The goal of this post is to explain how medical marijuana can improve the quality of life for both cancer patients and survivors.  Over the past 4 years I have evaluated thousands of patients who want to try medical marijuana to help relieve their symptoms.  30% of my patients are diagnosed with cancer and in the midst of grueling and difficult treatments.    In ALL of those cases we have been able to help those patients improve the quality of their life by using medical marijuana.

The main goal of using medical marijuana is to reduce your symptoms.  However, while doing so we also want you to NOT have to rely on the various medications your doctor will prescribe to reduce those same symptoms.    Here are the 5 areas that my patients see major relief from.

1. Insomnia:  Many cancer patients have a very difficult time sleeping because of pain, nausea and anxiety.    Without quality sleep your body can not get the rest and recovery it needs to deal with the stressors of dealing with cancer treatment.     Commonly their doctors will provide sleep aids such as ambien, lunesta or trazodone.      These medications, although very sedating, often leave my patients feeling completely “wiped out” the next day.   The often tell me they feel like zombies and would prefer not to take them at all.    In addition they have numerous other side effects.

Medical Marijuana is VERY sedating.  However, the advantage it seems to have over the commonly prescribed sleep aids is that is does not leave the patient feeling groggy in the morning and they wake up feeling very rested.   In most cases, one or two doses 30 minutes prior to going to bed does the trick.

2. Nausea, Vomiting and Lack of Appetite:  Any patient who has gone through chemotherapy will tell you about the horrors of continuously vomiting throughout the day and night.    It leaves them in a state where they are not only depleted (from electrolyte loss) but it also destroys their appetite at a time when they need to nourish their bodies.    Medications like zofran and phenergan are typically prescribed to combat these symptoms with limited success.   They too also have side effects that patients must deal with.

Medical marijuana has proven to reduce nausea and stimulate a patients appetite.   It is this area where I see patients getting the most benefit from marijuana.    Patients report a significant reduction in the amount of nausea.  They also tell me the finally feel like eating again.   Proper nutrition is critical to patients recovering and healing from cancer.   Without the vitamins, minerals and macronutrients that every cell needs to do its job it is much more difficult to be cured (which is the ultimate goal)

3. Chronic Pain:  Cancer patients experience pain for a number of reasons.   For some it is because the cancer has spread to their bones.  Other patients have extensive surgeries to remove the cancer and have post-operative pain.   For some, it is general aches from being in bed so much that they have chronic muscle spasms.   Regardless of the source, it is very debilitating and demoralizing.   I have seen patients placed on everything from opiates (oxycontin, fentanyl patch and morphine) to high dose NSAIDs (ibuprofen) to drugs like celexa (which are anti-depressants) to reduce pain.   The problem is that opiates are EXTREMELY constipating, nauseating and cause a myriad of other side effects (itching, depression).   Patient tell me the hate taking pain medication for this reason and many decide to “tough it out” versus having all those side effects.

There are numerous studies looking at medical marijuana and pain management.   In my experience cancer patients have been able to completely eliminate their need for any other pain medications when they medicate with marijuana.  In many cases, if there is not a total reduction in pain, patients state that they are less concerned or aware of the pain.

4.  Anxiety and Depression:   Cancer is a diagnoses that for ALL patients is very scary.   All of sudden you have to start considering your mortality, your family and your finances.  This can be overwhelming for many patients.   Who is going to provide for their family?   How are they going to pay all their bills?   Who is going to raise their children?   All of these are questions that patient who are diagnosed with cancer must confront.    Typically I see doctors prescribe drugs like xanax (alprazolam) and valium (diazepam) to reduce their symptoms of anxiety.   If patients get depressed there are put on drugs like lexapro.   All of these medications have significant side effects that when taken with all the other medications makes them feel flat and “zonked out”.

Medical marijuana can be very relaxing for patients.   Many patients tell me it helps them take their mind away from their illness and allows them to enjoy the day.   They report an elevation in their mood and spirits and feel great about not having to take these other drugs.

5. Anti-tumor properties:  There is a lot of research going on right now looking at the anti-tumor affects of marijuana.   Some studies have shown a reduction in tumor size from the marijuana itself.   Scientists are not yet able to say that cannabinoids can someday be curative for certain cancers but it seems that the research is pointing in that direction.   I want to be very clear that I am NOT saying that medical marijuana will cure your cancer.   However, I think it is important for you to understand that it will not make your cancer worse and if anything should work synergistically with chemo, radiation and surgery.

*For those patients who are concerned about having to smoke marijuana:   There are devices called vaporizers which allow you to inhale medical marijuana completely smoke free.   They have been studied at the UCSD Cannabis Research Center and do not contain any harmful carcinogens or carbon monoxide.  They are simple to use, ODORLESS and very affordable.  I will show you how to use them at the time of your visit.

Overall, the major benefit of using medical marijuana is that it replaces 5 or 6 medications that your oncologist would normally prescribe to help combat all these symptoms.   I have had patients tell me that marijuana “has been a Godsend” and that “they wouldn’t know what they would have done without it”.     I take care of patients from all walks of life and unanimously they tell me how grateful they are to be able to meet a doctor so open to discussing this treatment with them.

Lastly, let me leave you with this.  Many of you are wondering why your oncologist will not endorse, discuss or recommend using marijuana to use while treating your cancer.   Many of them are not allowed to as dictated by their hospital policy or insurance companies.  Others do not understand it enough to give you their opinion.   Lastly, some do not believe in it.

You may also be asking:  If marijuana is such a “Godsend”, why isn’t their more research?

There is good reason for pharmaceutical companies to lobby against legislation that would allow marijuana to be researched and prescribed by ALL doctors.   ONE PLANT CAN REPLACE 6 MEDICATIONS.   This represents a significant loss of revenue to the drug companies.  In addition, doctors get the majority of their research from studies pushed by the pharmaceutical companies themselves.     As a result, very few are willing to step outside the box and recommend medical marijuana instead.

If you are reading this and have been diagnosed or in the middle of cancer treatment, I encourage you to come in and speak with me about the benefits of using medical marijuana.   I will spend as much time as you need exlaining how the whole process works.  I will walk you through the different strains of medicine, show you how to use a vaporizer and even help you find professional dispensaries.

Lastly, I am a firm believer in the power or prayer and the mind to help your body heal itself.  I regularly pray with patients who are open to it and I find it lifts their spirits and makes their visit with me extra special.  All you have to do is ask!

Be blessed.