Many people who suffer from pancreatitis use cannabis in some form for such as cannabis oil or they smoke weed (Marijuana) for relief of symptoms such as intractable pain and nausea yet a word of caution …
There is an inherent risk of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome or CHS [1,2,3] due to a poison called Azadirachtin [4,5]. Azadirachtin is found in the seeds of the Neem tree, Azadirachta indica (Neem Oil) and is used as an organic pesticide.
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome Symptoms
The symptoms of CHS can be awfully nasty. You probably won’t die (yet there have been cases in India that ended in death) but you might think you are on your way out. Seek emergency treatment!
- Abdominal pain, often severe
- Extreme nausea
- Vomiting, often intractable
- Rapid breathing, tachypnea with acidotic respiration
Symptoms that could prove deadly
- Organ involvement, failure
- Death
Antidote and Emergency Treatment
You can read this exact quote here, again this article, section 12.1.1:
Gastrointestinal decontamination: Due to the severe gastrointestinal irritation, gastric emptying and catharsis are not indicated. Consideration should be given to administration of activated charcoal …
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances. Reigart, J.R., Roberts, J.R. Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings. 5th ed. 1999. EPA Document No. EPA 735-R-98-003, and available in electronic format at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/safety/healthcare , p. 63
If this insecticide is safe for humans why is there an antidote and emergency treatment section of a government document?
Most of the info from agriculture circles will tell you that Azadirachtin is safe [5].
But is it really?
Here is an excerpt of one article section 12.1.2 called “human toxicity excerpts” published by the National Institute of Health, NIH:
Human Toxicity Excerpts
/SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS/ Neem seed oil produced occasional diarrhea, nausea, and general discomfort when given orally as an anthelmintic. /Neem seed oil/
Krieger, R. (ed.). Handbook of Pesticide Toxicology. Volume 1, 2nd ed. 2001. Academic Press, San Diego, California., p. 132
from HSDB/SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS/ … 13, including 2 fatal, poisoning cases due to neem seed (margosa) oil, a traditional remedy in India and Malaysia, /were reported/. Five to ten milliliters of the oil given orally to children against minor ailments caused vomiting, drowsiness, tachypnea with acidotic respiration, and polymorphonuclear leukocytosis, and encephalopathy developed within hours of ingestion. Seizures, associated with coma, developed in some cases. Autopsy demonstrated pronounced fatty acid infiltration of the liver and proximal renal tubules, with mitochondrial damage, and cerebral edema, changes consistent with Reye’s syndrome. Krieger, R. (ed.). Handbook of Pesticide Toxicology. Volume 1, 2nd ed. 2001. Academic Press, San Diego, California., p. 132
And here’s the scary part about CHS: The vomiting is often intractable. Even powerful antiemetics such as prochlorperazine and promethazine do not work against it! This is scary to me because I actually FEAR vomiting (Emetophobia) [6]. Yup I’m a nausea coward! I need to work on that fear.
Before you go ballistic (because of your love affair with weed), telling me I’m crazy or spouting off some other stupid, knee-jerk reaction, such as some of my 4,900+ friends on Facebook have done, that is going to not only piss me off again but get you banned (yes I booted and blocked many) …
Do your research and read the references at the bottom. I don’t care if you use weed or cannabis oil or even stick your head in the oven …
This post is merely to make you aware that since weed has become legal in about 10 states in the USA, there is a problem due to legal organic farming methods that use Azadirachtin A as a first line of defense against bugs and such.
The smart thing to do may be grow your own weed and make your own cannabis oil, etc.
Refernces:
1) Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome – read here
2) Cannabinoid hyperemesis – read here
3) Marijuana use may cause severe cyclic nausea, vomiting, a little-known, but costly effect – read here
4) Azadirachtin A – read here
5) Azadirachtin – read here
6) How to Get Over It: Fear of Vomiting – read here
I use marijuana to cope with the severe anxiety I’ve developed since my CP diagnosis at 27. It helps with nausea too, not so much pain. I use to dabble in edibles and THC oil pre-CP diagnosis, but have laid off oral consumption of the oils due to a fear of the fat content of the oil itself. Anyway, I’ve been diagnosed (incorrectly) with cyclic vomiting syndrome? Due to marijuana and that’s a load…. , i think the doc just heard me say marijuana and jumped the gun, i threw up once and it was during an attack that’s why i say its a load….you’re right growing you own is safest, but the benefits are worth the risks to me. Seeing as the alt is anxiety and depression meds, weed is the lesser of two evils. I really appreciate your website sir, thank you for creating it. Its been my go to, I appreciate feeling not hopeless reading your site ?. Curious about your thoughts on the so-called Rick Simpson oil, and it’s cancer curing properties. TY for your time- Claudia
Hi Claudia – I have nothing against weed or whether you use it. I know it seems to help many folks. The post was simply to caution folks about the poison and CHS. Anyway … I know absolutely nothing about Rick Simpson oil. I don’t even know what it is or where it comes from but I can certainly do some digging and find out. 🙂
Unrelated, but still pancreas related
I’m not getting much in the way of health care, is there anything I should or can be doing to avoid getting diabetes? Any advice is appreciated. Ty for your site!
Hi eavingorr – I’ve never worried about getting diabetes BUT your question is valid and it’s a good question. One way is to avoid more pancreas damage. I’m GUESSING that another way is to avoid processed sugar. Another might be to make sure you are not overweight, especially in the belly area. Look up metabolic syndrome.
What else do they use the same pesticide for?
Alison – THAT is a great question. I am guessing almost everything that is organically grown. From what I understand it is a popular pesticide BUT you can wash fruits and veggies where it is hard, probably impossible to wash weed without losing resin.
I have both Diabetes and Pancreatitis , and Diabetic Neuropathy. If it wasnt for weed . My quality of life would be even worse. Its helped me with my Neuropathy pain a great deal. My feet were burning and hurt so much one I decided to get some. I smoked it and my pain went away. I had stopped using it because i begin suffering from Pancreatitis,and like many of the patients here on your site. I hadnt been diagnosed for about two years while pretty much living in ER. WHen i was finally diagnosed i got no guidance until i found your site . Meanwhile since i had stopped smoking weed my neuropathy pain ,plus my Pancreatitis pain were unbearable. SO i smoked weed and realized it help my pancreatitis pain too. There is so many Marijuana products now including CBD ,non pesticide weed , wax ,edibles . I w ent to a dispensary about 3 years ago and they had wax pipes set up for 5 bucks a hit. I had my wife drive me cause i was in so much pain. I decided to try the wax. I had literally walked in hunched over from the pain. I then tok a hit and I walked out side and did a little dance for my wife .
Now that its legal and so many good all natural products are available ,there is no reason not use at least CBD.
Hi Joe – you are not the first to sing praises for weed lol. I’ve had several people find amazing relief by toking up or using cannabis oil. When it comes to pancreatitis if it works for you keep doing it cuz there is nothing like a pain free day. I’d probably stick to weed that was grown without pesticides. In some states (where pot is legal) you can grow for your own use. 🙂
Not sure where to leave this post but wanted to get it out there. For the last eight years I have been having these painful attacks that would send me to the emergency room. And after eight years I finally got a diagnosis of Pancreatitis this past Christmas. I was dumbfounded as I have always tried to practice very healthy eating and do regular liver and digestive cleansing. I was referred to a specialist after this diagnosis. I went to the appointment sat in his office chair and was told in a matter of seconds that the cause of these attacks was the blood pressure meds that I had been taking for over 10 years. It is the only medication that I take. It was an ACE inhibitor. I was shocked and angry that the same people who had prescribed this medication to me and all the emergency room physicians over the years had absolutely no clue that this could be a side effect of this medication. Seriously it was the only med I was on and not one of them clued in!! The specialist immediately changed the type of med I was taking for my blood pressure (doesn’t work), sent me for an MRI to make sure there was no permanent damage and referred me back to my doctor to work out the blood pressure thing. I am in the process of going med free by using natural products that are giving me better results than the new meds did.
Hi Lola – yep ACE inhibitors are a cause of acute pancreatitis – the reason? SNAKE VENOM! ACE inhibitors are made from Lance Head (bothrops) venom. They (big pharma) use a venom peptide to create the drug. Snake venom, scorpion venom, possibly spider venom cause AP. Check this out
Hi Healthy Guy, what is your opinion on smoking while having pancreatic issues? I know you yourself smoke cigarettes. I don’t smoke cigarettes, but was wondering on the effect of weed on pancreas/pancreatitis. It seems everywhere I look it says smoking is very bad for the pancreas. I would love to hear more from you!
Hi Marcus – It is true I smoked for a large number of years from age 17. Just quit a year ago for reasons having nothing to do with my pancreas. Is smoking ciggs smart? Not really because each one contain literally thousands of bad chemicals. Did it worsen my condition? Not that I am aware of at this time. Weed/pot is a whole different animal. Cannabis oil seems to help pain significantly in some people. I’ve talked with cancer patients who say it works better that narcotics. I haven’t heard from a lot of pancreatitis people in regards to weed so I can’t say but I would guess it might be helpful for some.
Thank you for all of this information. I had one serious AP attack about 10 years ago, in the hospital for a week. They told me nothing about changing my diet. I did research and did it myself for several years, felt healthy, then started eating and drinking and now I am sick again. I don’t want to go to the ER as they usually know less than this article. Just trying to fast as they do in the hospital and eat ice so not to dehydrate and taking pain pills. I should switch to Ibuprophen it sounds like, so I will do that. Hate to put pills in my stomach when it is empty.
Hi Patty – sorry to hear you are ill. I mentioned nausea meds in the other comment answer. Those are very helpful because you have to keep down anything else that might help E.G Ibuprofen, vit c, grape seed extract and curcumin. There are pages/posts on this site that explain why the supplements are important. In a nut shell they are all highly anti-inflammatory and USUALLY once the inflammation resolves so do the symptoms. It may be prudent to visit the ER if you are worse.
Cigs, nicotine extremely hard to quit. HealthGuy, Ive been on nicotine gum for years to keep me away from smelly, health destroying costly cigarettes. OK on to marijuana: The LAST thing I want to do when about to suffer an attack is smoke weed. During the beginning of one attack I had when I get the peculiar morbid anxiety & heaving start, my husband literally carried me (easy to do with my malnourished 130lb frame) into my “smoking room” set me down and just about forced me to smoke. My stomach “squeezes” all the air out of my stomach and churns right before vomiting and that had already happened. It was very difficult to load the pipe and inhale, but I did, my husband urging me to take one more puff, I had already “barfed” in my throat and believing I was past the point of no return (attack imminent) & it IS difficult to make oneself smoke weed when one is ill but I sat perfectly still…. letting the weed take effect.. and like MAGIC! The vomiting, the anxiety and morbid feeling drifted away in what I think was5- 10 minutes or so. IT WORKED. I find the marijuana “cure” has an effect not unlike Ibuprofen (in stopping attack). Historically I had been an Anti-Medical Marijuana person, not believing weed could do anything except intoxicate. I was wrong and it has helped me in SO MANY WAYS!! I am able to do housework. I am able to shower, eat, and all the other things I could NOT do before because I was so ill. I do not know what weed does exactly, if it merely intoxicates a person into thinking they’re OK, or if it has physiological effects that are healthful and prophylactic to attacks. Either way it HELPS and soothes and that is good for me. I do wish to add that I am recently diagnosed Chronic P. I had NO CLUE what to do after receiving diagnosis in terms of diet, what to do- what to expect! I found your site (an English sufferer in UK shared link to your site) and thank you, THANK YOU!! I didn’t know about ibuprofen before your site. I didn’t know a lot of things that are life saving methods and diet for pancreatitis attacks. I know you are a NO FAT at all advocate. I am keeping a food diary per your wonderful advice.
You are most welcome Kristin. I’m not totally against fat because some fat, about 5 grams per meal, is needed to absorb fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, K etc but the less fat daily the better you may feel. BUT some fat is needed.