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145315 tn?1192237513

Marijuana and Depression

Has anyone tried marijuana to help with feelings of depression? Can it be harmful to one while on treatment. I haven't smoked in 10 years, but the way I've been feeling lately, I've been thinking about it. It use to make me laugh alot. I just finish shot 7 and I actually don't feel bad at this time, but there's tomorrow. Has anyone's face gotten smaller during treatment. Thanks All. baw
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29837 tn?1414534648
This is where I bought mine... This person is used to dealing with people on Medical Marijuana and he is very dependable and helpful... I believe the one I bought is called Vapir 1

877-892-8405   (Vaporizers - Seller is Aje (pronounced age)

Good luck,

Magnum
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Where do i find a Vaporizer? I've only been on the peg ala 2 + ribavirin for 5 days . I'm having the depression side effects already. Hope it dose not get worse. Doc suggest lexapro , read the side effects not for me ! My friend who went thru chemo said the MJ was a good anti depress for her . Just do not want to add any other smoke like paper in the body . What is a vaporizer and where do i get one . Thanks jjhcv
Helpful - 0
29837 tn?1414534648
Man oh man, this is one long thread as usual when it comes to Marijuana questions here. Funny about this post. Just yesterday, I had my Gastro fill in the paperwork for my yearly renewal of my Medical Marijuana Card. Here's what he said...

"Some studies are showing that Marijuana can accelerate liver scarring, but it is not completely proven".

He signed to document. What this tells me, is that if he was "positive" this was harmful, he would not have signed it.

Here's something else... I smoke it with a Vaporizer. This GREATLY reduces the toxins down to about 24 as compared to hundreds if you smoke it in paper or even a pipe. If you're truly interested, look on the Internet and get a vaporizer. My doctor recommends it strongly. I have two good hits before going to bed and it helps me get a great night's sleep. I will admit, it sometimes does make me somewhat paranoid, but the feeling is temporary at best...

Magnum
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Just an FYI I asked one of the top hepatologist in the country if not the world and he said he would rather see me smoke pot than use AD's. Also that study was 9 joints a day could cause the 7 times fibrosis. If you are smoking that much you have bigger issues. Any I smoke a little at the end of tx, no other helpers and I'm still clear. Good luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'll trade ya, one earthquake, for one hurricane, or one tornado??  Seriously though, I think every state has it's pluses and minuses.  There's no perfect state as far as that stuff goes.  Lot's of people say, "oh, I want to move to FL" and then, once they get down here and have to go through a busy hurricane season, a lot of people get the heebee geebees.  I've grown up here, so I've never known anything different.  I'm of the way where I just batten down the hatches, have my hurricane supplies in hand and hide out in the bathroom during the worst of it.  But, then, again, I don't live directly on the beachside, I'm about a 15-20 minute ride inland.

Susan
Helpful - 0
475300 tn?1312423126
I had pot here in case I needed it but only smoked a few hits out of a dug-out / one hitter.  My bro grows this stuff that I could never imagine smoking 2 whole joints of.  2 puffs is all a 20 plus year nonsmoker can handle.  I learmed a few things from him about growing the stuff, one thing is you gotta watch for the males (they have balls, no kidding) and pull them or you get tons of seeds.  He also swears by M G but also digs into the aged horse poo pile.  I personally don't really like stuff anymore but I say if it helps, why not?  

P.S. I love the smell of the stuff when he hangs it, I could sit there all day

Denise
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks. Mike
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I use to smoke a lot when I was younger and had a good time with it.  I know I am pretty much freaked in the head about having HepC but I actually stopped smoking after finding out I had HepC as I started to have REALLY bad paranoid feelings and anxiety about dying when I smoked and I couldn't make it stop and worried something in my brain was gonna snap.  This had never happened before.  So it pretty much wasn't much fun anymore so I just stopped.  I feel to stay sane and in control with everything substance abuse is not a help.  But that's just me.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
merryBe, it's really important that you cite your sources when you make statements like this, please.

Here is a link to a recent study that cites the impact of marijuana use and it DOES cite the 7-fold figure, however, that is for DAILY cannabis use, not just any old marijuana use.  The study recommends that persons with HCV do not use cannabis DAILY but stopped short of saying it should not be used at all.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128140840.htm

I think if you take a few puffs here and there and it helps you combat debilitating depression or side effects enough to stay on treatment and cure your HCV, that can be a good thing if that is the only thing that works for you or the most effective thing that works for you and it becomes the difference between getting through treatment or not.

It's clear it's not exactly harmless but it's entirely related to usage levels and it's obvious it has some benefits or I think the results of the study would have called for no marijuana use at all and it didn't. Just my own take on that information.

Trish

Helpful - 0
451988 tn?1209911825
i smoked a few joints down at the beach between w22 and w24 of 48; was great, helped a lot, really; lot less sideeffects; got back to NYC, stopped smoking, my thyroid function went into the ditch and had severe anxiety attacks; so now i am on two pills a day more, of all things;whether i should keep smoking or should have never smoked at all who knows....smoking pot is linked to steatosis or whatever it is called, fatty liver, i guess, so it is a counterindication duringtx; anyway.....
ciao
Helpful - 0
387294 tn?1207620185
I too wonder where you get this fact.  I have read differing information on this, but never 7 times.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
What is your source for that information - 7 fold fibrosis progression?
I would really be interested in the study or article or whatever on which you base that statement.
Mike
Helpful - 0
233616 tn?1312787196
pot has been shown to cause liver fibrosis at 7 times greater the normal rate in clinical studies where all other  factors are rules out.

the question of being happier during treatment needs to be weighed against destroying ones liver 7 times quicker therefore.
Helpful - 0
334847 tn?1206530240
I don't know if anyone here has been following the story on Tim Garon out in Seattle where docs can prescribe medical marijuana.   If not, and since this post is about smoking it to relief discomfort  (or whether or not it can be "harmful")  you might be interested in seeing this.  

http://tinyurl.com/4l4op2

And this

http://tinyurl.com/4qw4om

I'm not posting this to push a cause, but I do think that everyone with Hep C should know about what happened to Tim Garon.  So in that respect, I guess I am pushing a cause.  

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have hepatis c and chirrosis and have esphogeal varicies, encephalogaphy, extreme weight and muscle loss and need a liver transplant. I asked my gastroenteroligist about medical marijuana to help with my appetite, depression and anxiety. he said that it was illegal here in texas and that if i did use it, it would automatically disqualify me from a chance to get on the liver transplant list. take care and good luck.
John
Helpful - 0
163305 tn?1333668571
I haven't done AD's during my 8 months of tx but I did use medipot.   I don't think it works for depression if the underlying causes are severe and haven't been dealt with. It sure did help me with tx.    And where I live it is legal to grow your own medicinal.
     Shhhhhh!!!!!! The government is trying to quietly let the tobacco companies come in and take control. Make it corporate and it will magically become legal
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I remember an old adage, "if it feels good do it" I also remember "garbage in, garbage out" If you do it and it helps GREAT. If it doesnt, Your just a pot head.  HHHHHM, Something to think about if the fog dont mess up your thinking.

triggertime
keepdafaith&don4get2giggle
Helpful - 0
29837 tn?1414534648
That may be. Remember when everyone was saying how caffeine was so bad for you? Now, 1 cup per day can help prevent Cirrhosis. Check the internet for this finding: 4 cups per day of coffee will lessen an alcoholic's chance of getting Cirrhosis by 85%. Go figure. What's bad one day, is good the next. You can cite many things, but the bottom line is that everything affects everyone differently. As I said, the debate rages...

Magnum
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
There are anxiety and fibroitic issues to consider. jm
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I've been smoking on and off since college in the 60's, especially when insomnia hits.  The arguments pro and con are infinite.  What bugs me is that all the negative findings seem to be based on people who smoke 2 or 3 joints daily!  (Back in the day I had a boyfriend who did that - his favorite movie was Easy Rider, and he was semi-functional.)  What about people who smoke 2 or 3 puffs a day?  Nobody has studied that, but I figure it's probably healthier for your lungs not to smoke, and healthier for your psyche to take a toke.  Who knows?  I'm an old hippy, so if it feels good, do it.  Anything that gets you through treatment in one piece.
Helpful - 0
29837 tn?1414534648
I smoked during my Kent State U. era in the 60's, along with the college professors, then stopped for many years. I started up again two years ago because of my persistent Insomnia. I have a Medical Marijuana Card and have literally two hits before going to sleep. It helps.

Now... just a few days ago, the Hepatologist said three tests have shown marijuana to accelerate Hepatitis C. Well now, two years later, I still have the same ALT and AST readings and as far as the hepatologist is concerned, I have not progressed in my disease.

This raging opinion from both sides will never die. As for "curing" depression. I feel it's an individual thing. when I was going to college and smoking, I was very paranoid and at times depressed. Now, very little paranoia and depression. Otherwise, it's up to you... Happy dreams...

Magnum
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I also use med mj I know for myself if I use alot or shall we say over medicate I get lethargic and fat. If I use my head and use mj reasonably and responsibly It's helps to calm me and relieve muscle and joint tension. If I over medicate It also increases joint pain.

Besides the mj topic, I am interested in alternative medicine for the treatment of Hepatitis C. I have done some research, then today I had a tele conference with a doctor from UCDavis for an experimental program they are doing. Disqualified. I spoke with him about alternative med. Being from Europe he was somewhat positive but said ther is no qualified research on the subject so would not recomend other than milk thistle. Does anyone have facts on this subject.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
puff,puff...ahhh-chase dem blues away...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
it takes a foreigner to teach us a new variation of USA's favorite word!  I have used it once, at least.  BS does not have the same impact.
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