Hiatus Hernia and Gastroparesis Nearly Killed Me

RxLeaf June 24, 2018 0 comments

It scares me to know that I would probably be dead if I hadn’t tried medical cannabis two years ago. 

Editor’s Note: Any testimonials or endorsements found on this site are for anecdotal purposes only. The information in Rxleaf testimonials is not intended as direct medical advice, nor should it be relied upon as a substitute for consultations with qualified healthcare professionals who are intimately knowledgeable about your individual medical needs.

My extensive medical journey started over 20 years ago when I was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia. Years later, I was also diagnosed with Gastroparesis.

I have tried so many medical procedures and medications to find a path back to health. Nothing has worked. Some of these meds made me into a foggy-zombie for the 24-hours after taking them. And they have been nothing but temporary band-aids: Levothyroxine Sodium, Atorvastatin Calcium, Quinapril Magnesium, Amitriptyline HCI, Sandoz-Pabeprazole, Januvia, Lantus-insulin, Stelera, Metoclopramide and Lorazepam….and more

The procedures also all failed to help me: gallbladder removal, hysterectomy, and taking part in a study on gastric emptying where a nuclear medicine physician used radioactive chemicals (radioactive eggs) that measure the speed with which food empties from the stomach and enters the small intestine.

When I drive to my hospital appointments, which are about an hour away, I have to rent a hotel. The odds are that I will not have enough energy, after the vomiting, pain, breathing difficulties, and battling motion sickness, to make it back on the same day.

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hiatus hernia hurting this runner

Cannabis for Hiatus Hernia Vomiting

Since my hiatus hernia tries to push food back up my esophagus, I vomit 2-3 times a day. I have loads of pain all day and the pressure on my chest is as though I’m having a heart attack. When it really acts up, I’m in what is like a 24-48 hour hangover that keeps me bedridden.

It keeps me from going out and living life.

The pain, sleeping, eating, being unable to work, and the affect it has had on my social life is devastating.  From extreme weight loss, to the break down of my marriage, this illness has destroyed every aspect of my life.

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Because I never know when it will flare, or for how long I will be sick, I am essentially handcuffed to my house. I pretty much always say no to invitations for these reasons, and at this point in my life, I am very isolated.  This has definitely affected my mental health.

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“My Life Would Be Non-Existant Without the Cannabis”

It scares me to know that I would probably be dead if I hadn’t tried medical cannabis two years ago. One thing I know for certain, is my life would be non-existent without the cannabis benefits. I would simply not be able to eat food, sleep or cope with constant pain without this medicine.

Medical Cannabis is paramount to my survival, like blood or water or oxygen.  Usually I take an indica with 20% THC and also take 25% CBD hourly to be able to cope with all my health issues. Also, I own a vape pen, pipe and bong, but I get most relief from the old fashion rolling. I am presently looking into how CBN (cannabinoid sedative) can help with my struggles to stay asleep.

hiatus hernia not stopping this woman from sleeping soundly

From RxLeaf: Cannabis For Hiatus Hernia Relief

Medical cannabis isn’t merely a cheap substation for pain pills, it’s a full replacement in waiting. Bringing fewer side effects, better health outcomes, and usually a much lower price tag, medical cannabis can be far better than pain pills for manage suffering.

Pain operates in a number of ways. It originates in cells equipped with pain receptors. Activated by touch, temperature, movement or a chemical signal, the receptors in our cells relay that information to our brain via one of three pathways, depending on what kind of pain it is.

The first kind of pain is somatic pain. This is the classic kind of pain that springs to mind when we think of pain. Burning your hand on an oven, stepping on Lego, getting a shot. These are all somatic sensations that travel to your bright through the peripheral nerves.

hiatus hernia giving older woman uncomfortable pain

Cannabis For Visceral Pain

The second kind of pain is visceral pain. This pain happens inside our bodies. When an organ or a group of tissues become disturbed, twisted or stretched due to disease or injury, they communicate visceral pain to the pain. This is where stomach aches come from, or hernias.

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Neuropathic pain, on the other hand, happens when nerves themselves get injured. We experience this pain like a burning sensation. This kind of pain is immune to narcotics.

Pain pills really only treat acute pain. They are effective at providing relief in short periods, to people suffering from somatic pain. Using pain pills long terms has pretty severe side effects, like stomach problems and addictions. Cannabis, on the other hand, has none.

Also, there has been no evidence that the analgesic effects of cannabis are subject to tolerance the way the psychoactive effects are. That means that taking cannabis for pain will elicit the same response on every dose. You don’t need to worry about taking more and cannabis as your treatment wears on. Unlike pain pills, in which a buildup of tolerance necessitates heavier medical loads, patients who take cannabis can stick with relatively low doses for long periods of time and still experience relief.