If you have an illness Marijuana helps, come here!

damn thats too much work...

if i dont smoke my underarms sweat excessively. but when i smoke marijuana it completely stops. i have no idea why hahaha its really cool though.

 

im guessing that wouldnt be considered a reason for mmj

Location: California

Medical Marijuana: yes

Illness requiring MMJ: Insomnia



How marijuana helps? : kinda a no brainer but, heavy indica strains, especially purple strains help me fall asleep at night

Drugs offered: Ambien (sp?)

Negatives of drugs offered: when I take an ambien before I go to bed I wake up tired and sluggish. sometimes ill sleep through my alarm clock in the morning just really annoying drug to take if you got shit to do.

_______


hope thats what you were looking for I cant attest to whether the ambien is better or not because that shit knocks me out. Good for weekends, not great if you have to get up and go to work.

and before and after thing there really was no before

 

Location: Oregon

Medical Marijuana: Yes

Illness requiring MMJ: After the surgical removal of a large (4 years overlooked) Odontogenic Keratocyst and the surrounding and affected bone, the mandibular and lingual nerves were completely destroyed. I suffer from what is slowly and apparantly becoming permanent nerve damage and complete numbness in my lower lip, chin, cheek, lower gums, lower teeth, and tongue. The associated pain feels much like my teeth being in a vice all day long and pins and needles / phantom irritations in my lip and face.

How marijuana helps? : Cannabis is the only thing that helps me work around the pain and function COMPLETELY normally throughout the day. May appetite is up, and I sleep like a baby.

Drugs offered: Percocet, Vicodin, Codeine

Negatives of drugs offered: All of the previously prescribed pain meds made me feel completely zoned out. The pain relief was so-so and it was hard to keep an appetite when your blood stream is being pumped with opiates/barbituates. I also built a tolerance and had to rotate every 60 pills (14 days) from percocet/vicodin/codeine so I wouldn't get addicted.

 

Location: Georgia
Medical Marijuana: Nope...

 

Location – Washington

Medical Marijuana – State has MMJ, but the conditions are stringent, usually only given for most terminal illnesses

Illness requiring MMJ – Nerve damage suffered to left clavicle in the Marines, and acute Bilateral Patella-femoral syndrome from carrying around that damn pack and weapons system everywhere in the Marines

How marijuana helps – Occasionally, I get the pins and needles sensation in my left arm, extending to my fingertips from nerve damage from a shattered clavicle. Its not the "oh i just slept on my arm" pins and needles, it's really painful and seems to come in waves. If I smoke cannabis at the onset of these pains, it never reaches the painful stage and eventually subsides.

Sometimes when i wake up in the morning, my knee feels frozen and trying to flex it in any way is painful. To stretch it out for that day, i must do a series of physical exercises which are painful on the knee. Cannabis acts as an analgesic for this pain.

Drugs offered by doctor – Ibuprofen 800mg, Darvocet

Negatives of drugs offered – While Ibuprofen helps increase the bloodflow, cannabis does the same thing for me without fucking up the liver. Darvocet is a painkiller, but too weak for me and it just makes me feel sleepy and sluggish

Why marijuana is better suited – Does less damage to my body, while providing the important pain relief without any strange side effects

Life before and after marijuana – Well, I smoked before i was in the military, but obviously not while i was in. After i was discharged, sick of all the bullshit pain everyday, I started carrying around a one-hitter and dugout. The first time i felt the numb arm feeling coming on i toke a hit, it was like an instant realization: the plant that i love to smoke recreationally, also benefits me in a medical capacity as well

 

This is something a little different, I don't know if you can use it.

Location – Maryland

Medical Marijuana – No

Illness requiring MMJ – Chemotherapy Treatments


How marijuana helps - Most people in the world have never experienced a chemotherapy treatment, so I will try to explain it. I was under treatment when I was only 13 years old, but the best way for me to describe it now was it was like a terrible hangover 24/7. Headache and lots of muscle pains were a given, but the worst symptoms were my nausea/vomiting and loss of appetite. Whenever I could eat, it wouldn't stay down. Nurses attempted to find a way to get me MMJ, though were unsuccessful and I don't believe it is completely legal yet in Maryland. While this drug could have offered me pain relief, it also would have increased my appetite and reduced the nauseous feelings I had. Unable to obtain anything to help, my body (at 5'6) withered to 80 lbs.

Drugs offered by doctor – Oxycontin (pain), Zofran (nausea), Energy/Meal Replacement shakes

Negatives of drugs offered – For those of you that don't know what oxycontin is, it is a legal analgesic, though on the street it is known as "hillbilly heroine". It works, but is extremely addictive. After watching a fellow pediatric patient go through addiction and withdrawal (which continued for years sadly), I started to secretly hide my pills instead of taking them.

The Zofran flat out didn't work well. I remember taking them every 4 hours to escape the hell of nausea that I was experiencing and I would continue to throw up, sometimes finding my pill in the vomit. It didn't provide any relief.

The meal replacement shakes were supposed to up my weight a bit, but because of my changed sense of taste (another side effect of chemotherapy), they were utterly disgusting to me and I would gag at the smell of them. Usually I felt too sick to eat/drink anything anyway except for warm water.

Why marijuana is better suited – Marijuana is proven to work as an analgesic, and post-treatment when I began working out to put on more weight, I would sometimes get really bad muscle pains. Marijuana relieved this, and though Oxycontin is effective as an analgesic, it is terribly addictive while marijuana users experience absolutely no physical addiction to the drug.

Marijuana is also known to reduce nausea. I can't say how much better it would have worked than the Zofran I was perscribed, but I do know that something would have been better than nothing in this case. Zofran didn't work for me and I wish I had an other option for medication when I was going through treatment.

The one thing marijuana could have helped me the most with was my loss of appetite. In the end what threatened my life wasn't the treatable cancer, but the wasting away of my body from a lack of eating. At many points I was hospitalized and put on fluids - so weak that I couldn't get up from my bed. I was threatened with getting a feeding tube implanted if I didn't eat, and I was at the bare minimum weight needed before they would have put one in me. Marijuana causes what is known in the cannabis community as "munchies", an almost uncontrollable urge to eat. Had I been using this drug there is no doubt in my mind I could have eaten much more food and probably prevented myself from dropping below 100 lbs.

Life before and after marijuana – Without marijuana, my experience in the treatment of my cancer was absolute torture. I was torn away from my friends and family because I couldn't do anything being so weak. It is something no other teenager should have to go through and I feel without a doubt that if marijuana was made available to me as a patient, I would have looked, felt, and overall been a much healthier person.

I am now in remission with no signs of the cancer returning.

 

I'll write one for my Crohn's when i get off work.

 

Location – California

Medical Marijuana – Yes

Illness requiring MMJ – Anxiety (general, social) and the physical / mental issues related (depression, increased stomach acid production, etc).


How marijuana helps – Marijuana, when used moderately, helps me with my anxiety greatly. I've always been an anxious person, worrying about everything. Stress management methods, antidepressants, and a psychologist never seemed to work. When I started using marijuana moderately and responsibly, my quality of life in general raised greatly. When I smoked marijuana, my worries seemed to not bother me any more, and I really began to enjoy life, enjoy what I had, and see things from a perspective other than the worrying perspective. When I notice that I'm getting too worked up, I just smoke half a bowl to relax myself, and the anxiety/panic attack that would have eventually resulted, all of that just goes away. Marijuana helps take the unnecessary worrying out of my life.

Drugs offered by doctor – Citalopram, prescription antacids for stomach acid (been too long, can't remember)

Negatives of drugs offered – The only way I can describe Citalopram is, it messed with my head. The first week I was on it, my brain seemed like it was going a mile a second. It didn't help my anxiety at all. But, knowing that I was just getting used to it, I stuck with it and tried my best to deal. My mood was always wishy-washy, and I just wasn't normal. It also affected my sexual functions, making it extremely difficult to have orgasms, even during sex (which actually, to some is great, you last longer, but you know that something isn't right 'down there').

Why marijuana is better suited – I know exactly what marijuana is going to do to me, not have to wonder if today, the pill is gonna make me fidgety, or drunk-like calm. The effects of smoking marijuana don't last too long, so I can medicate for however long I need to. And it's natural.

Life before and after marijuana – Before marijuana, I was a stress case. My emotions would get so out of whack, I would get depressed easily, angry easily, and not be able to get OUT of those emotions. My brain and emotions were seriously messed up. I was also quite suicidal, with a couple attempts here and there. I seriously was over life, because of the pain I had felt (things that happened in my personal life, my anxiety amplifying them), and the emotions I continued to feel, that I didn't really care if I woke up from sleeping. The thought that I was going to die one day and not feel the anxiety/pain any more was the only thing I could think of to make myself feel better.

After marijuana, my emotions are now more easily controllable, and my mind is more open now. I don't get all haywire like I used to. I have learned to cope with the things that happened in my life that made me so sad, and I just handle life in general. I am a lot happier person, knowing that I'm not a slave to anxiety any more. I enjoy living. It's simply amazing - I never thought I'd feel this good ever again.

 

Location: Florida

Medical Marijuana: No, Florida is NAZI weed state.

Illness requiring MMJ: OCD, Stress



How marijuana helps? : Releives my stress, prevents me from doing compulsive tasks.

Drugs offered: none

Negatives of drugs offered: n/a

 

Location: North Carolina

Medical Marijuana: No, Considering MML but only in committee stages

Illness requiring MMJ: Stress/anxiety)-social

How marijuana helps? : Releives my stress, allows me to function like a normal person and interact with people something important in college

Drugs offered: Lexapro and as needed activan

Negatives of drugs offered: I just sought legal alternative no longer than 3 gays ago so to early to speak on them yet. But tried the activan (calmed me down but I just didn't feel right) and it makes me kind of dizzy, I don't know if I could concentrate and work off it but we will see doing this to appease my mom as an alternative to mj.

Before and After: I was a really stressed person before that hapened to me in the last couple years and when I smoke weed for the first time I knew it was for me I can sit down and chill like I use to do because I'm really a laid back person.

Why mj is a better alternative without even having used the pills enough I can say its natural, lexapro has been linked to suicide, and I don't want to become an addict to these presciption drugs that are supposed miracule workers when I have the miracle in front of me mj. I' still smoking after telling my mom and doc I'm not because its my life and I choose to lead it positively.

 

Location: Florida

Medical Marijuana: No

Illness requiring MMJ: General Anxiety Disorder, Depression, Bipolar II

How marijuana helps? : reduces anxiety tremendously, lift's my depression, and helps prevent manias.

Drugs offered: Lexapro, Celexa, Zoloft, and Xanax.

Negatives of drugs offered: You can NOT stop taking Lexapro, or Zoloft. Your serotonin inhibitors become addicted to it, and you can have seizures, and brain shocks from withdrawl. It is no good for your body to put up with this. Xanax has high potential for abuse, and is very addicting. These medicines make you feel extremely zombie-like, usually with nothing going on behind your eyes.

Before and After: I was extremely depressed, and my anxiety was horrible. I had gotten addicted to the xanax that was prescribed to me, and the anti-depressants stopped working. When I was introduced to mj, everything changed. It made me addiction free, and I haven't had xanax in over 3 months. My depression is cured when I smoke marijuana.

 

Location: South Carolina

Medical Marijuana: No

Illness requiring MMJ: Crohn's Disease

How marijuana helps? : Helps calm my "nervious" stomach. Helps relieve the sever pain and cramps I get in my stomach after eating.

Drugs offered: Pentasa(mesalamine), and Prednisone, Ambien (Because the prednisone makes me not able to sleep)

Negatives of drugs offered:

Pentasa Side Effects:

Diarrhea
Nausea
Cramping
Flatulence

Most of the side effects are the same as my symptoms.

Prednisone Side Effect:

Acne
Swelling of face
Tender muscles
Joint Pain
Insomnia

Before and After: Before MJ, i would have to worry about my stomach hurting while eating. I would worry if the food i was eating would "agree" with my stomach. I would constantly be looking for a bathroom in case of an emergency.

Now, i can eat without worrying. I dont have to worry about cramps. Also, the "munchies" help my appetite which can sometimes be affect because of cramping.[/QUOTE]

 

Location – Southern California

Medical Marijuana – No

Illness requiring MMJ – Anxiety/Panic Attacks and Depression

How marijuana helps – Marijuana has helped me amazingly. Over the past six months I have been experiencing anxiety/panic attacks and depression. Although marijuana initially gave me anxiety while under its influence, this went away more and more making me increasingly more relaxed and a much more pleasant person while under its influence and while not. Lately, I experienced the most amazing and most pleasant high that prompted an epiphany that miraculously cleared my anxiety 100% and has made my panic attacks vanish.

Drugs offered by doctor – I have not seeked medical help for my anxiety, however I believe that they would prescribe pills that are addictive and have negative affects on my life such as xanax, Klonopin, Oxy Contin and others that I am unaware of.

Why marijuana is better suited – Marijuana is a softer drug and does not lead to a physical addiction, nor does it lead to as strong of a mental craving. Marijuana allowed me to see my life through a different perspective and I know have a more positive outlook on my life as a whole. However, I have never tried the pills that doctors prescribe for my illnesses so I have no first hand experience with them (and I do not plan on trying them now that my illness is cleared).

Life before and after marijuana – In my life before marijuana I was a very angry and defensive person. I was constantly trying to please others and was constantly worrying about their reactions to the things I do. I had a lot of anxiety and insecurity as well as deep depression. These things had a terrible affect on my mental health and I felt as if I was losing my mind. Now I can honestly say I feel better than I have in my entire life. I am now the most polite I have ever been. My social skills and communication with people are now outstanding and I do not have anxiety or depression. Most of all my entire outlook on life has changed and I feel like I am having a fresh start on life. Ultimately, Marijuana has made unbelievably positive changes in my life. However, it is not suitable for everyone and at first people may not notice its affects. My advice is for people with illnesses to try smoking marijuana at least daily for 3 weeks and note the changes they have experienced.

 

Location- bouncing around the eastern US

Medical Status - not eligible in my states and it KILLS me feeling like a criminal sometimes

Illness - Asperger's Syndrome / Sensory Integration Disorder


How MJ helped me-

My Asperger's is really bad on the sensory side and I can't handle being touched or touching people at all. Most people are treated for this as children and it's almost impossible to fix once you're an adult. I mostly use MJ for the times when I want to be touched or touch

Something just clicks into place when I get enough bud. My brain also normally works in overtime and I "see" everything in terms of math. MJ seems to make my brain work like a "normal" person's. It slows me down and I can enjoy life instead of constantly calculating and thinking a hundred steps ahead. I don't use it for work because that's when I need the math and speed.

I also seem to get brain "overloads" sometimes and that puts me into panic attacks and depression. This is part of the obsessive/compulsive side of Asperger's. MJ slows me down so my brain can rest. It's also pretty hard to be depressed after you blaze a little.

MJ is the only drug that worked for all of my major symptoms. The only drug that didn't make me feel like a zombie, didn't have "death" as a side effect and didn't get me addicted. The only drug I could take when I need it and not worry about going postal if I run out. The only drug that's 100% natural and I will someday be able to grow.

 

Location – Colorado

Medical Marijuana – Yes

Illness requiring MMJ – Fibromyalgia, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome


How marijuana helps – Natural Pain reliever and relieves the stress dramatically
Drugs offered by doctor – Oxy, Xanax, Percocet, others I don't remember
Negatives of drugs offered – Side effects suck, feeling hungover everyday, constipation, sexual appetite loss, stomach issues
Why marijuana is better suited – I can live more normal without the harsh side effects of pills
Life before and after marijuana- Horrible pain, sleeplessnes, tunnel vision/stress, breakdowns and MJ doesn't give me all the harsh side effects and helps me to function more normally.

 

Location – Canada

Medical Marijuana – No

Illness requiring MMJ – Severe Epilepsy

Source(s) MMJ helps this illness –

http://rxmarijuana.com/epilepsy.htm

http://mercycenters.org/libry/i_EPIL.html

http://www.420magazine.com/forums/medical-marijuana-facts-information/76493-epilepsy-marijuana.html<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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How marijuana helps – Marijuana suppresses my grand mal seizures 100% . I took seizures and was diagnosed at age 12 (am 44 now) with epilepsy. They said I would have it all my life when I didn't outgrow by age 18. Medications didn't always control the seizures, maybe ¼ to ½ the time, but I was a zombie and unable to concentrate on much for very long. I smoked herb every day recreationally, and found out by accident that the 5 year stretch where I was seizure free was due to marijuana being smoked daily by me. When I decided to quit smoking pot, the seizures returned. I was shocked and hadn't made the connection til then. I also have no aura anymore, the first sure sign that I was going to have a seizure. It felt like a dense fog lifted. I went off all meds in 1998 after 4 years of weaning myself off to prove it to my doctor. I am completely seizure free since 1993. I self medicate with mj.<o></o>
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Drugs offered by doctor – Phenobarbitol and Tegretol

Negatives of drugs offered – Felt like a zombie, and they both destroy your liver eventually. Unable to concentrate. Zero sex drive. Mood swings.

Why marijuana is better suited – I have my life back. Clear headed, treating myself naturally.<o></o>
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Life before and after marijuana – Before my miraculous find, my life was chaotic at best. I wouldn't step out onto my stage alone (Im a DJ) for fear I would have a seizure and ruin someone's grad, wedding etc. I always had to have an assistant. I had many embarrassing situations such as seizuring and falling ass over tea kettle down an escalator in front of my fellow cheerleading squad and teachers…..Nice! I now blend right in! Yey! I'm cured! There is no question marijuana is what cured me. Oh and …last time I was at the Neurologist for a brain scan, they told me that my brain is literally FULL of seizure activity. But SOMETHING is suppressing it from blowing up into seizures! Imagine that!

 

Alright man,

Just got my card last week and I'll break it down for you like I did for my doctor. Good luck with your new site. You may use my info in any way you wish. Keep us posted!

Generally I wake up in the morning with a very uncomfotable feeling in the pit of my stomach. Not my lungs. My stomach. It really makes eating difficult in the morning and as a result i tend to go to 3 or 4 without eating. To solve this problem I usually medicate with a strong sativa after I wake up, shower, clean up etc. Sativa works well for me in the morning because it gives me energy for my day and greatly stimulates my appetite.

I usually medicate again around 2 or 3:00. Right before lunch, once again to stimulate appetite (I'm 18, 5'11" and 140lbs). I prefer to smoke out of a quality qater pipe, and my medication of choice is usually a hybrid of some sort, generally ~ 60% Sativa / 40% Indica. I try to keep a strong Kush for this part of my day.

After I get home from work/school, I need to unwind and relieve the stress of the day. My medication of choice for evenings is usually a strong Indica, often with purple genetics such as GDP or Grape Ape. My method of choice for smoking at nightis Vaporizing. This usually is the best solution I can find for my insomnia, and many night i still struggle to go to sleep after vaporizing.

All in all cannabis definitely helps me get through my days as pain/stress free as possible. I am fortunate enough to live in one of the major Medical Marijuana supporting states, but I do feel for those in pain who could greatly benefit from having the right to get their medication legally but aren't given that right. I really hope to see a change in those states not supporting Medical Cannanis, and I think I can speak for the entire Marijuana community when I say that we appreciate all of the hard work/sacrifices made by Marijuana Legalization Activists worldwide.

 

Loction – California

Medical Marijuana – State has MMJ, but I dont have a card.

Illness requiring MMJ – Muscle spasms in the lower back.

How marijuana helps – Relieves the pain and the anti-inflammatory qualities of marijuana helps relax the muscles in my lower back

Drugs offered by doctor – Ibuprofen 200mg,then Flexeril cyclobenzaprine

Negatives of drugs offered – Ibuprofen damages the liver. Flexeril helps but makes me drowsy all day and I have things to get done.

Why marijuana is better suited – Does the job without the drowsyness and I am still productive.

Life before and after marijuana – I smoked marijuana before the spasms but when I had a football related injury and then got muscle spasms the marijuana really helped now I smoke it when I have things to do but I take the Flexeril when I have a free day or dont have alot of things to do.

 

Location – Georgia

Medical Marijuana – No

Illness requiring MMJ – Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, Abdominal/digestive issues

How marijuana helps – There is nothing that helps ALL of my problems like marijuana does. I have had depression and anxiety for about 7 years now. When I smoke I am always in a positive mood and I never feel stressed out or worry like I do when sober. Marijuana helps calm my mind and helps me control my thoughts instead of having this big jumbled mess racing around in my head which is extremely unnerving. I've had insomnia for as long as I can remember but I used to just cope with it myself until I discovered marijuana. I think everyone knows how it helps here. Just recently in the past two years (going on three) I have had abdominal pains, nausea, and bowl problems. I have had so many tests done it's not even funny and all they can come up with is IBS, which is bullshit. Marijuana relieves my abdominal pains instantly and always helps me with my nausea.

Drugs offered by doctor – Glycopyrrolate, Protonix (for my acid reflux which helps immensely), Xanax, Ambien. Probably much more but I have refused to take medicine for my depression and anxiety because of the adverse side effects of them. I don't want to end up like my mom who's basically drugged all the time and can't remember a thing.

Negatives of drugs offered – The glycopyrrolate, which I have been given for my abdominal symptoms doesn't really help my abdominal symptoms at all. There are no negative side effects it as far as I can tell. Xanax always affects your mind for as long as you are taking it (and withdrawal symptoms are had if it is suddenly stopped) unlike Marijuana which can be used when the stress comes on to simply relieve it without all the mind-altering chemicals. It helps with my anxiety but I don't want to be dependent on a pill which will undoubtedly have to be increased in dosage as my tolerance for it increases. Ambien just makes me feel drugged and stupid and I hate to feel this way.

Why marijuana is better suited – Marijuana calms my mind to a pretty much normal state and enables me to get much more things done and in a more efficient way without the side effects of mind-altering pills. I am a less angry person when smoking weed as well. I am no longer in constant pain because of my abdominal pains and nausea which the doctors can't find the problem for. If they can't find the problem and prescribe me something what other help is there?

Life before and after marijuana – Before I smoked marijuana I was constantly mad at the world and myself. I hated to get out of bed in the morning. I used to wonder if life was worth living. I was always stressed out and worried about every little thing. And when all these new abdominal pains were introduced it really made me go downhill.

But when I started smoking I realized it was pointless to be pissed off all the time because I'd never get anything done or do anything with my life. I have had better relationships with my friends and family and have become more sociable. I learned life is worth living and I realized with the help of MMJ I could actually have a pretty normal, successful, and entertaining life.