Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Me, a 21 year old

Hi...I don't post much. I was actually looking to post something that I've found to help me immensely. I wanted to help others out. I see that Retrograde has found it helpful as well -- smoking pot. I think it has such a negative stigma that I'm not sure how this will be taken by everyone. And I hadn't intended on posting this information as a response to someone's letter. But here it goes:

I've NEVER been a pot smoker. Just not my thing. But after reading a journal article through this site that mentioned a possible beneficial connection between marijuana and IBS, and being as desperate as most people here -- I thought 'what the heck...'

It's been an absolute godsend. In fact, I'm in the process of trying to get a prescription for it (I live in California...). I'll try to dispel what I believe to be the negative myths, and I hope that people that are looking for some help but think marijuana is a "bad" thing will at least consider it, and ask me more questions.

Myth #1: It makes you lazy. I smoke the tiniest amount. I have to work and live my life so if it made me lazy or stupid -- it wouldn't be a viable solution. I don't smoke to get stoned. And it doesn't take much to get relief. And I've found I get almost instant relief. Additionally, it seems as if I get a long lasting effect. I've been smoking every other day or so and found I can eat a larger variety of food than ever before. Plus, I was sick recently so I didn't smoke for 2 weeks and STILL felt that I could eat more foods without being punished.
2. The smoke is bad for your body. I inhale for 10-20 seconds per day at most. If you purchase a vaporizor you can smoke virtually smokeless and heatless.
3. The munchies: For some of you/us, this is a good thing. I've found that smoking such a small quantity just doesn't cause the munchies. For me, eating more than a large fist-size full of food in one sitting is my worst trigger, and the pot doesn't help that at all. So, I have a huge incentive not to succumb to the "munchies".
4. It's illegal. Tough if you're not in some place like California or Oregon and can't get a legal prescription. So, I can't really advise you on that one except to say that many many respectable people in respectable jobs purchase and smoke pot illegally without a problem. For me...the relief it gave me, the freedom it gave me to eat and live my life...well, if I can't get it legally --I'll still continue to obtain it.

Ok-- that's it for me. It's worth trying I think. Can't hurt. If it's your first time...you have to smoke with someone who is kind of an "expert" so they can walk you through it. I needed that. And if you know someone with a vaporizor...that's really the way to go.

Good luck. Sorry this is so long.

Rinny

PS: Oh, regarding all the other stuff. Soy products "meat" is a good way to go...they're packed with protein, low in fat, just really good for you and some taste really good (makes me wish I'd been eating soy meat products long before my IBS); definitely go with the suggestion of eating small small frequent meals (it's tough to remember to do this...esp. at restaurants...but it might be critical for you); and you know what? Just tell your close friends that you have IBS. I told my group of friends...and at first it was STILL awful (telling them didn't help at all!)...but now it's just "me" and no one thinks twice about me not drinking (or sometimes drinking), not eating, bringing my own food, eating soy ice cream, telling them to not put cheese on my part of the pizza, etc. And I bet you'll find out that one or two of your friends have some version of it themselves. I told a new boyfriend about it...turned out he had it. It didn't work out for us...but he got one of Heather's books out of the deal!

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