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Can anyone tell me if medical marijuana is permitted pre-transplant?
Transplants | Last Active: Feb 4 5:01am | Replies (35)Comment receiving replies
I have a few questions about Marijuana and Kidney Transplants at Mayo. The first one is sort of about the policy there in general and perhaps just institutional rules.
I was told that if I were to be accepted into the renal transplant program, I would have to cease smoking marijuana. Stopping something that I had been doing regularly has taken some time and has been unpleasant, but I'm prepared to do it. The question is by when would I have to give them a clean test? I smoked very regularly and it won't even be 30 days by the time of my next appointment. Saying nothing of the fact that I have been doing it for the past 5 years that I have been on Dialysis. When do I have to give them a clean test by? The bottom line is, that if I'm not a candidate for a transplant, then I'll continue to smoke marijuana. I mean, what is the policy there regarding this kind of stuff? I'm accepting of thier belief that marijuana is contraindicated for a transplant and I'm eager to comply, but as it was a pretty entrenched habit, it took a couple runs at it as it were.
A follow-up question would be about the FDA approved drug Marinol. Would Mayo have a problem with this drug? The Psychologist had informed me that much of the reason that marijuana is prohibited, is due to it not being a FDA sanctioned or tested substance, but Marinol is a tested pharmaceutical and there are no questions about dosage with it.
If there is anyone out there who has any info on this aspect of the Transplant process, I'd appreciate your insight.
Thanks,
Replies to "I have a few questions about Marijuana and Kidney Transplants at Mayo. The first one is..."
I also agree that your transplant dept will have the best answer but Ill share what I know as a former cigarette smoker and occasional alcoholic beverage in a prior life. I had given both up prior to needing a transplant, smoking was 7 years and drinking was 3 years. In the initial phase of testing to get on the list I was honest that I was a prior smoker and when I quit and it was not questioned. But it was 7 years. Now I do believe the main issue is that smoking anything carries the burning damage of possible emphysema from the heat of the smoke so I believe that was the issue mostly. I have heard of others who had to give up cigarettes prior to transplant and I don't know how long they had to be clean. Just sharing what I know and as @colleenyoung said the people from the Transplant social worker dept were very helpful in many ways and will have the exact answers you're looking for.
The one thing I can add is the fact that I was a Prior smoker, was not a hindrance to getting accepted.
@waningphilosophic Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I see you have had some great responses to your question!
While I am not a transplant patient, my husband is a kidney recipient [Oct 2016]. We have been involved with renal support programs for many years, and I myself am a ESRD patient not eligible for transplant [on dialysis, though].
Transplant centers, no matter where you go, want to insure the best possible outcomes for their patients, and to offer the available kidneys to those who will comply with the standards that center has set out. The success rate for a recipient depends on so many factors, including co-morbidities, lifestyle, and compliance with protocol. While they can sympathize [most of the time!] with a patient using medical marijuana for pain control/appetite encouragement, they may want you to reduce or stop its use. I know of a person who had to be "de-listed" because he would not cease use of a substance his team banned. Eventually he did comply, and received a kidney.
I will be very interested to hear what your transplant team explains to you, and your decision.
Ginger
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Welcome, @waningphilosophic. You're asking great questions. To get answers specific to Mayo Clinic and marijuana use, Marinol and kidney transplant, I recommend talking to your assigned transplant social worker. You want to be certain about the policy at your particular Mayo location/state.
I moved your post to this existing discussion:
- Can anyone tell me if medical marijuana is permitted pre-transplant? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/medical-marijuananauseaheadache/
I did this so you can read previous helpful posts and connect easily with fellow members like @katebw @ssapp1 @johnnoregon @feruj who are asking similar questions and sharing tips.