IBS sufferers!: Ulcerative Colitis, Chrons.

[JollyGoodFellow]

Commenting on drizzt. I used to take asascol until they changed it to the generic Azasan that i have stopped taking since it doesn't make me feel right when i do take it. I just smoke Weed everyday. And go to my Remmicade transfusions every 8 weeks. But your high sounds like my first time I ever got high i got that underwater feeling. But I liked it.

[Delta9 UK]

I won't bore you with the details but I have suffered with IBD (U.C) since I was diagnosed with it in 2001.

Back then I was a wreck and the Doc was scripting me off work for 2 weeks at a time. In one year I actually had 12 weeks sick. Most of it was stress related - I didn't even know at the time.

Now I work for myself, enjoy my herb and cope just fine.

[trynagethigh]

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:

Got the same thing here only I have Crohns Disease. Currently taking Sulfasalazine, Prednisone, and Protonix. I will say, the prdnisone (40mg a day) gives me the shakes. I smoke throughout the day usually everyday when my supply is there and it does calm the spasms in the intestines. It doesnt countereffect any of the meds I have, in fact when me and my doctor talked about this he laughed and said he already knew that it helped he just cant prescribe weed..LOL. As far as strains it all depends on your physical and mental. Indicas are great for the body buzz (pain numbing) but the sativas are good if you may be down due to your medical condition as IBD and Crohns can lead to depression and the sativa gives mor of a goofy high not so much for pain. I think its good to get a mix of both but maybe higher on the indica side. I say this because if your body feels better so does your mind. Oh yeah, I was taking Asacol some years back and eventually it just didnt work anymore...guess my body became immune to it. The bud is good for appetite as I know im hungry as a bitch when i smoke a joint and it also slows the spasms so that I can digest the food a little easier without all the spasms and gas.

[Tree_Burner]

Thanks for all the replies!

Anyway, I'm doing way better than when i wrote this post, but from time to time, i do get a flare up. I noticed that both strains are good for IBD's just like trynagethigh suggests. I am saving money to obtain a medical card. I wanted to stay away from it, but after much thinking I'm just gonna do it, mainly because getting weed has been a difficult task lately. I'm still taking the same meds, and have not been prescribed prednisone, which I'm glad for. I have an appointment with my G.I. doctor on tuesday, and will tell her how much cannabis has helped my condition, hopefully she'll be compassionate enough to write my a recommendation, if not, I'm going to have to go to a pot doc... It's great living in California, and the other 11 states that are smart and compassionate enough to allow the sick to obtain, use, and cultivate cannabis for medical purposes, as it was since well over 2,000 years ago!

Peace and wellness to all!

:jointsmile:

[trynagethigh]

Glad to hear your feeling better Tree. I had a flare up last week too and it ended up being a small bacterial infection from something I ate probably and I ended up taking a couple days worth of Levaquin and I feel much better. lso have to watch your diet too, too much greasy foods and vegetables can really send you into a tailspin...LOL.

[Melange]

hi guys, i'm new to this board but i hope you'll all disregard my newbiness when considering my situation. this thread seemed like an appropriate spot to possibly find some help.

First, if I may, I'd like to describe in brief my CD history. I have had CD for about 5 years now, but only one year ago did I read that some IBD sufferers used cannabis for not only relief, but to keep their disease in remission. At this point in time, my symptoms were severe and other medications werenâ??t working (Entocort, Prednisone, 1st attempt at Asacol). Bad times, though still not as bad as some have it. So I started smoking a bit each day, several bowls worth, nothing crazy.

At first, the pot just helped me sleep and took away the nausea so I could eat. Several months in and I began to actually believe, though I still didnâ??t want to jump to conclusions. After 6-7 months I was feeling normal, not running to the bathroom at all, and eating produce again (a stricture prevented otherwise until then)! All this on about 2-3 bowls a day. Amazing!

All was well and, aside from a bad brownie experience, I had not had any negative reactions to the pot. Then, several months ago, I went off the Entocort I had been taking in tandem with the pot because it lowers bone density. Then I made a choice I canâ??t stop regretting: instead of just trying the pot on its own, I decided to be â??responsibleâ?� and give the Asacol another chance.

Two months later, I finally quit the Asacol because it and the pot together seemed to be wierding out my head. I would get constant cobwebs and headaches; it felt like the Asacol and pot were â??playing in the same areaâ?� of my brain, and not getting along at all. Thatâ??s the best way I can describe it anyway. So I went off the Asacol.

I thought that would solve the problem, since my doctor said that Asacol left the body in a day's time, but strangely enough, it didnâ??t. About four days after quitting the Asacol, the pot started giving me bad highs. I recall specifically: It was a Thursday when I went off the Asacol. I took a break from the pot just to try to clear my head of everything. Sunday I smoked again, and it was fine though the cobwebs from earlier were still there. Monday and Tuesday I smoked and got bad reactions, paranoia type stuff and pressure in the head. That Tuesday was about THREE WEEKS AGO, and I have been off all medications, everything, since then. The problem is, my head is still messed up. I have almost constant pressure in my head and have panic attacks all the time. I have had trouble swallowing at times, I even had an endoscopy done because I wasn't sure what was going on at that point. I slip easily into a bad trip like state, seemingly at random. I havenâ??t had any pot or alcohol or Asacol or anything in 3 weeks. I have noticed that stress is a major trigger for these panic attacks and trips, but they can also come on their own at totally random times.

Obviously this is a big problem not only because life is miserable when you canâ??t control your head, but because Iâ??m not on any medication and my CD symptoms are coming back. I'm sure you can appreciate the gravity of the situation.

So, all that said, my questions are:

1) Have any of you come across any interaction like this before? What about just with pot in general?

2) Is it possible for a regular smoker to experience this kind of reaction even after being off it for several weeks? I know that THC stays in your body fat for even months at a time for heavy smokers, but thatâ??s only a worry for drug testing, right? How could it be mentally affecting me right now?

Any advice is useful at this point, I really at least just want to know what is going on! Thanks very much, everyone!

[gogg]

So everyone that smokes for IBS smokes bud? Cause there was a while where I smoked alot of shwag and it was upsetting my stomach. I find that bud kinda helps with IBS type symptoms. But anyway my mom has serious IBS to the point where she cant really leave the house. She had her gall bladder out a couple years ago, started getting IBS symptoms and has been stuck with them since. However, shes opposed to marijuana and would most likely be opposed to using it as medication. But then again, I have seen her go through countless doctors and hospitals and procedures to find out why she has IBS. The quality of her life is being reduced and I think that it would be silly if a little bit of weed could turn all that around and possibly cure her. Anyone have any experience with this?

[Melange]

yes, apparantly there are CB1 and CB2 (cannabinoid) receptors in the lining of the gut. in this way pot not only helps relieve the pain associated with this disease, it actually reduces inflammation.

Crohn's Disease News & Articles

http://www.letfreedomgrow.com/cmu/rheumatoid.pdf (PDF)

there is more scientific and anecdotal evidence out there if you google it.

just keep in mind that pot is not for everyone.. in fact, atm it appears as if i may have to add myself to that list.

[trey2s]

Just went to Medicann today to get an evaluation today. I have what's currently being diagnosed as a severe case of IBS-D, but I'm still doing tests and what not over at Stanford Medical. I have the worst sets of cramps and diarrhea that can happen at anytime, and no matter what I eat. Smoking indica strains completely stops my stomach cramps if done after I start to feel them, when none of the other 6 medications I've been on have. Also helps with the tremendous weight loss from skipping many meals due to feeling sick.

[Melange]

I have what's currently being diagnosed as a severe case of IBS-D, but I'm still doing tests and what not over at Stanford Medical.

i'm really sorry to hear that. what other medications have you been on, and how have they prescribed them to you before this diagnosis?

whatever happens, find what works for you and stick with it. every body is different.