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HIV/AIDS Patients in West Virginia Qualify for Medical Marijuana

What is HIV/AIDS?

Affecting 1.2 million Americans, and with more than 35,000 new infections each year, HIV is a

virus that attacks cells within the body that help fight infections, leaving a compromised immune system.

 

If left untreated, HIV will develop into AIDS, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which makes a patient extremely vulnerable to common illnesses, making a common cold often life-threatening.  

 

Medical marijuana has been used within the HIV/AIDS community for decades, offering relief from painful and volatile side effects of HIV medications as well as potential relief from some of the symptoms of the condition itself. HIV/AIDS is on the list of approved conditions for medical marijuana in West Virginia.

What are the Symptoms of HIV/AIDS?

Early symptoms of HIV can go unnoticed, making it a difficult condition to catch early without regular screenings.

 

Early symptoms can include: 

 

  • Fever

  • Sore throat

  • Headache

  • Muscle or joint pain

  • Swelling of the lymph nodes

 

After a few weeks, symptoms can increase to include: 

 

  • Rash on the face, neck, or upper chest

  • Sores or ulcers in the mouth, esophagus, anus, or genitals

  • Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

  • Lack of appetite 

  • Weight loss

 

When HIV is left untreated, it can develop into acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition that causes the body's defense mechanisms and immune system to become ineffective or even fail entirely.

 

The immune system protects your body from infections by generating an arsenal of weapons

and defenses. When it's not working properly, your body can't do this job as well because the organs don’t communicate with each other correctly which leaves gaps in protection against illnesses and diseases.

 

Having a compromised immune system can make a common cold or pneumonia a life-threatening illness for an HIV/AIDS patient, and having a weakened immune system leaves patients vulnerable to many other illnesses which would not normally be fatal.

How is HIV/AIDS Treated?

HIV can often be treated and managed with pharmaceutical medications, but without treatment it will eventually progress to AIDS, which is significantly more difficult to treat.  

 

Therefore, it is important to get regular screenings, as catching HIV early can make a huge impact on the progression of the condition. 

 

The most common treatments for HIV/AIDS are antiretroviral, which help to reduce the amount of HIV in the blood and help to prevent HIV from destroying CD4 cells within the body. 

 

Antiretroviral are taken every day, and the treatment plan is called antiretroviral therapy, where medications are taken daily to reduce the risk of contracting AIDS and prevent HIV from progressing as much as possible. 

 

Unfortunately, although lifesaving, many patients will experience unpleasant side effects from these medications, and their volatility can have negative consequences for many. 

 

This has led to an increased use of medical marijuana as a part of the HIV/AIDS treatment plan, offering potential relief from many of the side effects that these medications can cause. 

Can Medical Marijuana Help with HIV/AIDS?

Medical marijuana is often one of the first medications looked at by patients living with HIV/AIDS, aiming to help with nausea and the lack of appetite that is associated with both the condition and the medications prescribed to treat it.  

 

There are even synthetic chemical copy drugs and derivatives that have been patented by pharmaceutical companies, such as Dronabinol (Marinol), that were specifically created to address the issues of HIV/AIDS patients as an alternative treatment option to control nausea, vomiting, and weight loss.

 

Although these pharma lab creations are designed to mimic the naturally occurring compounds in cannabis, over 30% of HIV/AIDS patients prefer smoking natural cannabis to help with their symptoms.

 

Many patients have found that medical marijuana has increased their appetite, reduced depression, improved quality of sleep, reduced nausea, reduced pain, and improved quality of life.   

Get West Virginia Medical Marijuana for HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS can be a frightening diagnosis, but due to modern medical science it can often

be managed if caught and treated early.

 

Medical marijuana can offer a potentially life-changing turnaround for those suffering from complications of the condition or the medications prescribed to treat it, and West Virginia has approved medical cannabis to be used as an alternative treatment option in conjunction with traditional treatments for HIV/AIDS. 

 

There’s no better time than now to become a medical marijuana patient in West Virginia, and our staff of qualified Doctors can be reached at 877-303-8424 to help answer any questions you may have about getting legal medical marijuana in West Virginia for HIV/AIDS.

Get Your West Virginia Medical Marijuana Card
in Four Easy Steps!

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Step 1

Schedule a telemedicine appointment by calling us at (877) 303-8424.

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Step 2  
Meet virtually with one of our certified physicians through telemedicine to discuss your medical history.
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Step 3

 With the doctor's approval, you'll receive your recommendation for a West Virginia medical marijuana card!

Get Your Medical Marijuana Card Online Today!

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