Posts Tagged ‘crohn’s disease’

Medical Marijuana (Cannabis) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohns Disease, Ulcerative Colitis; An Alternative Treatment

Posted By Dr. Sean Breen on June 23rd, 2010

Today in Irvine I took care of 2 patients who were suffering from  Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis that were using medical marijuana to help control their symptoms.    Primarily they stated the cannabis reduces abdominal cramping, decreases diarrhea and decreased the amount of “flare ups” that they had in the past 12 months.

Many patients are unaware that cannabinoids (the medically active ingredients in the plant)  have anti-inflammatory properties in addition to having analgesic properties.  At it’s roots Inflammatory Bowel Disease is caused by inflammation in the walls of the large and small intestines.   Essentially immune cells congregate and cause inflammation which leads to its symptoms of cramping, diarrhea, nausea, anorexia etc.

Typically patients are treated medically with drugs that block the inflammatory response.   Mesalamine, corticosteroids and immune modulators all essentially do the same thing which is reduce inflammation.  However many of these medications have unwanted side effects and patients need “something else” to help them.

IBD effects a very high percentage of the population. It can be extremely debilitating and often times leads to early death.   Many patients have to have portions of their intestines removed because the inflammation is so severe.

I have found in my practice that patients who supplement with cannabis have better control of their symptoms.  They require less corticosteroids (like prednisone), have less hospitalizations, trips to their doctor and have a healthier appetite.     Once patients get used to vaporizing the cannabis they realize that they can incorporate it into their treatment regimen with ease.

If you or someone you know is suffering from IBD, Crohns or Ulcerative Colitis and would like more information to see if cannabis can improve the quality of your life feel free to give us a call at 877-721-0047 . You can also pre-qualify for free by visiting our website at www.mcsocal.com

Be blessed,

Dr. Breen

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Alternative Treatments for Crohn’s Disease; Marijuana (Cannabis)

Posted By admin on October 15th, 2009

As medical director for Medical Cannabis of Southern California I often evaluate patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.  Let me discuss a case that I had yesterday.

A 34 y/o female presented with a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease c/o frequent abdominal cramping, loose stools and a lack of appetite.  She was diagnosed in her late teens and has been suffering for many years.   She came to me in desperation because none of the treatments her gastroenterologist has recommended have been effective.   She was placed on prednisone for 10 years and “went insane”.  In addition  she experienced severe edema (water retention) which made “me puff up like a baloon”.  She could not tolerate methotrexate (which is a immune modulator) during periods of remission.   In addition she also has chronic intermittent knee and elbow pain which is common with patients with Crohn’s disease.

She said she made an appointment to come into my office because her father in law was a medical cannabis patient and had her try some of his medication during an episode with severe nausea and abdominal cramping.   Her response was “amazing”.  She stated it almost instantly alleviated her abdominal cramping and her nausea vanished. She was so encouraged by the results that she decided to give it a try a few more times with consistent results.  The great thing about it sas that it also improved her appetite and helped her sleep.

Crohn’s disease is a disorder where the bodies immune system attacks the cells on the lining of the intestinal tract causing ulcers.   It typically occurs in the teens and 20’s and then has a increase in recurrence in patients in their 50-70’s.  It is characterized by severe nausea, abdominal cramping and loose stools (bloody or watery).  Because it is an immune disorder it can also attack the joints causing joint pain, the skin causing various skin lesions and the eyes.   There is no treatment that can cure crohn’s disease so doctors focus on treating the patients symptoms.  Typically anti-inflammatory medications are given including corticosteroids.  Immune modulators like methotrexate are often given during periods of remission.   If serious complications occur (bowel narrowing, fistuals or full thickness ulceration) sometimes surgery is necessary.

Cannabis is a great alternative and complimentary treatment for patients with crohn’s disease.  It has shown to eliminate nausea, reduce abdominal cramping and also increase patients appetites.  It can also reduce the amount of loose stools patients suffer from during the day.   The great thing is that it is very well tolerated and has minimal side effects.  it is not toxic to any of the major organ systems and if vaporized (vs smoked) it does not affect a patients lungs.  It is certainly worth trying for patients who suffer with this terribly debilitating disease.

For more information please visit our website at www.mcsocal.com and pre-qualify for free online from the comfort of your home.  We have clinic locations in Long Beach, Irvine and Encinitas (San Diego)

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