‘I wouldn’t be coming out the house if it wasn’t for medical cannabis!’ Gainsborough foot practitioner enjoying new lease of life

A 31-year-old foot health practitioner says she has been given a new lease of life after discovering medical cannabis.

Lauren spent years grappling with severe anxiety, depression and fibromyalgia.

These conditions left her in chronic pain, emotionally drained and feeling trapped by conventional treatments, but everything changed when she began using medical cannabis, a legal treatment option in the UK since 2018.

Lauren's struggle with her conditions began in her teenage years, diagnosed with anxiety and depression at 15, she spent much of her youth battling feelings of isolation and exhaustion.

Later, her fibromyalgia diagnosis compounded her challenge with chronic pain and fatigue, making everyday activities increasingly difficult.

“The pain and fatigue brought on by the fibromyalgia got to a point where I was finding it really hard to get through not only my workload, but also my daily routine at home,” said Lauren, who works at the Heal’m Practice in Gainsborough.

“Simple tasks that most take for granted were becoming increasingly impossible to handle.”

Lauren's turning point came earlier this year after a neighbour dispute escalated into her being wrongfully reported to the police and arrested.

“About a week before being reported, there was an incident with one of my neighbours,” she added.

“He came storming into my garden, unannounced and uninvited.

“He then threatened to assault me physically, which was terrifying, especially as I live alone and suffer from an anxiety.

Although released without charge, the experience led Laura - who lives at Barnetby le Wold - to search for a safe and legal solution to manage her conditions.

“I had absolutely no idea that medical cannabis was legal here in the UK,” she added.

“Now, knowing that it has been a legal option since 2018 was quite a shock, and I wish that I had known much earlier.

“I can now work and not worry. I've just learned to be a foot health practitioner, so I'm going to be on the road quite a lot to go into people's houses.

“So it's going to allow me to drive and also be in less pain and be happy.

“I probably won't be coming out of the house if I didn't have that.”

Lauren now uses cannabis flour and oil from medical cannabis clinic Releaf to manage her symptoms, allowing her to regain control of her life.

The relief from her symptoms has allowed her to return to work, travel and enjoy time with her family, free from the constant fear of pain and anxiety.

“I am back to traveling for work and able to spend time doing the things I love without worrying about my symptoms getting in the way,” Lauren says.

“Honestly, it has just made my life so much easier and so much better.”