So if the symptoms from the disease and/or the chemotherapy are nausea, loss of appetite and wasting of the tissues (cachexia, which, by the way, would be a great Scrabble play), what’s the solution? Part of the IV cocktail which chemo patients receive is an anti-nausea drug, and other such drugs in tablet form are prescribed for at-home use. For example, I have a prescription for Prochlorperazine, which seems to work, though it leaves me feeling dizzy, sleepy, and unable to operate heavy machinery. It does nothing for the loss of appetite.
Another possibility is marijuana. The medical authorities seem to agree that pot helps stop nausea and jumpstart the appetite, though if you Google “medical marijuana” or “marijuana and chemotherapy” you’ll find two worlds out there. One is reminiscent of the 60’s, where enough weed will alleviate every symptom, maybe even be a cure, and if it doesn’t work will really jazz up the funeral.
The other is much more solemn. Marijuana, its leaders point out, has side effects. I found the same sentence in two reports, including this from the National Cancer Institute http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Support/marijuana :
Dronabinol [one of the active ingredients] often causes a "high" (loss of control or sensation of unreality), which is associated with its effectiveness; however, this sensation may be unpleasant for some individuals.
Do not operate heavy machinery.
And, of course, it’s illegal: in 2007 the NH legislature defeated a bill to allow medical use of marijuana. This year, on March 18, the NH House voted to eliminate jail time for people possessing small amounts of marijuana. The Senate has not yet begun to discuss the bill, but in any case Gov. Lynch has promised to veto the bill if it reaches his desk, so legally anyone found with a joint could get jail time. Maximum jail time in NH for possession of small amounts of marijuana is one year.
I know what I think about all this, but of course mine is not an unbiased opinion.
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3 comments:
Here in Vermont our lieutenant governor is a Dubie. I am reminded of an old advertisement: "For a tasty Italian treat, that your whole family will enjoy, try Chef Boyardee's marijuana sauce." (From my Bloopers book). But all joking aside, I suspect that modern medicine has evolved better treatment options than sitting around at a railway station one toke over the line.
Yeah I'm with blue spruce; there must be some modern medicines out there that will alleviate the nausea and still allow you to operate heavy equipment!
Hope you're finding the necessary coping mechanisms.
I believe you know some Vermont academics who came of age during the 60s. I think it would not be hard to do some experiential learning in this regard if that is what you choose.
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