Cannabis has eased my bladder pain. Interstitial cystitis woke me every hour to go to the bathroom!
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.
Being a child of the 60s, I smoked pot as a teenager. From then, I just always have. It was always around me and I liked how it made me feel.
My professional background is nursing. It’s a physically and mentally demanding, so when I’d get home from work, I preferred smoking pot. It never bothered me that it was illegal.
My Good Health Changed Over 20 Years
I started to get back pain in the late 90’s. Now, over the past 20 years, I have developed arthritis. And I have gone through joint replacements in both hands and both knees. I also have fibromyalgia and terrible bladder pain from a condition called ‘interstitial cystitis.’ The last one is devastating to deal with.
Bottom line – I am always in pain. I’m also allergic to NSAIDS. I have tried glucosamine, turmeric, bromalan, and kava but never found as much relief as I did when smoking cannabis.
I had smoked cigarettes for years but then quit in 2009. That’s when I stayed away from pot for a time because it made me want to smoke cigarettes. I noticed a difference in my pain control and a real downslide in my sleeping. So, the last few years I’ve returned to pot.
Cannabis Oil Has Changed Everything
Right now, I take a CBD oil. It’s a full spectrum with 10 mg per 1cc. I take 1cc at bedtime and am asleep within 30 minutes. The bladder pain used to keep me going to the bathroom every hour during the night, but with the CBD oil, I’m only up about 3 times at the most! This is HUGE for me and my overall well-being.
When I wake up, I am more relaxed and about 50% pain free. My doctor is totally onboard with the CBD, and we are hoping that over time it will help control the inflammation.
RxLeaf Says:
Examining the science behind this patient’s defeat of bladder pain is enlightening.
Interstitial cystitis, the official name of the condition, causes patients to feel the need to urinate more frequently than is necessary, chronic bladder pain, depression, low quality of life, and pain from sex. Its cause is unknown and there is no cure for it.
Also called bladder pain disease, interstitial cystitis is usually treated with normal pain medications, such as NSAIDs, but can also include physical therapy and, in rare circumstances, surgery. While these can all provide temporary relief, no treatment cures the problem or leads to long-lasting relief. Patients are also urged to make healthy lifestyle decisions, such as regular exercise and a healthful diet, and to avoid stress.
In other words, doctors throw everything but the kitchen sink at this problem, and nothing really works — making it a perfect candidate for cannabis.
How Patients Consume Cannabis For Bladder Pain Disease
Cystitis means inflammation of the bladder, which is one cause of the immense pain the disorder causes. The bladder is a naturally expanding organ. When it expands to a certain point, it signals the brain that urination needs to occur.
But for patients who suffer from bladder pain disease, the signals get mixed up. In the same way that auto-immune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis are characterized by the body attacking itself, bladder pain disease is in part a problem of the body dealing with incorrect signals.
The brain interprets bladder inflammation as bladder fullness and gives patients the message to run to the bathroom. To effectively combat the disorder, the inflammation needs to be soothed so the both the pain and the frequent urination orders end.
Luckily, CBD can act an anti-inflammatory agent. Some patients even find it works as a pain reliever. This may make it an ideal way to knock out two symptoms of bladder pain disease. At the same time, some patients find that CBD may work as sleep aid, which can help bladder pain disease patients get to sleep and stay asleep.
CBD works by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system through the CB2 receptor, which governs the body’s response to inflammation. By calming the inflammation at the root of bladder pain disease, CBD effectively thwarts the primary symptoms that cause a lower quality life in patients.
Combating the Other Problems
Bladder pain is often accompanied by other diseases, usually auto-immune disorders. The patient above suffers from fibromyalgia in addition to her bladder problems.
While pharmaceuticals can provide a treatment for bladder pain disease, they’re not always effective in treating the co-morbidity problems that come along with it. That’s another reason why many patients opt for a cannabis-based treatment.
Why take a handful of pills to manage inflammation, pain, fatigue, insomnia, and mood swings? Some patients find that a few drops of CBD oil take care of all of these symptoms at once.
For bladder pain disease patients who want a simple and effective way to fight their disease, cannabis may be an option.
