IBD and Cannabis

 

Have you ever wondered if smoking weed could help you manage IBD? What are the benefits of the drug? What are the risks?  I have created this two part series to take a deeper look into IBD and cannabis use.

I will be the first to admit it.  I have smoked weed for over 12 years.  What started out as a casual habit in university.  Soon grew to be an essential part of the management of my IBD.

Throughout the years of using weed, I have learnt quite a lot.

This article will discuss the many positive attributes of marijuana for IBD, including;

 

• Pain Management
• Effects on Appetite
• Stress Relief
• Words of Caution

 

To read part two of this series, on the negative impacts of marijuana for IBD, click here.

I am not here to discuss the moral or legality issues around smoking weed.  If weed is illegal in your country, that may make it harder to get, but definitely not impossible. 

Pain Management

 

When I am in an IBD flare, my stomach feels like it is constantly spasming, churning, and hurting.  I am frequently bent over from the pain.  As soon as I take that first toke of weed, a lot of that pain goes away.

Nausea would lessen.  And that persistent feeling of having to poop would usually go away.

It’s like magic. 

For years, I had never tried anything that worked as well as smoking weed had for managing my IBD pain.

And honestly, if you are experiencing that extreme level of pain, and smoking weed helps you.  More power to you.  I would not let moral, or legal issues stand in the way of finding relief from that unbearable pain.

Smoking cannabis has helped me manage the pain after eating a meal.  And pain that I would get in the middle of the night.  It has helped bring down my overall pain levels when in an IBD flare.

 

Marijuana as an Anti-Inflammatory

 

Smoking weed has proven effective in helping people with IBD manage their symptoms.  Although the exact reason for why this happens is not well known.  It has been found that there are anti-inflammatory properties found in weed.

There have been many studies on CBD, THC and IBD. In a study on mice, CBD was found to reduce intestinal inflammation, and hypermotility (excessive movement in the digestive tract).

In Crohn’s disease patients, daily treatment with THC cannabis helped relieve disease symptoms.  And, with no significant side effects.  It also reduced the need for other medications.

Cannabis has been found to reduce inflammation, and help manage IBD symptoms.

 

Marijuana and Appetite

 

Due to IBD I have experienced extreme food aversion.  Even a fear of eating.  If I am in a flare, I fear that anything that I eat is going to send me running to the bathroom for an extremely painful BM.

Smoking weed has helped me with that.

One of the most well known ‘side effects’ of smoking weed is the munchies.  While I would never encourage someone to stuff their face with a bag of potato chips.  Smoking weed can help you to eat more healthy foods as well.

It increases appetite, and makes eating food more enjoyable.  After smoking weed you may find yourself going for seconds.  When moments before smoking weed you had strong food aversion.  This can be especially beneficial for people who are struggling with weight loss.

I have also found that smoking weed immediately after eating has positive effects.  In my experience it has reduced my need to run to the toilet after eating.  And it reduces the painful cramps that I often get after a meal.

 

Marijuana and Stress Relief

Weed can make some people feel anxious.  If this is the case for you, you may not find any stress relief from smoking weed.

For me, weed has the opposite effect.  As long as I am not in a big crowd, I find weed to be a huge stress reliever.  I can literally feel a stress-free feeling wash over me as I smoke.

I also find that at the end of a long day at work, many people use alcohol to transition into their evenings.  And wash away the stress of the day.

I do not think that alcohol is good for anyone, but especially if you have IBD.  You may find that a knock-off bowl or cannabis, or joint to be a better, healthier alternative to alcohol.  It can help you relax into your evening, and let go of the stresses from work.

 

IBD and Cannabis: Words of Caution

 

There are many things to consider if you want to smoke weed for IBD.

First, have realistic expectations.  Although weed might have anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have found that it does not induce remission. 

I think of weed as more as a way to manage symptoms, rather than a way to heal IBD.  Which definitely has merit when you are suffering from a horrible flare.

Another thing to be very cautious with is to resist the temptation to mix weed with tobacco.  I know that many people do it, but it may lead to you being addicted to tobacco.  And then you will have to deal with all of the horrible health affects of smoking tobacco.  Which is essentially a shortened life span.

If you find smoking weed too strong, and want to mix it with something.  Try pure herbal peppermint tea.  Just make sure that are no hidden additives or nasties, or tea plant – you want the herbal stuff. 

Honestly, this is delicious.  Half peppermint tea, half weed rolled up into a joint is refreshing.  And it is not more harmful than smoking anything else.  And mixing cannabis with peppermint can help reduce the ‘high feeling’ of smoking a whole joint.

If you have ever smoked weed before you know that it can affect your cognitive abilities.  It can affect your memory, concentration, and ability to complete complex tasks. 

For these reasons I have to remind you that it is not safe to drive or operate machinery while high.  And it also may be best to avoid making any big decisions while you are high.

 

If you are suffering from an IBD flare, smoking weed may help you manage your symptoms.  It is a known anti-inflammatory, with little side effects.  And has been found to reduce the need for other IBD medications.

It can increase appetite, help relieve pain, and decrease stress.  All which could be crucial in helping someone who is suffering from IBD.

Through my own cannabis use, I have found some negative effects of the plant, read more about that here.