Shane’s story: From lifting in the gym to lifting pain with Releaf

What was your experience managing your condition before becoming a Releaf patient?

Unfortunately, I am dealing with a few different health issues. Chronic pain and migraines are the main ones. I’ve got chronic neck pain. I’ve been through various types of medication, physiotherapy, ultrasound, acupuncture, you name it. I am still going through the NHS process.

They are now moving me to pain psychology because none of the painkillers actually help. I was officially diagnosed with migraine in January 2020, although my medical records show years of headache complaints. I’m fortunate enough to work in a private GP service with a headache specialist who identified three to four different types of headache: neuralgia, migraine, tension, and regular headache. We have tried different medications with little success.

It has been 30 years of different treatments. Massage helps initially, but then I flare up, and I am out for three or four days and on diazepam for my muscle spasms.

Cannabis really helps. I can get through the day, but in the evening, the pain intensifies. A couple of vapes and everything calms down. I would not want to drive, so I limit use to home or walking. It has been amazing how it helps.

Was there a particular event that started your condition?

Nothing I can put my finger on.

My family were into weight training and bodybuilding. Eleven years ago, I competed. But these days, any time I lift weights above my head, I get neck trouble. But no, no car accident or whiplash or anything like that.

My training has changed now. I went through menopause early after preventative surgery due to family cancer history. I know lifting weights is good, but I am also aware of cortisol effects. Now I mainly do yoga and exercise for flexibility and mobility.

I am also a qualified massage therapist. When I manipulate my neck, I can feel scar tissue and crunchy bits. To be honest, it would be quite exciting getting a client with my issues, but on myself, not so much.

Had you tried cannabis before joining Releaf?

Yes. Most people dabble at some point. I am a reformed tobacco smoker. I quit when I found out I was pregnant and never went back. A friend introduced me to vape cartridges, so I could use cannabis without tobacco. It had a sedative effect and helped me relax.

What made Releaf stand out as the right clinic for you?

It ticked all the boxes, from the product to the service and care. The Releaf medical cannabis card was a big thing, being able to show it is a prescription. That was actually really important for me. I am not hiding anything or doing anything illegal, I am just looking for more tools to help with my pain management.

Have you ever needed to use your medical cannabis card in public?

Yes! I was so thankful to have it with me. I was at a festival recently, and a police dog was very interested in me. I was searched, but when I showed the vape and the Releaf medical cannabis card, it was fine. 

That made me feel much more comfortable. It is accepted as medication. I am not just some 52-year-old just trying to get ‘high’ all the time. It is for a legitimate medical issue and was prescribed as such.

What stands out about the support you have received from Releaf?

The sign-up process was so easy and smooth. Everybody I have dealt with so far has been caring and helpful. My NHS surgery is good, especially given the state that the NHS is in generally right now, but the care I have received from Releaf is a different experience. You are listened to and given time.

At the surgery where I work, the appointments are 30 minutes, you get plenty of time. And I feel that Releaf is the same. You are talking to somebody and they are listening to you. They are not looking at their watch, thinking “there are five patients waiting, I need to speed this up”. 

It is nice to have that time to sit down and talk to somebody who can potentially help you.

What was it like receiving your first prescription?

Amazing, I bought everything in the first instance. I had two bottles of oil and a cartridge prescribed and delivered. 

I have to say, I questioned whether I was going to have to fork out the same amount every month, but the specialist reassured me that, no, I probably will not need everything every month. And I haven’t.

The initial shock of the cost was there, but I think the ongoing cost is going to be much more manageable. I still have a lot of the medical cannabis oil that I ordered with my first prescription, and that was a couple of months ago.

How do Releaf products compare with what you have tried before?

They’re really great quality. I had used a vape cartridge before, so it was quite similar to what I was already used to. That said, the THC vape that I have been prescribed through Releaf is actually much easier to use than others I had tried in the past. Just press the button to heat and then inhale, simple.

And the oil is actually quite nice, it’s the peppermint one. I have taken CBD oils in the past and always found them a bit strange, orangey-based and very oily. The mint one I have through Releaf is more like a breath freshener. It doesn't have that gloopy heaviness I associate with CBD oils, which can be difficult to swallow. I love it.

Have you spoken with friends, family, or colleagues about being a prescribed medical cannabis patient?

Yes. My boss knows. 

It was lightly discussed at one point whether we were going to start offering it to our patients, but she is a little apprehensive, so it is not something we will go forward with right now. But she is aware.I think the apprehension is a bit of a lack of understanding, and also not having a clinician there who knows more about it. They are all GPs, and none of them are trained in this area of medication.

One of my other colleagues is Dutch, and she is very familiar with cannabis, being from Amsterdam. I do not think she uses it herself, but she is very pro cannabis and aware of how much it can help. So I speak quite freely to everyone.

My friends know too. A couple of them actually introduced me to it illegally in the first place, so most of my friends are aware and it is not something I hide. The reaction has been pretty positive overall.

Have you been abroad or do you plan on going abroad?

I am going to Thailand next month to volunteer at an animal sanctuary. I have not decided yet if I am going to take cannabis. I need to do more investigation, I am not sure of the legality in Thailand. Everyone tells me it is freely available there, but I am unsure how to make sure I will not get arrested or thrown out of the country. I’ll do a bit more investigation before I make any decision on that.

Has medical cannabis helped you plan for the future?

It is just enabling me to have a period of time when I am in less pain.

While I have never really let the pain get in the way, it hasn't always been easy. In the past, I would try with the medications I have been prescribed, but if I have a migraine attack,I end up taking everything I have to get through it. The trouble is, I would then end up with another headache and mental fogginess from the pills themselves.

That is something you do not get from medical cannabis. I can take that and not have the next day or two of fog.

The plan is to do more travelling. My daughter is in her 20s now, so I am free to explore more. I have gained confidence over the years. I am positive I will travel to countries where it is accepted.

What would you tell others who are struggling and thinking about medical cannabis treatment?

Do it. 

It is worth a try. It may not help everyone, but I am very pro cannabis. I always have been, I just wasn’t aware that it had been legal on prescription since 2018. I feel like a late starter. But I would definitely encourage anybody who is not being helped with conventional prescription medication and is struggling to give it a go.

Is there anything we could do better at Releaf?

It is early days, but the care has been great so far. The only issue is affordability. Like most private medicine, not everyone can afford it, which is a shame. It would be nice if the government at least decriminalised it and made it more available. And potentially, with more companies around, push the price down rather than up. That would make it accessible.

If you would like to learn more about medical cannabis treatment options for the condition mentioned in this Patient Story, please see medical cannabis for chronic pain.