“Complete remission was achieved by 5 of 11 subjects and a clinical response was observed in 10 of 11 subjects in the cannabis group.”
Crohn’s disease sufferers know only too well how devastating the disease can be, but few know it’s life-threatening. Thankfully, patients using medical cannabis report that it not only treats the disease, a significant portion of sufferers went into complete remission. Problem solved.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is broadly defined as a chronic immune response with inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Common forms of IBD are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The initials symptoms of ulcerative colitis is loose stool, often bloody with cramping, fever and an urgency to empty the colon unceremoniously. Loss of appetite, weight loss and fatigue result. Still, some sufferers are obese, absorbing the food in the upper digestive tract before disaster that is their large intestine.
“Two-thirds to three-quarters of patients with Crohn’s disease will require surgery at some point during their lives.”
FACTS ABOUT MARIJUANA & CROHN’S
- Research indicates that occasional or moderate marijuana use does not cause lung damage; in fact, it appears to increase lung capacity. Of course, all bets are off if you smoke continuously. Forget about it.
- It is virtually impossible to die from an overdose of marijuana, in fact there is are no recorded cases.
- Marijuana does not contain nicotine. But interestingly nicotine can improve ulcerative colitis symptoms, but can make Crohn’s disease worse. Marijuana has a protective effect against brain damage caused from binge drinking and other sources.
- Cannabis can assist opiates in their pain-killing efficacy, thereby reducing the dosage, cost and side effects.
TRADITIONAL THERAPY – GENERALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE
After treating this gastrointestinal disease in the traditional way (via pharmaceuticals) and not getting results, people are asking – and getting – their doctor to recommend medical cannabis. Still, some doctors that are still too “shy” to recommend MMJ themselves, but they don’t mind if their patients go online and sue a licensed Telehealth providers of Medical Marijuana recommendations.
What drives Crohn’s and Colitis sufferers to leave pharmaceuticals are the non-results and nasty side effects, which can be as bad, or worse than the disease itself.
“I’m the only one in my family with Crohn’s that never had an operation, I firmly believe Medical Marijuana has saved my colon and has given my life back.” – Crohn’s disease patient
CANNABIS – THE MECHANISM OF ACTION
While the exact mechanism of action is not completely understood, researchers know that cannabinoids, the active molecules of cannabis, modulate the receptors in the brain, nervous system, gut and elsewhere that control inflammation and pain. The cannabinoids, THC, which is psychoactive and CBD which is non-psychoactive are both capable of dialing down an errant inflammatory reaction in the digestive tract – and elsewhere.
“In this preliminary prospective study, we found that treatment with inhaled cannabis improves quality of life in patients with long-standing Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Treatment was also shown to cause a statistically significant rise in patients weight after 3 months of treatment, and an improvement in clinical disease activity index in patients.” – Adi Lahat, MD
The main reason medical doctor’s don’t recommend MMJ is fear. Will they be put on some kind of government list? Will they get sued for malpractice. While some fear of the government might be warranted, doctor’s don’t know that there are zero cases of medical malpractice in California. At least that is our findings. You’re challenged to find one case and please email us here at MMJDOCTORONLINE if you do!
With that said, there are many medical doctors in California who recommend medical cannabis for Crohn’s and many other conditions.
MARIJUANA – NOT AS ADDICTIVE AS OTHER DRUGS
Marijuana is placed in the safest category of medical treatment. These are the findings from MDs, PHDs across the world as reported in hundreds of peer reviewed journals.
Back in the day, Marijuana was referred to as a gateway drug, but today this statement has no traction. Legalized marijuana has brought down crime everywhere its been legalized.
Marijuana is turning out to be anything but a gateway drug, rather it is an exit drug. Cannabis medicines are being substituted by patients for steroids and opiates; ‘hard” drugs which come with serious side effects and have addictive, self-harming properties / tendencies. People new to medical marijuana don’t know that non-psychoactive forms are now commonly recommended for Colitis, Crohn’s and other immune system disorders. Dosing of Cannabis Based Medicines can be oral (a candy with 50mg cannabinoids), sublingual (3 drops of concentrate under the tongue), a patch, via suppository (which may be tricky but effective), or vaping; which is a safe way to inhale cannabinoids and easy to titrate (find the optimal dose).
“I have several relatives with Crohn’s Disease. Every one of them has had major surgery. Every one of them has had complications from the steroids and immunosuppressors, they have been prescribed… I am firmly convinced that I would be in the same condition as my relatives with Crohn’s, if I hadn’t used pot. The medical use of marijuana has saved my colon and my quality of life.” – Bruce Buckner, Crohn’s disease patient
DOCTOR’S TESTIMONIALS – CLINICAL RESEARCH
Medical Marijuana in Crohn’s – Research Findings in a Few Words
- bowel movements decreased
- surgery was reduced
- steroid treatment was reduced
- immunosuppressive medications reduced
- anti-inflammatory effects
- gastrointestinal motility normalized
- anti-diarrheal
- improved appetite
- less pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue
- weight gain
- complete remission in 40-60%
- substituted successfully for opiates
- decrease pro-inflammatory reactions
- CBD interrupts runaway inflammation
- CBD reduces bowel mucous
- produced significant clinical, steroid-free benefits without side effects
- Terpenes play a role
- Cannabis was low in toxicity
- Colonoscopy proved efficacy
HOW PATIENTS BEAT CROHN’S DISEASE
Jeff Hergenrather, MD, President of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians, stated the following in the Autumn 2005 O’Shaughnessy’s article titled “Cannabis Alleviates Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease”:
“[Crohn’s] patients described marked improvements with the use of cannabis.
Beneficial effects were reported for appetite, pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, activity, and depression. Patients also reported that cannabis use resulted in weight gain, fewer stools per day and fewer flare-ups of less severity…
Cannabis-using Crohn’s patients not only report significant relief of their symptoms, they are also able to reduce the amount of immunosuppressive medications that have been a mainstay of conventional treatment.
POPULAR STRAINS IN CROHN’S
American Beauty: American Beauty is a sativa, potent enough to provide all-day pain relief while taking out insomnia and depression in many cases. Slightly stronger other varieties, its used to treat IBS, American Beauty is well known to leave patients relaxed and comfortable for hours.
Bubblegum: Bubblegum is an Indica with approximately 20% CBD and little THC, which delivers a therapeutic dose of pain-relieving and anti-anxiety properties. Users report that this strain works well to relieve discomfort, fatigue, and depression among other disorders. Some say it is a life Normalizer.
Cherry Pie: Cherry Pie is sativa-dominant known to increase appetite and soothing pain in IBD patients.
Sour Grape: Sour Grape is an Indica that helps users lead a more social life feel – lively and less non-depressed. Testimonials include a boosting of the appetite and anxiety relief.
“I made the impossible possible and cured an incurable disease with dietary cannabis!” – High Times
MMJDOCTORONLINE Notes: A doctor is online 7 am to 11pm to process your online application for a permit to possess, grow, transport medical marijuana in the State of California. The process takes only a few minutes and your file is evaluated right away. A medical marijuana permit costs only $49, and California Medical Cannabis ID Cards is but $20. Our 420 documents are accepted by all licensed dispensaries, MMJ delivery services, cooperatives and cannabis clubs in California. Validation of your legal status and card can be done 24/7 via the internet or phone hotline. There is no charge if you’re not approved.
MMJDOCTORONLINE complies with the California Medical Board’s standards and guidelines for Telehealth in California.
FaceBook Testimonials
TWO BAD YEARS – THEN MARIJUANA
After two solid years suffering from ulcerative colitis (with prescriptive medical treatment) I figured I’d give MMJ a try. Results were amazing and immediate. I went from 3 to 20 (6 on average) toilet trips a day to regular in the morning. I say immediate because from the time I started using, it was 40 hours before I needed to go. I may be a rare case but it’s effectiveness was stunning. DC Madman
IT DIDN’T TAKE MUCH
It didn’t take much and I don’t think type mattered. It was from a dispensary on the way home. That was over two years ago, still doing fine. – DC Madman John Jones
27 YEARS OF PAIN, AND THEN….
I’ve had crohn’s for 27 years, the majority of that time I’ve used it for most symptoms. It is a godsend, I fully believe it has kept me alive all these years when the medical insurance industry has “forsaken” me! I’ve not seen a G.I. doctor in probably 7 years or more, and I’ve active disease. It should be legal EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!
SLEEEEP!
It does help pain and nausea an appetite and one thing they don’t bring up SLEEEP! – Larry Hensley II
POT SMOKING SIBLING AVOIDS CROHN’S
I think they need to do a study on siblings who one has UC or Crohn’s and the other doesn’t. In my case I being the oldest and my youngest brother developed UC about 17 or 19 yrs old, both didn’t drink or smoke pot, we both took alot of meds and ended up having our large intestines removed. My middle brother was into pot during those years and slightly before and until recently, and was not impacted with these diseases, additionally when he slowed down on the pot he would start reflecting systematic Chrons but without the physical evidence, just slight scarring on his intestine. I’m really beginning to wonder if what he was doing saved him unneeded meds and surgery..? This really needs to be looked into and I wonder if there are any other similar cases where one sibling did pot while the other developed UC or Crohn’s. – JREL
8 YEARS OF PAIN ENDED BY WEED PRONTO
I have had crohns for 9 years, tried every medication with no positive effect on stopping the crohn’s (although i seemed to have gained all the negative side effects of each drug along the way) i was about to have surgery to remove part of my intestines, i stopped all the medication and just smoke, eat healthy and take lots of vitamins. does the trick. amazingly effective for Crohn’s disease. People need to face the facts and wake up to this very obvious solution for a debilitating disease
