Medical cannabis (such as Curaleaf) has anyone tried this?

[CaraVann]

For many. many years I have struggled with several health issues which are making me miserable.

I have tried so many things to help, I eat well, drink only water, I exercise, I keep my weight down, go to bed at a reasonable hour and do all the things we are supposed to do for good health and well-being but still I struggle.

I have adhd, have struggled with anxiety and depression for most of my life, I have endometriosis and adenomyosis, awful daily IBS and hypermobile joints (possibly EDS). Thrown in perimenopause (I am 52 and have been in peri for 7 years) and it's fair to say that I feel like shit every day. I have tried hrt but it made the endo worse and have now been advised by my gynae not to take it.

I am also under a lot of stress helping to care for a parent with dementia and cancer which is certainly not helping my issues.

I have tried anti-depressants (they make me feel awful in the gut and exacerbate my digestive issues) and many off the shelf products. Years of counselling and endless cbt for my anxiety/depression. I exercise, listen to hypnotherapy and the Calm app every night. I also practise yoga every evening too.

Nothing has had a long term positive impact on any of my issues.

I am seriously considering something like Curaleaf medical cannabis. I have never tried drugs at all and the idea does scare me but I really don't know what else to do and I am getting nowhere with the NHS.

Has anyone tried this? Has it helped your health condition?

I’m considering it for diagnosed EDS. I think for physical pain it can definitely help. I’d be worried that with anxiety and depression would it be a good idea, would it help or potentially make things worse? I don’t know but I’d certainly want to be checking. I know they have a list of diagnosis they can prescribe for. The thing which is currently putting me off is Michael Barrymore. 😆. He’s a big user and think it’s Curaleaf clinic he uses. He’s a big fan and obviously very happy with his choice but he does seem rather stoned in a lot of his TikToks. I have to work! 😆

This is what's holding me back as I know cannabis can exacerbate certain mental health issues but I was hoping as it's regulated medical cannabis it may be ok?

Michael Barrymore pops up on my sm accounts from time to time, he does seem a bit 'away with the fairies', although right now that seems quite an appealing option to me lol

Yes I guess a regulated dose would certainly be safer than smoking a joint 😆

A family member who has chronic pain tried it and found it really helpful. He used a clinic in Manchester but the consultation was done online. They ask for access to your medical records and once everything is done, a multi panel team meet to discuss your case before approving it. He was prescribed oil and from memory the private prescriptions were about £65 a month. You can get it on the NHS but only for a handful of illnesses (I think certain types of epilepsy etc). I’m not sure they’d prescribe it for anxiety and depression but they might for one of your painful physical health conditions. If you can afford it, it’s worth investigating.

I have used cureleaf for about 3 years now and they've been great. Reliable, easy to use, and the prescription does help. You have to prove you've tried 2 medications or therapies through the nhs first which I did by requesting my medical records from my gp and then sending them to the clinic. Then you have a meeting and they discuss your case with a board to see if they think you'd be eligible. It was all very quick and easy.

Yes I’ve been a patient with Curaleaf for around 3 years now.

Brilliant service, skilled and friendly clinicians and my prescription arrives within 24 hours by post.

I have also worked at a medical cannabis clinic.

Book a consultation

I use Integro who are good but heard good things about Alternaleaf and their pricing, consultations etc. You can get reduced rates if on certain benefits like UC, PIP etc. I initially tried vapes but it makes me cough too much, the minimum amount is 10g and you can pay £5.00 up to around 10.00. I have the sublingual oils. It can make you a bit out of it but dulls the pain. Great for sleep. There are consultation fees and delivery charges, Alternaleaf is a monthly payment, spread out. Have a look at medbud for all the clinics and strains, mind boggling!

My partner uses curaleaf. He has ADHD and EUPD. It's been an absolute game changer for him and he's not had a single episode since starting his prescription. He had only tried one medication for a few months and had regular appointments with a psychiatrist but they accepted him. He's prescribed the flower and oil. He uses the oil in the morning once he's got to work and the flower at night when he's home for the day. After 6 months on the medication his nhs psychiatrist actually discharged him and he's not needed any help since

Thanks everyone, I'm going to look into this a bit more tomorrow.

Barrymore is not an example of anything good!
Medical cannabis is not as strong as some strains, has helped many I know with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and with cancer.
It's relatively expensive, but worth it.
Ignore those who will hysterically tell you it will lead to a crack habit within 20 minutes or that youu will turn into a couch potato. They have no idea.

I think it’s worth a try. Nothing much to lose, controlled doses of medical grade cannabis are very unlikely to do you serious harm as a 50year-old person unless you have a history of psychosis, depression or other persistent mental Ill health.

the one thing I would say is, do you need to drive regularly? If so, then you need to be aware of the legal framework around that. Any decent licenced clinic can help you there.

The other thing to be aware of is, if you have any health, travel, or life insurance products, then you may need to notify them of your prescription. Responsible private dispensaries will probably access your medical records and so there may be a paper trail.

I’m with Curaleaf, I take it for my M.S at night, it’s bloody wonderful, my legs are no longer in so much pain.

My daughter has mental health issues and ADHD, she uses them as well and it’s really beneficial.

They’re efficient, plus you can take it abroad with you to most countries, they can supply a letter just in case security ask about it. I’m currently in Malta with mine, also took it to Tenerife last December.

I certainly wouldn’t be without it. I have a 30ml bottle for my prescription which costs £100, this lasts me 2 months as I don’t need a lot for pain relief. You have reviews with their Dr and that costs £50, I think it’s approximately every 3 months or so. Just DO IT if you can afford to, it is life changing for us 🤗

As a mental health nurse, and a medical cannabis patient myself, this is so lovely to read. x

Thank you, that is good to know. I am glad to hear it helps you.

It's good to know it helps your daughter with her mental health and ADHD. I have been advised by my nurse not to take the ADHD meds as it could upset my already very upset digestive system. I am hoping medical cannabis may help ease all of my woes, even if just a little.

It’s definitely worth a try, they can prescribe oil (brilliant for sleep) gummies (also brilliant for sleep) or flower.

Is it obvious my prescription is for insomnia 😂

When you speak to a consultant they will be able to help you with your specific needs and the regular check ins will address your unique needs too.

I budget around £100pm for the prescription and consultations (still cheaper than obtaining illegally) after a while they have reduced my appointments to every 6 months as I’m not a complex patient/ no changes.

If you do manage to have a consultation please let us know how it’s been it would be nice to see another positive outcome 😊

Hiya I am currently with curaleaf and I have found it very beneficial I have severe nerve damage in my dominant arm from a knife incident but I also suffer with anxiety depression and ptsd they pick the strain/prescription which will best work for you they also offer numerous different options and you can change at any point. Definitely worth looking into if you have tried all routes and nothing is working for you

I tried that oil for nerve pain after other meds didn’t help much. It did take some trial and error with dosage, but once I found the right level, it really eased things up. Someone in my support group mentioned using bulk thcv isolate alongside it to help with energy levels during the day, especially when the oil made them too sleepy. Might be worth checking if that’s something you’d benefit from too.

I’ve had similar questions before traveling and found releaf.co.uk/education/travel/guides/a-guide-to-medical-cannabis-regulations-when-travelling-in-europe really useful. It covers where you can legally carry medical cannabis within Europe and what documents you’ll need. Helped me figure out what paperwork to take and which countries are strict. Definitely saved me stress at the airport.

Hi, respect and hats off to you! your lifestyle is impressive. Don't waste your time with any other companies and go to releaf straight. I cannot thank them enough for their help with my bad back! You can thank me later. Ps cannabis is not a drug! Cocain & heroin etc are drugs.

Cannabis is a drug. So is aspirin or paracetamol or an antihistamine. It might not act the same way as opiates or cocaine, but they are all drugs.

I use non medical cannabis and seriously considering switching to medical to make it legal. I use it for pain (fibro) and ptsd . It helps me massively.

Place marking

I have a friend who gets this - orders online. Says it helps with his ADHD. He showed me how it works and it’s quite amazing, they have dozens of different strains in a menu telling you what sort of effect each one has. He had to produce a letter from his doctor I think.

Can I ask how it helps with ADHD? I'm curious!