Could you tell us a bit about your condition and any treatments you have tried?
When I was 16, I was an apprentice bookbinder, and I started to develop a lot of pain in my spine. I just thought it was stooping over the benches. Eventually, I got referred to the hospital, and I was told I had a disease called Sheuermann's disease, which is a degenerative disease of the spine.
So you get a kind of scoliosis. That was putting a lot of pressure on my spine while I was working, and the treatment was very strong opiate painkillers. Over time, tolerance grew, and that increased. Off and on throughout my life, from that point onwards, I'd always been on and off opiate pain relief because that's the only thing that was provided or that I knew about.
Did you experience any side effects from your medication?
Extreme side effects. Apart from things like constipation, it's not very good for the head because you can't think. I couldn't think as clearly as I should have been able to while I was taking them. The downside was that when I stopped taking them, there were horrible withdrawal side effects.
That went on throughout my life. I had a professional career, and in the end, I became a probation officer specialised in youth justice.
So, a couple of years ago, I stopped taking opiates altogether. I had to do that by engaging in a prescription NHS methadone program, which changed the opiates that I was on, which was Tramadol, and put me on methadone and reduced it over a period of one year. So it took a year to come off.
They are horrible medicines. They're okay for acute pain, but not for chronic pain. I absolutely can tell you that.
How did you find out about Releaf, and how did you find the sign-up process?
I'd been off opiates for two years, so the pain had come back with a huge vengeance. There's nothing else. Then Social media flagged up Releaf. That's probably how I found it on Facebook. I signed up, and it was a very simple process.
How has your treatment been going so far?
I had a consultation with a specialist doctor who went through my medical history, and after a discussion of about half an hour, he prescribed a few different flower options, and a THC vape.
That opened the door for me because they were able to start to relieve the pain and give me some rest at night. Because the pain disrupts your sleep, which a lot of people out there will know, so it's helpful for that too.
Has the extra sleep affected your well-being?
100%. The prescribing can provide medicines tailored to your needs. I've got a nighttime one, which is THC-dominant, and to give me some motivation during the day, a CBD-dominant, which lifts my spirit much better than antidepressants ever did.
How has your medical cannabis treatment impacted your lifestyle?
I've come off antidepressants. It's been a real transformation. Although I'm disabled at the moment, the pain's not there so much. Generally speaking, it’s been a huge transformation.
I'm able to get out and about and go on walks. Since I've started using medicine from Releaf, I've got a bicycle, and I can cycle, which doesn't sound like a lot, but for me, who has been really unwell for quite a long period of time, it's fantastic.
How have your friends and family responded to your treatment? Have you experienced any stigma?
I have a son and a granddaughter; they come and see me now and again. But I don't discuss it really unless the subject comes up.
I've got a friend who is going through the process now. He's got specific needs that are different to mine, but I think Releaf might be able to help him out.
I didn't think about that, but I just did. That's how I would discuss it. There's no stigma. It's not like I use it out on the streets or anything like that. It's medicine that I take at home.
How have you found your dosing regimen?
I've been trying different dosing regimes. I will vape a small, tiny bit of flower in my herb vaporiser. A bit of THC-dominant flower if necessary.
It's not every night. I do try to take a week off every now and again because I think it's healthy to do that. So that's how I dose at night. If I need it, a small bit of THC-dominant flower.
What advice would you give to others who may be considering medical cannabis treatment?
I just believe it's the awareness, the publicity, the information. And slowly, this will improve. I've come across a lot of people, particularly as I've got older, who have ailments that would definitely benefit from it - people with arthritis and stiffening bones, and that sort of stuff.
So I'd say just come forward. It's easy enough to do once it's presented in front of you, on social media or wherever it is. It was a bit of an eye-opener for me.
If you would like to learn more about medical cannabis treatment options for the conditions mentioned in this Patient Story, please see medical cannabis for chronic pain.
