney disease so I don't have to start dialysis. I eat what I'm supposed to and have lost 33 pounds since April to help reduce my ALT count and the size of my liver which is over twice what it should be. I take such a high dose of Lisinopril to control my hypertension that my hair is falling out and I'm always so tired.

So I am going to take the step and make the drive to Albuquerque next week. Driving long distances is almost impossible because of the pain of sitting for long periods, but I feel I have no choice. I am going to die from organ failure (not due to the colostomy, but due to the meds prescribed to me to help with the cascading complications since the colostomy) if I don't do something and fast. Every time I take a pill, my liver starts pinging and swelling. I can literally feel it with my fingertips. I'll let you all know how it turns out. I will not be smoking it (have never smoked a day in my life and the thought makes me gag) but love salads and brownies, so here goes. Thank you for opening this forum. I've been debating what to do and your posts made me finalize my decision. Loretta

I think it's great!! I live in Alabama, so there is no chance in hell it will ever become legal!!! Right on, bro!! LOL!

I watched the Weed on YouTube and found it to be very interesting. When my Crohn's was in a raging flare-up, it was my daughter who told me I should try weed. She was even willing to find a place to buy it for me, even though she doesn't use! Never did, although I sometimes think about it for my chronic pain in my hands... Crohn's-related arthritis...

It really helps me as well. But I don't know if ostomy/ileostomy qualifies here in Canada. It definitely is something to look into.

Hi there. Just to let you know, my ostomy was one of several reasons my doctor signed the necessary papers to obtain medical pot... but that's here in BC.