"Ask the Doc": Get Answers from Medical Experts
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Do you have a question about a medication you’ve been prescribed? Are you wondering about withdrawal symptoms associated with a certain substance? Are you curious about treatment types used in rehab?
You have questions, and the amazing doctors at American Addiction Centers (AAC) have answers. Let them bridge the gap between medical knowledge and public understanding regarding addiction and addiction treatment.
While the experts answering the questions in the Ask a Doc series are all medical professionals, they will not provide personalized medical advice here. Instead, they will answer general questions about medications, health, substance use, addiction, treatment, recovery, and more, in this educational series.
Make an appointment with your primary care physician or mental healthcare provider if you have questions about your own health or substance use.
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Chronic use, however, can have the opposite effect. Over time, frequent and prolonged use can lead to the regulation of the cannabinoid receptors in your brain.
Of course, this depends on your own personal genetics, the type of cannabis being used, and how much and how often you use it. —Dr. Mark Calarco
If you want to quit weed or stop using THC, there are a couple of things to consider:
- 1. While quitting weed will not cause the physical and potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms that benzodiazepines, opioids, or alcohol can, marijuana can cause psychological dependence that can be hard to quit.
- 2. If you were using THC for chronic pain or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), those things could re-emerge if you stop using cannabis.
These are the things that can make weed difficult to stop. —Dr. Lucas Trautman, MD, MPH, ABPN, ABPM
People can donate half their liver, and their liver will regenerate to normal in 1-2 months. It's that rapid when it's healthy. The liver is an amazing organ. In fact, you basically have a new liver every 3-4 months.
That being said, as remarkable as the liver is and as strong as its regenerative capacity is, chronic, repeated assaults on the liver, including heavy drinking or drug use, hepatitis C, or fatty liver disease can cause stress on the liver and can eventually lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.
However, there is hope! Because the liver really is exceptional at healing itself—even if you had previous drug or alcohol use that may have stressed it—the chances are really good that it will recover if you take good care of it. —Dr. Mark Calarco
The more advanced signs of cocaine addiction may include signs such as bloody nose, runny nose, or a hole in the septum.
Additionally, someone who is using cocaine may have work or school performance problems or may start to experience financial issues. —Dr. Lucas Trautman, MD, MPH, ABPN, ABPM
The first thing you need to remember is that alcohol in all its forms—beer, wine, or hard liquor—is a toxin to the body, and if you use it every day and in excess, it will be detrimental.
Additionally, one beer is equal to one shot when you look at ABV or alcohol by volume. —Dr. Mark Calarco
