Marijuana with TBI

[rlb929]

My son was in a bad accident in June of 2008. He was in a coma for 7 days and had to learn to do everything over again.  He was not expected to live but he did and went thru all of the therapy for months until he was released in Dec of 2008.  I tried to put him into a rehab work center that our state has but it did not work because he has a very short temper now and does not "play" well with others.  He is only 24 years old and stays at home with his disabled step-father.  I have recently caught them smoking dope together which I totally do not agree with. I suspect that my husband is trading his medication for it and/or my son is buying it from anyone he can find.  He coughs uncontrollably all the time. My husband is on oxygen and has a catheter as his bladder quit working.  This is crazy and I am at a loss of what to do. I don't know if it will harm my son as he has a TBI.  I have mentioned to his dr. at the rehab center where we go every 6 months and she just kind of commented to him at the end of our last visit for him to stay away from any type of smoking.  That's like talking to a wall. Will it damage his brain further? He had several bleeders in his brain and it affected him on one side of his body. He limps and does not have the strength he should in one side. How can I help him and where do I turn?

[Link88]

     I suffered a tbi in April of '05 in an auto accident(at just 16 years old) and then I lay comatose for 28 days. The only thing I've found to relieve my symptoms of migraines, muscle tone, muscle spasticity(pain) and  is marijuana. How can I obtain marijuana regularly, living in a new state-not knowing anyone(KY)? While I WAS still on medicaid, the medications I took daily had me out of it throughout the days and didn't help how the marijuana does. Thanks so much for any help I can get.
  

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
You must be going through a rough phase with both husband and son unwell. Whether one has head injury or not, it is never too wise to smoke weed or marijuana (as you totally agree). Since it crosses blood brain barrier it can result in impaired perceptions and coordination, difficulty in thinking, concentrating and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory. In a setting of head injury, this can result in confusion regarding whether the symptoms if they appear are due to injury, due to weed. Hence it is advisable not to smoke weed.
If you have a good support from friends and relatives then they can help your son through the initial tough days of stopping the drug. Once these days pass, the craving and the physical effects of stopping marijuana will go. In case this is not possible do enter him into a drug addiction treatment program close to your home. Your son should be encouraged to take up yoga, deep breathing exercise, walking and remain strong and determined in his effort to do away with this habit. He should drink plenty of fluids and water (not caffeine), eat fresh fruits and vegetables and keep himself busy throughout the day in activities of interest.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!