Can A Diabetes Patient Get A Medical Card?

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Getting straight to the answer, yes, you can get a Medical Marijuana Card even if you’ve got a long history of Diabetes. However, you still need to clear certain tests and conditions before getting declared eligible for Medical Marijuana usage as a diabetes patient.

Understanding Diabetes

In most cases, Diabetes is a life-long thing. You once tested positive for Diabetes, now for the rest of your life, it is up to you to cope with it and make positive changes in your lifestyle to keep your blood sugar levels at a manageable level. It can be tough, for the majority of people to deal with such a condition, especially when maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the only way to cope with Diabetes. Under the right circumstances, using Medical Marijuana can be an excellent way to maintain this balance in your life.

Scientifically, Diabetes is a condition when your body is not able to successfully process the blood sugar levels resulting in a severe imbalance of insulin and glucagon hormones.

Types of Diabetes

There are two core types of Diabetes, Type – 1 and Type -2 which can be differentiated as,

 

	Type – 1	Type – 2
Onset	Develops in childhood or adolescenceÂ	Develops in adulthood but can occur at any ageÂ
Etiology	Autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas	Insulin resistanceÂ
Insulin Production	Little to no insulin production	Reduced insulin production with insulin resistanceÂ
Dependence on Insulin	Require external insulin for survival	May or may not require external insulin
Management	Insulin therapy, blood glucose level monitoring, carbohydrate counting	Change in lifestyle

Three Signs Of Diabetes

Universally, there are countless signs that can eventually lead to a Diabetes diagnosis regardless of your age. But the most prominent three signs, often referred to as the “three P’s” of Diabetes are as follows,

Polydipsia: The term refers to a state of excessive thirst. Your mouth may feel excessively dry from time to time. This is because of the fact that people suffering from Diabetes have an increased blood glucose level which forces the kidneys to drink more water as the body fluid levels are diminishing.

Polyuria: The state in which you’re producing more urine than normal. The average urine production for a healthy human being is 1-2 liters per day. Due to excessive glucose levels, the body tries to remove excess glucose through urine prompting you to drink more water resulting in more urine production.

Polyphagia: individuals suffering from Diabetes often develop insulin resistance. As a result, the glucose can’t penetrate into body cells forcing the body to prompt excessive eating in order to gain the required energy for body cells.

How To Prevent Diabetes?

Lose Extra Weight: Insulin resistance has a very strong connection with excessive body weight which can simply make you more vulnerable to blood sugar imbalance. Studies have revealed that reducing up to 7% of excess weight leads to a drop of 60% in the risk to develop Diabetes. This significantly decreases the Diabetes progression rate as well.

Eat a plant-based diet: Fruits and vegetables are a major source of healthy sugars and carbohydrates that your body can utilize readily as an energy source. Apart from this, a plant-based diet also provides dietary fibers which regulate blood sugar levels, streamline digestion track, and help in weight loss.

Opt for physical fitness: When you train your body in such a way that it can be labeled as ‘physically fit’, your body gets into a cycle where no excessive fat or glucose reservoirs are stored in your body decreasing the Diabetes progression and potential risk of development significantly.

Does Diabetes Qualify For Medical Marijuana?

Yes, Diabetes does qualify a person to get a Medical Marijuana Card in a state where it is declared legal. There are no extra regulations that you need to follow. If you have a doctor’s prescription which marks you fit for Medical Marijuana usage with Diabetes, you’re all set to apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in your state with the general application process. The state won’t stop you from using Medical Marijuana just because you’re diabetic.

How Does Marijuana Help Diabetes?

Marijuana has a vast number of effects that can help patients suffering from Diabetes. Marijuana is known for its appetite-stimulating and nausea-prevention benefits allowing the patient to adapt more quickly to a healthy diet. Another important aspect to mention here is that some variants of Marijuana don’t involve psychoactive responses making them perfect to use with Juvenile Diabetes.

Diabetes Treatments And Medications

The most common Diabetes treatment involves the administration of insulin when the body is no longer able to produce its own insulin. Along with this, the patient needs to adapt to a healthier lifestyle so the progression of diabetes can be stopped at a safe level. Medications involved with lowering blood sugar levels and maintaining blood pressure must also be administered in severe cases. Depending upon the extent of diabetes within the body, screening for Kidney problems and foot care for ulcer prevention may also be prescribed.

How Does Diabetes Affect Your Body?

Heart Disease And Stroke

According to various credible surveys, around 65% of patients suffering from Diabetes die due to a heart attack or a stroke. This is because of the fact that high blood sugar levels have a direct relation to heart problems and strokes. Due to the elevated sugar levels, plaque may be formed within the walls of blood vessels narrowing the path for blood flow. This results in the building up of blood pressure within these vessels resulting in a heart attack or a stroke

Kidney Damage

Due to the damaging influence of high blood glucose levels, the capillaries within the Kidneys can get damaged over time resulting in kidney failure or severe kidney problems.

Nerve Damage

High blood glucose levels even impact the small blood vessels that power up the whole central nervous system resulting in severe nerve damage or neuropathy.

Eye Problems

Diabetic retinopathy is an extreme condition where high blood glucose levels damage the blood vessels within the retina causing partial vision loss or blindness.

Risks Associated With Marijuana And Diabetes

The most prominent risk that is associated with Marijuana and Diabetes is Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). Using Marijuana recreationally can lead to this state where the body cells don’t even have enough insulin to allow sugar to be taken up by your body cells resulting in a life-threatening situation if not treated in time.

Why People With Diabetes Should Get A Medical Card?

A Medical Marijuana Card allows patients to get access to Medical Marijuana from a state-approved dispensary legally. The card also indicates that the patient has been declared eligible to use Medical Marijuana even when diagnosed with Diabetes allowing the infusion of Medical Marijuana with Diabetes treatment.

Now The Question Is, Can You Get A Medical Card If You Have Diabetes?

The answer to this is ‘yes’, you can get a Medical Card or a Medical Marijuana Card to be more precise even if you have Diabetes. But in order to apply for the card, you need a prescription from a certified doctor in order to clear any doubt that the use of Medical Marijuana can negatively impact the progression of Diabetes in your body.

Also Read: If You Have a Medical Card, Where Can You Smoke Marijuana?

FAQ’s

What Is The Process Of Obtaining A Medical Card For Diabetes Patients?

The process is the same as the rest of the people. Getting a medical certificate to use Medical Marijuana means that intake of Medical Marijuana won’t have any negative impact on your health, especially under the shade of Diabetes.

What Services Are Covered By A Medical Card?

The Medical Card or the Medical Marijuana Card allows you to legally purchase and consume Medical Marijuana from state-operated and authorized dispensaries/companies.

What Are The Benefits Of Working With The Kif?

With Kif, you can get an appointment fixed with a certified doctor allowing you to get a Medical Marijuana prescription in less than 10 minutes for most cases. If you don’t get a medical prescription, you will have a refund immediately. Plus, with an additional fee, you can renew your Medical Marijuana Card from home through Kif.

How Can I Book An Appointment With The Kif?

We allow you to sign-up for a Kif patient account online once you have submitted all your necessary personal details and medical records. You can book an appointment with us after your account creation depending upon your availability for the appointment.

Can Medical Marijuana Help With Diabetes?

Yes, Medical Marijuana is known for its anti-nerve inflammation and relaxing properties which can be quite beneficial for Diabetes.

Can I Get A Medical Card For Type 1 Diabetes?

Yes, you can get a Medical Marijuana Card for both Diabetes Type – 1 and Type – 2 given that your doctor approves intake of Medical Marijuana with your Diabetes record. Once you get the approval, you can apply for a Medical Marijuana Card just like the rest of the people.