Posts Tagged ‘GERD’

Tired of Side Effects of Prednisone? Try Cannabis

Posted By Dr. Sean Breen on March 27th, 2010

As medical director for medical cannabis of southern california I often evaluate patients who take regular high doses of prednisone.  Prednisone is the atomic bomb for inflammatory conditions such as crohns, ulcerative colitis, sever asthma and many other medical conditions.   Unfortunately it’s effects do not come without significant side effects.  Many patients can get relief of these side effects by using cannabis.

Typically patients who have to take prednisone experience sleeping irregularities, abdominal pain and bloating, appetite issues, nervousness and restlessness.  Many times it can cause an acute and temporary psychosis.   Prolonged use can cause weight gain, headaches, muscle pain and severe restlessness.

Unfortunately many patients who take prednisone have few other options.

ENTER CANNABIS.

Patients who use cannabis to combat some the more common side effects of prednisone typically respond and do much better.  In addition, because cannabinoids have anti-inflammatory properties it can relieve the inflammation and decrease the amount of prednisone that patients have to use.

I recently followed up with a 42 women with severe colitis (inflammation of the digestive tract) who within 6 months was able to stop her use of prednisone completely!  She is sleeping better, has an increased appetite (she was losing weight secondary to not eating…not good) and has less abdominal pain and indigestion.

This is common with many patients that I evaluate.  If you or someone you know is taking prednisone regularly and would like an evaluation to see if cannabis can help please feel free to contact my office at 877-721-0047 and schedule an appointment.

Be blessed and have a great day!

Dr. Breen, Medical Director www.MCSoCal.com

Posted in disease treatment
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Marijuana (Cannabis) and Cystic Fibrosis; A Case Study

Posted By Dr. Sean Breen on October 24th, 2009

Just yesterday I evaluated a 19 year old male patient who was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis.   He and his mother came in to see me because he had used cannabis in the past to specifically treat the heart burn and joint pain that he suffered on a daily basis.   In addition he claimed that when he inhaled cannabis into his lungs using a vaporizer it helped to clear out some of the mucus that patients develop on a regular basis.   He wanted to see if becoming a medical marijuana patient was possible.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that effects 1/4000 newborns in the United States.   The main defect in patients with cystic fibrosis is in a protein that regulates chloride transport across the cell membrane.   The result is that CF patients produce large amounts of mucus in the lungs and pancreas leading to difficulty breathing and poor digestion.  It is typically diagnosed when newborns fail to grow properly or when children have breathing difficulties early on in life.  The average life expectancy is 38 years.

This 19 y/o patient uses numerous medications to loosen the mucus secretions in his airways.   At the time of my evaluation he was being treated for active tuberculosis which is not uncommon in patients with CF.  Because of the thickened mucus in his airways, bacteria typically can grow without an appropriate immune response.    All of these medications that he was taking was causing nausea, GERD, lack of appetite and joint pain.  For his pain he was prescribed oxycontin and given trazodone to help him sleep. His mother was concerned about the high addictive properties in opiate narcotics and wanted her son off them.

Cannabis was an excellent supplement to his medication regimen.  He will be able to stop taking oxycontin for pain.   He will be able to eliminate the trazodone for sleep.  In addition his appetite will certainly improve and his GERD symptoms should be reduced greatly.  As his mother explained to me in my office, “when he uses cannabis his quality of life improves.”   If that is the goldstandard for prescribing a medication then certainly this is a case where you can easily make an argument for medical cannabis.

If you would like to visit with Dr. Breen to see if cannabis can help you with your illness simply visit our website at www.MCSoCal.com and pre-qualify for free online.   Or call 877-721-0047.  We have clinic locations in Encinitas, Long Beach and Irvine.

Posted in disease treatment
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