Hi i recently got diagnosed with chrons, about six months ago. ive been taking steriods, operzole and buscopan but nothing seems to help for the short term pain apart from cannabis. I am not a drug addict and had only tried it a few times until i got diagnosed but its a right pain. Im only 21 and live with my parents and they wont let me grow it and its a struggle to buy and when i get it half the time i get ripped off.
Is there anyone else who uses cannabis

Hi,

Have you tried speaking with your doctor about the medication and to see what else they can offer you ?
I dont use cannabis myself and tbh i wouldnt really advise it =/, have you thought about what other complications this could have on your body?
Smoking isnt great for crohns tbh but i know you are feeling. i was diagnosed last year at 18, now 19, but i believe i have had this since i was around 13/14.  i had an operation last october, but the medication im on has caused a few side effects, ( not trying to scare you sorry ), but they have advised il be lucky if i get another 5 years without another operation.

Where abouts in Scotland are you from ? I'm in Scotland too !

Please keep me posted on how thins are going, good luck !! x

Hi im from Ayr near glasgow, where abouts are you from? Cannabis has bad side effects apart from paranoia which doesnt affect everyone including me. Dont belive the scare tatics the goverment tell you about it. Ive been alot better recently and im going for another barium meal soon to see if the blockage has gone. I dont smoke the cannabis either i vapourise it which has no harm on the lungs as you inhale vapour not smoke so it does nothing but helps to be honest. Look up cannabis with chrons it has been proven to help. Ive also had it for about three or four years i think, what medication were you on and what were the side effects? its ok im pretty laid back and dont really worry about things the way i look at it is if it happens then it happens and theres nothing i can do about it

Hey Again ,

I'm from Port Glasgow, quite near glasgow aswell.

I'm glad to hear that you are alot better recently, i didnt know you could take cannabis as vapour, i guess you learn something new everyday.
I was on Azathioprine since October last year, it leaves me feeling nausious alot and due to it being an immunosuppresent i get almost everything thats going under the sun , i was just let out of hospital over a week ago due to getting a severe chest infection and i couldnt fight it off due to the azathioprine. I also have problems with my blood and need to get my blood tested on a regular basis aswell.

I dont think i've ever had to get the barium thing done?, not that i cant recall, but i really hope everything works out well for you

Luckily im not on that i take steriods called budesonol but to be honest ive been lucky enough not to have any side effects so far, yeah all the best to you too

I use cannabis regularly as a medication, and without doubt, I find it invaluable in helping me with my Crohn's. It helps in so many ways, for instance, without it I find it hard to relax, my abdomen is always tense, which doesn't sound much, but it's quite tiring. I have no appetite, and I don't know about others, but when I'm hungry, my symptoms seem to worsen, the pain mainly. I find it incredibly hard to sleep, either due to pain/ not being able to get comfortable/ diarrhoea/ hunger pains... Once I have had a 'dose' I find that almost instantly, I feel relaxed. The pain and cramping also subsides due to the fact I'm not so tense, I get 'the munchies' which although may not be the best way to build up an appetite, it does, and works. And I find myself able to get comfortable in bed and nod off easily. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not some raging druggie, who's always stoned, prepared to do anything for a smoke, I am a father of two young daughters both under 3, with a house and family to run. I simply have found something which actually works for me, and I only use it if my symptoms are really bad, and when both my daughters are safely tucked up in bed, and I always have my girlfriend here too. I only use a minimal amount to control my symptoms, partly because it's so bloody expensive, but also because I am fully aware of the psychological effects using cannabis can sometimes have on people. I have spoken to several healthcare professionals about this, and have been advised about the psychological problems which it can cause, but have been told that if it works, and I'm sure that it's not affecting my mental state, then 'off the record' carry on. But they have stressed that it can have undesirable effects on my mind. Now I'm not saying that all my fellow Crohnies should go and get high all the time, I am simply saying I have found it works for me on many levels, and if used carefully, and NOT TO EXCESS, it may work for others in providing some sort of light relief. I hope this in some way can help anyone else who has considered using cannabis as a medication, and I am going to watch this thread closely for any comments on other peoples experiences.

Yes it does appear to work in the short term and keep inflammation down but it can simply separate your mind from your body and make you 'ignore' the inflammation. do keep in sync with your doctors and let them know. Be careful and be aware of your mental health as I was using for pain relief and ended up getting locked into a horrible situation where it took over my life and I ended up having a horrible episode of paranoid psychosis. If I was you I would keep it in an emergency stash for when EVERYTHING else under the sun has not worked, you havent slept for days etc due to pain.