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Pot helps cure Hepatitis C
Revenire (Scott)....I thought of you when I read this one. This should set you off:)
Medical marijuana users are more likely to finish hepatitis C treatment and so are more likely to be cured, according to a newly published study conducted in San Francisco and Oakland.
Other studies have shown marijuana relieves symptoms, but medical marijuana advocates said this could be the first to show improved cure rates for a life-threatening illness.
The study is by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and the Oakland-based Organization to Achieve Solutions in Substance Abuse (OASIS). It was published in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. It found marijuana users being treated for HCV three times more likely to have a "sustained virological response," meaning the virus can't be detected six months after treatment ends.
HCV treatment with ribavirin and interferon causes severe side effects, so many patients quit the long regimen too early.
Of 71 HCV patients studied, 21 finished with a sustained virological response: 12 of the 22 cannabis users and nine of the 49 nonusers.
"Modest" cannabis use may offer symptomatic and virological benefit to some patients... by helping them maintain adherence to the challenging medication regimen," the study concluded.
Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., issued a news release touting this as "a landmark study, showing that medical marijuana can literally save lives. Every day that our government continues punishing the sick for u
Medical marijuana users are more likely to finish hepatitis C treatment and so are more likely to be cured, according to a newly published study conducted in San Francisco and Oakland.
Other studies have shown marijuana relieves symptoms, but medical marijuana advocates said this could be the first to show improved cure rates for a life-threatening illness.
The study is by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and the Oakland-based Organization to Achieve Solutions in Substance Abuse (OASIS). It was published in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. It found marijuana users being treated for HCV three times more likely to have a "sustained virological response," meaning the virus can't be detected six months after treatment ends.
HCV treatment with ribavirin and interferon causes severe side effects, so many patients quit the long regimen too early.
Of 71 HCV patients studied, 21 finished with a sustained virological response: 12 of the 22 cannabis users and nine of the 49 nonusers.
"Modest" cannabis use may offer symptomatic and virological benefit to some patients... by helping them maintain adherence to the challenging medication regimen," the study concluded.
Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., issued a news release touting this as "a landmark study, showing that medical marijuana can literally save lives. Every day that our government continues punishing the sick for u
Well, that was a nice post. I legally grow my own from seed to harvest. In fact, I can grow twice what I do b/I have a small raised garden and like the peppers and tomatoes too.
Contrary to popular thought, smoking medical marijuana on tx or w/ a badly damaged liver does not produce the 'munchies.' I still have no appitite and even if I did, junk food-esp dairy-would be the last thing I want.
People don't get high, people get by w/o harmful 'helper' drugs. I've posted several times that almost all my fellow heppers do cl and have a svr. Organics all the way!
5yrs and 2 days ago I had a major esophageal bleed and almost died-saw the 'white light' and saw my body below me. The Doc said I won't make it thru the night! Fooled 'em.
2 wks later I was dx w/hep c-2b. End stage liver disease. 6 mos @ the most...too sick to tx. Well, I found a Doc who would tx me and a program S-P's Commetment to Care-to pay for the tx. no insurance.
I cl'd in 2 wks and fin tx 4 yrs ago. I smoked evryday. now its less and only after yoga and weight training, etc. kinda like 'happy hour' and also I still have no appetitie.
B/the moral is I'm alive 5 yrs after a major event that claims 90% of the victims w/in 5yrs-the bleed-and a 37yrs old hep c infection. So pot can't be all bad or I would be dead.
Contrary to popular thought, smoking medical marijuana on tx or w/ a badly damaged liver does not produce the 'munchies.' I still have no appitite and even if I did, junk food-esp dairy-would be the last thing I want.
People don't get high, people get by w/o harmful 'helper' drugs. I've posted several times that almost all my fellow heppers do cl and have a svr. Organics all the way!
5yrs and 2 days ago I had a major esophageal bleed and almost died-saw the 'white light' and saw my body below me. The Doc said I won't make it thru the night! Fooled 'em.
2 wks later I was dx w/hep c-2b. End stage liver disease. 6 mos @ the most...too sick to tx. Well, I found a Doc who would tx me and a program S-P's Commetment to Care-to pay for the tx. no insurance.
I cl'd in 2 wks and fin tx 4 yrs ago. I smoked evryday. now its less and only after yoga and weight training, etc. kinda like 'happy hour' and also I still have no appetitie.
B/the moral is I'm alive 5 yrs after a major event that claims 90% of the victims w/in 5yrs-the bleed-and a 37yrs old hep c infection. So pot can't be all bad or I would be dead.
I mainly put this one up as bait for Revenire....although I can see where smoking weed could take the edge off of tx.
Likewise I've read the data about fibrosis advancement with daily pot smoking.
Likewise I've read the data about fibrosis advancement with daily pot smoking.
I can't smoke pot...can you just IMAGINE how much ice cream I would eat? My God forget about HepC my arteries would just close up shop and move downtown!
Since I use ice cream to take the edge off - man oh MAN it would be bad.
I wish I could though...It sure might make treatment more fun! :)
Since I use ice cream to take the edge off - man oh MAN it would be bad.
I wish I could though...It sure might make treatment more fun! :)
Ice cream might be the least damaging of what I might woof down to take care of the munchy attack.
Gut bomb city is what came to mind as I read Mike's post.
Gut bomb city is what came to mind as I read Mike's post.
It's ironic that this post took place today. The doctor's office called not 20 minutes ago telling me my liver has improved to the point that it is very stable. This is after over-dosing on Infergen.
I never smoked Medical Marijuana before this last treatment. I had reoccurring problems with post tx, but as of now, my recovery seems speedier and I may have to contribute this to Medical Marijuana.
As for getting "high", that's not at all what I use it for, and not what the doctor prescribed it for. As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I take two hits when I'm ready to go to sleep. I don't take any during the day, as I don't want to be foggy in my thoughts and plans.
Although many may disagree, I would imagine that after all my poor liver went through in the last very brutal treatment, it would have made matters much worse if Medical Marijuana would have caused a greater problem. Quite the contrary, the liver is very stable now (thank you God), and there is only a slight platelet low count, of which the doctor is not concerned about. He does want me to have more blood work in a month to see where that is going.
I'm borderline vegetarian, and not eating meat except 3-4 times per year may have precipitated the low count. I'm not sure. At any rate, if I was positive that Medical Marijuana was harmful to the liver, I would stop immediately, as I did with booze...
Magnum
I never smoked Medical Marijuana before this last treatment. I had reoccurring problems with post tx, but as of now, my recovery seems speedier and I may have to contribute this to Medical Marijuana.
As for getting "high", that's not at all what I use it for, and not what the doctor prescribed it for. As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I take two hits when I'm ready to go to sleep. I don't take any during the day, as I don't want to be foggy in my thoughts and plans.
Although many may disagree, I would imagine that after all my poor liver went through in the last very brutal treatment, it would have made matters much worse if Medical Marijuana would have caused a greater problem. Quite the contrary, the liver is very stable now (thank you God), and there is only a slight platelet low count, of which the doctor is not concerned about. He does want me to have more blood work in a month to see where that is going.
I'm borderline vegetarian, and not eating meat except 3-4 times per year may have precipitated the low count. I'm not sure. At any rate, if I was positive that Medical Marijuana was harmful to the liver, I would stop immediately, as I did with booze...
Magnum
I don't think anything like pot will hurt you, when done in moderation.
Pass that over ;)
Pass that over ;)
Perhaps T injections is what got you into this little predicament? Just a thought.
For others it might have been crank or horse. Smoking and/or snorting T was more than enough for me in my haymaking days. But I never really was big on the hals.
I even knew a few who injected Angel dust, if you can imagine that. Of course one of them was hauled away in a white jacket when he sat on the school corner watching the space ships with aliens landing in the parking lot. I guess the boyz in blue weren't able to see the little green men as well as he could.
For others it might have been crank or horse. Smoking and/or snorting T was more than enough for me in my haymaking days. But I never really was big on the hals.
I even knew a few who injected Angel dust, if you can imagine that. Of course one of them was hauled away in a white jacket when he sat on the school corner watching the space ships with aliens landing in the parking lot. I guess the boyz in blue weren't able to see the little green men as well as he could.
Don't miss "Hemp vs. Hep, The Battle Royal of the year".
I could understand it helping with sx's, but a cure I would have trouble accepting as the residue of hemp consumption would seem to be some of the toxins our liver is supposed to filter out.
I could understand it helping with sx's, but a cure I would have trouble accepting as the residue of hemp consumption would seem to be some of the toxins our liver is supposed to filter out.
Thanks. I was hoping for a bigger rise out of you but you're commentary was very funny.
Does George Bush have ED?
Hope you're well,
Mike
Does George Bush have ED?
Hope you're well,
Mike
i quit smoking pot around 5 yrs ago but after reading this i called my old dealer and ordered an oz to help get me through tx. hehe
The key word in several of your posts is "moderation". Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) it's not for me. I'll have to stick with the "unhealthy" helpers, if anything at all.
I was an alcoholic and drug addict for many years. Now that God was kind enough to remove both desires from me back in '79, I would feel rather foolish tempting myself once again with MJ, legal or not.
Those of you who are fortunate enough to not have addictive personalities ... go for it. It's a lot more natural than what I would have to take I reckon (I didn't have to do pain relievers) - you go guys!!
I was an alcoholic and drug addict for many years. Now that God was kind enough to remove both desires from me back in '79, I would feel rather foolish tempting myself once again with MJ, legal or not.
Those of you who are fortunate enough to not have addictive personalities ... go for it. It's a lot more natural than what I would have to take I reckon (I didn't have to do pain relievers) - you go guys!!
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/90510686/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
If you're going to dive into eating ice cream, you owe it to yourself to try Ben & Jerry's Wavy Gravy... WOW!
Hopefully you can still find it. Oh, don't forget to say goodbye to your diet...
Magnum
Hopefully you can still find it. Oh, don't forget to say goodbye to your diet...
Magnum
Ha all, I don't use pot much, but when the sx's get real extreme , it helps alot.
Like anything , ya over do it , your most likely to get some adverse effects.
Like anything , ya over do it , your most likely to get some adverse effects.
My doctor tells me no weed, and they test for it here at Kaiser. I don't know if -- should they find cannabis in your blood -- they can deny treatment, but I'm afraid to test that empirically, so i'm abstaining for now. That said, I've read articles about the French study of 211 pot-smoking subjects who suffered increased fibrosis. Their average pot consumption was something like 76 joints a month, or over two a day. That's an incredible amount of weed. What about people like me who take two tokes to go to sleep and maybe two or three times a week take three tokes to get a bit light headed during the day? Will that kind of comsumption cause increased fibrosis? Why do scientists always study the effects of a substance by giving their subjects (or buinea pigs) phenomenally large amounts of the substance? It reminds me of when a wonderful artificial sweetener, cyclamate, was removed from sale because mice given the equivalent of a semi-truckful of cyclamates (according to The Chicago Daily News) got cancer. What about a can or two of Diet Coke? Never studied that.
I believe in the medical use of weed...all the other uses are different topics to me and need to be addressed differently...
and of course moderation is the answer even if its use is medical....I should think....or then you do get into different areas where maybe it could cause worsening fibrosis, as some studies indicate...so much of this stuff is, again, educated speculation based on control studies and statistical analysis...
and of course moderation is the answer even if its use is medical....I should think....or then you do get into different areas where maybe it could cause worsening fibrosis, as some studies indicate...so much of this stuff is, again, educated speculation based on control studies and statistical analysis...
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