19 yr old stroke victim

[zigzaggle]

im 19 and i had a stroke dec.6 idk what the cause was yet but i just wanted to know if i can continue to smoke weed because before the stroke i was smoking ciggerets and weed on a daily baisis i want to smoke weed but idk if it will cause me to have another stroke or what i need some help

[EmmyJN]

If I were you, I would stop smoking weed immediately. Here's the thing: We all know the stories about weed being "good" for you. But there is a massive difference between recreational weed and medical marijuanna. The kind bought on the street is not good for you, and usually mixed with other crap that can make you sick. Even the medical stuff isn't proven 100%.

Listen to Dr. Sharma, this isn't a good habit for you to be in to. You could cause another stroke by smoking weed continually. Please, please, PLEASE stop smoking that stuff. Do you really wanna die young because you're smoking weed? That's not a good way to go.

I hope this helps!

[Dr Sharma]

Dear Zigzaggle, welcome to the medhelp forum. Strokes can be due to cerebral vasospasm or brief systemic hypertension caused by marijuana or weeds smoke or the metabolites. These can cause endothelial cell disruption leading to thrombosis in the blood vessels causing end organ ischemia or infarction and hence stroke association. I would suggest that you abstain from smoking weeds since there is a chance of recurrence.  You can also consult your neurologist for best advice. Wish you all the best and take care.

[ggreg]

Well, there is conflicting information, with much of it falling on the side of smoking weed to actually be helpful to stroke victims.  Now, there is a protein in marijuana that has something to do with upping the triglyceride levels in the blood, which if that gets too high, you can get a blood clot that leads to stroke, so you could have some bloodwork done that checks the lipid levels, just to make sure your numbers are in the normal range.  There are many other studies that have found a variety of things, both pro and con, concerning marijuana use, so your best bet is to simply ask your doctor, if they are hopefully sympathetic to your cause and won't just stomp on the idea of you using the stuff.  Doctors keep up with all the journal reports and so on concerning various medical issues that might affect their specialty.  

May I just say this.  I used to do all sorts of recreational drugs when I was in my 20s, and gradually I quit them all, including alcohol.  I cannot really put into words the positive change this had on me, my motivation went thru the roof, my learning and studying habits improved, I was able to do SO much more as relates to career planning, which at that time was more important than I realized.  It is a part of maturity to recognize and accept that one has to work for a living and make enough money to enjoy a lifestyle that they'd like to have.  This is why being drug-free in your younger years can have a big impact on the kind of life you wind up with when you become middle-aged.

I realize MANY people cannot imagine enduring life and everything else without this particular comfort zone of smoking pot, but if your doctor expresses any doubt whatsoever, then I can assure you that you will find OTHER things to get you in the zone, especially things that will increase your monetary value to society,not to mention your ability to care for other people and help others, which is the best kind of work to have, but I'm pretty spiritual.  For all I know, you're a rocket scientist right now!  

Anyhow, I'm just SAYING giving up this one thing is not going to ruin your happiness.  So, see what the doc says, do some searches online and pay attention to studies that have excellent resources to back them up (like gov websites and neuro journals), and make your choice.  But you may want to AT LEAST consider eventually giving it up, JUST IN CASE.  And find out where your triglycerides are at.  Mine are awful and I was not a regular pot smoker, I'm one of those people who get anxious with it, altho initially I did get off on it.  So, hope my thoughts help you, altho others here at this forum may have further information to influence you one way or the other.