How marijuana can alleviate Chemo symptoms

Chemotherapy is a life saver by stopping or slowing down the production of cancer causing cells. Lets take a look at how and why it is used, the side effects, as well as how some of these can be eased through marijuana use.

Chemotherapy aims
Curative -The chemotherapy is used with an aim to provide a cure and eliminate all cancer cells from a persons body.
Adjuvant therapy-The chemotherapy is used alongside other therapy or surgery in order to eliminate any undetected cells to ensure that the cancer does not return.
Non adjuvant therapy-The chemotherapy is used before surgery in order to shrink a tumour so that is may be successfully removed, in circumstances where it might of been impossible or much more complicated or risky to operate prior to doing so.
Palliative-The chemotherapy is used in order to slow or in some cases halt the growth.

Side effects of chemotherapy
Unfortunately Chemo as most people know from either personal experience, knowing someone who has endured it, or after reading much publicized accounts of its harsh side effects, kills off a whole bunch of healthy cells at the same time as the bad ones causing some life changing, although hopefully temporary, side effects:

• Pain from nerve damage in fingers and toes
• Mouth and throat sores from cell damage to delicate lining
• Diarrhea, constipation, nausea and vomiting from damage to cells lining stomach and intestines
• Nerve complaints ranging from shakiness and weakness to burning and tingling sensations
• Cognitive functions, otherwise known as Chemo fog where you have trouble remembering and/or feel extra clumsy
• Appetite loss again due to intestinal irritability but also due to the mass of medication as well as low mood and often depression
• Stress and depression which comes from having to not only deal with such a life changing matter as having cancer, but the side effects from the disease itself as well as the therapy to treat it
• Insomnia from side effects of medication particularly steroids that give you restless leg syndrome

Medical uses for marijuana

• Nausea
• Anxiety
• Seizures
• Nerve Pain
• Appetite stimulant
• Sleep aid
• Muscle Spasms

Although certain medical marijuana is available in pill format in some countries it should be mentioned that when taken by mouth THC is poorly absorbed and as well as taking hours to do so, after bypassing the liver (which also puts unnecessary strain on it by doing so), when smoked it acts almost instantly giving you more control of taking it when needed as well as controlling the dosage.

As there are main strains of marijuana personal research should be taking into finding one appropriate to the specific needs and requirements of each sufferer, at their own risk.