Marijuana slows progression of als possibly

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REALLY? Anybody can make a claim. How about this: the reason I do NOT have ALS is that I eat carrots every day. This is true! I do eat carrots and I do not have a DX so, see? Better go get some carrots!:lol:

I removed the link as it did not work, BTW. Cindy
 
I agree Cindy carrots are a much better bet and allot less chemicals in them as well. Well those that want to try can always get their doctor to perscribe the goverment funded stuff, there are 2 kinds of prices here high and not so high... sorry....
 
I actually saw the video on youtube of the woman who has ALS and smokes marijuana. She was progressing fast and a friend took her to the ocean for the first time and her friend was the hippy type and broke it out. Well she felt so down that she wanted to escape and try it and she said not only could she eat better but she felt better and had more energy... Opposite of what marijuana does? The energy part anyway......... I do not have ALS but i have breathing issues and it scares me to even think of smoking marijuana as having a lot of alcohol made it hard for me to breathe.. I would be terrified that my chest muscles would be so relaxed i would not be able to breathe! Yet i have read about people who ALS that still smoke cigarettes everyday?! I do not know about the rest of the population but once you have had an episode of hard breathing you tend to stay away from things that would mess with your lungs.
 
Yes, I hate to admit it, but I am one of those people who have ALS, and still smoke every day. Not nearly as much as I used to, but probably about 6 or 8 per day. I don't HAVE to smoke at all, I just really enjoy it. It is my only chance at alone time, and I guess I will do it until I'm ready to quit, or my lungs are ready for me to quit.
As far as smoking pot goes, don't know that I would want to do that,
just an old hippie at heart,
brenda
 
Okay, lets try to reason this out a little. Pot contains the drug known as THC (if memory serves me correct). So, presumably, it is the THC that is supposed to be slowing the progression of this alledged lady's ALS.

Why not just extract the THC from the pot, put it in pill form and ingest it that way? Now lets see if it slows the progression of ALS. I think not (but it would be cheaper than traveling to China for some other herb treatment that doesn't work).

Zaphoon
 
So the cigarettes just effect your lung and mood and not your ability to breathe, so that would not be so scary...... I guess i would be scared if i were to smoke marijuana and it would be difficult for me to breathe..... Although i did see that lady with ALS smoke and she was very happy! She had almost no use of her arms and had no use of her legs and her speech was affected... I wonder how exactly does marijuana effect a person, from experience as a healthy teenager i know....but i wonder about how it affects people that have muscle issues.
 
I have given out marinol many times. It is marijauna in pill form and legal. It increases the appetite and also gives that relaxed feeling. So theres no reason to smoke it.
 
The neuro who diagnosed me in May suggested pot as a way to boost my appetite (at that point I had lost 24 pounds, just because I couldn't force myself to eat).

Frankly, smoking pot never did anything for me back in the day (I prefer booze), and I figured out how to start gaining the weight back without it (yummy milkshakes), so it's a non-starter for me, pill-form or otherwise.

But since maintaining your weight ... and gaining if possible ... slows progression of ALS even more than Rilutek (according to my neuro), then I think ANYTHING that helps any PALS to keep eating and keep maintaining their weight should be made available.

It is insane to deny patients medications that can extend their lives. It is not the marijuana itself that has a benefit for ALS patients, it is the "munchies" you get from it. If you're not losing weight, and can get enough nutrition without it, then it would have no medical benefits whatsoever, except general relaxation.

BethU
 
Excellent, well written post BethU! Thanks for the wisdom in keeping weight on!

Zaphoon
 
not sure

Hi

i use and it does help with appetite, energy and attitude.

Shane

I have read about this women who has been living with als for 22 years because she uses marijuana everyday here is a video link for those who are interested.
 
Sorry to bring back an old discussion but I have been thinking about this a lot lately. My mom suffers from CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease) which is also a neurological disorder. She is on so many pain medications that she often has to be weened off one only to become dependent on a new one. Her Dr has suggested that maybe she try marijuana to deal with some of her discomfort and cut back on the prescription meds. She stopped smoking cigarettes 38 yrs ago (when she became pregnant with my little brother) and did not enjoy the experience of smoking a few joints my uncle gave her a few months ago. She brought this up to me a few visits ago. I assume only because since I was about 16 yrs old I have not hidden the fact that I smoke it and make no bones about it, and I think was waiting for me to suggest a few things. Well, after years of listening to her lecture me about the evils of smoking pot I was kinda dumbfounded and didn't say much. I am not here to debate the legality of the issue or the silly government propaganda they try to feed us as that is a whole other discussion. The only thing I will say is for every one government funded report that says "oh, it's bad for you, cause we say so" there are 10 independent studies that state otherwise. I am not a researcher or doctor, I am just an internet cowboy and read what I can find (and understand) via google. There is some merit to the claims of the medicinal properties in THC and is finding success in treating symptoms or side effects of certain diseases and afflictions due to the traditional treatment as prescribed by the specialist. It is in no way a cure or panacea, but I digress. The number one feeling most users/smokers would agree is found in the form of stress/pain relief. I have read (including here) that stress is a bad thing when it comes to ALS. My wife doesn't smoke it and hasn't since we have been together (18yrs) and I was thinking about her and my mom. So I am going to make some butter and in turn make some "special" cookies and they can eat them as they need. They don't have to smoke it and my mom doesn't have to hide in the storage shed where they live in the dark because she is afraid someone will see her and think she is some kind of second class citizen or worse yet call the cops.... My mom is so straight and conservative that the visual alone is making me laugh my butt off. In my moms case if it can get her off of a heavy and addictive man made pharmaceutical by all means. In the wifes case if she is comfortable and relaxed, all good. It should help with appetite and help her sleep. Been around for thousands of years (found in tombs in Northwest China that are 2700 yrs old) something to think about anyways. Like I said, not a cure, but as a natural treatment to help with symptoms and side effects.


I guess I need to have a disclaimer...I am not a doctor nor do I make any claims blah blah...you get the idea, lol
It is my personal opinion and mine alone.
 
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All I know is the pALS that report usage of MJ are a very happy lot! My husband tried it, but he's a wimp -I mean- it made him feel like electrical impulses were shooting thru his body. Just the opposite of relaxation. He gave it several different tries in different ways (brownies, etc...) His body is just not meant for it.

I say if it helps anyone with attitude or symptoms, go for it.
 
i do know some with ms use mj as it helps with the muscle spasms.
you can get it on perscription here if you have a medical need for it like ms or parkinsons.
i did some years back consider trying it as a tea form.
it is a natural herb if not smoked with all the other chemicals.
i get annoyed at people who think its bad to take in a natural form for illness,think about all the chemicals and stuff in manmade meds that can cause all kinds of bad side effects.
the stigma around it is smoking it for recreational use. jmo:)
 
My 18 year old nephew with a rare form of cancer gets the prescription grade and it helps with nausea, pain and it also gives him the munchies which helps after the chemo treatments.

AL.
 
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