Medicinal Marijuana

Here in my fair state of New York, the new medical cannabis program came into effect at the beginning of the year. One of the unique characteristics of the program is that no smoking is allowed (vaping will soon be available though). The primary means of delivery is via a tincture. The kit comes with a 1ml syringe (no needle) to extract the oil. You then squirt the contents under the tongue and try not to swallow for a while.

I currently use a 1:1 ratio of THC/CBD for pouchitis. And no, I don't get high - not even a little. However, you can obtain tinctures with a much higher THC/CBD ratio which will almost certainly have psychoactive effects. The trick is finding the appropriate dose/ratio that works best for your specific complaint.

So far so good for me. I haven't used antibiotics for the past month and feel quite good. But this is still new and I will need more time to come to any conclusions about its efficacy for my particular situation. Having spent a good deal of time studying medical cannabis, I am quite hopeful. I am also stupefied that cannabis remains a schedule I drug. A little background can be found here.

One possible option that should be available to Canadians is Charlotte's Web from CW Botanicals. This is a CBD based product sold as a hemp extract and dietary supplement and thus not subject to cannabis laws. It is also the same product that came to medical cannabis fame for being an effective treatment for epilepsy. I actually started using this prior to obtaining my current medical cannabis prescription. It seemed to be helpful for my pouchitis as well. I don't know if it is effective for pain (I was under the impression THC was better for that), but may be worth a try.

Hope this is helpful.

I will vouch for the fact that it has helped me, especially when the pouchitis was worse. Higher THC definitely helps pain and controls spasms. CBD should reduce the inflammation, but without a double-blind pouchoscopy trial, there's really no way for me to say whether the CBD is really working.

The only side effect which indeed is rather annoying is a kind of "hungover" feeling sometimes after use. That said, it really does help me get a night's rest. I love taking something that doesn't harm, but I can feel is genuinely beneficial to my body. The complete opposite of modern medicine. Yes, if you use higher THC strains it will turn you a little loopy, but even then I have been able to complete writing assignments in class. One time when my pouchitis was bad and I had to start using higher THC during class, people approached me after class... telling me I had "really brilliant insights in class today." I had a great laugh after that!

I joined this site because I found this thread after learning Ohio might be legalizing medical marijuana and UC is one of the ways to get it. I had a total colectomy my senior year of high school due to uncontrollable UC. So I've had my j pouch for over 8 years now and have been smoking for about 6 of those. I have not found smoking helps pouchitis particularly much in my case, mine is never very bad in the first place, but I HAVE found smoking helps me sleep at night and with forming more solid movements. If I don't smoke I am up quite a bit more frequently at night using the bathroom. When I do it's once, maybe twice. I'm really hoping this law isn't like the last one they tried to pass and it actually works for the people. This is much needed. 

I would just like to emphasize the importance of taking a systematic approach when using cannabis. As Hichik stated there is a learning curve involved. Normally one would take a "low and slow" approach using measured doses of THC:CBD to find the appropriate titration for your individual situation. I don't recommend smoking/eating whatever you can buy off the street as there is no telling what you are ingesting, other than the amount of THC is probably going to be well in excess of that for CBD - which may not be optimal for treating inflammation. After all, you are probably not buying product from healthcare providers.

I don't think there is any question about the potential for cannabis in treating IBD, although more research is clearly needed. In a manner of speaking, many of us using medical cannabis are part of an informal research project trying to determine what dose/ratio is most effective for a given issue (pouchitis in my case).

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am currently using a 1:1 ratio of THC:CBD at the rate of 5.5mg/ml per day. It is still early and I am still experimenting (will probably try a high CBD:THC ratio next), but my condition has improved. I no longer take lomotil, have fewer nighttime trips to the bathroom (1 or 2)  and I have drastically reduced my antibiotic intake (two doses of cipro and flagyl over the past six weeks).

I don't know if my results will be sustainable, but in the absence of any guidelines from the medical community, we need to tackle the use of cannabis in a rational way. 

Yes, it makes sense to take a scientific approach, since there really isn't the data out there. It is just nuts the way that investigation into the medical uses of marijuana have been blocked for decades upon decades. 

Jan

Jan Dollar posted:

Yes, it makes sense to take a scientific approach, since there really isn't the data out there. It is just nuts the way that investigation into the medical uses of marijuana have been blocked for decades upon decades. 

Jan

I agree.  The stigma that goes with Marijuana needs to go away.  No worse than the ingredients that go into making beer.  They are plants.  Beer... Alcohol kills more but Marijuana has a stigma to it.  Not  many deaths on the road are attributed to Marijuana.   I work afternoons and get off work at midnight.  Scares me to drive the 20 plus miles home.  I've seen alot.  Even wrong way drivers.  That scares the crap out of me.   Put the millions into research instead of putting someone in jail for a joint.  Ridiculous. 

Personally I would enjoy edibles.  Relaxes and soothes.  As a pain killer?  That depends on the user.  But seeing how stress was a big factor in flares with me it would work.  I know it does.  I have used it.  And it has worked to reduce stress.  Just my opinion.  I would rather talk to a person who had just taken Marijuana than alcohol.  Again.. My opinion.  Some day it will be decriminalized in the whole country.  But like alcohol some people overuse and abuse. 

I am rambling.... I apologize.  But if it can help people  why not? 

I agree. I stopped for twenty three years but used it for my UC and then jpouch out of desperation. It slowed everything down and cut down on urgency. Medicinal cannibus is a science. Different strains for different effects. Are UC and Crohn's both on the list of ailments?

Lambiepie posted:

I agree. I stopped for twenty three years but used it for my UC and then jpouch out of desperation. It slowed everything down and cut down on urgency. Medicinal cannibus is a science. Different strains for different effects. Are UC and Crohn's both on the list of ailments?

Yes... Not a science yet but they do hybrid cannabis.  Different strengths.   As light or strong as you may need.  And you don't even have to smoke it.  It comes in any form imaginable.  Even pills!  

Lambiepie - In Minnesota Crohn's is one of the approved diseases. I don't now if they are even set up for dispensing yet. I asked my GI at Mayo's,  in MN, about it and he said they approved crohn's but not UC. He didn't understand why UC wasn't included. He didn't think it reduced inflammation but I got the impression he thought it woukd help with pain. I brought the subject up as if he thought it reduced inflammation I was headed to Colorado to try some out. I wanted to keep my j-pouch and it was the last thing I hoped would help.  

Are UC and Crohn's both on the list of ailments?

In New York , IBD is covered by the medical marijuana program - no distinction is made between crohns/colitis. Information for patients can be found here.

I have actually been thinking about doing this for my pain and helping of the slowing down my bathroom visits. I'm on sooooo many pain meds. From oxys and percs at home and morphine or dulaudit when I'm in the hospital. its rediculous. and I hate it. I was Givin the opportunity to get my med card for it but haven't jumped on it just yet. (Im in nj) I don't know why. My dr seems to think it will probably help me out like 1000% better then pain killers with my constant pain i have. I think I just feel like I'm 17 years old again and sneeking around to smoke A joint. (Yesss i smoked a little weed as a wanna be rebel type teenaager.) Its just stupidly such a touchy area right now. I guess because i have 5 kids i feel kinda wierd tokeing up n watching spongebob with em lol. but then again it's more natural and alot better then popping an oxycodine. The side effects are a billion times less as well (atleast so im told.)

Momminator, From what I've gathered it is not the "high" part of the plant that is medicinal. There are also better ways of ingesting it than smoking. Some make a butter out of it and use the butter to make editables. That is just one example.  

So you can be mom and not get high. I'm not an expert but if I  could try it I would. I understand what you mean about taking narcotics. I think they affect my short term memory, interfers with the ability to concentrate etc. Please let us know if you decide to try it and if it gives you relief. 

Momminator - I have a ton of parent friends with no health problems that smoke weed and are still great parents! I think the side effects would be way less intense than narcotics, even if it were "black market" weed, but as TE Marie noted I'm pretty sure medicinal strains are designed to be less heady. I hope if you do try it it helps!

Pot butter?....hmmm....I know about pot brownies from when I was a kid lmfao. That's good to know. I know I cldnt smoke it if I did receive it. I dnt even smoke cigarettes. Plus ive over the past few months developed a wierd nasty cough that's almost painful. (Im supposed to go for xrays n tests in a few weeks because my mom had lung cancer twice that started this way and my brother who never smoked or drank or anything like that recently died from lung cancer that started w prosistant cough.) Opiates are destroying me tho. I gotta figure something out. they make my moods swing either super energetic and stupid happy orrr really irritable and mean.put prednisone on top the mean swings I get n watch out. They also killll my memory and totally keep me sorta.....out of it half the time. also i am always switching between diff types, of course, because you take some pain pills for a while eventually it will stop working and you need to take more so they switch them on me. Wich is just ....stupid to even get wrapped into at all....wish i knew aheaad of time the hell pain meds wld play in my life. but here I am in that exact shi* storm. They help me when im just in so much pain i cnt take it yeah but at what cost.I'm pretty good w takeing myself off opiates and I've been able to just stop useing them cold turkey for months at a time if i feel like i need to just rest my poor tired insides. My dr is always amazed by it. I mean...yeah it sucks but I can totally do it. I know Id rather not always be going threw that nightmare of withdrawing myself over and over again. Think I might take my dr on his offer to atleast try it out and see if it works. Thanks! I'll keep u updated on it

Cannabis can be used to treat inflammation successfully; whether that would work for blockages you will have to experiment.  You will want to use CBDs, the inflammation reducing part of the cannabis, not THC.  It appears that most people on this thread have experimented with THC; THC will make you drowsy, hungry, and tired.  On the contrary CBD does not have those side effects. 

I have recently joined the cannabis movement and along with a business partner we are helping people with chronic pain to use cannabis as an alternative to opiates.  My partner has Rheumatoid Arthritis and has successfully been treating his disease with cannabis since 2007.  He takes no western medications.  I have seen the benefits of pain control in him; it's astounding to see the results. 

Cannabis is another tool in the box for people with chronic pain/inflammation. It would be my first line of treatment if I had pain or an inflammatory condition.

Sue

THC will make you drowsy, hungry, and tired.  On the contrary CBD does not have those side effects. 

No doubt that is true for most people. In my case however, CBD makes me quite drowsy. In fact, the first time I tried it (in the form of Charlottes Web and at a very low dose), I thought I was going to lapse into a coma. Fortunately my tolerance level has improved a good deal over time - but I only dare take the CBD heavy tincture at bedtime.

I get that.  I have the opposite reaction to pain medication; it makes me wired, not drowsy.  Even the herbal sleep teas, like Sleepytime, make me wired. 

I am a 64 year old Aussie. I received my J pouch in 1990. At that time the operation was in its infancy. I began smoking cannabis in 1991 and my quality of life became much better. During the last 25 years I have not taken any other medication. You Americans are lucky as many States have introduced medical marijuana whereas here it is still treated as a zero tolerance law enforcement issue.

In addition to assisting with pain and helping with sleep it has also kept my blood pressure down and my libido up. There are the side effects of dry mouth, short term memory loss and the munchies but these are insignificant compared to the benefits. The other thing everyone should try to do is exercise. I promised myself that if I smoked cannabis I would exercise regularly and I have done so. Luckily I am a good swimmer so I have been able to swim and paddle as running causes discomfort.

My specialist and GPs over the years have all advised me to continue marijuana use although they are powerless to enable me to have it lawfully. Crazy situation.

Two years ago I was hospitalised with a c. difficile bug. I was not able to retain fluid and the doctors were concerned. I told the hospital doctor that I regularly used cannabis and he gave me approval to leave the ward. After smoking a joint I was able to hold my water pretty much straight away and I was released 6 hours later after being told earlier that day that I would be in hospital for a days. I think that drinking water is important for us as we lose so much fluid with our regular BOMs and smoking cannabis is surely a great way to keep that fluid intake happening.

So to all of you who are pondering using cannabis I would strongly urge you to do so. My regards and best wishes to all

John Curtain

John, that was such a great post.  It is wonderful to hear about the cannabis helping you so much, inspirational.

Seems obvious that for some marijuana helps and for some it does nothing or even worsens. When I was younger I abused alcohol. Now I drink but never to excess. I've smoked bush marijuana for 25 years and I don't abuse it. I also exercise to keep my lungs clean and to fell well. You do what you do to improve your quality of life. Not looking for any argument here...just saying it works for some.

Unless marijuana was proven to relieve gas, I wouldn't waste my time with it.

I recently had the good fortune of getting a good grade form CO, it helped me with anxiety due to multiple bathroom trips and severe perianal skin breakout, bleeding. It is worth having on hand. Helped me sleep even though I take klonopin(.25 mg) through the night and for the abdominal pain I take .25 tramadol each morning. I was recently reconnected after a temp ileo for a year. Fistula repair was a success with the biolift method. Not every surgeon offers this, however, more are starting to believe. My surgeon, Dr Floriano Marchetti at University of Miami saved my j pouch.

I am from Ohio and our governor just passed the bill for medical Marianna and I read what it can be used for and it said ibd and uc. I know it cant put everything but nothing about j pouch. My friends and some family members have been telling me for years to try it. I don't know why I don't just scared I guess. But taking belladonna/opium suppositories, Klonopin 1 mg up to 3 times a day as needed, trazodone 50mg at night, Paxil 30mg at night for my depression, synthroid 200mg for my hashimoto and I bunch of vitamins and supplements. The belladonna/opium is 1500.00 a month and my ins will not cover it. If it would help with the pain and at least 15 times a day to bathroom and leak about 75% of my day and accidents at night. I guess its just the stigma and don't want to try it until it is put into place. I have never smoked or done anything illegal before. Drank on special occasions but have not drank for at least 20 years. I cant imagine the damage all theses drugs have done to me over the years. I know the Belladonna/Opium have done damage to my eyes and memory and speaking clearly. I will try it when I can get a scrip for it but I cant imagine my pcp giving me one.

Want quality of life not quantity.

Frances

It won't work for everyone but many of you will derive a lot of benefit from being stoned. Relaxation, reduce inflammation, help sleep, reduce pain, help appetite, help fluid retention are just some benefits enjoyed by many. For any of you out there who cannot bring yourself to try it that is your call but to criticize without any personal experience is really appalling. It is a mind altering drug and some of you will not enjoy it or derive any benefit. I hope that you do enjoy it and derive benefit.

Hello Hichik,

have you tried it.  I was interested in vaping or the oil.  Please let me know.

John Curtain posted:

It won't work for everyone but many of you will derive a lot of benefit from being stoned. Relaxation, reduce inflammation, help sleep, reduce pain, help appetite, help fluid retention are just some benefits enjoyed by many. For any of you out there who cannot bring yourself to try it that is your call but to criticize without any personal experience is really appalling. It is a mind altering drug and some of you will not enjoy it or derive any benefit. I hope that you do enjoy it and derive benefit.

If your not  working and have no one to answer to.  I'd go for it.  People use alcohol.

  Weed is more natural than the drugs we take. 

Richard. 

I have made massive improvements by doing three things: smoking a good indica strain, taking simithicone before meals and chewing up my Cipro and Augmentin. My pouchitis is almost at non existent after suffering 16 yrs with it. Finally it's much much better. I probably use the bathroom 4 or 5 times a day. It used to be 15 or 20. I used to have huge abscesses. I was getting surgery every month on them. 

The government has NO RIGHT to tell us we can't use maraujauna. 

People who have severe pouchitis. Please try chewing your ABs up like I did. Cipro tastes absolutely terrible. Augmentin not so bad. Dr. Peter Rubin of New York, scoped me and told me that for 16 years it was the first time he saw 0 pouchitis. Probably around 95 percent better than I was. I have a life again. I'm telling you people, try a little indiga for symptoms (and other benefits I believe. I know it helps the symptoms and it very well could be contributing to a cure/improvement.), lots of simithicone before every meal and try chewing the ABs. Rubin told me that my gut just wasn't absorbing the medicine. This easily could be true for you guys. I had the classic pouchitis /crohns symptoms.