Smoking Pot / Bleo

[djmac]

The flip side, being a product of the 70's I do love the work that they are doing with plant based medicines. Many of the test tube meds are difficult for our bodies to digest. Good luck, Sharon

Oddly enough, some of the nastiest substances on earth come from plants. Taxotere and other Taxols come from a tree, ricin, well that's one of the deadliest substances known. And bleomycin? Not a plant, but close enough, it comes from a fungus!

Regards,

djm

[Russell's Mom]

Bleo Toxicity

It seems to me that I have read about the fact that smoke increases the irritation to the lungs while on Bleomycin. The toxicity is a mystery...who and why. I can tell you with every cell in my body that you don't want it!! Be very careful!
One of Russell's nurses suggested MJ as a tea. To my knowledge, Russell stayed with the recommendations that the MD gave. Sadly I remember that the nausea seemed far beyond what an herb could control. The flip side, being a product of the 70's I do love the work that they are doing with plant based medicines. Many of the test tube meds are difficult for our bodies to digest. Good luck, Sharon

[L.A. Chimp]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their input on this matter. I actually had to go in for my 6th bleo shot today (0nly 3 more left!) and I spoke to my doctor about it. He basically told me to leave my lungs alone and to take the prescribed medications (ativan, compazine, marinol) that he had given me for nausea. So I guess we'll leave it at that. I haven't really needed to take anything for nausea this past week, so that's been pretty good. But I go back into the hospital for Round#3 a week from today, so I'm sure I'll be needing those anti-nausea meds when I get out!

Thanks again everybody!

[Scott]

Medical Marijuana

Here's the closest thing I can find quickly.

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Support/marijuana

Anyone else find relevant information?

[Karen]

Joann,
Good to hear Mark's stomach has calmed a little. Hope you're both hanging in there OK! Is this the last cycle before HDC? Liver look and better? You guys are in the thoughts of lots of us every day!!!

[dadmo]

I'm not passing judgment on the use of marijuana all I'm asking is that you have your oncologist’s approval. As I said before our local oncologist and the doctors at Sloan Kettering told us to avoid all supplements and herbal teas during treatment. Our chemo nurses were very upset once when Jason mentioned that he drank too much beer one evening, and that was between rounds. Please just be careful, I would hate to see the chemo not be effective because of some un-prescribed activity.

[mstlyn]

One reference is the TCRC dictionary entry for hCG at this link. It says, "Also note that the HCG level can become elevated (falsely positive) due to abnormally low levels of testosterone or because of marijuana use."

oops =) I read too fast. I was looking for a link about the effectiveness of chemo drugs being reduced by smoking marijuana.

[mstlyn]

One reference is the TCRC dictionary entry for hCG at this link. It says, "Also note that the HCG level can become elevated (falsely positive) due to abnormally low levels of testosterone or because of marijuana use."

Thank you, Scott! I'm going to check that out now.

[Scott]

One reference is the TCRC dictionary entry for hCG at this link. It says, "Also note that the HCG level can become elevated (falsely positive) due to abnormally low levels of testosterone or because of marijuana use."

[mstlyn]

mstlyn:
This issues comes up a few times a year and many here have been told the same thing.

This must have come up at a time before I started using the forum. I recall a thread about marijuana and hcg levels being off.

Do you have a link to a study or anything that you can post please? I searched in google but the only thing I can find are stories about all the controversey over whether or not marijuana has any medicinal benefit. I would like to read the article/'s about it interfering with chemo effectiveness.

Thanks Dadmo

[jder4]

Mark was just prescribed a narcotic, Cesamet, a marijuana derivative. He hasn't taken it yet because the hospital pharmacy completely screwed up the order (like we need this at the moment since he is extremely nauseous). So, I do not know how well it will work. He was also prescribed Atavan to take with Compazine to stop the 'churning' in his stomach. It seems to have helped. Still a bit nauseous but his stomach has calmed down. I'd ask your doctor about these as opposed to smoking the real thing.

[Scott]

I suggest that you stick with legal anti-nausea medications prescribed by your doctors.

[dadmo]

mstlyn:
This issues comes up a few times a year and many here have been told the same thing.

[mstlyn]

L.A. Chimp:
I hope your doing this with the guidance of a doctor. My son was instructed to take no supplements or herbs, including herbal tea, during chemo as it may interfere with the chemo’s effectiveness. Have you mentioned the nausea to your doctor and are you taking all of the meds as prescribed?

I have never heard of this. I heard that smoking weed can cause hcg levels to be elevated though.
If this is true, then wouldn't marinol be considered as part of the herb catagory?
A lot of people do smoke weed when they take chemo ... Im surprised at this information about it reducing the effectiveness of chemo and I will be willing to bet that a lot of people do not know.

[dadmo]

L.A. Chimp:
I hope your doing this with the guidance of a doctor. My son was instructed to take no supplements or herbs, including herbal tea, during chemo as it may interfere with the chemo’s effectiveness. Have you mentioned the nausea to your doctor and are you taking all of the meds as prescribed?