Julie Gardener
New Member
Gastroparesis Diabeticorom by Anonymous
I am a 34- yea-r old Ph.D. pharmacologist, with a twenty-five-year history of insulin-dependent diabetes, maintained on an insulin pump. Six months ago - I was diagnosed with gastroparesis diabeticorum. This unpleasant condition causes a delay in gastric emptying, so it becomes uncomfortable to eat with bloating, gas and pain. My main symptom is severe, debilitating nausea.. I have dropped 30 lbs and struggle on a liquid and light solid diet, eating 8 or 9 times a day. Safe to say, folks, this is a dreadful condition. Medicine has little to offer. Pro motility drugs help some, but many of these compounds have awful side effects that make you feel dreadful. I have tried them all to no avail - even drugs withdrawn from the US market.
A good friend died this year after complications from Friedreich's aaxia - which had paralyzed him at age 14. His only relief from painful muscle spasms and gut motility disturbance came from the use of cannabis resin (he was in England).
Friends here in the US said I should try cannabis and see if it could stop the awful nausea - even for a short time. I found a drug dealer (this is what the government makes us do) and obtained some marijuana. I told him it was for medical use — he didn't care.
I have to say I have found a significant and often lasting relief of my symptoms. However, I have not found a reasonable way of taking the drug during the day.[I don't know what this means–JBB] I have never tried marijuana orally, only through smoking. I wonder if anyone else has suggestions or experience? Can I obtain a prescription in the state of Ohio?
I am somewhat desperate; my next option is to have a tube inserted through my skin and into my small intestine, just so I can get enough food. I am able to eat quite well when using marijuana and it seems ludicrous that a doctor can't prescribe this. Why are we all sitting around moaning about it, when we should be standing outside Congress screaming simply for the right to hope!
Source: Comments and Observations
