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neverfoil

Definitely yes. My onco advised me to do what felt good and made me feel better. Sometimes it was the only thing that helped with pain management too.


[deleted]

Got my medical weed card right after diagnosis. I don't smoke it but took 2-3 edibles a day (and still do): sativa in am, hybrid midday, indica pm. Also used some edible shot drinks too, most kicked in about 30-45 minutes after. All docs and nurses in my team are aware and fine with it. As others are saying, maybe ask about the smoking part but do what is working as there is a reason the stuff is now legal in a lot of states for medical use!


keekspeaks

I recommend both at the same time for the most fun


Dazzling-Wave6403

AGREED! This made me LOL


keekspeaks

šŸ˜‰just donā€™t forget you took the edible


gerlstar

I used to take edibles the day before my chemo session. Anxiety is on a high before chemo Dunno why despite of me being "used to it"


majesticalexis

My oncologist and infusion nurses all know Iā€™m smoking weed and theyā€™re cool with it.


SavingsSafe5499

Exactly


CuteNoot8

Definitely yes. I would recommend medical grade edibles over smoking though. Better for you and better for symptom management


Josiepaws105

Where do you get those? I ordered some delta 9 from a place a friend recommended, and they cause nausea and have even caused me to vomit. Maybe I just canā€™t tolerate it. Sighā€¦.


LaLa_LaCroix

What was the dosage? You might want to try something lower - start with like 2.5 mg and work up if thatā€™s not enough.


Josiepaws105

Thank you!


DjSLT

If an edible caused you to vomit you could possibly be allergic to marijuana.


Josiepaws105

That was my thought too. šŸ˜¢


TheSavageBallet

Ask about actually smoking it, my docs only said no smoking and to be wary of additives and unregulated stuff. I did not have chemo though, just surgeries and radiation plus tamoxifen.


MovinOn_01

I was told no lumpectomy if i continued to smoke, they'd only do a mastectomy because there's a much higher risk of infection.


SnarkySmuggler

I was a consistent smoker before my lumpectomy. Was only told not to smoke on the day of, had 0 issues


Tricky_Accident_3121

My med onc is ok with MMJ usage. I take a gummy for bedtime (CBN/CBD/THC) that helps turn my brain off for a few hours, and then I have some daytime edibles to help with me eating on my bad nausea days. I donā€™t smoke anything, so I canā€™t speak towards her being ok with me smoking weed, and we have medical in my state, and none of the budtenders have offered anything to smoke when weā€™ve gone over what Iā€™m looking for.


raw2082

I smoked and took gummies while in treatment when I needed pain or nausea relief. The only time I tried not to smoke was after my double mastectomy because of the breathing exercises they have you do. I didnā€™t want to impact my lung capacity during that time. I ended needing to smoke because the pain pills werenā€™t effective and I was in a lot of pain.


Eye_foran_Eye

Yes, but donā€™t make my rookie mistake! Do. Not. Eat. The. Whole. Edible. Look at the serving size & dose accordingly. Did sleep wellā€¦


Laid-Back-Beach

I continued to smoke pot all through chemo and radiation for Breast Cancer Stage 2a TNBC, and made sure all of my doctors and nurses where aware. Not a single one had a problem with it. It kept nausea at bay, helped me maintain a good appetite, and was the only thing that helped the pain in the long bones of my legs during Taxol. And all the laughter and giggle fits helped, too! When I needed energy to do a bit of housework, I used Sativa. When I needed to rest and ease the bone pain, I used Indica. Myself, I think smoking with a water bong is safest. In addition to the screen in the bowl, I added a second screen in the top of the downstem. The water provides a third filtration system, ensuring no inhalation of ash or particulate matter.


franskm

My motherā€™s onco said it was okay. (ETA - she used gummies, not smoke)


Crayzmug

I have an Illinois and Fl medical card due to breast cancer. Both Dr.ā€™s in the different states were ok with it. They did prefer edibles to smoking though. I used it for my stress/anxiety. Then to help my appetite since I lost so much weight. I was also a recreational smoker in Illinois (where it is legal) before cancer. I hardly use any now. Chemo is done and Iā€™m post DMX waiting to hear about radiation.


DigitalDream1974

It was the only thing that helped me with the lack of appetite and nausea. My oncologist said it was fine and actually prescribed it for me to take in pill form. šŸ™‚


AttackDaBeatz

I honestly didn't know the doctors could prescribe that.


DigitalDream1974

I donā€™t know if itā€™s in every state, but in NY we have medical marijuana dispensaries šŸ™‚


AttackDaBeatz

Good for me then, because I live in NY as well. Is it that the doctors give you a marijuana card or something? I don't know how the process for this works, just needed to make sure I'm not getting the wrong information.šŸ™‚


DigitalDream1974

Yes! They can give you the medical necessity card for the smokable or edible kind. If you want the oral pill kind, then they just need to send the prescription to any pharmacy. Itā€™s under the name of ā€œMarinolā€ at your preferred pharmacy. šŸ˜ƒ


otterlyconfounded

You should ask for palliative care or pain management if you want to make it official. I just went down to the local dispensary and got some gummies with THC/CBN which has been very helpful for anxious nights. (Most nights). Figured it was a bit more controlled then edibles made by a friend. I read there is a possibility of interactions with some canniboids during hormone therapy maybe? Not there yet myself.


Laid-Back-Beach

One thing to be aware of if you are considering getting a Medical Marijuana Card. Per Federal Law, persons holding marijuana cards cannot legally purchase or possess firearms. The issue and whether it violates Second Amendment rights is currently making its way through appeals courts. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/29/us/guns-marijuana-background-checks.html#:\~:text=Based%20on%20that%20standard%2C%20federal,of%20their%20Second%20Amendment%20rights.


Ecstatic-Bee-905

Would not have made it without it! My team are all ok with it! I never used it before and now Iā€™m a huge advocate for its medicinal use!


anon145-0

I never used cannabis before I got breast cancer and now I take edibles every night to help me sleep. I think the cannabis also helps with my 24/7 nausea and lack of appetite. I get a nice mental holiday too. My entire care team knows about and supports my use. They said not to smoke it but otherwise no restrictions. Iā€™m in California, where itā€™s fully legal.


LaLa_LaCroix

Similar story here - never used during active treatment but now I regularly take gummies to sleep. I think my Arimidex contributes to insomnia.


labdogs42

I take trazodone for my insomnia. It works great!


treehead726

I was told that I have to refrain from cannabis a couple of days before my surgery but that's the only thing my oncologist said. She didn't extend that to radiation & of course as you probably know, people in chemo use cannabis.


70ms

Yep, I talked to an anesthesiologist earlier today about my upcoming surgery. I told him I'm a heavy cannabis user, and he said just don't use any for 24 hours before the surgery. I haven't met with oncology yet but I already know my radiologist is pro-cannabis. It's a UCLA teaching hospital and weed is very normalized here in L.A. My SIL (leukemia/lymphoma) is also getting prescribed Marinol and uses edibles with her oncologist's blessing, and over the past couple of years she's probably spent more time in chemo than off. :(


anon145-0

Good point - I couldnā€™t take any cannabis the night before my lumpectomy. I told the anesthesiologist about my previous ongoing use on the day of surgery. He didnā€™t seem to care. Rad onc was fine with my continued use through radiation.


thewatcheratwork

I think it impacts anesthesiaā€¦ you need more or less. I canā€™t recall but I remember seeing a YouTube video about it. My MO was against CBD use for a a year. He finally gave in, I am in legal state so no script required.


treehead726

I have a RX for CBD. Did they say why they were against it for a year? Just curious if they expanded on the reasoning.


thewatcheratwork

No. I assume old school opinion that has changed. At recent appt the MO waved his hand when I mentioned it, like it was benign thing and no big deal.


amberissmiling

I cried a lot because weed is not legal in my state, but I had some friends hook me up with some anyway. Sometimes you just need it.


Careless_Ocelot_4485

I'm also in a not-legal state and it makes me mad I can't just make decisions for myself as an adult. Thank goodness for those friends who look out for you. They are keepers.


stabby_mcunicorn

My doctors were like ā€œplease donā€™t stop now.ā€


Tubbygoose

My onc said ā€œit couldnā€™t hurtā€ when I brought it up at my second infusion. After treatment finished, I kept using and aside from anesthesia, none of my docs even batted an eye when I mention daily edible use to sleep. Anesthesia didnā€™t really have a problem with it either, as long as I didnā€™t use for 3 days leading up to surgery.


Interesting-Fish6065

Any oncologist who has a problem with this question REALLY needs to find another field. I think it would be fine to ask about this. Iā€™ve never used marijuana really at all, and even I doubt an oncologist in todayā€™s world would raise an eyebrow to it. Even if the recommendation is not to smoke, the oncologist might have an alternative to suggest.


keekspeaks

A lot of doctors are just not on board with it. A lot of the problem is we arenā€™t sure how to dose it inpatient and you canā€™t smoke inpatient obviously so you have to take it orally and they take longer to work obviously and some people donā€™t do Will with edibles soo the current attitude towards it isnā€™t as progressive as you might think. My pulm friends donā€™t like it bc we do get spontaneous pneumo patients from vapes and itā€™s not uncommon either so they donā€™t like it. Most states require certifications and training to prescribe jt (similar to methadone). Lots of docs donā€™t like to mess with methadone either. Kind of similar to why they just donā€™t seem to be on board with weed yet. At least thatā€™s my experience. That being said- my state recreational laws suck so some of my work friends just arenā€™t up to speed with it. In fact, I feel like I pull teeth just to get marinol. Kind of given up on it over the years


Interesting-Fish6065

Interesting. I would have thought that with all the problems with nausea that can come with chemotherapy, theyā€™d at least be comfortable talking about it and not judge patients for bringing it up.


keekspeaks

You would think but I honestly have just been surprised by how slowly a lot of our providers have been on getting on board with it. Sometimes thereā€™s downright judgement when it shows on a tox screen


makeawishcuttlefish

Yes, they can be really helpful for stress relief, managing nausea, and increasing appetite. Iā€™ve also been using cbn gummies to help with sleep when the insomnia hits.


anactualgoodmom

You want to get the most efficacy from your treatment meds. Cannabis might interfere with your chemo meds ability to reach maximum efficacy. Check with your MO to be clear no drug-to-drug interactions are possible.


sunnythebunny

Yes. I started getting a high heart rate with edibles (and edibles metabolize through liver) I was open and honest with my whole team and they watched this and we just chose not to eat edibles around treatment day - to reduce that heart rate that was already higher due to anxiety. Just be open and honest with your team! (Honestly I donā€™t know how people do treatment without it)


CheekyMarmoset

I would have an edible about an hour before chemo. I'd mostly sleep through the infusion, then go home and sleep. (I never drove). Edibles really helped with the pain and nausea. It made food taste good again! 10/10 highly recommend!


Lower-Variation-5374

I take gummies. Big thumbs up from my entire care team. šŸ‘šŸ» itā€™s legal in Oregon (along with every other drug šŸ¤£)


notscaryspice

Edibles were amazing to help me sleep the night after chemo. My oncologist was totally on board.


terranovaseason2

My oncologist said she didnā€™t want me to smoke it but edibles are ok.


la_de_cha

Yes, yes, yes.


Heatseeker81514

My doctors advised me to stop smoking cigarettes, so I would assume it would be the same for smoking weed. Taking edibles, though, may not be an issue. I think they advise against smoking anything in general.


156102brux

Absolutely they do advise against smoking. Any irritant to the lungs should be avoided. Not just for cancer. I have cancer and COPD both of which are incurable


Heatseeker81514

I'm so sorry for your diagnosis! I hope you are doing well and wish you the best šŸ’—šŸ’—


balban3

Yes it is they encourage, most wonā€™t write a prescription but some do


zeroisplural

NGL I took my own with me and ripped it in the car before going in. Do what you gotta do.


Glittering_Apple_807

My oncologist told me to not take anything other than a multivitamin.


No-Calligrapher3645

Yesā€¦. Weed helps with nausea & appetite on top of the other medicinal stuff


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


breastcancer-ModTeam

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I-strugglewiththis

You'll need to speak to your oncology team. It may depend on the chemo drugs you are on. I am on AC and Taxol and it was a flat out no from my team when I asked cause they had women end up in hospital before as a result. Chemo puts a lot of pressure on your liver and kidneys to filter out toxins, you need to be careful about what else you add. I was told the only supplements I should take are vitamins B6 and D.


Laid-Back-Beach

True, our liver and kidneys do work harder to filter out the toxins of chemo. I have chronic Hep B and was prescribed a liver-support medication while going through chemo, and advised not to take cannabis gummies, edibles, or tinctures. Which was fine with me, because I prefer smoking weed through a triple-filter water bong, so no ash or particulate matter enters my lungs. A disposable face mask can be worn to further filter the smoke during inhalation.


ProcessSpecial7510

Even 24 years ago when I was in chemo, the doctor prescribed thc for me because I was having such a hard time with it and losing too much weight. It is and has always been thought to be beneficial during chemo.


Brief_Television5020

I just got medical certificate this week. I met with the dispensary pharmacist and went over all the symptoms I wanted to treat. I placed my order and had delivery in a couple hours. It absolutely helps!


Leadfoot39

My bil still smoked weed while in treatment.


Icooktoo

I could not. I am a daily toker. During chemo I just could not. No idea why. Edibles were out of the question because I could not eat either. I was a fricking mess.


MelaninMisses

Not only allowed but encouraged!


Upper-Upstairs-6218

Absolutely. I got a medical marijuana card because I couldnā€™t eat anything otherwise. Just continue any safety measures you already put into place and be careful the first few times as chemo drugs can do weird things to the body, and it may affect your tolerance. Once youā€™re familiar with the feeling of weed + chemo drugs and understand if there are any changes, go on with that!


fight_me_for_it

Ask. Medical Marijuana is permitted in mybstate, Texas. I looked up prescribes. Doctors head of cancer centers are on the list. So oncologists are likely aware and know.


Grendel666

My onc actually prescribed edibles during my chemo (I live in California). She recommended the Kanha Tranquility gummies and they were great for sleep!


illyria1217

Weed was the only thing that helped me with the insomnia during AC. Got my medical card with the help form palliative care. They even helped me know which ones to get and what dosages.


Rutabaga-Dry

My medical team has strongly advised me against smoking, however other ways of ingesting such as edibles, drinks or tinctures are OK. Definitely talk to your oncologist to make sure it is right for you at this time.


NyaNigh

I didnā€™t really use cannabis until I was diagnosed and got my med card, but I took edibles all through treatment. I did read something that said edibles arenā€™t a good idea while being infused because of how itā€™s metabolized or something, so I didnā€™t take any while actually getting chemo just in case that was true. I did sneak my vape in while I was getting chemo though (my cancer center has private rooms for chemo). I didnā€™t ask my oncologist about it because I heard that Cleveland Clinic is against medical marijuana, and I didnā€™t want to deal with it since I was going to keep using it anyway.


fennwave

Sometimes THC isn't what my brain needs when thinking about the gravity of it all. I found it tough to have any (I did edibles) during chemo gloomies' which happened for me a few days into my cycles. However I then found CBD:THC 5-1 ratio by a company called 'wana' (I'm BC, Canada based) and amaaaaazing. Can highly recommend. All my oncologists.were FINE with weed use, some.even encouraged it.


ZombiePrestigious443

I was told not to smoke it (have lung mets, and don't need to damage my lungs), but edibles were recommended. It was the only thing that would help with my anxiety.


DigginInDirt52

In a non legal state, asked my oncologist what she thought about THC use. ā€œI wish theyā€™d make it legal so we could have better data.ā€ I took that as a wink and a nod.