Woman's chronic pain helped after trying medical cannabis in Brighton

Jane Hinchcliffe, who struggled with chronic pain from an early age, was finally diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder (FND) in 2021, which caused her intense pain and muscle spasms, after years of being misdiagnosed.

The disorder affects how the brain receives and sends information to the rest of the body and symptoms can include loss of motor control, sensory issues and attacks or seizures.

The 44-year-old’s previously active lifestyle took a hit after a bike accident in 2014 left her wheelchair bound.

She was prescribed a cocktail of pharmaceutical drugs to control the pain caused by a cracked knee, including opiates, amitriptyline, diazepam, and laxative medication.

Jane experienced side effects from the medication and saw her body weight double from nine stone to 18 stone in just a year.

Jane Hinchcliffe before she started taking medical cannabis (Image: SWNS)

In 2019, Jane was given a "wake-up call" when attending Green Pride - a festival dedicated to changing the laws around cannabis - in Brighton.

While there, she decided to try a slice of medical cannabis cake which left her "astonished" at how effective it was for her pain.

Jane then researched the idea of a medicinal cannabis prescription.

She discovered Lyphe Clinic where, after running through her medical history, doctors were able to legally prescribe medical cannabis as a treatment.

Jane, who now runs her own business selling legal CBD, from Hull, said: "Thanks to cannabis I’m able to manage my pain effectively.

"But it's taken years to totally remove the pain.

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"Beforehand, I had to keep going back to the doctors for more pain relief but ultimately it was all damaging my body.

"Medication made me really hungry all the time and I went from 9st (126lbs) to 18st (252lbs).

"These days, I’ve taken up roller skating, something I thought would never be possible, and my wheelchair lives in the shed."

In 2018 the UK government legalised the use of medicinal cannabis.

Expert doctors can legally issue prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines when they agree their patient could benefit from it.

"What’s important to me now is breaking down the barriers and stigma behind medicinal cannabis to benefit others in dire need and struggling with chronic pain,” said Jane.

"It’s often frowned upon and rarely prescribed by medical professionals.”