I have been in a alot of discussions with people on the subject of them using cannabis..I have seen it help a person with something but it affected the person due to another underlying conditon..so it was not good ..seeing this is what makes me very weary..

I certainly don't know about the effects pot has on the over production of the HGH by the Pituitary gland, I just know it helps me drastically with the muscle and joint pain.........to the point, that I can see us making a move to Colorado sometime in the future........for now, I rely on the occasional trips to visit family who live there. I highly suspect that the recreational approval movement will spread once the yearly tax figures start coming in.........nothing can make the more straight laced opposition take notice than increased tax revenues.

I must admit, I chuckled when I first saw this thread, but it caught my attention and I read it. Did a little research and apparently, first time or occasional use of marijuana lowers HGH, prolactin, and testosterone. With continued use, it claims these effects go away. But, this is still very interesting and could explain why someone's test results could be scewed. What if someone who's an occasional user, smoked marijuana before a lab test?

Word of caution, if anyone with Acromegaly is a pot smoker, be very careful. Smoking marijuana can cause dilation of blood vessels and you are already at risk for aneurysms. If you feel there is a medical benefit of using marijuana for you, I would urge you to ingest it and not smoke it.

This is really interesting. I smoked weed every day for about 5-6 years, then gradually stopped because I started getting paranoid and anxious when I smoked. When I was diagnosed, the doctors said I likely had the tumor for 5-8 years prior, which coincides with the time I was smoking heavily, OR when I drastically cut back my use, depending on whether you go with the 5 or 8 end of the range. Perhaps I was developing a tumor but the marijuana was keeping it at bay. Or maybe it contributed to the tumor, who know? Either way, this is an interesting line of research.

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Can you get holes in your brain through drug use?
Drugs may not drill holes actual holes through your brain, but they can turn your mental processing powers into Swiss cheese. Heres how it works: the brain is filled with different kinds of neurotransmitters, or cells that ferry information. They make our nervous system run and function normally. A good example is a neurotransmitter called Dopamine, which fills many roles in the brain, including your motivation, cognition and punishment/reward systems.

Neurotransmitters like Dopamine shuttle around and bind to specific receptors to communicate messages in the brain. Drugs can wreak havoc on this system in several ways they may commit the cellular equivalent of a hostage situation and bind to receptors in the place of neurotransmitters. If this happens, neurotransmitters cant enter or exit their receptors, and parts of your nervous system cant communicate with your brain. Worse yet, they can thwart the chemical reactions that create neurotransmitters, your electrical messaging, in the first place. They also may overstimulate or block receptors so that neurotransmitters cant deliver their messages.

If flooded or blocked, your neuron receptors can become desensitized or oversensitized to neurotransmitters like Dopamine. This means your brain isnt recognizing or receiving the information needed to work your crucial parts of your nervous system, like those that control your emotional or motivation structures. Ultimately, you have holes in different parts of your mental systems, and which exact parts depend upon the
Contributor Ian O'Neill Space Producer, Discovery News
Despite popular belief, there is no drug that can create holes in your brain. The only thing that could create a hole in your brain is physical trauma.

Although there's no drug that can "put holes in your brain," that's not to say drugs can't cause damage to the brain. Drugs can cause a range of long-term and short-term damage. Regular drug use can lower the effectiveness of neurotransmitters (such as dopamine), so drug addicts need to take more and more of the drug to achieve the same "high." This can impact neuron function in the brain.

Apart from impacting the chemicals in the brain in the short-term, experts know drugs cannot produce holes in the brain, but they are divided about whether someone can fully recover from extended drug use.



(Imagemore Co., Ltd./Corbis)


Though we're not quite sure what the long-term effects of drug use and abuse are on the human brain, we do know one thing: Drugs don't really punch holes in your brain. Some reports claim that use of milder drugs can only cause negligible memory impairment; others claim that even marijuana can shrink certain sections of the brain. Conversely, a study published in "New Scientist" claimed that continued use of certain drugs can actually cause some structures in the brain to permanently grow and change. Clearly, more studies are needed to understand the real effects of drug abuse on our baffling brains.


Ive put this up..because Ive always wanted to try to get my pituitary to function as near as normal as posible because of it dealing with everything..all functions.so it makes me really think what you use..I am drug option for this conditon and it has it good side ad yes the side effects..but it worked by dealing with the symptoms and reducing use of alot of other drugs that kept me going..bloodpressure for example..the amount of tablets I was on and now reduced to one..youve really got to do alot of thinking of adding anything into youre system what its doing

Okay, this is where it gets a little hairy. Please bear with me.

Lifespalette.....what strain are you using? Are you smoking or vaporizing it? Just curious.

All others: without getting too tedious, there are some things to clarify. Firstly, I think the study used a synthetic form of THC. I am not sure about the CBD or other components. Have to read it again. Remember, I pointed out that I've been studying this for several weeks now.

Also, as I have learned from working with my daughter, drug abuse is not what this is. For starters, there is no point at which we can become toxic with cannabis. Let me assure you that the drugs my daughter has taken through the years are by far more dangerous than any amount of cannabis....and with far less positive effect.

And, no, I was not thinking of vaporizing it for this purpose, though I do so occasionally now & it helps the pain in my hands and knees. For Epilepsy, and for most curative purposes, a tincture under the tongue is the way to go. This can be purchased from some reputable producers in Colorado and/or California.

It appears that the treatment of a pituitary adenoma comes under the heading of 'brain tumor' on the medical sites. I don't think my adenoma is that big (it wasn't when it was removed.....unless it re-grew unusually fast......getting a new MRI soon)......so, shrinking it would be less of a goal than reducing the growth hormone. This study seems to only address the hormone secretion. Shrinking the tumor might be another means to the end, though.

The amount needed for tumor reduction is greater, and quite high priced. It should also be in tincture/oil form. I am also trying to ascertain the optimum strain for this purpose. The most readily available commercial strain is CBD from Industrial Hemp. This has no psychogenic effects. Even the high CBD strain from regular cannabis which we get from our dispensary has no euphoric affect when vaporized (though the strains from cannabis have a bit more traceable THC than the ones from hemp). I mostly make butter from it for my daughter, which she ingests, but I've no concept of the dose. There are certified dispensaries that publish all of that most pertinent data for their edibles. I am moving in that direction until our dispensary can offer something other than the raw weed.

Anyway, the study has been published in reputable medical journals, which is why I'm still working on a full understanding of it.

AWORRIEDWIFE: Where did you find the info on the short term effects? Depending on the source, it might suggest that the study I cited was a placebo effect.

LIFESPALETTE: One of the products I ordered from CO (hasn't arrived yet) is a Medical Marijuana cream. Several people suggest that it is a faster way to get it into your body, and helps hugely with carpal tunnel & knee pain. Do you smoke, vaporize, or consume it?

I understand that Vaporizing it is not the same as smoking. Rather, it is considered a transdermal application. It does not burn the 'weed' as completely as a joint or bong (yes, I was a college student in the 70s). It presumeably maintains the optimum temperature to extract the oils. It helps my pain a bit. But, in my daughter's case, there is no doubt that ingesting it makes a HUGE difference.

Will share as I learn more. Please do the same. Thanks.

Suzannaba: Just thought I'd mention that I had extreme anxiety issues with my acromegaly. Prior to the dx, I was dx'd with thyroid problems & put on meds for that. It helped the anxiety a bit. After my surgery, though, the anxiety was gone. While I was not paranoid, I was definititely more overtly intolerant of people's motives than usual. As the Somatuline has ceased to be as effective as it initially was, my anxiety has returned. Have not gotten to the point of running out of the supermarket yet, but was there pre-op.

My point is that these problems may have had more to do with your endocrine problems than the marijuana. There is a lot of research on 'endocannabinoids.'

I was googling and looking into it, not sure exactly where I found it, but I'll look again once I have time.

It's not a placebo effect, it's a tolerance issue with repeated use. Initially the marijuana has one effect, but then your body adjusts and it no longer has the same effect.

I understand the tolerance thing. However, on closer look, you'll see that most of these studies use synthetic THC as the 'marijuana.' It is becoming more evident that the entire plant has far more compounds and terpenols (I think that is the word) than THC and CBD. And, that it is the synergy of them that makes it so healing. Some plants are bred to have more or less of THC and CBD (the 'biggies'), but they don't tell the whole story. And, tinctures of the pure plant seem, in several cases, to be more effective without the combination of pharmaceuticals. We think we might be seeing that with my daughter now....another challenge.

FranB, I smoke Blue Kush.......usually 1 sometimes 2 hits off my little 1 hit pipe is the answer to give me relief when the pain is so severe .... I figure it's better than popping a Lortab......12 grams will last me about 4 months. That's how often I revert to it. I was a teenager in the early 70's, pot was just a normal thing back then.......but it's not a high now that I seek, it's relief. I don't know if it has any benefits in controlling the HGH production or on the remaining tumor cells......all I know is that gives me some relief from the pain when I need it most without the risk of getting hooked on some of the pain meds they've prescribed.........

Lifespalette--We are close in age When I took a drag of the 'vaporizer' that was suggested for my daughter, I went back in time! As I coughed & felt that dryness in my throat, it was easy to recall why I preferred the occasional bong: the water is so soothing! We have been using Shark Shock, a high CBD strain (supposedly). But, it's not nearly as high as CO or CA high CBD strains. However, it still doesn't get you high. I've gotten used to the vaporizer, but that strain doesn't do any more for my pain than for my daughter's seizures. I'll look up your strain & see if our dispensary has a comparable one. Really, 12g lasting 4 months is long, I think. And it is a MUCH better idea than the laundry list of drugs for pain.

I also saw you post (somewhere) that you need hip replacement. I fear it. My left hip wakes me during the night a lot now. Occasionally, so does the right, but the left is worse.

Just got my MRI results on line & haven't seen the endo yet. But, it seems little change since surgery (no measurable re-growth), so the Somatuline has done something. But it does less and less every month for all of my symptoms.

In searching for Marijuana & acro, I came across an article that went into detail about therapies (not MJ, tho) & cited the cost difference between Gamma Knife & these drugs. You seemed to have success with that, didn't you? But still living in pain??

Another poster stressed the value of IGF-1 in the bottom 1/3 of the range and, in fact, that is the last time I felt well. It was the weeks/months right after surgery. How to get there, though.........??

Lifespalette--go t so wrapped up in the 70's I forgot the point....or maybe it's the acro..?? Anyway, I think to impact growth hormone, you have to ingest the marijuana. And, not certain, but it suspect that it would be a high CBD strain with a little THC. That is usually what is used for tumors, I believe. Stay tuned.....the article posted a synthetic THC or CBD...not sure which right now. It's late.....

When/if I secure more info, I'll post. By ingesting, I think I mean a tincture or butter. Juicing is done, but I haven't read of its exact application. "Earthy" is a generous way of describing the taste.

It is also easy to understand why I never cared for hash brownies in college! I prefer my chocolate pure & not corrupted......though it is the best 'foil' for it.

A better written interpretation of the article would be a help. ..

Fran, my Gamma Knife was a total failure or as my Doctor described a waste of good insurance money.....total cost a little over $125K. At first they expected an effective window for results of 24 -30 months, then it was 48 months, then 60 months.... after 72 months they basically said if it was going to have an effects they would have risen to the surface by then.........

I hear you about about the interpretation of the report.....if that was an interpretation, I would have hated to try and read the report......I seriously didn't understand most of what they were saying. My ability to focus on technically stuff like that has dropped that much and I used to read technical reports on a daily basis (soil reports, concrete reports, etc., etc..).

Yes, I have a hip replacement procedure scheduled for April the 23rd, but I fear it's going to be postponed due to the Craniotomy I'm having next Friday.........I seriously doubt my Orthopedic is going to approve going ahead with it just 12 days after another major surgery........

Lifespalette--So funny about the Gamma Knife cost! The article I read (have no recollection of the date written) cited the cost efficiency as far less than some of the drugs. And that sounded plausible to me, as the Somatuline Depot shows a true retail cost around $4K per month. My endo tells me that the next drug to try (I forget which one that is....) costs even more and is a daily injection. The problem with the cost comparison is the corrupt way by which our health insurance carriers bill everything. It's impossible to understand 'true costs.'

The problem with the injections is that I am over the top with nursing duties! It was never my life's goal. In fact, my dislike of science caused me to hate school from the 3rd grade! And, my duaghter's epilepsy has forced me to be a nurse, scientist, researcher, and dietician. Now, I'm learning about high CBD marijuana strains (but am resisiting lobbying/activism)!! I was an interior design major!!!

The acro makes navigating everything twice as difficult. I can truly empathize with your point about reading detailed reports. If I again find the article in more plain terms I'll post the link. It is indeed frustrating to accomplish a fraction of the tasks that we once could in a day. It felt so good for a short time after surgery to feel better.

Now, I'm caught between the side effects of the somatuline (which really do increase over time) and the discomfort of it's increasing lack of efficacy.

Best wishes on your craniotomy. I can't guarantee anything, but really, my daughter's surgery yielded very little pain, all of which was extremely well managed. She was never uncomfortable. It's pretty amazing, really. Where are you having it?

This is one of the papers I used for personal research one year ago. I just went through my annual blood work-up, MRI and follow-up appointments and was informed the tumour had decreased for the first time in years and by a fair bit. My endo had a frozen grin on his face and next year I won't let him get away with not asking me any specifics (I suspect that he does not yet know what to ask). There is something in this and they are beginning to realize and I will not stop my CBD Therapy. Google endocannabinoid system and check out this link: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/healthprofessional/page4 .
I feel better than I have in many years and people notice all the time. I feel like I am getting back my life. This is my opinion and personal experience - I did a lot of thinking and researching and soul-searching but I am without regret.