IBS sufferers!: Ulcerative Colitis, Chrons.

Hello,

Well I'm a ulcerative colitis sufferer and have had a mild flare up for about half a month, but it's gotten worse this last week. I'm currently taking Asacol 1.2g a day and 9mg of Entocort EC (weak steroid), and I smoke about twice a day. The weed helps weaken the massive cramps associated with UC, and gives me an apatite. My doctor is trying to keep off stronger steroids such as prednisone, but unfortunately I may have to take it. I was wondering for you fellow IBD suffers, if mixing cannabis with strong steroids is a good idea, considering the some of the major side effects of stronger steroids?
And also what kind of strains are best for IBDs? I'm currently self medicating with indica strains.

Thanks, peace, and wellness! :jointsmile:

Sounds interesting. I had to take medicine for gas pains, at my waist, as a young child. Would that be I.B.S.?

Well, cannabis and steroids, my guess, would be that, maybe, they effect your sexual function?

I've heard a lot of Crohn's patients like myself getting help from Grand Daddy Purple, I think a lot of the purple strains help us out, but I hear GDP being the most widely beneficial for Crohn's, and I would assume ulcerative colitis as well.

I haven't tried it yet though, the co-op I went to didn't have it but I got some Purple Urkle instead and it helps some, but not as much as some other stuff I've had which I didn't know what strand it is. Are you a medical marijuana patient?

As for drug interaction between the steroids, I wouldn't know anything about that. I would assume it is safe but I'm not a doctor. What does your doctor think about using marijuana for treatment?

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Originally Posted by beachguy in thongs

Sounds interesting. I had to take medicine for gas pains, at my waist, as a young child. Would that be I.B.S.?

Well, cannabis and steroids, my guess, would be that, maybe, they effect your sexual function?

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I.B.S stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Ulcerative Colitis and Chrons disease are most common I.B.S. With U.C. your colon and lower digestive system is attacked by your own immune system causing the colon to become inflamed and causing ulcers and major cramping. Chrons attacks the upper digestive system and actually worse that U.C. because vomiting, nausea, and loss of apatite are more common symptoms than in U.C. Both diseases suck because they really limit your everyday life.

Yeah i was afraid of sexual side effects, although weed is an aphrodisiac. perhaps it's not a bad mix?

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Originally Posted by Nailhead

I've heard a lot of Crohn's patients like myself getting help from Grand Daddy Purple, I think a lot of the purple strains help us out, but I hear GDP being the most widely beneficial for Crohn's, and I would assume ulcerative colitis as well.

I haven't tried it yet though, the co-op I went to didn't have it but I got some Purple Urkle instead and it helps some, but not as much as some other stuff I've had which I didn't know what strand it is. Are you a medical marijuana patient?

As for drug interaction between the steroids, I wouldn't know anything about that. I would assume it is safe but I'm not a doctor. What does your doctor think about using marijuana for treatment?

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Currently I am not a Medical Marijuana patient (which sucks since I live in California). I've done my research about Cannabis and I.B.S, and I was amazed at how cannabis is beneficial to I.B.S. sufferers. I've been smoking about for three years now, and I honestly think that I would have had more flare ups in that time period of three years if I wasn't smoking weed. Anyway I'm guessing that Indica strains are the best way to go because of the stone effect, which probably numb the cramps and give me an apatite. I'm a little hesitant about trying sativa strains, but i'll give that a shot too.

Well I told my doctor that I am an occasional smoker, and that I've noticed that marijuana helps with the cramps. She agreed that marijuana is good for cramps and what not, but told me that as a doctor she could not condone smoking of any kind and suggested "as a doctor" not to smoke in general. But I am still self medicating with the weed alongside my prescription meds

Thanks for your response!

Hey im a UC suffer'er i guess you could call it and seriously man try to stay off prednisone if you can it wont kill you, but i've been reading up on the side affects just now after being on it for 4 years on and off and kinda scary. but you shouldn't have any problems with mixing weed and prednisone together we'll at least i've never had any problems but everyone reacts to drugs differently.
i've noticed weed does help with UC symptoms and am interested to hear anyone's imput on different strains relieving (sp?) symptoms.

Mrs. Rainey is a bit of an expert on this subject I would advise asking her what herb is best, I know her husband Jef of Jef Tek made or help make the strain afgani bullrider which they are reporting as very good but, Im sure they can ansewr your questions much better. Especialy on the IBS subject. This her is her site conntact her she will conntact you back their realy cool people who we need to support cause the US government is trying to bring them to the US and put them to prison for life. All becuse they support herb, go to myspace and checkout no extradition for the BC 3 they are on My page as well.:pimp: Welcome to MichelleRainey.com - Medical Cannabis Patients Advocate

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Originally Posted by THIRTEEN

Hey im a UC suffer'er i guess you could call it and seriously man try to stay off prednisone if you can it wont kill you

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I swear I read somewhere that in some very rare cases it can cause heart failure, but I can't find the site where I found that now and the sites that seem to be pretty trustworthy don't mention that, just irregular heart beat, which is what I had on my last try with Prednisone. It scared me, I thought I was going to have a heart attack, I don't know if I was just being paranoid or if I really was one of those rare people that could have died but either way it sent me home early from work to check in at urgent care and I'll never touch that sh*t again. So maybe it can't kill you, but shhh....I'm still using "What the doc gave me almost killed me" as my primary argument when my friends and family question my decision to go legal with medical marijuana ;)

Tree Burner, your doctor sounds more cool about the medical marijuana thing than mine was. Smoking isn't supposed to be good for UC or Crohn's but you should remind her that smoking isn't the only way to use marijuana, and also try to inform her of any studies showing that marijuana can help with your condition. She might not write you the recommendation you need to be legal, but doctors need to know about all the latest treatments for their patients, and if enough patients came to them talking about medical marijuana eventually some minds would start changing their tune.

This is a bit old, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to print this out and bring it in for your next visit to talk about.

And if you want to get legal, even if your doc says no, just get your records and find a doctor that will, ACC was quick and relatively easy to go through ;)

I have always had a "sensitive stomach" and suffer bouts of frequent diahrrea. I self-diagnosed myself as having IBS.

But I'm also fairly new to smoking weed. Everyone tells me it can really help with symptoms such as mine. And considering my stomach is bothering me today, I might just toke up.

Does smoking weed have a lasting effect of easing the IBS symptoms? Or is it just relief while high?

^In my short experience with medicating with marijuana to treat my Crohn's disease I've found that in general it seems to stabilize my digestive system even when I'm not high. Many times I get severe cramps after eating, and even when I'm sober if I medicate at least once a day I don't get those cramps, or if I do it's not nearly as bad.

Marijuana helps with inflamation in your digestive system, it doesn't just help when you are high, it helps 24/7. A few months ago I was having a really bad flare up, got some really good stuff and it seemed to end the flare up I was having. If I were you I would see a GI doctor, this isn't something you want to ignore. I almost waited too long myself before I saw a doctor, I got down to 115 pounds, was throwing up and would fill up on a soda for an entire day. You definitely want to get treated right away!