Medicinal marijuana for Gastroparesis?

That is fantastic, I know you are relieved to be rid of you PICC

 

You are right about being rid of that darn thing, it is quite the relief! It is nice not to have to deal with the pain or discomfort in my chest/arm or changing the dressing and all the other bullsh*t that comes along with it.

 

When I went to MAYO the GI doctor told me to not stop smoking cannabis or taking my Marinol. I am going again on the 26th, has anyone else had any luck with this?

Do most of you have Diabetes as well? Mine was caused during a surgery to remove a rare cancer, but I hear the main cause is type 1 and 2 Diabetes. It is a every day struggle to find any thing in this area what so ever, but when good medicine comes along most times I can not even afford it.

Seems like a catch 22 unless you can help yourself.

Hope you people are having better luck!

 

that's good to know, and yes everyday is a struggle.
i actually don't have diabetes. i do have barretts esophagus that will lead to cancer though.
Ive been on all those meds but at the moment im on
reglan 5mg 4 times a day, promethazine 25mg as needed, sertraline hcl 100 mg before bed.
and they messed up and instead of aciphex they gave me ranaditine 150mg

diarrhea is not fun, and btw this would be make an entire year ive taken reglan. not all together but of and on for that duration.

not liking the chattering teethe and tremors.

Casey
idiopathic g.p.
B.E.
G.E.R.D.

 

Hey guys. I don't have gastroparesis or anything. I'm just a 19 year old who loves to smoke pot. However, my dad, who has been a type 1 diabetic was diagnosed with gastroparesis about ten years ago.. it has completely changed his life, as well as my families. He has had feeding/emptying tubes as well as two gasteric pacemakers. While having the pacemakers there was an extremely noticable difference in how he felt. But both pacemakers became infected to the point where they were nearly being pushed through his skin by the infection behind them. Since having the last one removed, he has been unable to keep any type of food down. His diet consists of coca-cola, yoplait yogurt (strawberry), and fudge bars (kroger brand only). He was prescribed to marinol for a few years, but has stopped taking it recently.. The other day he said, "I think I did better when I was on marinol." But even when he was on marinol he could only handle the same foods that I listed above. So that got me thinking, could actual marijuana benefit him more so than marinol? I once took one of his marinol to see the effect and I felt nothing from it (Iknow I was wrong, but that isn't this issue). I'm wondering if he would benefit from actual marijuana? I've pretty much come to the conclusion that he is against the drug itself and its use.. But I believe that he may potentially see positive result from using it, and even if it caused him to be a little loopy, I'm sure no one close to him would care as long as he could hold down a meal. I honestly don't think we have had a family meal since his troubles have started where he hasn't said, "I'm gonna pay for this later," or "I shouldn't have eaten that." I have a feeling that marijuana might make a difference for him, especially from his remark where he thought he did better on marinol. I'm just not so sure as to how to go about getting him to try it.. I've been looking up facts, comparison of marijuana and marinol, and testimonials of gastroparesis patients on how marijuana affects them, but so far I haven't found any of these to be really helpful.. Also, I'm not just a stoner trying to get my dad to smoke with me.. I am open to other suggestion as to help him feel better. I just want him to be able to enjoy himself for a change rather than be miserable like he has been. I just happened to see this thread when googling and thought of his marinol comment and I thought it might be worth a shot. I appreciate any and every response!

 

Raymond,

First of all in my humble opinion you are a great son.

I feel that there is nothing in this world, all of the medications described by all of us that can help your father more than quality cannabis.

I am not saying this as a "stoner" or "pot head" I say it with true and honest passion because of how different I feel when I am medicated. I am too prescribed Marinol as you saw me post earlier, it just cannot compare to the real thing.

I find myself trying to find a way to convince you to try what you have been wondering about, but the proof you will have to see for yourself. I thought I coined the phrase "I will pay for that later" . I really truly understand that things change, and change forever. I am sympathetic for your family, you and your father.

It is unfortunate that the government has literally tricked us all into thinking that cannabis is not a medicine just as much as any narcotic or non narcotic on the market today. In fact, as I was searching more about the interaction of cannabis and gastroparesis I found that scientists knew more 1200 years ago than they do now. You can bet that is all because of the prohibition enforced by one council 50 years ago.

The repercussions of this I do fear will be rippled in the history of time for the next SEVERAL years. I recommend to you, sir, do what you feel is right in your heart. Please do not let the law that one rich white man made scare you into not getting help for your father.

I wish you the best, and greatly anticipate to hear how things turned out.

Phate

 

I am almost 24 years old. I first try marijuana when I was 14. Throughout high school I would smoke maybe once or twice a week if that. The werid thing is marijuana never gave me the munchies like all my friends would. I have always been a small girl, at my healthiest the most I've ever been is 112 pounds, I was active in sports my whole life, I had no problems eating at all, in fact most were shocked when they found out how much I ate.
I started using marijuana heavily when I went to college. Sometime during this time, maybe the stress of going to college, I lost my appetite and began having GI problems. I then would use marijuana to make me Be able to eat. Last year I decided to quit smoking marijuana and I ended up in the hospital for a week. I was down to 92 pounds and barely ate anything for two weeks. The GI doctor then diagnosed me with gastroparesis. He prescribed me to megestrol, a medicine to increase appetite. After a week or so it started to work. After a while, being uneducated about my condition, I stopped taking the medication and began to use marijuana again. I have recently decided to stop using marijuana again because i am trying to get a job. I started taking my medication again, but it has not increased my appetite, and anything i am able to get down just makes me nauseous and sometimes vomit. No antinausa has ever helped me, they usually just make it worse. When I use marijuana I am able to eat a healthy amount and I never get nauseous. However, since I do not want to rely on marijuana my whole life for several reasons (job, live in Florida no medical marijuana, money, etc) I was wondering what else I could do. My anxiety since I quit using marijuana to self medicate my gastroparesis, has gone through the roof because every moment I worry about how I am going eat, this is also causing me to be depressed.. I'm losing weight very quickly and I am trying to avoid using marijuana... I don't want to be on a feeding tube, Please any advice will help!

 

Hello

I have been suffering from abdominal issues (nausea, pain, loss of appetite, early satiety etc) for a few years now with (thankfully) more good days than bad. 3 months ago I ended up in hospital and was diagnosed with gastric paresis. Since then I have been unwell with the condition and have spent more time in hospital than out for management / monitoring.

During the past 3 months I've been up and down... Thankfully my GE admits me to hospital each time I go bad to tweak my medication and re stabilize me.

I have completely lost my appetite. Some days it feels like my throat is almost clamped shut (im told this is related to the GERD I also suffer). I also go through patches where if I look at food / smell food / try to eat food and gag... Also causing me to become even more nauseated.

I've lost 10kg (22lb) since being sick and now look almost anorexic as I was already very tiny to begin with. This is very distressing and it's taken a lot to convince my partner that I don't actually have an eating disorder but its part of my medical condition. (I'm still not 100% sure if he believes me or not yet to be honest so this doesn't help, but anyway!!)

My main concerns for this condition is that I don't know when it will strike and 'disable' me (meaning that I'm too unwell to go to work and lead an ordinary life). My GE is really supportive and can admit me anytime I need it... But going forward I can't see that as an entirely practical solution....

My brother suggested for me to use cannabis to assist in the nausea. He also thinks it might give me an appetite... I am so glad to read that you are all having such luck with the controlled use of cannabis and will take it into consideration as an option.

I am not a smoker so was wondering if you have had the same result with eating it? I suppose it probably won't work if my throat is clamped shut, but for the times when I can eat I would much prefer it over smoking.

Thank you

 

Best of luck to you, I have quit smoking cannabis. It's very hard to come by in Texas believe it or not, and when you find it not only do you get cheated by the dealer, it isn't by any means quality of any sort. To many times have I had to drive 2 hours for an ounce to only be told that there is none. Drug dealers in generaly suck ass.

Still taking reglan, phenagren, and even trazadone to help me sleep. There are many over the counter medicines I use daily and some prescriptions that are kinda personal.

After time your teeth will rot and erode into nothing, which is not only painfull but very expensive. I have had 8 teeth on top removed and replaced with an acrylic partial. 6 on the bottom are soon to come out as well..

Social Security doesn't recognize our conditions as disabling so its best not to waste your time hoping they will.

 

I don't feel that weed has saved my life, but I can't imagine living without it. I also suffer from Gastroparesis (and GERD), its not as severe as yours,ganjagoddess, I can keep liquids down and soft foods. Its hard for me to eat solid things & can't go out to eat with friends or family(unless I have smoked its a little easier) I have been to the specialist and been on the diet of small meals every two hours for about a year. The lack of appetite and nausea is a daily thing, along with other symptoms this illness/condition has. Weed has helped me live more comfortably, but still having symptoms. I have an appointment with the GP specialist later this week and going to do some trail medications.

 

i stopped reading after i saw that NAPOM experienced teeth chattering on reglan, dude you gotta stop taking that medicine IMMEDIATELY

did your docs not warn you about that side effect???

im on it also and stopped cause i thought i experienced that. my docs told me if you experience it at all and dont stop it could become permanent.

be careful man.

btw this thread is interesting i have many of the same problems listed here and weed def. helps, but not always.

 

word. I had major GI surgery a while ago. i can feel the scar tissue when i digest food. feels like mi going through that tear in my small intestine every time i eat again. weed is amazing.

 

I just got diagnosed with gastroparesis 2 days ago. I have been sick for three years. The onlything that got me through the pain and nausea and vomiting was weed. Whenever I smoke it I have an appetite and I usuallly keep down what I eat, depending on what it is. I still suffer from discomfort, I can't explain it its just a general unwell feeling in my tummy when I smoke, but other than that I feel great. I hope scientists and the government sees what benefits marijuanna has with this condition. I'm only nineteen years old and I have to suffer with this condition for the rest of my life. Sick every day. Its depressing. Weed makes it better.

 

What a relief it is to read other similar stories to mine. Anyone else get really depressed when the ones you love refuse to acknowledge what pot does for your illness? I'd really like some feedback as the last two months have been the most difficult of my life for various other reasons and my stomach has been non stop shitting on me since I was a child. Its a humoungus comfort being in a state where if they smell weed on you, your a criminal to know that their are others who can commiserate. I'm going to send a link to this thread to my parent and hope she can wake up to the realities of my situation.

 

bump, really need someone to talk to.

 

Boy, a good thread for me to read given my Type I. I hope to make it to an age where my guts start to go to sleep on me finally. Irony of irony, Crohn's is a bitch combined with Type I and for now I try my damnedest to slow things down with the guts!

Bright side: saw my endocrinologist today, and he said for some who's had Type I for 32+ years, I'm doing as well as I possibly can. Good thing I'm protected by our government from this "evil weed" lest it instantly KILL me.

 

i just got prescribed for this, pretty much the second i eat i get stomach cramps, ribs tighten up, and my fingers and toes start tingling. i don't get the throwing up though. Maybe mine hasn't progressed that far but it still hurts so bad to the point my posture goes out of whack

 

I was granted social security for Gastro-Paresis due to reconstructive GI surgery.

This is the only thing that enables me to feel hungry, and not sick. Like I said earlier, I am on marinol now 10mg 3x daily along with my intake of marijuana I am feeling well although lose the weight I gain easily due to a weakened immune system.

Life goes on, things get better. Take care and be safe my friends.

 

My mother has gastroparesis. She has times when she feels perfectly normal following the very strict diet, then she gets really bad for a while. Marijuana helps. Should she take it all the time or just when she is having symptoms?

 

This is my first time here and I am a little in shock right now that I am here. I am a grandmother! I have just gotten back from Mayo and told I have significant gastroparesis. I have had 4 bowel surgeries and no colon so it is probably related to that. I am a very happy and go lucky person who lives to help others and now I am almost housebound and miserable almost constantly. None of the medicines have worked. I went on some gastro sites this morning and decided I wasn't going on them anymore - too depressing. My son smokes pot, doesn't drink and is very responsible and I have always respected him, though it scares me because of it being illegal. I sure wish it wasn't! If I get up the guts to ask him for some....(It just goes everything I think a mother should do) how do I know how much to take - and also curious about the eating part because I hate smoke. I am laughing already because I just can't even envision me doing it- but when you feel miserable enough and you find a place where there might be some relief in your future, I think I am ready to try... Any suggestions from people that suffer with gastroparesis would really be appreciated! Thanks!!