Helen’s Story: Parenting, Police, and a Patient's Rights

Could you tell us a little bit about the health conditions you have, and how they affect your day-to-day life? 

I have quite a few ailments. In the last 12 years, I've been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, agoraphobia, PTSD, thyroid problems, and diabetes. 

Fibromyalgia is the main issue, obviously, it is a very painful, debilitating condition. It started when, one day, I woke up and felt like I'd been to the gym, as if I’d just had an intense workout. My joints started hurting —my wrists and ankles became very weak—and when I talked, I noticed that I would lose the flow of my ideas. I just thought it all had to do with old age and stress, until I saw a specialist and was officially diagnosed. 

Sometimes I was in so much pain that my body couldn’t function. I couldn't even do simple household tasks like cooking or putting the washing on the line. I've got a son who has a mental health condition, so trying to look after him as well as look after myself was often quite difficult. 

What kind of treatments have you previously tried to help manage your symptoms?

First, I was prescribed morphine, which made me feel unbelievably sick. Then codeine phosphates—eight, 30-milligram tablets a day—and then amitriptyline, but none of those medications agreed with me. 

I felt awful, and there were a lot of side effects. I've always been a certain weight, even after having children, and when I started taking all these drugs I started to gain weight very quickly. 

I'm taking pregabalin now. Pregabalin is actually really helpful for fibromyalgia, but it doesn't completely take away the pain, especially the achiness. 

A few Christmases ago, a friend gave me some “street” cannabis to see if it would help with my conditions. Immediately after I tried it, I felt the pain disappear down my head down my neck, down my shoulders, down my back, and finally right out of me—and that was just after a very small dose. It also seemed to really help with my agoraphobia, and I was able to go out of the house for the first time in years. 

And, how did you end up discovering Releaf?

I started to read up on the different medical cannabis clinics in the UK, and I really liked what I saw on the Releaf website. When I called the number, the support staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. 

The consultation process was easy. I just explained my ailments and all my difficulties, and the team knew exactly how to proceed. My first consultant was with Doctor Sue—a lovely lady who is very understanding. 

In fact, every person I've spoken with at Releaf has been great, and the doctors are experts and know exactly how to help me. 

How has your medical cannabis treatment been going so far?

Since I started with medical cannabis, I’ve made incredible progress with my pain, and my agoraphobia is basically gone. I’ve started driving again and doing errands by myself. At first, I was just driving around and coming home, but I eventually found the courage to actually go into town, park my car and go into shops. I haven’t done that in two or three years! It really works. It works with PTSD, the pain, and all my other conditions. 

Physically, there have also been dramatic changes. I've been able to go up and down the stairs again, something else I haven’t done in years. Instead of just getting up in the morning and going downstairs and staying there all day, I can now go up and down the stairs as much as I want. I'm literally going up and down the stairs all day long, which is helping with my muscles in my legs. Since I’ve had my mobility problems, I haven’t been walking around as much as I should, and my legs have grown weak over time. 

I should also mention that my treatment at Releaf has saved me a lot of money. I’m on medical benefits, and all my prescriptions were very expensive. Every month, I worried about whether I’d have enough money. I still take medicine for diabetes, but I don't need the painkillers or many of the other medications any more. I’ve completely stopped taking those. 

Honestly, you can't beat medical cannabis. I'm a true believer in it. 

How did your friends and family react when you told them about your treatment with medical cannabis? 

My dad is 87 and my mum is 85, bless them, and they totally agree with what I'm doing. They told me that my health comes first and that I need to be as healthy as possible, so I can effectively care for my son. 

I’ve been totally honest with absolutely everybody about what I'm doing, and if people don’t like it, it’s not my problem; this is my body, and medical cannabis actually helps me. I can function normally, talk to people, and go outside again. 

Everyone has been so supportive. Recently, I even had a neighbour tell me how different I look now compared to four months ago. I needed to hear that. It's just nice to have someone say, “You know, you're looking good.” And it’s true! I’ve lost two stone and since I started the treatment. 

I’ll just say it: medical cannabis has been a miracle. 

How does it feel to have a medical cannabis card that proves you’re a legitimate, legal patient?

It feels great. Actually, I’ve already had to show my medical cannabis card to the police. 

The police came into my home to help with a medical emergency my son was experiencing and, obviously, they could smell cannabis. One officer looked at me suspiciously, and I said, “Don't worry, this is all legal. I am being treated with medical cannabis through a proper clinic.” 

Then, I told the officer that I had a medical cannabis card, and she said, “Oh, have you?” She’d never seen a medical cannabis card before. 

I showed the police my card and explained how it worked. I explained that if they want me to prove that I am a legal medical cannabis patient, they can scan the QR code, which gives access to my medical information and what types of cannabis that I’ve been prescribed. 

The officers passed the card around and showed it to each other. Some of them were kind of dismissive—I don’t think they really understood what it was. I just thought, well, their ignorance is not my problem. 

The whole experience was kind of stressful, and I felt like I needed to use some of my medical cannabis right then and there—right in front of the police. I asked the officer if that would be okay, and she said, “Well, yes!” 

I think that proves the medical cannabis card really is a legal protection. The whole experience was quite reassuring after worrying about the legalities for so long. 

Cannabis isn’t a bad thing, and people who use it shouldn’t be treated like criminals. It was put on this earth for a reason. I'm a Christian, and I do believe in God, and I believe that God put things on His earth for us to use to survive. Cannabis is just one of those things. It's been used for thousands of years as a medicine.  

What would you say to somebody who is suffering from similar conditions as yours, but hasn’t yet considered medical cannabis as a treatment?

I'd tell them to try it. I'd say go for it. 

The treatment is safe and, for me, it was a great alternative to the other medications that didn’t help me. Because I’m off those other medications, I’m saving a lot of money. I’d recommend people sign up and pay for the subscription service, because after that the deliveries and consultations are completely free.

Now that your health seems to be back on track, what are your hopes for the future? 

I just want my normal life back, and to be able to continue doing normal, everyday things. It should be normal to go out into my garden and put the washing out. 

I want to be there for my son and the rest of my family. I've got grandchildren now, and we have another one on the way. Aside from my mum, who is getting older now, I am the matriarch of the family, and I have an important role to play. 

Life can be about enjoying yourself—you work hard, and you play hard—but for me, it’s mostly about family. I want to be able to engage with them and help as much as I can. That’s what’s most important to me.