Real patient voices: How medical cannabis has helped alleviate digestive discomfort

While gastroenterological conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease are relatively common in the UK, digestive issues are also incredibly prevalent amongst those using conventional medications like opioids, benzodiazepines, and SSRIs. 

The daily disturbances digestive discomfort cause is a very common motivation for seeking out alternative options, and due to the interaction between medical cannabis and gut health - it's a proving to be a popular complimentary treatment for many in the UK. 

Today we’ll hear from two medical cannabis patients at Releaf who have noted differences in their digestive health since starting cannabis-based treatments. We’re sharing their insights in the hope of inspiring others to take control of their health, and feel empowered to explore alternatives. 

So, let’s dive in!

Omar: Medical cannabis, irritable bowel syndrome, intense pain, and exacerbated stress 

At age 31, Omar was sick and tired of how much of a hold irritable bowel syndrome was having on his life. 

Navigating numerous and constantly evolving triggers felt gruelling, and the cyclical pain and stress this caused seemed inescapable. Omar told us IBS was impacting his ability to work in the freelance field of theatre direction, and poorly impacting his social schedule and his relationships with friends and family - and ultimately, he’d had enough.

After ten years of finding little support from conventional outlets and the traditional options offered by the NHS, Omar took things into his own hands and began to search for alternatives. That’s when he found Releaf. 

During his interview, Omar told us: 

“IBS is very complicated: it is as much a mental thing as it is physical, because once the pain starts, I can get worked up emotionally, and then my muscles tense up and things go downhill from there. I’d always suspected that what I really needed was more than just pain relief. I needed a medicine that would work in a multi-faceted kind of way: something that would relax my muscles, but would also affect my mood, dissociating me from the pain, preventing that negative, psychosomatic response.

My vape pen and the flower are great for those stressful moments. If I’m not in a full-blown flare up and I’m just starting to feel discomfort versus real pain, I start to get worried that a full-blown flare up is imminent, and things spiral down from there. When I have those feelings, the flower allows me to kind of take the edge off, so things don’t spin out of control. It’s something I can take that isn’t going to disrupt my day and isn’t going to influence my cognitive functioning. 

The cannabis oil is different. It’s my last resort - for when the pain gets very bad - and I take quite a high dose. It’s the only thing that has allowed me to sleep through the pain at night, and the length of time that I’m in pain is shortened from four, five, or six days to one of two days maximum. That was a huge improvement. 

I’ve been a patient at Releaf for three months, and I think my doctors and I have found a healthy balance with the treatment: the flare-ups are managed by the cannabis oil, and the discomfort is managed by flower.”

Read Omar’s full story.

Joe: Medical cannabis, endoscopies, appetite, and energy. 

While 36-year-old Joe presented at Releaf with chronic pain caused by a degenerative disc, when we sat down with him to learn more about his health journey, he told us he’d lost nearly five stone in a year as a side effect, or a consequence, of taking conventional painkillers. 

Unable to eat and severely lacking in energy, Joe was forced to put his wedding and career on hold, and he told us he was really reaching the end of his tether - trapped in a body that was just not cooperating. 

At this point, he was willing to try just about anything - but thankfully, he didn’t have to look too far. Enter: medical cannabis. 

During his interview, Joe told us:

“Over the years, I’ve been prescribed a lot of different pharmaceutical medications, some of which led to weight gain, while others completely destroyed my gut biome and really messed with my digestive system. 

After nearly four years on these medications, I’ve had multiple endoscopies, and I have ongoing health issues - the best way to describe it is that I have given myself a gastric band. The opening to my stomach males me feel full all the time, and without anti-sickness medication, I constantly feel like I’m going to vomit. 

My mother had cancer (thankfully, she recovered), but she had found [cannabis] very useful with the loss of appetite that comes with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, so she suggested trying medical cannabis…..

I haven’t had any side effects. Well, that’s not entirely true. Excessive hunger is classed as  a side effect, but, that’s exactly what I needed… It’s literally changed everything for me. 

Before Releaf, I was losing weight rapidly… As soon as I started with Releaf, that rapidly changed. I started actually eating again, my weight loss started to slow - and now it has stabilised.” 

Read Joe’s full story. 

Final thoughts

While today we’ve shared the stories of two patients who presented with gastroenterological concerns, medical cannabis is a suitable treatment option for a long list of conditions. 

From women’s health, and sleeping disorders, to complimentary cancer support, mental health management, neurological conditions and chronic pain, medical cannabis may be able to help you. 

At Releaf, nine out of ten that apply pass our eligibility checks and are awarded a prescription for cannabis-based medicines. Why not see if you could be next? 

All it takes is 20 seconds - assess your suitability today.