Scott's story: Sleeping through the night and taking back control

For almost a decade, Scott battled seemingly relentless neuralgia pain, cycling through ineffective medications with no real relief. Doctors prescribed antidepressants, blood pressure tablets, and other pharmaceuticals, all of which were promised to bring some semblance of peace to Scott's frayed nerves, but nothing worked.

His life became a minefield of pain triggers - from a cold breeze to a sip of hot tea - it became a daily struggle just to function. At his wit's end, and with dark thoughts creeping into his mind, Scott knew something had to change.

For Scott, that change came when a friend introduced him to Releaf. Slightly sceptical at first, he took a leap, and as soon as he started to vape his prescribed medical cannabis flower, Scott says pain finally began to dissipate. 

Now, for the first time since before receiving his diagnosis, Scott sleeps through the night, works without distraction, and feels like himself again. 

This is his story of rediscovering life through medical cannabis:

Can you please tell us a bit about yourself and your experiences with healthcare prior to Releaf?

My name is Scott. I'm 37, and I've been suffering from trigeminal neuralgia for about seven, going on eight years. Getting an actual diagnosis was a bit of a battle. It took two or three years of pushing - it's not a common condition, and it can be hard to diagnose.

The funny thing is, I was kind of arguing with my doctor to begin with. I spent almost nine months fully researching my symptoms and comparing them to what other people with similar issues were experiencing. Every time, it kept coming back to trigeminal neuralgia.

I was having regular appointments, but at first, I didn't feel like I was taken seriously. It wasn’t until about two years in, when the pain became unbearable, that I went back again and really pushed for answers. Once I laid everything out from start to finish, he finally said, "Right, well, I can actually say that you do have trigeminal neuralgia."

I was first prescribed amitriptyline (which has been shown to offer certain therapeutic benefits for my condition - but it's actually an antidepressant) and it slowly started to strip my personality away. Then they tried me on blood pressure tablets, and another type of pharmaceutical, but none of them seemed to work. 

I spent the last seven to eight years dragging myself along, constantly on and off medications, without ever receiving proper pain relief. They never recommended any alternative treatments - it was just medication, no physio, no sports massage, and no suggestion of any other alternatives.

How did first hear about Releaf, and why did you choose to join?

It was through a friend who suffers from Crohn’s. He’s in his mid-50s now, and for years, his symptoms made his life a mess. He would go months at a time out of work. Sometimes, he’d gain loads of weight, then he’d lose loads of weight. His eating was awful, his sleep was terrible. But over a few months, I saw a real transformation in him. He’s now just a completely different person, and I was really intrigued with what he was doing.

So, I asked.

He told me straight out that he had become a Releaf patient and suggested that I start doing some of my own research. At first, I thought it seemed a bit fishy. I mean, it felt crazy - like, in 2024, I can just get medical cannabis?

But as soon as I hit the Releaf website, and saw just how polished, professional, and legitimate everything was, it was a no-brainer so I booked in for an appointment. 

After I was prescribed and it arrived, and I opened the tins, I thought, "Wow, this is the real deal."

What was your first experiences of medical cannabis like? 

At first, I used such a tiny amount that I barely got any vapour or taste. I didn't want to overdo it. Then, I slowly increased to about 0.2 grams in my vaporiser.

Then the pain just disappeared. I did not have to wait for days to see results, which surprised me. I've smoked cannabis in the past, but not for almost a decade - and this was really different.

I had my first vaporiser session in the evening, and my neuralgia pain was gone. I went to bed, woke up, and there was still no pain. I thought, "Well, I am definitely doing that again." It was insane, somewhat surreal.

It still feels surreal, even a few months on.

What are the main differences you noticed over the last few months?

Before starting with Releaf, my neuralgia could be triggered by the smallest things. If my window was open too much at night and I had a cold draft coming in, that would start it. Cleaning my teeth would start it. Drinking a hot drink would start it. Getting into the cold van and turning the heater on would start it. Getting out of the van and stepping back into the cold would start it.

Everything was a trigger. But not any more.

I can go outside in the cold, have a hot drink, and even experience stress without setting it off. It is like the neuralgia is just gone. Honestly, I feel fantastic. This has changed my life. I used to feel like I was navigating a minefield every single day. Now, I have my life back.

Before, I had moments where I’d be driving the van, looking at bridges and trees, thinking, "If I get this up to 80 and hit that…" That’s how bad it was getting. I hated waking up. I hated day-to-day life.

Now, I feel like I’m back better than ever. Honestly - better than I have ever been. It's amazing.

I always start with the lower THC medical cannabis flower that I have been prescribed, just to take the edge off the pain. Then, about 30 minutes before I turn in for the evening, I vape a little of the stronger option, which really helps with my sleep.

Every single night, I used wake up at 1 AM and then again at 3 AM - every night, without fail. Now, I sleep the whole night through until my alarm goes off. 

Do you ever notice any side effects or ‘after effects’ from your prescribed cannabis treatments?

Not at all.

I am someone who flies out of bed and is on the go straight away. I get up, brush my teeth, have a quick wash, grab my coffee, and I am off.

I only use just enough medical cannabis to help me with my pain issues, but it also helps with my appetite, and my sleep is amazing. This combination of positive benefits has made a huge difference in my day-to-day life - it balances everything out and makes life smoother.

Now, I am ready for the next day instead of wearing myself out battling the pain and sleeping terribly.

It is not like being stoned, that's not why I am medicating with cannabis. It is more like feeling relaxed and balanced. It is hard to describe because you feel gentle, unwound, and relaxed - but not out of it. There is no red-eyed, ‘couch-locked’ feeling at all.

Have you spoken to your NHS care team since starting medical cannabis?

I have yes, and my neurologist was really intrigued when I showed him the stats I had found. 

I told him I wasn't just trying cannabis for the sake of it, that I had looked into studies and found that 81% of patients with chronic pain see an improvement. If it was only around 40 or 50%, you might question it. But when 81% of people are benefiting, there is obviously something there.

So far, I've had two consultations at Releaf, the most recent with Dr. Alex Van Heerden. He was great, as was every single person I have dealt with through Releaf. Everything is so professional, and it's just a totally different to my preconceptions, and there is absolutely nothing dodgy or underhanded.

I went back to my neurologist recently, and they asked how things were going. I told him I had started medical cannabis treatment with Releaf, and he seemed a little surprised. I explained the signup process, that it was all totally legal, and that as a result I had been out of pain for four weeks.

He told me, "I shouldn’t really be saying this, but wow."

He then said they would bring me back for another neurology checkup in three to four months. He seemed genuinely interested in seeing how it progresses - if the pain continues to stay away, if there are any side effects, and everything else.

I was really quite surprised to hear that the doctor was open to me trying alternative treatment options and interested in my progress because the stigma around cannabis makes me reluctant to talk about it much.

How does your Releaf medical cannabis compare to the cannabis you’ve previously tried?

The biggest difference is quality and consistency, without a doubt.

If I were to buy cannabis off the street, I wouldn’t know what I was getting. It could be something that knocks me out, makes me hyper, or does nothing at all. There’s no consistency. Not the case at all with my prescribed flower, it is always impeccable.

The smell and taste of medical cannabis aren’t as strong as some of the strains you’d pick up elsewhere, but that works better for me. If I need to medicate while I'm out for the weekend, I don’t want something that stinks up the place.

Just by looking at it, you can tell that it is grown in a high-end, professional environment. The trichome production is pretty amazing, and it has obviously been properly cured. It’s a 10 out of 10 in terms of appearance, colour, and bud formation. They’re doing an amazing job.

Back when I was younger, I used cannabis recreationally, but the fascinating thing is that it simply didn't offer me anywhere near the same level of pain relief as I get from my prescribed medical cannabis.

That’s what I try to explain to people, that specific strains work for specific things. It’s not just about THC - it’s the whole combination of cannabinoids and terpenes that leads to the entourage effect.

If I were to buy off the street, I’d probably just get stoned. But medical cannabis is different - it’s tailored to relieve my pain. I’m not interested in getting high. I just use it to manage my symptoms and get on with my day.

And finally, have you shared your experiences with any friends or family?

Yes, I’ve actually used the Releaf referral code and passed it to a few select friends who I know would genuinely benefit from it. The service is brilliant, the consultations, the ability to start a chat instantly, and the fast email responses: I feel so lucky to have found Releaf, and hopefully, it helps more people. 

Unfortunately, I work in a job that conducts drug testing, and so I am still trying to figure out how to approach this conversation with my boss. The fact that I have a Releaf medical cannabis card does help bring an extra level of legitimacy, and I have read through the blogs on the site and watched a few of the Releaf videos on YouTube that explain patient rights around medicating in the workplace, but I am still a little worried about how it will go down.

This is something that needs to change. Businesses and companies need to understand that we are now in 2025. There are medical cannabis patients, and policies need to catch up.

At Releaf, I haven’t been treated like just another customer - I've been treated as an individual. From start to finish, everything has been taken into account and the personal touch is second to none. That’s what will keep me with Releaf. 

For more information about medical cannabis treatments for this condition, please see medical cannabis for functional neurological disorder.