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Cannabis consumers often have to fight the stigma and stereotypes that have been around since Reefer Madness was released in the 1930s, sparking nearly a century of misconceptions. But the healing powers of medical marijuana are providing some truly inspirational relief to patients with a medical card.
It’s important that we start talking about the way cannabis benefits patients across America. Medical marijuana is helping patients who suffer from chronic pain, anxiety, nausea, and so much more. In some cases, it’s restoring a quality of life some thought they would never see again. Here are just a few of the uplifting stories of individuals whose lives have changed for the better due to their experience with the healing powers of medicinal cannabis:
After a stroke left her unresponsive, “THC specifically saved the trajectory of my fiance's life.”
In a piece for Medium, Garrett Petticrew details a time when an artery burst in his fiance, Megan’s brain. In a brutal turn of events, the aneurysm led to a coma, which led to a stroke, which led to cerebral meningitis.
Eventually, she did wake up but, due to the severe damage, was only able to communicate through the act of blinking. Garrett got the idea that a little THC might help - it certainly couldn’t hurt - and began giving marijuana treatments to Megan. The cannabis helped with her pain and the hallucinations caused by her injury, allowing her to respond to medical professionals and move on to physical therapy.
Her remarkable recovery started with marijuana. Today, Megan has regained the use of all four limbs and is even studying French.
Studies are showing that the cannabinoids found in medical marijuana can significantly help stroke victims by blocking glutamate, a neurochemical in the brain. By blocking this chemical, further brain damage is slowed down, promoting healing and normal brain function.
After years of headaches and nausea, “...the regular use of cannabis changed my life — and my doctors agreed.”
In a piece she wrote for The Independent, Victoria Gagliardo-Silver stated that, three months after being prescribed medical marijuana, it had “completely revolutionized” her life. She suffers from chronic head pain, which led to nausea, and vomiting. The issues were forcing her to have to call out of class and work. The condition often suppressed her appetite, making it difficult to eat, causing low blood sugar.
Since medical marijuana has become available to her, she has been able to eat three meals per day, and uses cannabis for chronic pain management, allowing her to keep her school and employment commitments.
If you are someone who suffers from chronic headaches, you may discover that you find relief with medical marijuana. Many marijuana patients who suffer from migraines are reporting that they get more relief from cannabis than traditional headache treatments.
Studies are also showing cannabis to be an effective treatment for nausea, specifically if it is caused by anxiety, autoimmune disease, cancer, Crohn’s disease, head trauma, Hepatitis C, HIV or AIDS, or pancreatitis.
On changing from prescription medication to cannabis for her bipolar disorder - “At one point, I was taking no less than 30 pills a day. And it had to end.”
Michelle Montoro suffers from bipolar disorder, an affliction that affects millions of Americans. For the first ten years after her diagnosis, she was given a wide array of prescription pills. At one point, she was taking “no less than 30 pills a day.”
Michelle suffered from suicidal ideations on top of all of the side effects from the prescription drugs, which she often found herself mixing with alcohol. In her own words, “If the Bipolar Disorder was not going to kill me, the medications were.”
She found that everything changed when she replaced the prescription medications with a treatment plan consisting solely of marijuana. In a piece she wrote for Medium, Michelle states, “What I found is that marijuana essentially does everything for me that the pharmaceuticals did but without the side effects.” She continues “It is natural. It is healthy. And it has saved my life when I stood face to face with a demon that threatened to take it away at any given moment.”
Studies are ongoing, but there is evidence to support that cannabis use may benefit patients with a range of psychiatric disorders. If you suffer from psychosis, it is worth having a conversation with your mental health professional about the possibility of including medical marijuana in your treatment plan.
On her debilitating pain, Lucy Stafford says cannabis “was my last hope, so I would say it saved my life."
Lucy Stafford of the United Kingdom suffers from Ehlers Danlos syndrome (EDS) which affects her connective tissue, and causes her joints to dislocate. In an interview with the BBC, Lucy details the painful condition, which has caused her to dislocate her shoulder simply by brushing her hair, and her jaw just by yawning.
She was in incredible pain. Before she tried cannabis, everything doctors attempted to treat her with just left her in more agony. At thirteen years-old, she was prescribed opioids, which she says did nothing to relieve the pain. At fifteen, her condition was so bad that she dropped out of school. When she was eighteen years old, Lucy was prescribed treatments of fentanyl, a drug stronger than heroin.
She was unable to receive cannabis treatments in the UK, so she traveled to Amsterdam. Upon trying marijuana, she said the transformation was instant. "I can't describe what it's like to spend your whole teenage years literally crying yourself to sleep in pain every night, not understanding what living pain-free is like, and then being able to think clearly," she said in her interview.
She went on to say cannabis "is literally the only thing that gets me out of bed and being able to work, and being able to study and being able to live a life now."
Many marijuana patients have found cannabis to be effective in relieving chronic pain. The THC found in the plant activates the brain’s reward center, often causing a feeling of well-being, while the CBD in marijuana interacts with pain receptors, causing anti-inflammatory effects.
The healing powers of medical marijuana are changing the quality of life for patients across the world. These stories only scratch the surface of the positive impact marijuana is making, both globally and right here in Missouri.
Get relief for your condition with medical marijuana now.
If you are ready for the natural relief that medical marijuana can provide, you’ll need a Missouri Medical Card. Our team of doctors can help find out if you qualify for a medical card by taking you through a fast and easy evaluation. Schedule an appointment with a medical marijuana doctor online by CLICKING HERE, or give us a call at (877) 303-3117 to talk to a patient support representative.
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At Missouri Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (877) 303-3117, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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