The Munchies

As soon as someone hears that I medicate with marijuana, the jokes and wisecracks regarding the munchies begin.  But the joke is on them, because this is one side effect that actually has positive attributes.

One of the things I feared when I began this medicinal path was weight gain.  I was skinny when I was diagnosed with my first chronic illness.  I gained 25 pounds within the first 6 weeks of treating it pharmaceutically.  From that point on my weight continued to rise and I never thought I would ever be able to lose weight, let alone maintain it.  Approximately a year before starting with medical marijuana, I went completely prescription free.  I immediately lost 30lbs without dieting!!!  During the past 2 ½ years of medicating with marijuana, I have lost an additional 15lbs without dieting.  This blows my mind when I think about my pharmaceutical years and all the diets that only resulted in more weight gain.  Unlike pharmaceutical meds, medical marijuana doesn’t cause my stomach to burn.  I only eat when I am hungry and no longer need to put food in my mouth just to sooth my stomach.

So what about the munchies?  The munchies are real.  However, I don’t always experience them with every dose.  Sometimes planning my evening dosage around a snack or meal curbs the munchies.  Other times, I am too tired to care that I am craving a piece of cake or a sandwich.  Of course there are occasions when I feel I could eat my way through the grocery store.  Yet even though I feel I could call the buffet bar a meal for one, I never really eat that much when the munchies hit.  One reason is that I pay attention to what I am craving.  If I am craving a chicken sandwich, a piece of chocolate cake is not going to satisfy me.  When I allow myself to have what I am craving, I eat it slowly.  I delight in every bite.  It is not uncommon for me to be satisfied just after a few bites. Marijuana has never caused me to eat more than I should.  In fact, it has taught me to listen to my body and to really enjoy my food.

The only drawback is when the food I am craving can’t be found in my pantry or refrigerator.  One evening after taking my bedtime dosage, I was craving a peach pie.  I looked at my husband and said three words “Peach Pie Now”.  No explanation was needed.  He grabbed his keys and went out the door.  Bless his heart, he returned with several different peach pies!! One bite of each satisfied my craving and I was off to bed.   On another occasion, I knew I wanted a chicken sandwich from McDonald’s, but wasn’t sure which one.  So I figured it would be best that he take me there.  Because I had intended for us to go through the drive thru, I didn’t feel the need to change out of my pajamas and robe.  However, when we arrived the line was long and I was impatient.  So, I went inside to order.  Now this should show how wonderful my husband is.  He never once uttered “do you really want to go inside dressed like that?” or “do you realize that you are in your pj’s?”  No, instead he accompanied me inside and never once looked embarrassed.  It was while waiting for our order that I realized that I was in my pj’s.  I began laughing and told him to take a picture, knowing that this would most likely be something I blogged about in the future.

If the fear of gaining weight is what is keeping you from treating your conditions with marijuana, you may be like me and have nothing to fear.  The munchie side effect is more than welcome when compared to the side effects I endured from pharmaceutical medications.

Wishing you a day filled with gentle hugs and many reasons to smile,

The Disabled Diva

Disclaimer:  I am not issuing medical advice.  I am only sharing my experiences.

Tagged: abdominal adhesions, chronic illness, chronic pain, fibro, fibromyalgia, health, invisible disabilities, medical marijuana, medicinal marijuana, MMJ, MS, munchies, psoriatic arthritis, spoonie, weight