Marijuana and Diabetes

[perkeyo 10]

As far as anyone knows, does smoking marijuana have any effect on someone with type 1 diabetes?

[lgvincent 102]

I know this isn't what you're looking for, but last October, I saw the Montel Williams show and the topic was the use of medical cannabis. A doctor was introduced and began talking about the use of medical cannabis to treat neuropathy. Of course, this caught my attention. Unfortunately, something happened and the program went off the air (maybe God doesn't want me to start smoking) so I have no idea what was said. I've been looking on the internet and found a site which says "Cannabis helps protect the nerve covering (myelin sheath) from inflammatory attack." as well as lessening the pain. It also says it helps stabilize blood sugar, open blood vessels, and improve circulation, among other things. Does anyone know anything about this? Does it really work? I don't want to promote a stoned society but if it can do something about the neuropathy, I'd certainly be willing to consider it.

[am1977 10]

Speaking as someone who's never used drugs, outside prescribed medications, I don't know why you would want to fool around with that stuff :thumpdown . Call me sheltered , a control freak, a nerd or dork :nerd:, or what have you, (all of which might be somewhat true ) but if you are looking for a high...go exercise, buy yourself a chocolate bar, or fall in love. All those are natural highs (and are also legal :wink: ) and most of them are good for you, with the exception of chocolate...though dark supposedly has anti-oxidants.

 

Sorry, I can't jump on the band wagon with you, but I think you are better off staying away from the stuff .

[camjen1 10]

Oh yes I finally get to use this smilie Hehe

[duck 10]

Oh yes I finally get to use this smilie Hehe

 

Bwuuuuhaaaaaahaaaaaahaaaaaahaaaaaaa!

[TAutry 10]

Perkeyo,

 

While I may have to join Andrea in the prude line, I have to agree about the use of marijuana as a recreational drug. I am not a fan of the use of any drugs, including alcohol, for recreation. If that is your purpose for asking about MJ, I think you could find better use of your time and resources.

 

However, I have to at least consider LG's statements worthwhile. I do not have neuropathy, nor MS. If I had either and could not find relief through any other acceptable means, I might look into medical MJ.

 

There apparently is a body of evidence that suggests there is a benefit. I would prefer that our government research medical MJ, as opposed to wasting time on hearings about baseball players using steroids.

 

This is one of those rare times when I might be forced to see some shades of gray. Too bad we don't have a fence straddling smiley?

 

Travis

[Batty 10]

As far as anyone knows, does smoking marijuana have any effect on someone with type 1 diabetes?

 

As a Type 1 for the past 12years, who does smoke pot and drink...I think I am a better chance of you getting a answer with some experience behind it.

 

It does effect your bloodlevels..especially when you get the munchies during your high. you can't really aviod the munchies, nor can you aviod whatever you eat(non-sugary or not) to make your levels go up. If you eat before you smoke, you can sometimes aviod having such a big urge to eat..but not always. also..in the morning, you will most likely have a low. i usually get mine around 4am. and then i wake up around 10am, with a highblood sugar.

[DeusXM 2,075]

Ok, time for some useful advice....

 

Cannabis will cause your bg to drop, regardless of whether or not you have diabetes. Indeed the 'munchies' are caused by a drop in bg levels to a low level - in other words, people with the munchies are having a hypo, whether or not they are diabetic.

 

Obviously you'll appreciate that because you have T1, you don't quite have the same level of control over your bg as someone without diabetes. However you can safely smoke weed, providing that (as with all things with diabetes) you plan ahead.

 

Firstly, make sure you've already got some form of emergency sugar with you - glucose tablets, lucozade or regular soft drinks are probably the best because they'll work the quickest. I'd also recommend that you test your bg before, during and after smoking, but I realise this isn't always practical, so I'd say chuck some sugar down you before you start smoking, and get some down you whenever you can. Some people find they like to drink something whilst having a smoke too, so you might just want to have a sugary drink to sip on whilst you're smoking.

 

Eat something starchy after your sesh too - and if you can only do one test, then would be the ideal time.

 

Also be aware that cannabis lowers blood pressure. This is what causes the famous 'pulling a whitey', which describes the turning of the face from its regular colour to very pale, due to the blood pressure dropping.

 

I don't think you really need me to tell you that if this happens, you should stop smoking the stuff for that time and go and get some sugar, just in case. You might find drinking something like Red Bull will be useful in that situation, because the sugar content will help stop you going low, and the caffeine content will to some extent help combat the BG drop.

 

Having said all that, cannabis is a relatively 'safe' drug and is not particularly more dangerous than alcohol - indeed in some respects it is a safer drug because cannabis doesn't have the same effect on self-confidence or movement ability as alcohol. Nevertheless, all drugs, be they alcohol, tobacco, cannabis or amphetamines, will upset your bg control. The key is to know what they will do to your control, and then you can plan accordingly.

[archimeech 12]

the one time in my life that I ever tried it, it made me feel like I was having a low sugar episode. Everyone says, afterward, that I used too much, and the stuff my friend had was quite potent, but I couldn't stand the feeling that I wasn't in control of my body. How the heck can any diabetic go through that stuff for fun? If you do, enjoy. I just found it was a bad ride in my respect, although my sugar stayed just fine throughout the whole thing.

BTW, I'm not preaching, just sharing.

[Mick 10]

When i was in High school (the 1960's), my endo told me that if i was going to choose between alcohol and marijuana, he'd rather see me smoke weed than chug beers. I took his advice... I always suspectd that the "Munchies" were low blood sugars, because, even before we had meters, I could tell they felt the same to me. Science caught up with my suspicions only just recently. I have smoked grass off and on for the past 37 years. I occasionally use it to lower my blood sugar--it just takes the will-power to avoid the munchies. I occasionally use it for its potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties in the treatment of my joint disease--and it appears to be the most effective of all prescription or non-prescription drugs I have tried, with the lowest incidence of side effects. It is also a very good way to "stabilize" glucose levels--taken before bed, my sugars will tend to remain the same by morning rather than rising or falling, regardless of foods in my system. I'm an old guy, have had a responsible career for the past 30 years, raised 2 good kids, and kept together a 32-year marriage. I even occasionally use marijuana to get stoned. As a side effect to treatment of diabetes, "getting stoned" is not too bad. I'm not a pot-head and never have been. Maybe it's a very fine line I've been able to walk all these years. But the government's refusal to do the necessary research to figure out and exploit the many valuable properties of this important natural substance is inexcusable. Many important drugs come from plants--aspirin, heart medications, etc. Cannabis, and its chemical ingredient THC, is a resource we have demonized for too long, much to the detriment of many people who chould be helped by it.

 

Off my soapbox now...

Michael

T1 since 1965

[Batty 10]

Ok, time for some useful advice....

 

Cannabis will cause your bg to drop, regardless of whether or not you have diabetes. Indeed the 'munchies' are caused by a drop in bg levels to a low level - in other words, people with the munchies are having a hypo, whether or not they are diabetic.

 

 

I have never -once- been low while munching. I usually don't munch until I get home and have my insulin, and everytime I test..and everytime my bloodsugar is 18 or higher.

[archimeech 12]

Here are 2 of many sites that differ from your theory...

 

Ok, time for some useful advice....

 

Cannabis will cause your bg to drop, regardless of whether or not you have diabetes. Indeed the 'munchies' are caused by a drop in bg levels to a low level - in other words, people with the munchies are having a hypo, whether or not they are

 

Does marijuana cause the munchies by affecting blood sugar levels?

12-Aug-1977

 

Dear Cecil:

Recently, I discovered that I had hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. On my doctor's advice, I've given up coffee, alcohol, and cigarettes because of their effect on my blood sugar. But I didn't feel comfortable asking my doctor how marijuana affects blood sugar levels. Could you tell me whether I need to give up the last of my simple pleasures? --Anonymous, Los Angeles

 

Cecil replies:

A good deal of research and federal money has been poured into the problem of how marijuana affects blood sugar levels. Some scientists thought, at first, that if marijuana significantly reduced blood sugar, it might account for the furious attacks of hunger (known as "munchies," in vulgar street parlance) familiar to every marijuana user (known as "vipers," in vulgar street parlance). Millions of dollars and millions of "reefers" (vulgar street parlance for "marijuana cigarettes") later, the researchers concluded that dope smoking had no significant or consistent effect on blood sugar--and that, therefore, their hypothesis wasn't worth a hill of beans. Bad news for them, good news for you. Sounds like you could use some.

--CECIL ADAMS

from:

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_267a.html

 

 

 

Similarly, for all folks (including teens with diabetes) when smoking marijuana, likely that one will not make excellent decisions about food, insulin, activity, sexuality, etc. Therefore, like all other drugs that influence the brain, while under the influence of marijuana, risks exist. This would suggest, from a common sense perspective, that there would be higher chance of dosage errors, mistakes about how to respond to blood glucose results and perhaps also timing errors. All likely would be worsened if hypoglycemia were to occur. Marijuana per se does not cause or increase hypoglycemia nor does it block the body's response to hypoglycemia.

Marijuana, in clinical research settings, raises the blood glucose slightly but not enough to think this would be important clinically at any moment in time or even if this slight higher sugar level could be detected with usual meters. If one were stoned frequently, however, this may be unhealthy.

from:

http://www.diabetesmonitor.com/mj.htm

[Middle Aged Man 10]

The one thing that would concern me if I were to be a smoker (pot or tobacco) would be the damage done inside my body combined with the slow healing times caused by the diabetes. It takes 15 years of non-smoking for a smoker to return to normal on all counts. I don't know how marijuana compares.

 

I just want to see life last as long as possible. Having smoke filled lungs working against me without a quality healing system would scare me.

[Jayo 10]

I don't understand why a diabetic would take a substance(that ultimately destroys the body) just to get "high"...when diabetes is already destroying the body ...

[Batty 10]

I don't understand why a diabetic would take a substance(that ultimately destroys the body) just to get "high"...when diabetes is already destroying the body ...

 

Why do people do anything? Why do people drink 6 starbucks coffees in one day? Helps them get through their work days and busy lives, gets rid of their headaches..but you don't see ads on tv about how dangerous large amounts of caffeine can be for you..

[DeusXM 2,075]

Diabetes might be destroying your body, but personally I'm taking steps to make sure that it doesn't.

 

Technically, 'life' destroys your body, and sure, a spliff might take a couple of minutes off your life, but most people who smoke weed don't smoke it as much as they would a normal cigarette.

 

Actually though, if you really do think diabetes has to destroy the body, what's the harm in doing everything dodgy under the sun? If you're going to die young anyway, you might as well have a good time in the meantime. :stupido3:

[duck 10]

Diabetes might be destroying your body, but personally I'm taking steps to make sure that it doesn't.

 

Technically, 'life' destroys your body, and sure, a spliff might take a couple of minutes off your life, but most people who smoke weed don't smoke it as much as they would a normal cigarette.

 

Actually though, if you really do think diabetes has to destroy the body, what's the harm in doing everything dodgy under the sun? If you're going to die young anyway, you might as well have a good time in the meantime. :stupido3:

 

I'm with you, brother! Pass me the heroine!

[Jayo 10]

Diabetes might be destroying your body, but personally I'm taking steps to make sure that it doesn't.

 

Technically, 'life' destroys your body, and sure, a spliff might take a couple of minutes off your life, but most people who smoke weed don't smoke it as much as they would a normal cigarette.

 

Actually though, if you really do think diabetes has to destroy the body, what's the harm in doing everything dodgy under the sun? If you're going to die young anyway, you might as well have a good time in the meantime. :stupido3:

 

 

I definately don't plan on dying young...and I know Diabetes doesn't HAVE to destroy your body...I was just saying IMO I wouldn't want to INTENTIONALLY take something i knew was going to take ANY time off my life...but I do recognize other people consider smoking weed a 'good time'...and if they do fine go right ahead..but keep in mind that eventually those 'seconds' off of your life will add up into days and then years.....

[Harold 172]

As far as anyone knows, does smoking marijuana have any effect on someone with type 1 diabetes?

Yea, just like anyone else you get high, get the munchies, which bring you down if you eat, then you get the sleepies if it's late in the day and if not you have another and start the whole cycle over. It's unusual for an experienced user to pass out, but can happen when one gets something extremely more potent than they are use to. Known people to use it to quit smoking cigs and others to loose weight by not giving in to the munchies. Will it raise or lower you bg's, who knows, likely it will do both on different days, but most likely it will do nothing for your bg's. Well come to think of it you will be less active so raising your bg's on average would be most likely. It may help with depression, but it sometimes it's affect is to magnify emotions which may make depression worse. Especialy when you come down or after the intial effect. Won't tell you not to do it or tell you it will harm you. However if you do nothing else you will get bored and/or become boring to everyone else. Your choice.

[DeusXM 2,075]

I was just saying IMO I wouldn't want to INTENTIONALLY take something i knew was going to take ANY time off my life...but I do recognize other people consider smoking weed a 'good time'...and if they do fine go right ahead..but keep in mind that eventually those 'seconds' off of your life will add up into days and then years.....

 

That's fair enough. I choose not to smoke weed either, although that has less to do with the health risks and more to do with the fact that in my experience, most people who regularly smoke weed talk a load of crap all the time and get incredibly anal about their 'stash'.

 

However, like I said, everything will take time off your life. If you're going to rule out anything that could take time off your life, then you're going to be omitting caffeine, alcohol, carbohydrates, vegetable oil, aspartame, steak, butter.....

 

The thing is whilst many things can take time off your life, the key is moderation. There are various chemicals out there that you can take which probably have no long term effects on health and won't take time off your life. However, I'd be more concerned about the short-term effects of those.

 

Besides, I'm a firm believer in that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Check your local paper the next time someone in your area makes it to 100 years old. Bet you a tenner that they say they drink whiskey every night.

[Middle Aged Man 10]

Why do people do anything? Why do people drink 6 starbucks coffees in one day? Helps them get through their work days and busy lives, gets rid of their headaches..but you don't see ads on tv about how dangerous large amounts of caffeine can be for you..

 

 

Ever see the Starbucks nutrition chart? It makes McDonald's look like health food! I haven't been to one since! I was a Caramel Macchiato fan until I saw the sugar levels. Egads!!!

[Batty 10]

Ever see the Starbucks nutrition chart? It makes McDonald's look like health food! I haven't been to one since! I was a Caramel Macchiato fan until I saw the sugar levels. Egads!!!

 

haha yeah i work at a McDicks and i'd rather eat that food for lunch than have anything from starbucks.

 

However, like I said, everything will take time off your life. If you're going to rule out anything that could take time off your life, then you're going to be omitting caffeine, alcohol, carbohydrates, vegetable oil, aspartame, steak, butter.....

 

excatly why you live your life and do the things you want. f--k these atkin-diets that f--k you up anyways. live life, have a good time, and don't worry so much about the future because what happens, happens. everyday they say something else is bad for you..before you know it, breathing is going to "cause cancer"(which with all the f--king popollution we have i wouldn't be surprised if some people did get lung cancer in some places in the world...but you aren't going to stop breathing are you?)

[Dewey 25]

haha yeah i work at a McDicks and i'd rather eat that food for lunch than have anything from starbucks.

LMAO!! I totally agree! I hate "Starbucks," too! (yet, notice how there's one on every corner! ).

excatly why you live your life and do the things you want. f--k these atkin-diets that f--k you up anyways. live life, have a good time, and don't worry so much about the future because what happens, happens. everyday they say something else is bad for you..before you know it, breathing is going to "cause cancer"(which with all the f--king popollution we have i wouldn't be surprised if some people did get lung cancer in some places in the world...but you aren't going to stop breathing are you?)

Agreed. You do have to live life the way you want. I've heard (and seen) how people live completely healthy, yet drop dead from something completely unexpected (or wind up getting hit by a bus, etc), and I've heard of folks from other extremes who either do well, or pass away as a result. I also agree that every person has or will wind up with some kind of illness, thanks to all the chemicals, fuels and other sh** this earth has been laden with. In terms of the pot/marijuana, I (for one) think it should be legalized. It's odd how the system works when it comes to marijuana (some people will be let off if they have only a little, while others get dragged in for having just a pipe, etc.). Many people at concerts have it, and as long as they aren't causing problems (which they usually aren't), nobody says a word (including the officers).

 

I agree with Deus in that if it is going to be smoked, just use precaution and test sugars more often. Although I do not personally smoke it, I don't believe that it should be "banned" from the face of the earth. I also believe that there are people who will take advantage of and abuse things, no matter what the situations are (i.e. alcohol, pot, etc.). The saying is....."Almost anything in Moderation...."

[sugarfree76 10]

As a Type 1 for the past 12years, who does smoke pot and drink...I think I am a better chance of you getting a answer with some experience behind it.

 

It does effect your bloodlevels..especially when you get the munchies during your high. you can't really aviod the munchies, nor can you aviod whatever you eat(non-sugary or not) to make your levels go up. If you eat before you smoke, you can sometimes aviod having such a big urge to eat..but not always. also..in the morning, you will most likely have a low. i usually get mine around 4am. and then i wake up around 10am, with a highblood sugar.

I smoked for many years. I didn't see ANY JUMP in sugar (except when Mr. Dorito came to town)

[Mister Q 10]

The fact that MS sufferers and cancer patients are well know to use Marijuana shows that it can have other benefits than just getting wrecked. When I was in Amsterdam (the smoking capitol of Europe) a few years back they hand out leaflets on how to deal with smoking and specifically the over effects, its reccomended you eat sugary snacks and drink sugary drinks - so guess the effects are hightened for diabetics.

 

With regards to the why would anyone debate, we all have choices to make in life, if you are happy with those choices and it harms no-one else then I see no issue, its easy to judge others, a lot harder to understand their choices.