Cannabis and cancer: “It lets me hold onto my dignity a little longer”

A cancer patient at Integro Clinics shares how medical cannabis has provided much-needed relief from the side-effects of chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy (or “chemo”) and radiation therapy are the two most common types of cancer treatment. They work by destroying fast-growing cancer cells. But other types of fast-growing healthy cells (such as blood and hair cells) also can be damaged along with cancer cells, causing adverse reactions, or side effects.

Chemo and radiation cause similar side effects. Chemo’s side effects depend on the type of drug used, the dosage, and the patient’s, overall health. These effects are more likely to affect the whole body.

Radiation’s side effects, on the other hand, tend to affect the area being treated. But they do still depend on the dose of radiation given, the location on the body, and whether the radiation was internal or external.

Here are some of the side effects associated with these cancer treatments: fatigue, flu-like symptoms, pain, mouth, gum and throat sores, gastrointestinal problems – nausea and lack of appetite, skin changes, weight changes, hair loss, anaemia and kidney and bladder problems.

At Integro Clinic, doctors have seen the significant impact that medical cannabis can have on certain chemo symptoms.

A young female patient at Integro, Terri, was first diagnosed, with cancer at the age of 30 and has had an ongoing struggle with the condition for the last 10 years. 

She was initially diagnosed with cervical cancer, which she received treatment for only to find that some years later she developed secondary lung and liver cancer, for which she underwent aggressive chemo and radiotherapy. Her side effects included pain, anxiety, severe nausea and diarrhoea and which on some days left her feeling so bad that she was unable to get out of bed.

When Terri found out she had stage four incurable cancer she began a voyage of discovery to find her own answers to what might help her symptoms. She was advised by fellow cancer patients that cannabis could prove helpful in easing what she was physically & mentally experiencing.

She began to self-medicate with homegrown cannabis and could feel the positive effects of the plant. She wanted to fully understand the pharmacology of exactly what she was taking and seek professional medical guidance. She was recommended to speak to leading pain consultant Dr Anthony Ordman at Integro Clinics, who worked closely in association with her oncologist, Dr Andrew Gaya.

Terri explained: “I expressed why I wanted to use medical cannabis and Dr Ordman understood completely. There was no judgement, only understanding and compassion. He could see how much pain, physically and emotionally, I was in, and I immediately felt that he was going to try and help me in any way he could.

“He listened to me, he understood what I was hoping to achieve, and he went above and beyond to make sure that I had the support, medically and emotionally that I needed. He even consulted with my oncologist to make sure that the prescription was right for me from a treatment perspective.

“I have always felt that Dr Ordman, along with the amazing team at Integro treat you more like family than a number. I know that when I am struggling, there is always either the doctor or the nurse at hand that can help me.”

Recently, Terri found out that the cancer has spread further throughout her body. She needed chemo again and was totally physically knocked out by it, requiring help to even wash and dress. 

“As part of my chemotherapy, steroids are given on the primary and secondary days to help keep your energy levels up. The downside to this is that your body becomes twitchy with restless leg syndrome, sleepless nights, agitation and mood swings,” she continued.

“The medical cannabis that I take during the day and night helps alleviate these symptoms. I was able to sleep for six hours without having the feeling I was wired all night. During the day I felt I was a lot more relaxed and able to rest and recover without feeling like I had drunk copious amounts of caffeine.

“Recovery is key to fighting and the steroids, for me, hinder this recovery process, so to be able to combat that feeling with the medical cannabis is invaluable.”

Despite the debilitating side effects, Terri found that her cannabis medicines really helped her with her ability to function day to day, throughout the whole chemotherapy process.

“The pain is still there, but the intensity is dramatically decreased, to the point I can lie on my side without crying. I can walk to the bathroom without feeling like my bones are going to break,” she said.

“With so many poisonous chemicals running through my body, being able to take something plant-based, that really helps, is so much better for me than having to take codeine or gabapentin.”

Terri added: “Today I was able to shower by myself. I have a shower stool now, which at first, I was dead against it. As a previously fit and well-turned-out woman, the idea of sitting on an old person’s stool to have a shower felt like giving up. But the pain of standing and then pain from my joints hurting, my body not willing to allow me to wash my hair, meant I had to accept I needed some help.

“It is still a struggle for me, and I needed to sleep for two hours after I washed my hair yesterday, but it meant I got to do it on my own without having to have my mum or dad helping me.

“I take my cannabis medicine 30 minutes before I have a shower and I find it really helps, not only during the shower but afterwards. Sometimes it is the small wins like being able to dry and dress myself that lets me hold on to some of my dignity a little longer.”

Dr Anthony Ordman was delighted to see the effects that medical cannabis had on Terri, he commented: 

“At Integro, we have seen the positive impacts that medical cannabis has on our patients when it comes to some of the side effects caused by chemotherapy. I was delighted to see the significant impact that medical cannabis had on Terri, even after just a few days.

“Her cancer medications were sapping her energy and discomfort and understandable worries were depriving her of sleep, but after taking her cannabis medication I could see that she was able to go about her day much more independently.”

Integro Medical Clinics Ltd always recommends remaining under the care and treatment of your GP and specialist for your condition while using cannabis-based medicines. The Integro clinical team would always prefer to work in collaboration with them.

If you would like further information or to speak to Dr Anthony Ordman please contact Integro Clinics at www.integroclinics.com 

Email: Contact@integroclinics.com

Twitter: @clinicsintegro