Aa
effects of smoking marijuana and being diabetic
Hi
I am new here and i hope i am not breaking any rules but my question ia about what effects smoking pot (marijuana) will have on my son (20yrs old) who is diabetic. I am not 100% sure that he is doing this but am sure he has tried it at least once and i want to be able to give him all the correct information about the dangers he is putting himself in before i speak with him about this.
Of course there is the effects which will happen whether he had diabeties or not but i would be grateful for any advice which anyone may have on this subject.
I am new here and i hope i am not breaking any rules but my question ia about what effects smoking pot (marijuana) will have on my son (20yrs old) who is diabetic. I am not 100% sure that he is doing this but am sure he has tried it at least once and i want to be able to give him all the correct information about the dangers he is putting himself in before i speak with him about this.
Of course there is the effects which will happen whether he had diabeties or not but i would be grateful for any advice which anyone may have on this subject.
I am 58 and have had diabetes since the age of 12. At the age of 19 I smoked my first joint and thousands since then. Without a doubt, marijuana has saved my eyesight after 31 years of glaucoma.
I'm a 50 yr old man. 3yrs with diabetes,out of work(just finshed phlebotomy course) stoped smoking marijuana to pass job pretest. Now my metforman give me the runs five, six times a day and dry heavs. Normal side efficts. BS 300+ all the time. When smoking aways under 200. I think smoking helped with the sideeffits. Even after night of hard munchies was lower than now. Eating less now than then. Feet hurt all the time, more at night. YES I think marijuana helps MY diabetes.
I am a 30 year old 195lb male i play tennis i exercise way more than most.
I smoked pot off and on from 19 to 27 years old some time very heavey like an all day type of thing. When i was 27 i was playing tennis every day before work, I was working a desk job 50 hours a week and was smoking on break at work, one day in august of 2007 I got very sick and since that day, I had burning in my stomach and a head ach for three years, one year after i got sick my thyroid went out and now i have insulin resistance i know that the reason all of this happened is because i was smoking marijuana, i have never smoked a cigarret in my life, i don't drink at all, and my kidneys are not working very well because i smoked pot so anyone that says smoking pot is okay is nuts, it has ruined my life at a young age i hate the way i feel, and i here about you people saying that marijuana is not bad, it is just as bad as smoking or drinking in my opinion, i think it gives the best high but i have not smoked for 3 years now and i wish i would have never had, i probley won't live as long as i would like because of marijuana and that is sad, if you smoke anything that person is going to get diabetes because are food is full of sugar, i don't look like a diabetic but i have insulin resistance right now and an a1c of 5.1 right now.
a good fasting insulin level of 9 but my post meal at one hour is 70, right now my blood sugars are good but my kidney are not working the best my gfr is 45. So all you people who are fooling your self about marijuana thinking it is okay, better stop diabetes is a bad disease and i am going to do every thing now to get it but i have been told i will have it with in 5 years, i just hope my kidney can hold up, so please stop saying marijuana is okay. God bless you all
I smoked pot off and on from 19 to 27 years old some time very heavey like an all day type of thing. When i was 27 i was playing tennis every day before work, I was working a desk job 50 hours a week and was smoking on break at work, one day in august of 2007 I got very sick and since that day, I had burning in my stomach and a head ach for three years, one year after i got sick my thyroid went out and now i have insulin resistance i know that the reason all of this happened is because i was smoking marijuana, i have never smoked a cigarret in my life, i don't drink at all, and my kidneys are not working very well because i smoked pot so anyone that says smoking pot is okay is nuts, it has ruined my life at a young age i hate the way i feel, and i here about you people saying that marijuana is not bad, it is just as bad as smoking or drinking in my opinion, i think it gives the best high but i have not smoked for 3 years now and i wish i would have never had, i probley won't live as long as i would like because of marijuana and that is sad, if you smoke anything that person is going to get diabetes because are food is full of sugar, i don't look like a diabetic but i have insulin resistance right now and an a1c of 5.1 right now.
a good fasting insulin level of 9 but my post meal at one hour is 70, right now my blood sugars are good but my kidney are not working the best my gfr is 45. So all you people who are fooling your self about marijuana thinking it is okay, better stop diabetes is a bad disease and i am going to do every thing now to get it but i have been told i will have it with in 5 years, i just hope my kidney can hold up, so please stop saying marijuana is okay. God bless you all
*long message!*
I would like to make a few clarifications here if I may. I am a 24 year old male, a school drop-out, and DAFNE graduate, who was diagnosed with IDDM at 9 months of age, although was ill from about 3 months. I have been smoking cannabis for 6 years as of this month and started out recreationally, but now use it to help control my diabetes and balance out my very up-and-down depression (diagnosed at 13 years), as well as for a recreational relaxant. I would say my use has been consistent although I've had many breaks ranging from just a couple of days and up to 6 months. Here, I would like to disregard (at least partially) some of the statements, and yet support others, previously made about cannabis and 'the munchies' affecting blood sugar levels.
Cannabis DOES cause a minor drop in sugar levels, however this drop isn't particularly detrimental. I usually notice a *maximum* drop (emphasis on maximum!!) of 2-3mmol/L (approx. 35-55mg/dl), about the same as 1 unit of fast-acting insulin. If your sugars are measuring 5.0mmol/L (90mg/dl) at the time you light up, then you will likely notice the onset of a hypo soon afterwards. This effect is soon reversed naturally by the body, although I feel more comfortable having a plain biscuit or two just to steady myself if this is the case. The trick is to know what your sugars are doing first; if they're high then you can get high (go for a run first though, you'll feel too lazy after you've smoked!), if they're heading towards low then consider having a snack first. Aside from this it shouldn't cause any complications, and most diabetic cannabis smokers report that it actually helps regulate their blood sugar levels. This is supported in many research papers from various scientists across the world.
Which leads me onto 'the munchies'... This effect is directly caused by this drop in sugar levels and is also recorded in non-diabetic cannabis smokers. However, I would say the effect of the munchies itself is more psychological, and merely triggered by the sugar drop. This can be a problem for diabetics, although it is easily controlled with a little willpower or simply by eating fruit, meat products or other low-carb, non-fatty foods instead of scoffing a whole pack of Hob Nobs or 12 happy meals (why would you want to eat ONE happy meal? Ugh!)
I've never needed to adjust my eating or my insulin to fit around my use of cannabis, with the exception of a snack beforehand or shortly afterward if my blood is low, which would happen regardless anyway. As long as you are sensible, cannabis can be the most effective compliment to insulin you will ever use for diabetes treatment.
A quick scout around on Google or Wikipedia will provide vast amounts of information on the beneficial effects of cannabis on the later complications caused by diabetes. It contributes to lowering blood pressure, preventing glaucoma and retinopathy, and easing the pain caused by diabetic neuropathy as well as calming twitches caused by RLS.
I'd like to add my knowledge of drugs and diabetes here, as nobody on the internet appears to have bothered thus far. I will be concentrating on the warnings and negatives, rather than the positives. Its not my place to 'recommend' a particular drug. My advice may not work for everyone, and others may have completely different experiences to me, so consider this a warning: DO NOT TAKE DRUGS WITHOUT SUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE. ALWAYS talk to a doctor first, and be sure you are supervised by *TRUSTED* friends and able to reach medical facilities at all times. Beforehand, prepare snacks and sandwiches, sugary and non-sugar drinks, have some honey on stand-by just in case, low-sugar/carb food to just munch out on, take all necessary precautions. So, with that cleared up, here is what little information I can offer:
Alcohol - Contains and bonds with sugar, which is easily absorbed by the body. Especially when combining spirits with mixers, this leads to a well-known bouncing effect where blood sugars shoot up, and then drop down again very quickly. This can be particularly dangerous and contributes to many diabetic complications. Eat a good carby meal before you drink that releases energy across a period of a few hours (pasta, jacket potatoes etc). And snack before sleeping!
Cocaine - I know very little about this as my least-used drug, but it appears to make blood sugars go higher, although I am unsure of the hows and whys. The 'buzz' is short-lived thus I assume the same for its effect on diabetes, however as I said, I know very little here.
Speed - I've never used amphetamine, although from reading various research papers I'm fairly sure of how it works. It is a stimulant that provides an energetic high by releasing the entirety of your liver's reserves of glycogen. Obviously, this will send blood sugars skyrocketing and they'll probably stay this way for a few hours, causing lots of sickness and possible ketoacidosis. However, what will your body support itself on once that glycogen has been burned off? Cue a very severe hypo. Make a wise choice and avoid this drug. Also note that many speed users cannot eat for hours, sometimes even days, after taking it.
Caffeine - A very common drug that almost all people take regularly, including myself. Caffeine has been shown to cause greater insulin efficiency in non-diabetics, however it has the opposite effect on people with diabetes! Caffeine also makes you stressed (jitters, anyone?) which can also push sugar levels up. This is particularly dangerous when combined with lots of sugar in my favourite drink and worst enemy: Coca-Cola.
MDMA (Ecstasy) - Another that I have only used a few times, this tends to send your sugars upward somewhat, although every time I took it I was halfway between paranoia and normal concern that I would drop down at some point, so I had a small portion of chips and a little insulin to balance out, and my concerns diminished every time. For the most part though, this seems more of a 'head' than a 'body' drug, and even though it can last up to 8 hours, I didn't have any problems apart from my blood sugars going up. I'm led to believe that ecstasy is a member of the amphetamine family so I would strongly advise caution even though I personally had no problems.
San Pedro Cactus - This plant has been used for thousands of years to facilitate vision quests and psychedelic experiences, however it could be potentially fatal to a diabetic. A particular chemical contained in these cacti hypersensitises the body to insulin. Due to this I have never taken it, however its effect is obvious, a possibly very severe hypo. In non-diabetic users, this may explain where the 'out-of-body' type vision originates.
Magic Mushrooms - Now this appears to be a totally 'head' high, I've taken them a good few times and never had any trouble. However I advise caution with hallucinogens as you are highly likely to forget that you even need to eat dinner, let alone test your blood, take insulin, have a snack or what-have-you. Sometimes I've gone 14 hours without eating, other times I've grazed constantly, every time I've been okay. I strongly recommend supervision however as although you're still 'there', you're probably going to be more interested in how the wind is changing the shape of the clouds than what your blood sugars are doing!
Ketamine - A drug which I have taken once and utterly abhor. I had a good experience and all but it is incredibly addictive and has ruined many of my friends' lives. It is a tranquiliser and as such you may be unwilling to move, or as I did (however it was fine) completely mistake low blood sugars for the effects of the drug. If you're up and dancing, that's a bad mistake to make! Low blood sugars and the ketamine 'trip' felt almost identical, and after eating a huge sandwich, I had to test my blood continuously to make sure I wasn't going hypo again.
I would like to make a few clarifications here if I may. I am a 24 year old male, a school drop-out, and DAFNE graduate, who was diagnosed with IDDM at 9 months of age, although was ill from about 3 months. I have been smoking cannabis for 6 years as of this month and started out recreationally, but now use it to help control my diabetes and balance out my very up-and-down depression (diagnosed at 13 years), as well as for a recreational relaxant. I would say my use has been consistent although I've had many breaks ranging from just a couple of days and up to 6 months. Here, I would like to disregard (at least partially) some of the statements, and yet support others, previously made about cannabis and 'the munchies' affecting blood sugar levels.
Cannabis DOES cause a minor drop in sugar levels, however this drop isn't particularly detrimental. I usually notice a *maximum* drop (emphasis on maximum!!) of 2-3mmol/L (approx. 35-55mg/dl), about the same as 1 unit of fast-acting insulin. If your sugars are measuring 5.0mmol/L (90mg/dl) at the time you light up, then you will likely notice the onset of a hypo soon afterwards. This effect is soon reversed naturally by the body, although I feel more comfortable having a plain biscuit or two just to steady myself if this is the case. The trick is to know what your sugars are doing first; if they're high then you can get high (go for a run first though, you'll feel too lazy after you've smoked!), if they're heading towards low then consider having a snack first. Aside from this it shouldn't cause any complications, and most diabetic cannabis smokers report that it actually helps regulate their blood sugar levels. This is supported in many research papers from various scientists across the world.
Which leads me onto 'the munchies'... This effect is directly caused by this drop in sugar levels and is also recorded in non-diabetic cannabis smokers. However, I would say the effect of the munchies itself is more psychological, and merely triggered by the sugar drop. This can be a problem for diabetics, although it is easily controlled with a little willpower or simply by eating fruit, meat products or other low-carb, non-fatty foods instead of scoffing a whole pack of Hob Nobs or 12 happy meals (why would you want to eat ONE happy meal? Ugh!)
I've never needed to adjust my eating or my insulin to fit around my use of cannabis, with the exception of a snack beforehand or shortly afterward if my blood is low, which would happen regardless anyway. As long as you are sensible, cannabis can be the most effective compliment to insulin you will ever use for diabetes treatment.
A quick scout around on Google or Wikipedia will provide vast amounts of information on the beneficial effects of cannabis on the later complications caused by diabetes. It contributes to lowering blood pressure, preventing glaucoma and retinopathy, and easing the pain caused by diabetic neuropathy as well as calming twitches caused by RLS.
I'd like to add my knowledge of drugs and diabetes here, as nobody on the internet appears to have bothered thus far. I will be concentrating on the warnings and negatives, rather than the positives. Its not my place to 'recommend' a particular drug. My advice may not work for everyone, and others may have completely different experiences to me, so consider this a warning: DO NOT TAKE DRUGS WITHOUT SUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE. ALWAYS talk to a doctor first, and be sure you are supervised by *TRUSTED* friends and able to reach medical facilities at all times. Beforehand, prepare snacks and sandwiches, sugary and non-sugar drinks, have some honey on stand-by just in case, low-sugar/carb food to just munch out on, take all necessary precautions. So, with that cleared up, here is what little information I can offer:
Alcohol - Contains and bonds with sugar, which is easily absorbed by the body. Especially when combining spirits with mixers, this leads to a well-known bouncing effect where blood sugars shoot up, and then drop down again very quickly. This can be particularly dangerous and contributes to many diabetic complications. Eat a good carby meal before you drink that releases energy across a period of a few hours (pasta, jacket potatoes etc). And snack before sleeping!
Cocaine - I know very little about this as my least-used drug, but it appears to make blood sugars go higher, although I am unsure of the hows and whys. The 'buzz' is short-lived thus I assume the same for its effect on diabetes, however as I said, I know very little here.
Speed - I've never used amphetamine, although from reading various research papers I'm fairly sure of how it works. It is a stimulant that provides an energetic high by releasing the entirety of your liver's reserves of glycogen. Obviously, this will send blood sugars skyrocketing and they'll probably stay this way for a few hours, causing lots of sickness and possible ketoacidosis. However, what will your body support itself on once that glycogen has been burned off? Cue a very severe hypo. Make a wise choice and avoid this drug. Also note that many speed users cannot eat for hours, sometimes even days, after taking it.
Caffeine - A very common drug that almost all people take regularly, including myself. Caffeine has been shown to cause greater insulin efficiency in non-diabetics, however it has the opposite effect on people with diabetes! Caffeine also makes you stressed (jitters, anyone?) which can also push sugar levels up. This is particularly dangerous when combined with lots of sugar in my favourite drink and worst enemy: Coca-Cola.
MDMA (Ecstasy) - Another that I have only used a few times, this tends to send your sugars upward somewhat, although every time I took it I was halfway between paranoia and normal concern that I would drop down at some point, so I had a small portion of chips and a little insulin to balance out, and my concerns diminished every time. For the most part though, this seems more of a 'head' than a 'body' drug, and even though it can last up to 8 hours, I didn't have any problems apart from my blood sugars going up. I'm led to believe that ecstasy is a member of the amphetamine family so I would strongly advise caution even though I personally had no problems.
San Pedro Cactus - This plant has been used for thousands of years to facilitate vision quests and psychedelic experiences, however it could be potentially fatal to a diabetic. A particular chemical contained in these cacti hypersensitises the body to insulin. Due to this I have never taken it, however its effect is obvious, a possibly very severe hypo. In non-diabetic users, this may explain where the 'out-of-body' type vision originates.
Magic Mushrooms - Now this appears to be a totally 'head' high, I've taken them a good few times and never had any trouble. However I advise caution with hallucinogens as you are highly likely to forget that you even need to eat dinner, let alone test your blood, take insulin, have a snack or what-have-you. Sometimes I've gone 14 hours without eating, other times I've grazed constantly, every time I've been okay. I strongly recommend supervision however as although you're still 'there', you're probably going to be more interested in how the wind is changing the shape of the clouds than what your blood sugars are doing!
Ketamine - A drug which I have taken once and utterly abhor. I had a good experience and all but it is incredibly addictive and has ruined many of my friends' lives. It is a tranquiliser and as such you may be unwilling to move, or as I did (however it was fine) completely mistake low blood sugars for the effects of the drug. If you're up and dancing, that's a bad mistake to make! Low blood sugars and the ketamine 'trip' felt almost identical, and after eating a huge sandwich, I had to test my blood continuously to make sure I wasn't going hypo again.
i am a 41 year old musician... had type 1 diabetes since i was 18... being smoking twice a week for about 10 years now. I have a suggestion: if you have diabetes and you smoke... add the gym into the equation. And if you can reduce tobacco in your spliffs and abstain from alcohol consumption...God Bless
im 24 just been diagnoised a type 1 diabetic in april i dont kno what cause me to juist now get it i been smoking weed since i was 21 and still do it i have not noticed a change of me smoking weed even though i just been recently diagnoised i havent smoked as much as i used to though i used to smoke an 8th in 3 daqyz before i was diabetec n now i jus smoke 2 or 3 bowls a dai if anyone can tell me more on this subject hit me back cause im still concernd also!!
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Alternative Therapies Community
Many couples are turning to acupuncture to treat infertility. But does it work? We take a closer look.
Is treating glaucoma with marijuana all hype, or can hemp actually help?
If you think marijuana has no ill effects on your health, this article from Missouri Medicine may make you think again.
Healing home remedies for common ailments
Learn ow this ancient healing Indian medicine can work for you
Before your drop a dime at the pharmacy, find out if these popular cold and flu home remedies are a wonder or a waste
