2002blacklist77

okay, first off, i've been smoking pot on a frequent basis for almost 7 months now. on average i probably smoke 4-5 days a week (sometimes more) and when i do, i usually smoke a lot.

with that in mind, a few days ago i woke up with a swelling on the left side of my neck. next couple days i developed more swellings (still only on the left side of my neck) and so today i went to the doctor to get it checked out. it hurts when i move my neck around or touch the bumps. anyways, the doctor said that it was my lymph glands (or nodes? damn i can't remember) that were swollen. usually that happens when the immune system is fighting something. so next thing i know, i had to give a blood sample, a urine sample, and then i had to get x-rays taken.

so my 2 questions are, do you guys think they'll find the thc? sorry if that sounds stupid but this isn't a drug test or anything. and one friend said he asked his doctor once about tests and he said they only find thc if they're looking for it in the first place. but then again, they're searching to see if anything is wrong so it could be possible that they'll find it.

second, do you think it is the pot use that's doing this to me? i feel no pain in my lungs and i have no trouble breathing. i also don't notice any other major problems in my body so i really don't know what the hell is going on. plus i know a bunch of people who've been smoking over a year etc. and they've never had problems like this. i also can't find anything on the net either. i know marijuana can affect your immune system but in this sort of way?

thanks everyone.

WNB

1) They will NOT find the THC. I've given plenty of urine and blood samples to doctors, and have yet to have them confront me or my parents about THC in my blood/urine. They're looking for whatever virus you have, to learn why your lymph nodes are swollen.

2) Yes, it is. Simply put, weed supresses your immune system. It didn't cause you to get sick, but you will get sick alot more often if you smoke alot.

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EeJay

I'll give you my 2 cents, but no doubt someone could give you a lot more.

They won't find THC in your blood, because they have to specifically test for it, and they aren't. So you're safe there.

I'd say your smoking did HELP cause the swelling of your lymph glands, but didn't cause it. Smoking when you have any problems with your throat is never going to be any good, maybe you could invest in a vapouriser or eat it in times like these.

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CheebaMonkey

It's not nearly that simple.

First, if someone's getting sick from smoking, that's because of the smoke. Inhaling hot smoke, tar, and hydrocarbons isn't good for you lungs, and can result in bronchitis (and possibly other sicknesses). If you were to bake the weed into foods, or use a tincture, you can completely avoid this.

To make the next part quick and to the point about weed suppressing your immune system, I'm just gonna take conclusions from the Nova Institute report.NOAEL stands for "no observed adverse effect level."

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2002blacklist77

i'm still pretty nervous but it was a huge relief reading your posts, thanks again. i am definitely going to start cutting back now too.

Chiksic

I had my lymph glands swolen about 4-5 years ago (before I smoked weed... WAY before). I went to my doctor and he said that it's fine. It happens sometimes when your body is having trouble cleansing toxins out. So he told me to eat like a bird, and when I do eat, to eat healthy stuff like veggies. And to excersice (it gets your lymph system working). I did it, and in a week the lumps were gone and I felt good. Just my experience.

sirhcreihtuag

So, what if they do find the THC (which they probably won't). It's not like you can get into any legal trouble because the chemical was found in your body by a doctor. Every doctor I have ever gone to knows I smoke (and have never had a problem with it). Alot of times you have to fill out those little questionaire things when you go and it asks if you use recreational drugs. The doctors aren't going to turn you in...... Doctor-Patient confidentiality and so forth. Also, in a TIME magazine article I read not too long ago (Is America Going To Pot?), it stated that in recent studies, the majority of test subjects "enjoyed significantly increased levels of lymphocytes in the blood stream". Last time I checked, lymphocytes were instrumental in fighting off sickness and disease.

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Now that's what I'm talking about.

Skater dusto

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that lymph nodes are things that fight off sicknesses. I have some small ones on my neck and they've been there for about 2 months.... whenever I don't get sleep I wake up with a sore throat(Even before I started smoking! whew) and I find that I might be able to see some nodes.

If they still hurt and/or you have them weeks after you're sick, see your doctor. I've had mine for a while but I got sick again last night... damn things.

beats

Lymph nodes isn't something you get is it? I thought you had them when your born..


Ya, it supresses the immune system, but only while high. Which isn't good when you share a pipe with someone who's sick Every now and then If I'm stoned for a long time, I start to get a runny nose, and a sore throat, and all those cold symptoms. I figured the immune system was letting it go until I was sober. And it stoped about an hour after I was stoned

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Chiksic

Yeah, you're born with your lymph system. It's very common to your blood. The lymph "juice" flows in tubes throughtout your whole body, extracting toxins. The difference is the lymph system doesn't have a pump, like you're heart is for blood. So that's why exercise it good, it gets your lymph moving.