I've read several articles discussing the effects of marijuana on blood glucose. From my experiences, I've never seen a rise or decrease in my numbers when I use it, but I was wondering if anyone else had any experiences that were similar or different?
I would consider myself a regular user of it, and honestly, I used to do it just for fun, but as I'm getting older and experiencing some of the complications of diabetes, I've actually seen the therapeutic effect it can have on the body. For me, it all but eliminates the pain from peripheral neuropathy in my legs everyday.
That being said, the only downside I can really think of is the induced hunger that follows administration of marijuana, which is hard enough for non-diabetics, much less the rest of us! I feel that it is a far better alternative than alcohol for diabetics, as it doesn't occupy the liver's precious processing time, and drive blood sugars down and up and down again, like it has for me in the past. Do any of you guys have any tips that can help curb some of the hunger from marijuana use, or maybe some ideas to trick my stomach into thinking its full (like drinking lots of water)? Thanks guys!
Ha I don't smoke it due to the insane munchies I used to get when I did...
If you want to keep smoking only thing I could suggest is increasing basals if you are on a pump for a few hours afterwards, or ensure you basal for what you eat if you are on MDI and filling up on protein before hand may help.
Not trying to be trite but, "Mess with the bull, you get the horns."
Not trying to be judgemental either but even if the only downside you see to being a regular user is the munchies, that's still an incomprehensibly huge problem for a diabetic.
I have a fondness for hamburgers and fries. I would say that, before diabetes, I was a regular user and used to eat hamburgers and fries just for the fun of it. I looked for many ways to deal with the blood sugar rollercoaster, but in the end, I had to cut down on the hamburgers and fries.
Diabetes blows. It requires tough choices for all of us.
There are websites and some research on using drugs with diabetes. For example E makes eating anything impossible - so if you go low you need to have things you can take. Gummies to chew, or coke to drink. LSD can create time lapses and can make it difficult to remember or sense how you are feeling. Speed, K and G - well if you are dancing all night you need to compensate with snacks or drinks. Mary Jane - Munchies - test, eat, test, if high take insulin.
It's a tough one to go out and party (whether with drug or alcohol or anything). Best plan of attack would be test regularly, party with people who know you are diabetic and can remind you to test.
As for your specific questions about curbing the hunger try eating something that won't mess too much with your sugars but can fill you up. Drink lots, and try popcorn or nuts. They will alter it - but less so than pizza and cookies. :)
I'm glad you asked the questions and I think we need to realize that there are lots of people on this forum with all kinds of life styles - if you do not agree with something someone does then don't comment. This is supposed to be a place to ask questions and get support. :)
This is doesn't really have much to do with liefstyle choice. Diabetes doesn't discriminate when it comes to lifestyle. Everybody has to make liefstyle adjustments. Whether you smoke (whatever) or drink alcohol, whatever it is you eat, whatever your activity level, you will have to make adjustments. Bulls come in all shape sizes and colors, but their horns always hurt.
Not that one number tells the whole story about diabetes management, but an A1c of 8.3 is problematic. Jack might want to think about making some adjustments.
Hey, maybe he doesn't need to adjust the amount of pot he smokes, at all?
Okay, value judgement aside, there are really two things to address here. First of all the munchies. If you are controlling your D at all you already have the answer. Plan. Keep appropriate snacks around. Eat before you smoke and have some type of snack ready to go for your after meal smoke and munchies. It may not be the chocolate chip cookies you want, but make it a snack you can enjoy and have it ready to go. Make a food plan and stick to it.
Second is you PN and the pain. I have PN and I know how painful it can be. It can be debilitating. A year ago I could hardly move, sleep or do simple things like tie my shoes. I can easily see how MJ could help with the pain and have no problem with that at all. But, MJ will NOT help your PN. It will only make it easier to live with, for a while. Don't you really want the problem to go away and not just make yourself a little more comfortable with it?About a year ago I started taking r-ala (lots of info here and other places) for my PN. I take 1200 mg per day. At the same time I began low carb and a very aggressive battle for normal BG. Fortunately I have been able to keep my BG below 140 almost completely and have an average A1c of 5.5 (highest being 5.6) for the last year. I was 12.3 Oct of 2010. The pain got worse before it got better, but it is virtually gone now. I still have numbness, but not the pain and very few infrequent muscle cramps. It is only in the last 3-4 months that I have Started to notice big improvements and just since the first of the year that I am getting feeling back in my hands and feet. FHS is right, an A1c of 8.3 is not going yo keep you from complications or help what you already have. Take an aspirin or have your smoke, neither will take the pain away entirely or fix the problem.
And yes, popcorn is a great snack. 2 cups is less than 20 carbs. I use it to bridge the long gap I have between lunch and dinner. It solved the hunger and lows I got after work. Never used to eat it before D.
I like popcorn these days as it has less carbs/ munch. There's several "lite" kinds not slathered in oil/ cheese/ caramel that have like 15G of carbs/ 28G which turns out to be quite a bit as it's fluffy.
I've read that cheeba cures neuroapathy and it would be nice if it were readily available for people with complaints of that but, at the same time, the stuff I've seen on the news seems to make the pharmaceutical industry look like a bunch of flakazoids getting it rx'ed for depression. I'm not sure that it's a good long-term solution for that?
I would also ***STRONGLY*** recommend that people think twice about posting about this sort of thing in chatrooms. It's an intriguing topic however there was a murder here locally and the defendant had a bunch of goofy stuff posted about himself on his FB page which the victim's friends all read, told prosecutors and told the newspaper about. On one hand, perhaps the defense can try to get a change of venue, due to the bias from that sort of publicity but I don't think any of it will help his case a whole lot?
I'd also agree that neuropathy at an early age would concern me a great deal.
Although, I gotta tell ya, I'm trying to picture a bunch of stoners sitting around trying to convince their stoner buddy to test his BG and take his insulin.
Tell me that isn't a Judd Apatow movie waiting to be filmed. =P
That MTV show that was linked a while ago actually had a couch bong session where the stoner buddy was asking pointed questions about BG to the diabetic dude.
I agree on the lifestyle adjustments. I have given up starchy veggies, grains and flour projects, any kind of "sweetener" (natural or chemical), caffeine, alcohol and pretty much any packaged, processed food. I decided to completely clean up my act and am only consuming low-glycemic veggies, meat and poultry, eggs, limited dairy products and a bit of whole fruits -- real, lower-carb, natural foods.
My rewards for these lifestyle changes have been stellar: lower mean blood glucose while using less insulin, fewer blood glucose swings (high or low), slow and steady weight (fat) loss, less blurry vision, better sleep, more energy, feeling 100% better in general and (I hope) fewer complications down the road.
That said, I've abused my body a lot over the years. While I would never enable someone to continue abusing their body, I also won't judge them for not being ready to step up and clean up. That would be pretty hypocritical of me. I just hope that people will look honestly at what they're doing to themselves and try their best to do better, whether we're talking about drinking too much coffee, eating too many chips, or smoking too much pot.
I'm not sure I can finish watching it. That kid who is binge drinking looks like every story I have ever heard about a young diabetic biting it in college or in their twenties. It makes me want to scream.
It takes a lifetime of experience. In 1968, I was 16, and lived through HS and college in a new world of pot. It is better than booze, because there were no "calories" (important in the diet controlled days), so it was subtle and easy on the system--no BG jumps. Munchies--don't you get and control them when your BG is low!? I admit that my problems with retinopathy and glucoma began after... (it is used to control those "conditions")
As an HR person, I agree wit AR. I am about to retire and only take care about my grands finding out stuff.. It is life, and with mine, I am OK. But, although this is interesting--take care..
Our recruiter does searches on the web, FB and google. It is used for employment decisions. So...
I would admit that I get some munchies with booze? There's an interesting movie, "Festival Express", of the late 60s San Francisco scene going on a tour of Canada. They all panicked and ditched (smoked?) their stashes at the border and were stuck w/o any party stuff so, being in Canada, went to the liquor store and returned to the train with GIANT bottles of Canadian Club, etc. Which was probably ok w/ Pig Pen and Janis? I found it pretty entertaining!
