Crohn's Disease
Living with Crohn’s disease can become unbearable and unmanageable for many sufferers.
From the agonizing pain of the disease to the lack of understanding from friends and loved ones, Crohn’s disease can quickly affect all aspects of your life. Modern medicine still can not explain what causes Crohn’s disease, which makes it difficult to treat, let alone cure. This means that treatment options are mainly limited to focusing on treating the symptoms of the disease, therefore treatments are not consistently effective.
In recent years, medical cannabis has become a leading “alternative treatment” and many sufferers of Crohn’s disease are finding relief with cannabis.
In this article, we are going to be exploring how medical cannabis may be an effective option for treating Crohn's disease. Our goal is to provide you with the information that you will need to make informed and educated decisions.
After reading this article, you should have enough information so you can decide if medical cannabis is a viable option for you. You will also have a solid foundation of knowledge on the subject of medical cannabis and Crohn’s disease so that you can comfortably discuss your options with your healthcare provider(s).
As always, if you have any additional questions after reading this article, please leave a comment below. A member of the Kanteeva team will respond as soon as possible.
What Is Crohn’s Disease?
MedicineNet defines Crohn’s disease as:
A chronic inflammatory disease, primarily involving the small and large intestine, but which can affect other parts of the digestive system as well.
If you suffer from Crohn’s disease, then you know that this definition does notr even begin to explain just how terrible this disease can be.
While the physical symptoms of this disease are bad enough, the resulting damage that they can have on your overall well-being can be catastrophic.
The fear of being too far from a restroom can affect many aspects of your life from personal relationships to your career. Crohn’s disease begins as a physical condition that can develop into mental health issues as well.
Over time, for many people suffering from Crohn’s, isolation becomes normalcy and even the most outgoing people will often say they feel alone.
How is Crohn’s Currently Treated?
Many people who suffer from Crohn’s disease say that the side effects of many medications are worse than the symptoms of the disease itself. Sadly, for many people the medications simply do n ot work at all.
After looking at some of the side effects of more popular Crohn’s disease medications it is easy to see why treating this disease is so difficult. From side effects that mimic or enhance Crohn’s symptoms like diarrhea, nausea and vomiting to more severe side effects like increased cancer risks and liver damage, the side effects of many Crohn’s medications can be terrifying.
For many suffering from Crohn’s disease medications will often be ineffective at managing flare ups. According to Everyday Health as many as 70% of people afflicted will ultimately require surgery. These surgeries can range from the removal of small areas of inflammation or blockages, to complete removal of the colon.
Every individual person has a different response to medications and treatments because Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune disease that affects every person differently. For some people medications and diet changes can result in long periods of remission. For others they provide little, if any, relief.
The positive news is that more research is being done to help those who suffer from Crohn’s disease and medical cannabis therapy is at the forefront. In Canada, as well as many states in the US, Crohn’s disease is now a qualifying illness for medical cannabis, and according to some patients it is the only therapy that really works well for them.
Can Medical Cannabis Help with Crohn’s Disease Symptoms?
I’d rather be illegally alive than legally dead.
As we briefly mentioned above, medical cannabis and its effects on the symptoms of Crohn’s disease is still a new topic and current scientific research into the benefits of cannabis therapy is ongoing. Here at Kanteeva we have chosen a specific patient’s story to illustrate how powerful the results of using medical cannabis for the treatment of Crohn’s disease can be.
Coltyn Turner’s Story
Coltyn Turner is a young man from Illinois. At the age of 11 he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease after dry drowning in a lake at Boy Scout camp. The bacteria from the water he consumed during the drowning caused his dormant Crohn’s disease to flare up for the first time.
This began Coltyn’s long battle with Crohn’s disease. In an interview with Damian Marley from Tidal.com, Coltyn’s mother stated that:
There wasn't one medication that Coltyn took that he didn't have a side effect to.
Watch the full interview below:
While some of the side effects of Coltyn’s medications were mild, he suffered from some very nasty side effects of pharmaceutical drugs involved in his treatment. In the Tidal interview he stated that one common Crohn’s medication, Remicade, “gave me rheumatoid arthritis and lupus."
Coltyn went on to say that "Prednisone deteriorated the bone in my heel, gave me a puffy face, and I had to wear a boot for three months," and that "Methotrexate gave me a nose bleed that lasted 15 minutes long." Prednisone is a commonly prescribed steroid medication that is used to help treat inflammation, the primary symptom of Crohn’s disease. Methotrexate is a medication given for rheumatoid arthritis, and according to Medline Plus “may cause very serious, life threatening side effects.” It is important to note that Coltyn probably would not have had to take Methotrexate had he not developed the original side effect illness of rheumatoid arthritis from taking Remicade.
While the side effects Coltyn suffered from the medications above sound bad enough, they are nothing compared to what happened to him while he was taking another popular medication for Crohn’s therapy, Humira.
After taking Humira, Coltyn’s lymph nodes in his neck became swollen to the size of golf balls. His doctors feared that he had developed Tuberculosis or T-Cell Lymphoma because of these concerns, Coltyn had to have emergency surgery. The results sadly were not as intended. As Coltyn stated at the 2015 National Cannabis Summit, “They were supposed to take out lymph nodes, but they had taken out salivary glands by mistake. The lack of saliva combined with a digestive disorder isn’t a good combination.”
After the surgery, Coltyn was given three different options for the future treatment of his Crohn’s disease. After some research, he and his family chose to go with what doctors called “alternative medicine,” or cannabis therapy. Due to government classifications of cannabis, his doctors couldn’t tell him to try cannabis. Instead, Coltyn stated that they told him to “Check out what’s going on in Colorado.”
That’s exactly what Coltyn and his father did on March 4, 2014. Coltyn stated that cannabis was “Just a random chance, there were no guarantees.” He did have some issues when he first started using cannabis for his Crohn’s symptoms and stated, “Eventually, we were able to get the medicine that I needed. Like many other people, it didn’t happen immediately. It took a couple of days before I started to notice an effect, but it wasn’t the complete strain that we were looking for. We had to experiment.”
After finally finding the right strain for his unique needs Coltyn stated “I came out here on March 4th of 2014 and in October of 2014, that same year, we had another colonoscopy. We went from just ulcers and inflammation, anything that you can say, it’s in there, to completely clear in just a few months. This medicine is great and everything but the thing about it is, like I said, there are no guarantees. One strain is not gonna work for two people at the same time. Even if they have the same disease, they’re a different human body.”
After using cannabis for several years with success, Coltyn’s mother summed up his story very well in their interview with TIDAL stating:
If we would have been able to give him cannabis when he first got diagnosed; we would have never had the Tuberculosis scare. We would have never had the T-Cell Lymphoma scare. He would have had a childhood, and that was taken away from him by pharmaceutical medications.
The Lessons learned from Coltyn’s Story
Coltyn’s story is an amazing example of how medical cannabis can help with treating and managing the symptoms of Crohn’s disease. It is important to note however, that just like Coltyn said, no two people are alike, even if they have the same disease.
If you are considering medical cannabis for Crohn’s disease you need to consult with a specialist who can help you find a strain that will help you achieve the maximum medical benefit possible. You must also be willing to try different strains to see which ones work the best for you personally.
Please also note that Coltyn stated in the video below that he consumes medical cannabis by ingesting an oil concentrate four times a day via gel capsules.
What Does Science Say About Medical Cannabis and Crohn’s?
As with many other ailments, there is still a significant amount of research that needs to be done to prove how effective medical cannabis is at treating Crohn’s disease.
One study that was completed in 2012 at the Meir Hospital in Israel used THC-rich cannabis for the treatment of active Crohn’s disease.
10 out of 11 patients reported a reduction in symptoms, and more impressively, 5 out of 11 reported a complete remission of symptoms over an 8-week time frame.
It’s important to note a couple of things about this study: First, there was a placebo group that was given cannabis that had little to no THC. This type of high CBD cannabis is very popular for many other ailments, however it was shown to not be very effective at treating active Crohn’s disease in this study.
Second, the study used cannabis flower that was smoked. Many people who have had success using medical cannabis for their Crohn’s symptoms have stated that smoking cannabis is not as effective as ingesting cannabis extracts. This begs the question: How many more of the remaining 6 patients would have achieved remission using edibles instead of smoking cannabis?
The results of this study were impressive.
91% of patients who received a THC-rich strain reported improved symptoms and an impressive 45% achieved total remission.
What are the Best Marijuana Strains for Crohn’s Disease?
Finding the best strains for your individual needs will most likely take some time and some patience. Keeping an open dialogue with your healthcare practitioner, your cannabis community here at Kanteeva and your local cannabis providers will enable you to have the best chance at finding the strains that work best for you.
Many people suffering from Crohn’s disease who have achieved remission through the use of medical cannabis have stated that it took a little while for them to find their optimal strain(s).
Through our online research we have found that many medical cannabis patients suffering from Crohn’s disease are having success with strains that have high THC levels.
It is also important to note that the majority of patients who have achieved full remission from Cronh’s disease have used edibles or cannabis oil concentrates (ingestion) instead of smoking flower. If you choose to start with cannabis edibles or cannabis oil, make certain that you start slowly. Allow enough time for the cannabis product to be absorbed by your system (typically 40 to 60 minutes minimum). Many people who are new to using medical cannabis do not allow enough time for edibles to take effect, which often results in consuming too much. Start slowly and explore our oral dosage guideline and consumption methods articles by following these links.
What are the Top Strains for Crohn’s Disease?
We have based these strain recommendations on testimonials from medical cannabis community members, anecdotal research, scientific research and a variety of other factors like accessibility.
Northern Lights
This Indica Strain has a high concentration of THC with a low concentration of CBD. While it does still have a significant sedative effect for many people, most report that it does not produce total couch lock. Northern Lights is also one of the top strains out there for boosting your appetite, which can often be an issue during Crohn’s flare ups.
Harlequin
This Sativa Dominant Hybrid is a top choice among the medical cannabis community for helping to alleviate the symptoms of Crohn’s disease.
Since the root cause of Crohn’s disease is inflammation that occurs in the digestive tract, Harlequin is an ideal choice as it contains very high levels of CBD and low levels of THC since both cannabinoids have been shown to help reduce inflammation.
Harlequin is also a strain that can be used both during the day or evening as it creates feelings of full body relaxation without making you feel too sedated or groggy.
OG Kush
One of the most common symptoms of Crohn’s disease is nausea and lack of appetite. Both of these are among the most well-documented symptoms that cannabis can help to alleviate. One of the top strains for appetite stimulation is OG Kush.
This slightly Sativa Dominant Hybrid strain is a powerhouse when it comes to appetite stimulation and the alleviation of nausea. It boasts very high THC content that averages 22% and a low CBD content of 0.3% on average.
It delivers a cerebral high that leaves you feeling focused, euphoric and relaxed. All in all, this strain is a great option for alleviating nausea and stimulating your appetite while also letting you unwind and relax at the end of the day.
Willie Nelson
This Sativa Dominant Hybrid strain has a very high concentration of THC that averages 21%, as well as a low concentration of CBD that typically ranges between 0.3% to 1%. It is often referred to as one of the best strains around for pain management. One thing to consider with this strain however, is that many people report that it has very potent sedative effects when overconsumed. This strain is typically consumed during the day because of its energizing effects.
Purple Diesel
This is another Sativa Dominant Hybrid that can be a great option for daytime use. With medium THC of 14% on average and low CBD of 0.5% or less, many people report that this strain is great at managing the pain that Crohn’s can cause while also creating an energetic feeling to help motivate you through your day.
Final Thoughts
Crohn’s disease is a debilitating disease. While the physical symptoms are terrible on their own, the emotional and mental torment that can stem from them can even be worse. While there is still no cure for Crohn’s disease, many people have found amazing results using medical cannabis.
If you are interested in beginning a medical cannabis program for your Crohn’s symptoms, we suggest you speak with your healthcare practitioner(s), explore the site in more detail and join the Kanteeva community for helpful information from other patients and healthcare providers.
We Want to Hear from You!
Have you found relief from the symptoms of Crohn’s disease by using medical cannabis? If so, we would love to hear from you!
Please help us spread the word about the amazing benefits that medical cannabis patients are finding all over the world.
With your help, thousands of others could finally find relief.
Please share your stories, comments, and questions below. If you are a medical cannabis patient, please also mention what strain has been effective at helping you find relief.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and we look forward to hearing your stories soon!
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