Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Disclosure:

The statements in this forum have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are generated by non-professional writers. Any products described are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Website Disclosure:

This forum contains general information about diet, health and nutrition. The information is not advice and is not a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional.

Cannabis for Asthma

Discussion in 'Medical Marijuana Usage and Applications' started by Sativastalker, Sep 14, 2012.

  1. #1 Sativastalker, Sep 14, 2012
    Thought I'd share a bit of my experience since becoming a patient last December. First of all, after years of chronic asthma and modern medicine doing nothing but covering symptoms, I found accupuncure and Chinese medicine as a last ditch effort. Man, am I ever glad I did. It not only cleared my asthma in 2 months, but it lasted for 5 years. It has since come back and I go in once a year for 4-6 treatments and that seems to do the trick most the time. Dr. Raymond Chan and his daughter Selena have been just amazing: About Dr. Raymond's Chan's Clinic

    Still, I get it when stress levels get high or with vigorous exercise I need symptomatic relief. Honestly, I've not been much into cannabis since high school as it used to get me down. I thought that it was just a bad fit for me.

    Years later, a friend turned me onto vaporizing. I was hesitant as I had asthma but gave it a try as it is obviously easier on the lungs. I not only loved the experience but realized I was sleeping through the night and not having trouble breathing in the morning.

    So I started looking into it. There are very limited studies out there but there are some that show thc is a bronchial dilator. There are patient testimonials supporting the relief it can give. Still, there is not nearly enough info out there, so I went after it myself.

    I found an excellent, supportive ND, got a recommendation and started going for it. I'll try to keep this short for now but this is what I've found:

    Sativa dominant strains high in THC, vaporized give more effective, longer relief with less side effects than anything I've ever tried. It's just amazing. My Magic Flight Launch Box has completely replace my Albuterol inhaler for 9 months now.

    I backpacked all summer, over 100 miles. I'm 15-30 lbs overweight depending on the time of year(working on that), but I still got it in me. Every time I got asthma going up a big pass, 1-3 hits on the vape would give me at least 50% relief immediately, and within 10-15 minutes full relief for hours. It is truly a miracle for me.

    I've found various strains that don't bum me out(vaping helps with this as well) and even some that I can use in the middle of the day and still be productive. Another strange thing I noticed is if my asthma is bad, the medicine focuses on my lungs, and the high is much more moderate. It certainly feels a lot better than the side effects of Albuterol or steroid inhalers.

    It also relaxes the chest area and helps you quit panicking about not being able to breath. I know it might not work for everyone, but I'm totally convinced by the results and have left all asthma meds for good.

    Along with this great relief have been some much appreciated side effects you are all aware of. Stress relief, better sleep and a lot of fun experimenting with various strains. It also cut back my drinking quite a bit.

    What an amazing plant. I have a whole new respect for it. I can't believe MDs are not allowed to prescribe it.

    For now, I'm gonna do my part. When I've reached a full year of success with this treatment, I will be creating a blog including my experiences, journals and strain/intake method recommendations. For now, here is what I suggest:

    Start slow if you have serious asthma. Get the Chinese treatments first. Asthma is no joke, so proceed with caution. I'm not responsible for your health, I'm just saying what worked for me.

    Don't smoke. Use a vape on a very low setting. No combustion. You may not be satisfied at first not seeing a cloud of smoke or having your lungs rocked, but it really works and you will get used to it. I found the MFLB to be the perfect portable and stealth unit to replace my inhaler. I even use it at the gym and no one notices. It takes some technique and getting used to, but does the trick when you get it down. The Volcano is a great home unit, but is more than I need and expensive.

    Use a grower or dispensary that is totally trustworthy. You need the highest quality meds and you cannot afford to be inhaling mold or any other bullshit.

    Get high THC sativa strains. Here are a few that have worked for me:

    Panama Red
    Sour Diesel
    Cannalope Haze
    Jack Herer
    Malawi Gold
    Kona
    Chocolope
    Dream Queen
    Jacky White
    Dutch Dragon

    I'll give more info later on my blog. Hope this is useful for some of you. I wish I could have read this when I started. Best- EC
     
  2. #2 Asthmatic, Sep 14, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 14, 2012
    MMJ has been my only asthma medicine since June 2011. I prefer Tinctures & oils, I make my own oil. Vaporizers cause me rebound so I avoid them. I use the MMJ as a replacement for steroids instead of as a rescue inhaler. I just don't need a rescue inhaler any more.

    http://forum.grasscity.com/blogs/asthmatic/r-x/
     
  3. #3 Komatic, Sep 14, 2012

    How amazing was Selena? :smoke:


    What does that mean ^^
     
  4. #4 Asthmatic, Sep 15, 2012
    Rebound is where the asthma gets worse as the medicine wares off than it was before taking the dose. It becomes a downward spiral where the length of time the dose lasts begins shortening the size dose required to improve the situation becomes larger. If it is not happening to you don't worry about it. If it is then think about switching to a Tincture or an Oil
     
  5. #5 Komatic, Sep 15, 2012

    Well currently I smoke joints and I am getting a vaporizer due to myself having breathing problems/asthma at night when I sleep. Not during my smoke but after....
     
  6. #6 Asthmatic, Sep 15, 2012
    Cool I've had asthma since I was 4, I'm now 55, didn't start smoking it until I was 17 and that was down hill fast for my asthma. Smoked it till 1990 & quit for 21 yrs. before my MD put me back on it.

    I think smoking it is what made it appear that my uncle out grew his asthma, but my lungs are more easily irritated. If you are not having trouble with rebound be happy and take your medicine in what ever way works best for you. The fact that I don't smoke my medicine does not make me a anti-smoker, it just does not work for me when I treat my asthma.

    My position is to try to help any asthma patient that shows up here get off and stay off inhaled or pill forms of steroid therapy. I have brittle bones because of the steroids the MD use to give me. I've met other patients here who are kind of new to this and struggling to get all the relief from their medicine they need. If your asthma is a rare problem and all you have ever had for it is a dilator that is cool. I don't like seeing people who were formerly on steroids use the medicine as a dilator though. I prefer and recommend regular round the clock use as an anti-inflammatory replacement for steroid therapy, I don't need or use a dilator any more haven't needed one for over a year now.

    I know patients at the Coop who smoke their MMJ and still take the Pharmaceutical asthma Meds, & that bugs me. I almost died doing that. It is why I quit smoking it in 1990.
     
  7. #7 Komatic, Sep 15, 2012


    Wait... You mean like an Inhaler? The regular blue colored one you get. Whats wrong with taking it? I use it a fair amount these days...
     
  8. #8 Asthmatic, Sep 15, 2012
    Inhalers used regularly several times a day for dilation without an anti-inflammatory can turn on you without warning and cause sudden Asthmatic Death. The more you take the less it works is what ends up happening. Those of us who need a dilator all day every day are at risk. The MD's watch for that and prescribe an anti-inflammatory agent steroids preferred to keep dilator use to a minimum to avoid this complication.

    I don't prefer steroids. It is just trading seats on the Titanic. The ship will still sink get into the life boat if you can.

    MMJ used correctly can replace all of it though that does not mean it will for all people. If smoking does not work try vaping. If vaping doesn't work try a tincture or oil used sub-lingualy. The best practice does not change just because the medication changes. The best practice is to prevent attacks with anti-inflammatory medications and use dilators occasionally. Take your anti-inflammatory even when you feel good and work to prevent attacks. I still have a current prescription on file for a dilator in my health record and at my local pharmacy if I need it in an emergency. It is just sitting there unfilled because I don't need it any more.
     
  9. #9 Sativastalker, Sep 15, 2012

    Dilators can play tricks on you as I found out the hard way. I'd go to Spain and give in to smoking cigarettes after a couple weeks, I know, pretty stupid. But the whole time smoking the Moroccan hash not realizing it was a bronchial dilator and that's why the cigarettes where not bothering me. Then came home smoking only cigarettes for another week and almost ended up in the hospital. No more of that.

    The bigger point that I tried to make in my original post, is that the acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapy are much more important than the MMJ. Think of the Chinese stuff as your steroids and the MMJ as your Albuterol for emergencies. If you have serious asthma I think smoking MMJ regularly is still risky. I give myself half a joint once every week or two to have the satisfaction, but stick with the vape for the most part.

    I also try not to depend on it too much, as is possible to do so just like Albuterol. Sometimes if your Asthma is light, it's good to tough it out and let your body fix it. If that doesn't work, I hit the vape.

    "Asthma", sorry to hear that rebound effect kicks in for you. At the same time I was hoping to hear different experiences as I figured it would not work for everyone. I also didn't think tincture or oils would work as you can't get them in your lungs. That's great news and may allow some folks to give it a try with their children.

    Thanks everyone for your replies. MDs have not been able to do too much for us so far aside from saving our lives in a pinch(pretty important), so we all gotta help each other out sharing the knowledge.
     
  10. #10 Asthmatic, Sep 16, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 16, 2012
    MMJ is the best asthma relief I've had in my life!
    I just can not smoke or vape my medicine.

    I use an oil made with hash oil sub-lingualy that I prepare at home.
    http://forum.grasscity.com/blogs/asthmatic/31971-r-x-%96-asthma-cough-medicine.html

    I don't like it as a dilator and wont use it that way because the medicine at low dose makes my head feel the same way a mild asthma attack does and I'm stuck not knowing whether I need more medicine or less. As an anti-inflammatory dosing by the clock 24/7/365 the issue goes away. I can count on 1 hand the number of times I've used a dilator in the past year with most of my fingers left over and in the last 9 months it is a goose egg.

    I am a Taoist who practices Qigong and Taijiquan. I have very good control of my Chi and unblock it at will. Acupuncture is not indicated when Chi flows free and strong. To the best of my ability to know MMJ, 大麻 had it's first recorded use in medicine in China so when you spoke of traditional Chinese medicine it looked redundant to me. MJ is Traditional Chinese Medicine we are using it. I personally tend to be to quite Yang as so many of us do and 大麻 is strongly Yin it helps me be more Shoong. I believe it's use in the treatment for asthma came from vedic medicine and traveled from India into Europe in the mid 1800's as a treatment for asthma and other seizure like symptoms. I had family members using it as treatment for asthma before prohibition in 1937. Tincture of Hemp.

    Cannabinoids run the immune system from stem to stern and also regulate bone growth. Asthma is an auto-immune disease and the steroids I use to take for it made my bones weak I was diagnosed with Osteopenia in 2005.

    Differential Roles of CB1 and CB2 Cannabinoid Receptors in Mast Cells
    Differential Roles of CB1 and CB2 Cannabinoid Receptors in Mast Cells

    Characterisation of the cannabinoid receptor system in synovial
    tissue and fluid in patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid
    arthritis
    http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...nYHICA&usg=AFQjCNHA5KkjKB4WyIc2bM7PhA2AAbG3tA

    Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 Protects against Age-
    Related Osteoporosis by Regulating Osteoblast and
    Adipocyte Differentiation in Marrow Stromal Cells
    ScienceDirect.com - Cell Metabolism - Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 Protects against Age- Related Osteoporosis by Regulating Osteoblast and Adipocyte Differentiation in Marrow Stromal Cells
     
  11. #11 austyn12, Sep 16, 2012

    Dont smoke weed if u got that just vape it. I noticed people who vape it say they feel better.
     
  12. #12 Asthmatic, Sep 25, 2012
    how you getting on Sativastalker?
     
  13. #13 fiyaz, Oct 2, 2012
    I've read a lot about it and earlier i wasn't so sure if mmj really helps with asthma but after reading so many positive comments from people I think it must really be helpful.
     
  14. #14 Asthmatic, Oct 3, 2012
    It is all in how you use your medicine no mater what you use it for. I use to think it was a rotten pain killer then someone showed me how to use it for pain. Now I wouldn't use any thing else. Same for Asthma.

    :)
     

Share This Page