Cannabis belongs to the plant family from which marijuana and hemp are produced. They are grown worldwide and have been used for making several herbal remedies for centuries. In modern times, marijuana has been considered a recreational drug, but there is increasing interest in its medical uses. Chemo is one of the most popular cancer treatments where medicine is used to kill cancer cells. However, there are several different types of chemo medicine, but they all work the same way. Several people diagnosed with cancer report that cannabis oil effectively manages cancer symptoms and treatment side effects.
There is no doubt that cannabis oil is effective in treating the side effects of cancer treatment. Although the specific question is, does cannabis oil interfere with chemo? Or whether it can be used during periods of chemo. Unfortunately, not enough clinical trials have yet been concluded to allow for a definite answer. In this short guide, we will try to summarize the currently available information. It will allow the patients to take the best course of action.
Effects of Cannabis Oil on Patients with Chemo:
Different medical cannabis products are increasingly used for qualifying conditions of cancer. It is no wonder that more and more cancer patients are curious about using best CBD oil for pain relief. However, it is also becoming more common for mainstream medical oncologists to consider suggesting cannabis oil for their patients undergoing chemo. Before making any decision about whether cannabis oil may be right for you, you need to take the suggestion of your doctor.
Remember that anything you take while undergoing chemo could have many unwanted and dangerous interactions with your chemo regimen. Therefore don’t use cannabis oil without talking to your oncologist first. Several patients have found that cannabis oil can help ease pain and nausea, especially those caused by chemo, and the science supports that.
Strong evidence was found by an ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in 2017, which shows that cannabis oil is very effective for treating chronic pain in adults and chemo-induced nausea. One of the most debilitating side effects of chemo is peripheral neuropathy. It is a pain in the arms, hands, legs, and feet caused by nerve damage. In a recent small study, researchers found evidence that cannabis oil may be effective at staving off chemo and inducing peripheral neuropathy.
Research also shows that cannabis oil help cancer patient combats the collateral damage of chemo during the treatment of breast cancer. However, other segments of the cancer community maintain that cannabis oil is an antidote to chronic pain chemo-induced nausea, vomiting, neuropathy, and appetite loss.
Cannabis oil has other well-established properties of great benefit to cancer patients, including analgesic, anxiolytic, and sleep inducer. More recently, cancer patients have also turned to cannabis oil for its supposed antitumor effects. One of the most important things you need to understand is the interactions cannabis may have with traditional chemotherapeutic agents and other targeted therapies. While there are some antitumor genic effects, they have been reported in the oncology literature.
What Preclinical Researches Suggest?
Various experiments in recent years on cancer cell cultures and with animal models of cancer suggest that a combination of cannabinoids and chemotherapy might work better than either of the 2 approaches on its own. A huge number of cancer patients get chemotherapy. This cancer treatment targets proliferating cells in the body, attempting to block their division and cause death. It can be received through several general strategies.
Recent research has produced mixed results regarding the interference of cannabis oil with chemo. However, researchers have identified a cannabinoid receptor called CB2. It is present in immune system cells like B-lymphocytes and natural killer cells. It shows that there may be a link between CBD oil for pain
and immunity. Moreover, more long-term studies in humans are essential to finding out what role cannabis oil has to play in chemo. As cannabis oil contains almost 1% to 5% cannabis, it would likely have less effect than the stronger doses in prescription medications.
Important Things to Consider Before Using Cannabis Oil:
Before making your decision to use cannabis oils to treat cancer symptoms or chemo side effects, here are some most important things that you need to consider.
Talk To Your Oncologist:
It is the most important thing you need to do before using cannabis oil. As with all other necessary things like vitamins, supplements, herbs, and over-the-counter medicines, you must tell your oncologist if you are using cannabis oil. It will help you ensure it won’t interfere with your cancer treatments.
Find Dispensary Where Cannabis Oil Is Easily Available:
Most oncologists suggest that their patients get cannabis oil from a cannabis dispensary. Medical dispensaries focus on medical patients instead of just recreational users. Moreover, the staff and pharmacists of medical cannabis dispensaries know. So they can easily answer your questions about their products. It can be really helpful to call the dispensary ahead of time to explain the problems you are having and ask if you can schedule an appointment with a knowledgeable staff member.
Is Cannabis Oil Safe For People With Chemo?
In many stories, people discuss the benefits of cannabis oil as a cancer treatment or as relief for the side effects of chemo. Keep in mind that such stories may be well-meaning but are shared without scientific study and don’t constitute evidence. The safety and efficacy of cannabis oil for people with chemo still have to be proven in large, randomized, controlled clinical trials.
Another important thing to note is that some studies have shown that cannabis oil might interfere with how your body processes cancer drugs, called a drug interaction. Unfortunately, this might make cancer treatment more toxic or make less effective. So, more research is also required on these effects. For these reasons, always discuss with your oncologist if you are considering using cannabis oil before you use it.
Conclusion:
The use of cannabis oil is currently rising in popularity. There are now millions of cannabis oil users from all over the country. If you are wondering about Does cannabis oil interferes with chemo? This guide is really helpful for you. Studies so far have shown that cannabis oil can be safe in treating cancer and the side effects of its treatments. Still, they don’t show that they help control or cure the disease.
