The other comments are correct. Honesty is imperative for them to do their job. I praise you for caring about your health and asking this question! I can tell you just want what's best, and that's so great!
About the pot and leukemia, think about it this way...Not all pot smokers experience what you are describing, so there is definitely something else going on. However if pot is decreasing your ability to develop mature monocytes or to form appropriate blood clots (excessive bleeding time, nose bleeds, echimosis and petechia) it's something serious enough to pursue to a diagnosis. And do EVERYTHING you can to get better. Lifestyle included. I'm not saying quit cold turkey today, but consider cutting back a little more each week.
From personal experience, I smoked for years, and loved it, but long term knew it actually held me back from developing to my full potential. I suggest finding a healthy alternative to that same high feeling... exercise, tai chi, ki gung, dynamic meditation, breathing exercises that get every cell in your body "higher" than a kite, and with no side effects i.e. Holotropic breathwork, integrative breathwork. Dig deep and think about what you really want. What do you love about getting high? What other things can you do to fill that need? What is something you know that would be better if you stopped? How would you life be better with out that? How would you be different if you weren't worried about having to get arrested, lie to your doc, spend the time trying to find and buy it, etc.? What could you do off your bucket list if you had that mental energy and time back? What else can fill the short term need and also have a long term benefit that would elevate your life, health, and connection to others?
Who do you know that has quit? What tricks did they use?
Just some thoughts. No judgement if you're ready or not. Just planting a seed today.
If you had leukemia, your blood work would have shown it. That being said, I have always thought that marijuana, especially heavy, daily use, can suppress your immune system. Why not try stopping and see if your symptoms improve? On other note, please be honest with your doctor. He/She is there to HELP you, not judge. If you aren't open about your lifestyle, they cannot possibly make an accurate diagnosis. Good luck to you!
Hello, I did a little bit of research, this is what I found, I hope this helps some.
Although some people claim that smoking marijuana makes them feel better, scientists believe that "pot" smokers may end up feeling worse. For some time, scientists have suspected that marijuana depresses the body's immune system, making smokers more susceptible to disease. But until recently, no one knew why.
Now biologists at Argonne National Laboratory have show that marijuana may play a role in inhibiting the development of a type of white blood cell called a monocyte. These cells are key components of the immune system, which protects the body from disease.
In the bloodstream, mature monocytes produce substances that stimulate other immune cells and kill invading microorganisms. However, when immature monocytes are exposed to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychologically active substance in marijuana, the monocytes do not develop to maturity. This means that there are fewer working white cells and the body's resistance to disease is weakened.
Now that the particular white blood cells that marijuana influences have been identified, it is possible to focus on the mechanism by which the drug acts. This work could lead to the creation of marijuana derivatives that control cell maturation, with possible applications to the management of organ transplants and the treatment of cancers such as leukemia.
Our research shows that immature monocytes were affected when exposed to levels of THC similar to those found in the blood of marijuana smokers. In general, the higher the concentration of THC, the more severe the effect. Similar results were found with cannabinol (CBN) and cannabidiol (CBD), two other components of marijuana that closely resemble THC.
Inhibition of the development of immature monocytes exposed to these cannabinoids was exhibited by both external and internal changes. Monocytes typically go through three main stages of development: immature "precursor" cells, intermediate-stage cells, and mature cells. After precursor cells were exposed to cannabinoids, they were found to differ from both immature and fully mature monocytes in several ways. They possessed different identifying markers on their surfaces, produced different types and amounts of proteins and enzymes, and behaved differently in culture dishes.
Exactly how marijuana causes these changes is unknown, but the doses of THC that effect cells closely resemble concentrations of certain hormones in the blood. Hormones control cell development, which suggests that cannabinoids may cause similar effects by masquerading as hormones. They might do this by attaching to specific receptors found on the surface of cells. Such receptors would act as gateways, letting the cannabinoids into the cell where they have their effect.