Medicann Patient Spotlight: Gina’s Journey with Medicinal Cannabis

For the past 10 years, living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome has had a significant impact on Gina’s quality of life. Painful hip and shoulder dislocations, persistent fatigue and interrupted sleep have made everyday life challenging, while traditional medications left her struggling to balance pain relief with debilitating side effects.

After discovering that medicinal cannabis could be accessed legally through a prescription, Gina decided to explore another option. Since becoming a Medicann patient, she found a treatment that has helped make life more manageable, alongside feeling supported by a clinic that offers reasonable prices and care without stigma.

What struggles have you experienced with your condition?

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome has had a huge impact on my life over the past 10 years. I've experienced painful dislocations in my hips and shoulders, alongside persistent fatigue and interrupted sleep.

Living with these symptoms has made everyday life incredibly difficult. Pain and disrupted sleep can become an exhausting cycle, leaving little opportunity to properly rest and recover.

Have you tried traditional medication?

I've tried several traditional medications, including gabapentin, dihydrocodeine and naproxen, but my experience was extremely difficult.

The side effects left me feeling as though I had very little quality of life. I was sleeping for 17-20 hours a day and struggling to stay awake when taking the medication. I felt like a zombie.

When I didn't take the medication, I was awake, but I was in agony, uncomfortable and restless.

It felt like I had to choose between being heavily sedated and living with severe pain. Neither option gave me the quality of life I needed.

How did you feel when you didn't get the help you needed?

It was incredibly difficult to find a balance between managing my symptoms and being able to function day to day.

Spending so much time asleep and still struggling with pain made life feel very restricted. I needed something that could help make things more bearable without leaving me feeling completely disconnected from the world around me.

How did you come to learn about medicinal cannabis?

I'd known about cannabis for a long time, but I wasn't aware that it could be legally prescribed as a medicine until recently.

Once I discovered that prescribed medicinal cannabis was an option, I began exploring whether it could be suitable for me and my individual needs.

How did you find your experience with Medicann?

Medicann has been incredible.

Two things that have really stood out to me are the reasonable prices and the lack of stigma. Being able to access treatment without feeling judged makes a real difference, particularly when you're already dealing with the challenges of living with a long-term condition.

Having a treatment option that feels more manageable, alongside a clinic that makes you feel supported, has been an important part of my journey.

Are there any other conditions that medicinal cannabis has helped you with?

Alongside Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, I also live with dysautonomia, autism, anxiety and depression.

These conditions can bring their own challenges, often adding to the difficulties of managing my physical symptoms and overall wellbeing. I've found that medicinal cannabis has helped me manage aspects of these conditions, too.

What difference has medicinal cannabis made to your life?

Medicinal cannabis hasn't fixed everything, and I still live with the challenges of my conditions. However, it has made life more bearable.

When you've spent years struggling with pain, fatigue and the side effects of traditional medications, finding another option that helps you manage day to day can make a meaningful difference.

For me, it's about improving my quality of life and making the difficult days a little easier to navigate.

Are you looking for an alternative solution like Gina? Arrange a free first consultation with an experienced Medicann Doctor today to see if medicinal cannabis is right for you. Get started with our eligibility form.