Edometriosis & The Endocannabinoid System
Endometriosis (pronounced end-oh-mee-tree-oh-sis) is a painful, chronic, and sometimes debilitating condition. It occurs when cells similar to those found in the lining of the womb (endometrium) are found growing elsewhere in the body. Endometriosis is a condition that affects 10% of women worldwide, it is a very difficult condition to diagnose and often goes undiagnosed and untreated.
For me, it feels like Satan is ripping through my uterus and body on a constant basis since I was 12 and hit puberty. For over a decade my symptoms were a huge burden on my physical and mental health. I was constantly sick to my stomach with digestive issues, painful bowl movements, painful sex, and chronic pelvic pain. The uterine-like tissue that was growing outside of my uterus was attacking my pelvis, ovaries, fallopian tubes and colon.
''This tissue, although not in your uterus, acts just like uterine tissue and responds to your bodies reproductive hormones, bleeding every time you have a period. This unwanted shedding often is trapped in the body and causes irritation with the surrounding tissues and can create adhesions and scare tissue that cause extreme pain''. **https://prairiegrass.com/blog/endometriosis**
It takes on average patients with endometriosis up to eight and a half years to finally be diagnosed. After over a decade of constant issues I had my first laparoscopy in 2017 where I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Endometriosis. I can't begin to explain how it felt to know that it wasn't all in my head like I've been brainwashed to believe.
Once I was officially diagnosed my specialist put me on a few different medications that had awful side effects themselves. Treatments included hormone therapy that made my mental issues worse, painkillers that made me feel sick to my stomach constantly, and hospital trips where I would be hooked up to IV painkillers until I couldn't function.
Now, let's focus on the good.
Like many, my cannabis journey started when I was young. I enjoyed the plant recreationally for many years. That relationship changed in 2017 when I started my second medical license and discovered how different cultivars assisted with my many issues. Cannabis gave me a sense of relief that I was never able to get with medications that were prescribed or injected into me. I was able to have an appetite and experience life through the pain that used to mask. I didn't know to what extent then but I felt that endometriosis and cannabis have a sort of relationship. It is natural connection that scientific research is finally beginning to highlight.
''We know that the endocannabinoid system has a complex role in uterine function and dysfunction and that there are many complex layers to the pain experienced by endometriosis sufferers; specifically, there are three pathways of pain that have been found in endometriosis; inflammatory pain, nociceptive pain, and neuropathic pain. Research has brought to light that endocannabinoid modulation to treat pain is probably more than just treating the pain as it may impact several levels of the actual pathogenesis and proliferation of endometriosis. Studies have demonstrated that endocannabinoids are suggested to increase apoptosis mechanisms in endometriosis; which literally means that the endocannabinoids are programming the rogue endometrial tissue to destroy itself!
In addition to the endocannabinoid systems involvement in apoptosis, endocannabinoids have been shown to regulate nerve growth and their receptors (CB1) are expressed on nerves that innervate endometriosis lesions. Molecules like CBD interfere with this innervation by preventing activation of the CB1 receptor. CBD also exhibits anti-inflammatory effects through mechanisms including reducing levels of cytokines (inflammatory proteins), inhibiting T-Cell proliferation and reducing migration of inflammation-causing immune cells, and desensitizing the pain receptor, TRPV1. THC plays a role in reducing cytokines by activating CB2 receptors located in your immune system. This is a large part of THC’s anti-inflammatory properties''. https://prairiegrass.com/blog/endometriosis
With cannabis, I am able to live a relatively normal life. I won't tell you I'm completely free from pain. But I am able to work at a job that I love, maintain friendships, and enjoy life. Cannabis isn't a magic bullet, and just like other medications cannabis doesn't work for everyone. I'm always trying different products, if you want to know what I'm currently smoking, eating, or using topically follow my Instagram _GypsyTokes :)