10 diseases where medical marijuana could have impact

[Jesus Malverde]

AIDS/HIV

In a human study of 10 HIV-positive marijuana smokers, scientists found people who smoked marijuana ate better, slept better and experienced a better mood. Another small study of 50 people found patients that smoked cannabis saw less neuropathic pain.

Alzheimer's

Medical marijuana and some of the plant's chemicals have been used to help Alzheimer's patients gain weight, and research found that it lessens some of the agitated behavior that patients can exhibit. In one cell study, researchers found it slowed the progress of protein deposits in the brain. Scientists think these proteins may be part of what causes Alzheimer's, although no one knows what causes the disease.

Arthritis

A study of 58 patients using the derivatives of marijuana found they had less arthritis pain and slept better. Another review of studies concluded marijuana may help fight pain-causing inflammation.

Asthma

Studies are contradictory, but some early work suggests it reduced exercise-induced asthma. Other cell studies showed smoking marijuana could dilate human airways, but some patients experienced a tight feeling in their chests and throats. A study in mice found similar results.

Cancer

Animal studies have shown some marijuana extracts may kill certain cancer cells. Other cell studies show it may stop cancer growth, and with mice, THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, improved the impact of radiation on cancer cells. Marijuana can also prevent the nausea that often accompanies chemotherapy treatment used to treat cancer.

Chronic pain

Some animal and small human studies show that cannabinoids can have a "substantial analgesic effect." People widely used them for pain relief in the 1800s. Some medicines based on cannabis such as Sativex are being tested on multiple sclerosis patients and used to treat cancer pain. The drug has been approved in Canada and in some European countries. In another trial involving 56 human patients, scientists saw a 30% reduction in pain in those who smoked marijuana.

Crohn's disease

In a small pilot study of 13 patients watched over three months, researchers found inhaled cannabis did improve life for people suffering from ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. It helped ease people's pain, limited the frequency of diarrhea and helped with weight gain.

Epilepsy

Medical marijuana extract in early trials at the NYU Langone Medical Center showed a 50% reduction in the frequency of certain seizures in children and adults in a study of 213 patients recently.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness. Scientists have looked at THC's impact on this disease on the optic nerve and found it can lower eye pressure, but it may also lower blood pressure, which could harm the optic nerve due to a reduced blood supply. THC can also help preserve the nerves, a small study found.

Multiple sclerosis

Using marijuana or some of the chemicals in the plant may help prevent muscle spasms, pain, tremors and stiffness, according to early-stage, mostly observational studies involving animals, lab tests and a small number of human patients. The downside -- it may impair memory, according to a small study involving 20 patients.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/15/health/marijuana-medical-advances/

[GusBob]

1. I think the use of MJ in glaucoma treatment has been disproven

I believe the American Society of Glaucoma has issued the position that there are much better treatment options. MJ does lower the eye pressure, but its affect only lasts 3-4 hours which means you would have to take 6 doses a day (the pressure must be controlled on a diurnal basis, even while one is asleep). Plus there are side effects. in one study all of the patients trying the treatment of MJ stopped taking it due to side effects

Verses newer medications (drops) which you only have to take once a day and control the pressure over 24 hours with next to none side effects...... and yes, the patent has run its course on the newer meds and they are available as a generic at less cost

[Pathwalker]

2. WRONG! I take 3 different eye drops, 6, 3, and 3 times a day

for my glaucoma. One is 2 drops in 1 eye 3 times a day, 1 drop in other eye 3 times a day. One med is 1 drop 6 times a day in 1 eye. Other one is 1 drop 3 times a day.
All these drops were unsuccessful in keeping my pressures under control, so much so that one doctor was demanding that I have a stent placed in one eye, which was nixed by my other Doctor.

Then I found a CBD strain which brought them down so much they were NORMAL, not normal for a Glaucoma patient, but NORMAL. My one doctor, who demanded the stent was angry when my pressures went down, and I informed her that I was a MMJ patient, and she now only offers minimal care. The other one, who also knows I am a MMJ patient has told me to "keep doing what I'm doing because it's working! I vape off and on throughout the day, and my eyes hurt so much less, and the strain I use doesn't even have much of a buzz. So, the idea that a Glaucoma patient "only has to take one drop a day" hasn't been true for me for at least the last 5 years, and all those damned drops don't work all that well.












i

[Electric Monk]

3. I think it's interesting a doctor got angry when you found a treatment that worked.

It begs the question of why they were treating you in the first place, if not to help your condition and quality of life.

[Pathwalker]

4. It's worse than that, but I will no longer be seeing her,

because of something that happened the last time I saw her. I don't want t say what it was, but it was clearly an effort to skew the results of the pressure tests. I'm still livid. I no longer have any faith in her.

[Jesus Malverde]

7. Doctors are in the business of medicine...nt

[GusBob]

5. Thank you for your experience

And I am glad it helps you.

In some cases people have to take more than one drop it is true. my MIL was one she was on 2 different drops. And yes, there is a new surgery which is helpful. My MIL had that stent and now she takes just one drop, the generic of xalatan

But the fact is for millions of people, one drop of a prostaglandin analog works just fine

I don't mean to be argumentative and I am sorry if I upset you. I had checked into this with a family history....I was hoping to get some of that medical MJ myself.....no luck so far

[Pathwalker]

6. I have a severe case in my left eye, and I'm now blind in that eye.

That's the reason the one doctor nixed it, plus the fact that I'm diabetic. He said my eye is to weak to stand it, and that would guarantee an infection, costing me the eye itself. He was actually horrified by the idea. What works for some doesn't work for everyone. If you can ever find it, the strain "Tora Bora" is what has helped me. Good luck!

[liberal_at_heart]

8. I am so sorry your doctor doesn't support you finding a medicine that gives you normal

pressure. That is terrible. My husband's opthalmologist knows he is a MMJ patient and is very supportive. The MMJ does indeed bring his pressure down to what is considered normal for anybody not just a glaucoma patient.