Diet - Marijuana and UC

I have been lurking on these forms for quite some times but have learned awful lot about ulcerative colitis. This is pretty much been my go-to reference for everything I've been through. And I'll save the details but I have had the usual progression of on and off prednisone, Humira, Asicol, ENtyvio etc.

The Entyvio was starting to wear off towards the end of last year after about 15 months and my symptoms were getting worse. I knew this was the strong possibility that the Entyvio might stop being effective. At the same time my arthritis kicked in and even just walking around was an issue. Coupled with this, my liver enzymes were elevated which nobody could figure out. The Doctors took me off all meds to figure out why the liver enymes were high.

Needless to say I wasn't thrilled. I was running out of options and didn't have many bullets left in the chamber. My diet has typically been terrible. My wife has been after me to go gluten-free which I tried briefly but did not notice any Improvement. So I tried eliminating most carbohydrates and getting off of all the sugar that I could. I stayed away from gluten but I was not a fanatic. I didn't spend my days reading salad dressing labels.

At the same time I had decided to try using small amounts of medical marijuana. I tried CBD oil alone before but that wasn't working very well. Now I don't know how much been the diet and how much is been the marijuana, but I am the best I have been since I was diagnosed about five years ago. My symptoms have been greatly reduced and bowel movements are down to about 2 or three a day with mainly formed stools. My arthritis is fairly non-existent And I have no joint pain to speak of at this point in time.

Now I know everyone is different and everyone responds differently. I can't really be sure what is giving me the most benefit but at least I am grateful that something is working. I usually take a small amount of an edible at night and I get a mild buzz but nothing like years ago when I would smoke a joint and be completely paranoid and hide in a closet. Marijuana has certainly changed since the 70s. I have tried to stick to sativa strains which does not make me as drowsy as the other Indica strains.

Of course based on my last five years all of this could end tomorrow. I certainly hope not. I am sure the diet is definitely helped me, especially my joint pain. No more nightly desserts, potato chips, processed foods etc but I could care less since I'm feeling so much better.

Medical marijuana has just been approved in Florida but they make you jump through some ridiculous hoops to get a medical marijuana card. Ulcerative colitis is one of the qualifying conditions but you still have to pay $300 to see a physician to qualify you. Ridiculous, but that's the government for you. Then you have to pay for medical marijuana card and wait about 3 months because they are overwhelmed with applications. Prices are ridiculous as well but at least you know what you are getting vs on the street.

Anyway I hope this provides some Enlightenment to somebody out there since I have found such great information on here for each course of treatment I was considering. Everyone reacts differently and there is no one-size-fits-all pure here. That's my story. Best of luck to everyone.

It's hard to quantify since dosages, strains are so different. I started with a very small amount ...like the size of an M&M and just experimented from there....trying a bit more each time until I was comfortable with the amount. They key with edibles is that you have to wait for an hour or two to feel the effects so you dont want to eat too much. Also edibles seems to be a much more mellow feeling than if you vape. I have not smoked any at all. Ironically there is no edible approved in Florida. You have to use a vape pen or ointment. However, I have access to some medical marijuana from another state.Much prefer edibles and I assume, right or wrong it is better if it is travelling through the colon.

There is a site called Leafly that describes a lot about different strains and which are good for different conditions. you can seek out a strain which has a high CBD ratio in relation to the THC. Some are 20 to 1 CBD to THC. Also depends what is available from approved clinics in your area.

I know personally I dont like the heavy Indica strains because they make me feel very groggy. The sativa is a very different feeling....more uplifting....virtually no paranoia. It's nothing like smoking back in the day. I was never really into it and didn't realize how refined things are now. There are also Hybrids which are a blend of sativa and Indica. Indica is more for pain relief but I am shooting for UC relief so not as much of a concern for me.

You might be overwhelmed with all the info out there but if you have someone with some experience to educate you that will help.

I don't rule it out....just glad something is working (and no major or long term side effects.)

It is considered a similar condition to Crohns. https://www.flmedcannabis.org/news/2017/11/18/what-conditions-qualify-for-medical-marijuana-in-florida.

When I checked on getting my card and was told the wait period from the state for a card, I found alternative supplies but will apply eventually. (cheaper on the street but I would prefer being able to specify the strain and ration. I did not feel I had 3 months or more to wait for the condition I was in back in December. Plus paying $300 went up my @ss, so to speak, to pay a Doctor to tell me what I already know and that I qualify. Of course every qualified Doctor quotes the same ridiculous price and they havent approved that many "clinics". Of course what I have paid out in medical bills, it is inconsequential but I am a pig headed Irishman.

I checked on some authorized dispensaries and they have opened up a spot in Jacksonville just north of me. A company Called Trulieve has many locations and it appears you can order online with delivery but I haven't needed to verify yet.

I was never a fan of the "vile weed" before, but my attitude sure has changed. I go back to Massachusetts frequently and they will have legal outlets for all starting in July (even that took 2 years after a ballot referendum, but it took a while before the politicians could figure out which of their cronies could get licenses.

Good luck.

Good luck.