# Medical Marijuana- real or placebo?



## krhu (Jan 4, 2015)

For those who receive medical marijuana (or dont but use it for this purpose), do you think it helps the stomach itself or is it possibly the mental effects that in turn act as a placebo to indirectly help stomach symptoms?


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## marleyma (Aug 13, 2014)

One major thing Marijuana helps with is the nausea i get. My stomach is able to relax once that is gone. It could be both directly and indirectly helping, but i know FOR SURE it takes my nausea away.


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## kat_hy (Mar 25, 2014)

I think it just depends on the person. It will usually just make me anxious and tired but no GI help.


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## HDBobbers (Aug 11, 2014)

It is definitely not a placebo. Not for me anyway. Marijuana is the only thing that has successfully abated some of the panic, anxiety, or stomach issues i've had. It's the only thing that got me through college when i was living in a world of stress.

For me... marijuana is the real deal and i know others that feel the same for exactly my reasons stated.


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## Elly_Jelly (Sep 24, 2014)

I always thought about it.. But don't have the courage to try


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## rewinj (Apr 19, 2012)

Definitely not placebo. There's like a 100+ page thread on medical marijuana in one of the major Crohn's forums... and here is a research article on marijuana for IBD

Here is some more literature after a very quick google:

Cannabinoids & the gastrointestinal tract

Cannabinoids & the gut: new developments & emerging concepts

And links to a bunch more research at the end of this article from NORML.


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## rewinj (Apr 19, 2012)

Far and away more helpful to me than any of the many drugs I've been prescribed... in a myriad of ways. Pain, nausea, urgency/D, appetite, depression...


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## MyOwnSaviour1144 (Nov 13, 2013)

rewinj said:


> Definitely not placebo. There's like a 100+ page thread on medical marijuana in one of the major Crohn's forums... and here is a research article on marijuana for IBD
> 
> Here is some more literature after a very quick google:
> 
> ...


do they have anything more recent than 2010? I am wondering if they went anywhere with the research that was done previously.

In any case, should anxiety be reduced by Cannabis, and IBS is strongly correlated with anxiety, then we would except cannabis to have a positive effect on IBS symptoms.

I've never done illegal drugs, nor taken prescribed drugs in any way other than that which I was told to do. I say that because I took hydrocodone post-surgery but honestly didn't even finish the bottle. I know it helped the IBS when I took it but it constipated me so badly that the effect was only short-lived.

It would be very nice if I had a medicine that was effective... Cymbalta makes things not absolutely horrible, but at the same time quality of life is still really low compared to life before IBS....


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## rewinj (Apr 19, 2012)

MyOwnSaviour1144 said:


> do they have anything more recent than 2010? I am wondering if they went anywhere with the research that was done previously.
> 
> In any case, should anxiety be reduced by Cannabis, and IBS is strongly correlated with anxiety, then we would except cannabis to have a positive effect on IBS symptoms.


The first article I posted was from 2012.

Here is a study from last year...

Cannabis Finds Its Way into Treatment of Crohn's Disease - "In ancient medicine, cannabis has been widely used to cure disturbances and inflammation of the bowel. A recent clinical study now shows that the medicinal plant _Cannabis sativa_has lived up to expectations and proved to be highly efficient in cases of inflammatory bowel diseases..."

I believe it has to do with much more than simply controlling anxiety, although that surely can be one of the benefits.


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## Leo41 (Dec 13, 2010)

Well I can tell you this... in it's normal route it will do nothing for IBS/spasm pain. Yes, during the time of effect you may feel slightly better (not always), but in a hour or 2 the pain/spasms can actually worsen as effects wear off than without at all.

Now I would be interested in knowing if medical use cannabis OIL (ingested) will benefit. That I would think would be much more useful.


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## marleyma (Aug 13, 2014)

I have heard it does work well but very expensive.


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## Vertigo (Apr 3, 2015)

If your symptoms occur because of stress or anxiety - it can probably help you and you should try it. But thc messes with your appetite so it is quite easy to overeat. So if you don't use it responisbly, it can cause a lot more problems than it will solve.


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## Pinskers (May 16, 2013)

It's not legal in my state yet, but I'd try it when it was (I don't believe it's legal here medically yet either). My mom is straight laced, but when I came out of the hospital after a round of colitis and gastroparesis, she was desperate for me to try it. I got better (but still have IBS-C) before I could try anything though, so I'm waiting until legislation comes out.


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