Josh’s story: Fighting back after a surgery gone wrong

Can you please tell us more about your health condition, and how it affects your day-to-day life? 

Two years ago, I tore my Labrum while training in mixed martial arts. My shoulder dislocated and ripped the 'ring' of cartilage that helped hold my shoulder in place. I ended up going in for surgery in February 2022 to try and fix it up, but unfortunately, there were some pretty major complications.

I ended up in intensive care, and whilst still under the effects of the anaesthetic, I had a seizure. This was right after the surgery - my shoulder was very vulnerable to any movement. The seizure ended up causing significant harm to my shoulder joint, leaving me with permanent damage.

After that, pain became a part of my life. Simple tasks, even sleeping in the wrong position, can cause quite intense pain, and I was at a point where I was really struggling to continue doing any form of mixed martial arts training.

I originally started mixed martial arts as a hobby, a way to learn how to protect myself if I was ever put in a situation where talking myself out of it wasn't an option. But it quickly became a real passion, something I looked forward to - it became one of the most important parts of my life. 

Now, most of my close friends come from the MMA scene, the social side of the sport is really amazing. Losing the ability to train in the way that I had done in the past and wanted to continue doing was tough. So my injury has had an enormous impact on my life.

And, before finding medical cannabis, what other treatment options did you try to manage your pain and symptoms?

Before starting with medical cannabis, I was originally prescribed painkillers. 

I've tried a bunch of different pharmaceutical pain-relieving options at this point, and most did help reduce the pain that I was dealing with, but the one thing I couldn't handle was just how impactful they were on my cognition.

I hated how drowsy, groggy, and "out of it" they made me feel. I just couldn't function at the standard I needed to while taking them, which was an issue as I am currently working towards my PhD.

My PhD title is "The Neurobiological Basis of Persuasion Techniques" and I'm really interested in the role that dopamine plays in human evolution and how that impacts decision-making processes.

I had to stop taking the painkillers I was prescribed for these reasons, and that is what pushed me to have a look at what alternative methods of pain management were out there.

Had you ever tried cannabis before signing up with Releaf?

I think, just like the majority of people in the UK, I had tried cannabis recreationally in the past, but it wasn't a regular part of my life.

I hadn't really considered it as a medical treatment option until I spoke with a friend who had started on medical cannabis treatment for nerve pain issues, also in his shoulder. We had a long, in-depth discussion about the whole thing, and he couldn't have been more positive about his experience.

I asked him about how he went about getting his prescription, and realised I already potentially qualified for medical cannabis, as I had tried more than two other treatment options. So, I started doing some research, looking into the best medical cannabis clinics in the UK, and found Releaf.

And, what was it about Releaf that stood out for you?

I liked how professional the website looked, that was definitely the first thing that stood out. It is high-quality and has a premium feel about it. I guess that's what first got me to take notice of Releaf, and the customer service side of things is what got me to sign up. From the very beginning, the team responded to my emails extremely quickly.

If I'm being honest, once I found Releaf, I stopped looking around, so I don't really know what the other clinics are like. I signed up about three months ago now and haven't looked back since.

It’s now been three months since you joined Releaf, how has life changed?

The difference has been pretty stark. It's been a lot better. My Releaf consultant has been great, they’re very easy to talk with, and open to hearing what I have to say.

And, just a few weeks back, I was able to do a four-hour mixed martial arts training session, the first long training session since I suffered my injury in 2021, which was massive for me. 

That was a big milestone, and I have been working towards it for a good while now. So, I'm really thankful. It has made a huge difference.

I can't say that it is only the medical cannabis. It is just one part of a holistic approach that I have been taking for my recovery. If I took it and then just watched Netflix, it won't help that much. Sure, it would still help with the pain, but for me to get to the place I'm trying to get to physically, I need to do other things as well. I need to get my shoulder moving.

And that's where I have found the medical cannabis to be so helpful. It dulls the pain enough so that I am able to get through my physio and training sessions. It's the catalyst that really allows me to go deeper into my physio and recovery.

Have you experienced any similar side effects with medical cannabis to the medications you were previously prescribed?

Yes, and no. I have found that it comes down to which cultivar I am vaping and the dosage. It did take a while to work out which options helped me find that balance of pain relief without any significant side effects, but after a little trial and error, I am really happy with the results.

I have found a flower option with a (close to) balanced level of THC and CBD has worked best for me, as I like to be as coherent as possible.

I was originally prescribed a 17% THC flower option that also had about 1% CBD. It is fantastic for pain relief, but a bit too heavy for me to take during the daytime. That one is now reserved for nighttime only or if I am having a serious daytime pain flare-up.

I have another medical cannabis cultivar to use in the daytime, which is about 7% THC and 10% CBD. I am careful to always stick to the exact dosage that was recommended by my clinician, and I am finding it to be really helpful in managing my pain without any major disruption to my day-to-day life. It has a nice calming influence and is not too powerful.

What are your hopes for your medical cannabis treatment long term?

This might sound a little strange, but I am hoping that taking medical cannabis now will help me use it less in the future. I am primarily taking it for pain relief, and my pain is decreasing at the moment. I just want to live as normal and pain-free life as I possibly can, and medical cannabis seems to be a great tool to help me along that path.

So, I'm hoping that it will allow me to continue to focus on dealing with the underlying causes of my injury, continue doing martial arts, and, ultimately, reduce my reliance on any pain management methods. When my pain is under control without feeling groggy, and I am able to train, I am also much more equipped to achieve the goals I have for my PhD.