Endometriosis, CBD and self-care: “It doesn’t get the recognition that it should”

Two best friends, and co-founders, share how endometriosis, anxiety and friendship led to the creation of a new CBD brand with an emphasis on self-care.

Laura Walton started her journey with CBD after being diagnosed with endometriosis. She experienced chronic pain and was finally diagnosed after a collapse at work. Over the years she has had various operations including one to replant a kidney after an ovary became stuck to her urethra blocking her kidneys.

Her last operation resulted in cardiac arrest where she was forced to undergo CPR. After she recovered, she began to develop a tightness in her chest that was later diagnosed as anxiety.

Speaking with Cannabis Health News, Laura said: “I suffer from endometriosis and have had 15 operations with which comes anxiety. I also lost my mother quite suddenly in December 2016 which is when the anxiety really took hold. After her death, I went in to have a final operation, a hysterectomy for the endometriosis but I had an allergic reaction in theatre and went into cardiac arrest.”

Laura added: “I died for two minutes so when they brought me round they had done a lot of damage to my chest to do CPR. CBD oil was really my saviour and when we introduced our own balm, it really helped me to relax. CBD has helped with my grief, endometriosis pain and it has really helped my anxiety.”

Laura Walton, from CBD brand MOI + ME

Endometriosis pain

Endometriosis is a painful, long-term condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other areas of the body. Symptoms may include severe period pain, heavy periods, feeling nauseous and pain during sex. Endometriosis UK estimates that it takes seven and a half years to get a diagnosis. It is the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK as it affects one in ten women in the UK.

Laura said: “It’s debilitating and it doesn’t get the recognition that it should. It takes on average, eight years for a person to be diagnosed. As a female who has it, and suffers from it, my heart goes out to anyone with it.”

Recovery time for Laura after her cardiac arrest was long. She explained that the impact of the CPR on her chest has left a tightness where she couldn’t lift her arms. She also experienced anxiety tied to drinking water after doctors said her cardiac arrest may have been caused by dehydration.

“After I had the cardiac arrest, I couldn’t lift my own arms over my head because of the impact on the chest. Now, six months later, my chest is still not right and they have said it may never be right again because they depress the chest so much to restart the heart.”

CPR consists of a person placing the heel of their hand onto the chest to perform 100 to 120 compressions per minute in order to assist someone in cardiac arrest. Injuries such as broken ribs or bruising are common and it is recommended that a person continue CPR even if they fear they have broken someone’s bone.

Self-care, endometriosis and CBD

Catherine Meardon started taking CBD to boost her wellbeing. She found that her previous high powered roles in marketing and sales were quite fast-paced leading to feelings of anxiety and headaches.

She said: “I started to get tension headaches and felt overwhelmed by all the work and pressures. I find our CBD head rollers quite good for the tension headaches as it helps to subdue them. I was also there through all of Laura’s journey which is how we became friends. We’ve supported each other through everything we’ve done.”

Catherine and Laura went on to found the CBD brand, MOI+ ME.  The ethos of the brand is centred around self-care and taking time out. The name, MOI + ME refers to the public face we reveal to the world that maintains we are doing ok while the reality may be different.

The product range includes rollerball, mist, bath bombs and CBD candles. The candle ‘wax’ is actually a solid oil that can be used (once the candle has been blown out) to massage the skin. Fragranced with essential oils such as jasmine and sandalwood, it can help to soothe even the most stressed-out, post-work mood. The scents included in the collection were chosen especially to help with restoring calm. They are also helpful for those with endometriosis or anxiety.

Another advantage of CBD candles over more traditional forms of massage oil is that they can be used while hot or lukewarm to relax the skin.

The candles provide a nice starter product for anyone who may feel a bit daunted by CBD. While it is becoming more acceptable, there is still stigma and a lack of education around the endocannabinoid system and cannabis. Laura explained that the regulations around claims and advertising can make it difficult for brands to share their success stories.

“There is still a perception that it gets you high and it’s a bit taboo. It’s very hard to talk CBD and even to advertise because we can’t make any claims which make people nervous. I would love to be able to share my personal story on how it benefitted me but the restrictions on what we can and can’t say is a bit of a stumbling block,” she said.

“The candles are a very safe product for people who are tempted by CBD but the oil feels a bit overwhelming because you digest it into your system. Everyone burns candles at home but with this one, you can massage it into the skin. It’s quite a low dose of CBD so it’s an entry-level product without being totally overwhelmed by where to go and what to do with it.”