Medications Took Away My Appetite

I am a native Idahoan residing in Bannock county and have lived here my entire life. I have lived with inflammatory bowel disease for almost 13 years. If you are unfamiliar with Crohn's & Colitis, these are conditions that cause major damage to the lining of the intestines/colon, decrease appetite, and with frequent bathroom visits, poor absorption of nutrients.

I have used mesalamine, prednisone, Humira, Remicade, Xeljanz, sulfasalazine, Ambien (to combat the prednisone so I can sleep), Tramadol for cramping pain, and a drug developed for chemotherapy called azathioprine.

While I was being treated with Azathioprine, my appetite became so poor it ruined my 4th of July family barbecue because I took two bites of a burger and threw the entire thing up. This got so bad I was dry heaving up stomach acid on my way home from work when I realized I wasn't well enough to be there.

During my worst flare, which occurred in late 2016-early 2017, I was only able to consume about 300 calories per day and dropped from 170 to 140lbs. This happened so quickly my boss looked at me like a ghost when I was well enough to return to the office.

I have recently become aware of groups in Idaho opposing efforts to change our cannabis laws to allow people with serious medical conditions to use it if they or their physician thinks it may benefit them.

What would have been wrong with me, or any other person with IBD/etc, attempting to stimulate appetite with, say, a cannabis edible, to keep weight on? I could break the law and do this, but I don't particularly like to break the law.

Another blow to the gut for me (pun intended) is that if I were to live an hour south of where I do, in Utah, I would qualify and could at least try this if and when I have a major flare in the future.

I know people from all around the globe who have Crohn's and Colitis, most of them living in places where they can experiment with this legally. It does something for some people, not much for others, but does not warrant a criminal record just to see if it helps.

Travis Poppe

4/13/21