Lyphe patient Tony Paterson describes coming off opioids as “waking up out of a coma” and feels switching to medical cannabis has given him his life back.
The dad from Scotland was prescribed 75 tablets a day for Multiple Sclerosis and depression by his doctor. However, after falling horribly ill, he stopped taking them for a week or two purely by accident. He explains how he reconnected with the real world for long enough to start looking for alternative medication.
After finding medical cannabis, Tony describes being a patient on opioids is like “floating through life” and now he’s back in control – not just of his medical conditions – but also his mind.
He also believes it’s enabled him to be a present father to his now 11-year-old daughter.
He said:
“I used to take opioids which were prescribed by the doctors. Doctors are handing them out like picking machines.
“I started being [prescribed opioids] when my daughter was in the womb. By the time I found medical cannabis I was on 75 tablets a day, including a heavy dose of Gabapentin. It was a slow build up to that amount, it started lower but ended up being three lots of 25 tablets a day. Now I’m on one medication, a few different vitamins and the medical cannabis. I’m now in full control.”
Speaking about his journey to finding medical cannabis Tony admits to previously smoking it casually – but the prescription experience was entirely different, with “phenomenal” results as it was able to target his symptoms.
He explained:
“I have MS and long-term depression and anxiety. I found medical cannabis in 2018 when it was legalised in Scotland. I had used cannabis for 20 plus years but the difference going on to the medical stuff was phenomenal, not just the difference in quality but it was targeting what I needed it for.”
“It wasn’t just ‘here’s a tablet, this is going to numb your brain for the next six years, you know?’
He added:
“Mentally with medical cannabis I’m not messed up, I have full control of my brain again. The MS is being kept at bay.”
“It’s natural, it’s zero chemicals, it’s been used for 5,000 years – you don’t know what’s on those opioid tablets, the GPs don’t know themselves. The amount of times I’d go to the doctors about one of my medications or a vitamin and the best answer would be ‘let’s try it out and see’.”
Tony made the switch after mistakenly forgetting to take his opioid medication during a week-long period when he fell severely ill – and it wasn’t just a brain fog that lifted, he started to reconnect with a world he’d felt out of touch with for over six years.
The dad admits turning to medical cannabis hasn’t just helped with his MS and anxiety but felt able to be a better father.
He added:
“Just before I started medical cannabis I got really ill for a week or two and stopped all my medication by accident, as I was so unwell… and I woke up. It was like waking up and I had a six year old daughter! I’d been on opioids for six years and [coming off them] honestly it was like waking up out of a coma, I was off the opioids. It brought me back to my daughter. It just makes parenting easier.”
He said:
“The health side of taking medical cannabis is that it just gives you your life back.
“With most opioid based medications, there is a hard limit on the number you can take. So when your pain is stronger than the meds, there isn’t the option to take more, because of the dangerous side effects, including death. You can’t overdose on medical cannabis, it’s impossible and you’re in control, you can take it as and when you need it.”
He added:
“You can tell when people are on heavy pain killers as they’re just floating through life, they’re not there. Their eyes are vacant. With medical cannabis, it’s totally different, it’s as much sociable as it is anything else.”
Speaking about how he is prescribed his medical cannabis medication and how he urges others who have been on opioids to try the same, he said:
“Lyphe was my original clinic, I investigated other clinics, but they always come up lacking. I had the best appointment the other day, it was five minutes, on and off – straight to the point – and done.”
“The amount of people I talk to because of medical cannabis – they say ‘I wonder if that would help my pain?’ or ‘I know someone with dementia…’ or ‘My friend’s got cancer…’. And nine out of ten of them will then take details about Lyphe and I’ll be saying ‘the best thing to do is go online, research medical cannabis clinics and phone them’.”
In response to Tony’s experience, Dr Sally Ghazaleh said the following:
“Based on observations within our clinic, the following reflections noted in patients with chronic pain and long-term opioid use.”
“In clinical practice, number of patients with chronic pain present after long-term opioid therapy, often reporting diminished efficacy, significant side effects, and a reduced sense of wellbeing.”
“Many describe feeling emotionally blunted or cognitively impaired while on high-dose opioid regimens.”
“Under appropriate supervision and within a structured, multidisciplinary care model, some patients have transitioned to medical cannabis, reporting improvements in alertness, mood, and overall quality of life.”
“Several have been able to reduce or discontinue opioids entirely, citing enhanced functional ability, better sleep, and improved engagement in daily activities.”
Dr Sally Ghazaleh, Pain Management Consultant and Cannabis-based Medicine Pain Specialist at Lyphe Clinic
If you would like to know more about how medical cannabis could potentially help your condition, you can read the following articles:
Opioid-Related Deaths Underestimated By 55% In England And Wales
Alternatives To Opioids For Pain Relief – Natural Solutions That Show Promise
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Disclaimer
The content provided on this blog is intended for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. We strongly advise readers to seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns.
To reflect its medicinal nature rather than recreational use, we prefer the term ‘medical cannabis’ over terms such as ‘marijuana’, “grass”. or ‘dope’ which may carry negative connotations.
The opinions expressed in the blog belong to the respective authors, who are not medical professionals, and may not necessarily align with those of Lyphe Clinic. Lyphe Clinic does not endorse any specific products or services mentioned, except those provided through Lyphe Clinic.
Readers should be aware that the legality of medical cannabis varies by location, and this disclaimer may be subject to periodic updates.
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