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Meds Cannabis Use Can Improve Effectiveness of Hepatitis C Therapy

momofthegoons

Vapor Accessory Addict
Staff member
Not recent news... but I can attest that without cannabis I would not have been able to complete the Interferon/Ribaviron treatment for HepC that I had to take.

Cannabis Use Can Improve Effectiveness of Hepatitis C Therapy

Recent research by Diana L. Sylvestre, MD, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues suggests that the use of cannabis during hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment may offer symptomatic and virological benefit to some patients by helping them maintain adherence to the challenging and often painful medication regimen.

Standard HCV therapy entails the use of two powerful drugs, interferon and ribavirin, over a period of months. Due to severe side effects from these drugs, many patients do not finish treatment, and as a result may develop chronic liver disease, cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Many HCV patients use cannabis for symptom relief, but the lack of availability of data about such use on treatment outcomes leaves clinicians without the necessary data to inform recommendations. To add to the body of clinical data, Sylvestre and colleagues conducted a prospective observational study of standard interferon and ribavirin treatment in 71 recovering substance users, of whom 22 (31%) used cannabis and 49 (69%) did not.

In the study, nearly one-quarter of patients discontinued therapy early, including one cannabis user (5%) and 16 non-users (33%). Although cannabis users were no more likely than non-users to take at least 80% of the prescribed interferon or ribavirin, they were significantly more likely to remain on HCV treatment for at least 80% of the projected treatment duration (95% of cannabis users versus 67% of non-users), and were three times more likely (54% of cannabis users versus 18% of non-users) to be classified as sustained virological responders (no detectable virus six months after the end of treatment).

Related Links

Marijuana Aids Therapy
Washington Post, September 13, 2006
Marijuana Helps Patients Stay on Medication
Reuters, September 13, 2006
Study: Pot Helps Hepatitis Treatment
Oakland Tribune, September 13, 2006
 
Not recent news... but I can attest that without cannabis I would not have been able to complete the Interferon/Ribaviron treatment for HepC that I had to take.

Cannabis Use Can Improve Effectiveness of Hepatitis C Therapy

Recent research by Diana L. Sylvestre, MD, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues suggests that the use of cannabis during hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment may offer symptomatic and virological benefit to some patients by helping them maintain adherence to the challenging and often painful medication regimen.

Standard HCV therapy entails the use of two powerful drugs, interferon and ribavirin, over a period of months. Due to severe side effects from these drugs, many patients do not finish treatment, and as a result may develop chronic liver disease, cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Many HCV patients use cannabis for symptom relief, but the lack of availability of data about such use on treatment outcomes leaves clinicians without the necessary data to inform recommendations. To add to the body of clinical data, Sylvestre and colleagues conducted a prospective observational study of standard interferon and ribavirin treatment in 71 recovering substance users, of whom 22 (31%) used cannabis and 49 (69%) did not.

In the study, nearly one-quarter of patients discontinued therapy early, including one cannabis user (5%) and 16 non-users (33%). Although cannabis users were no more likely than non-users to take at least 80% of the prescribed interferon or ribavirin, they were significantly more likely to remain on HCV treatment for at least 80% of the projected treatment duration (95% of cannabis users versus 67% of non-users), and were three times more likely (54% of cannabis users versus 18% of non-users) to be classified as sustained virological responders (no detectable virus six months after the end of treatment).

Related Links

Marijuana Aids Therapy
Washington Post, September 13, 2006
Marijuana Helps Patients Stay on Medication
Reuters, September 13, 2006
Study: Pot Helps Hepatitis Treatment
Oakland Tribune, September 13, 2006
The newer meds, Harvoni and others were a real breakthrough for people with hep c (95%+cure). 8 weeks of pills for most, some blood tests and insurance covers the vast majority of the costs. Saving lives, preventing transplants/suffering.
 
Saw this thread and it made me thinking. Does it REALLY helps with Hepatitis C? It looks far-fetched, TBH. Because, well, everyone knows that hepatitis attacks liver. And weed contains stuff that puts pressure on the liver. I'm not against marijuana - I use it. From time to time I buy it from a dispensary but... it seems that there is something wrong with the very idea. Medical marijuana can help with insomnia, post-surgery pain, neuropathy, but I doubt it actually can help with Hepatitis. And, as a guy before me mentioned, there is a lot of other stuff for Hepatitis healing.

Mod note: edited to remove link
 
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