“I felt like myself again” – How medical cannabis can help with post-surgery recovery

Integro Clinics explores how medical cannabis can help with post-surgery pain, inflammation, sleep and recovery. 

Naturally, it is every patient and doctor’s desire to avoid surgery and the potential risks that accompany it, whenever possible. But sometimes, it is necessary to fully address injuries and illnesses that are keeping you from the things you love, or it becomes vital for your overall physical wellbeing.

In the initial recovery process after an invasive surgical procedure, prescription painkillers and opioids may well need to be prescribed. Since these can have negative side effects and even be habit-forming, the sooner the patient can manage day to day without them in the recovery process the better.

Medical cannabis can prove very useful in transitioning off traditional post-operative pain medicines and is filled with phytochemicals that engage your body’s regulatory, or endocannabinoid system. This regulatory system controls your pain and inflammation responses, hunger signals, mood, and more.

These cannabis compounds interact mainly with CB1 and CB2 receptors in your body to help naturally relieve pain and inflammation that may be inhibiting your progress in post-surgery recovery.

Medical cannabis has been used successfully to help improve appetite, reduce pain, relieve anxiety, and help sleep allowing the patient to cease taking stronger traditional post-surgery pain medications. 

Sara’s story

Sara, a patient of leading consultant pain specialist, Dr Anthony Ordman at Integro Clinics shares her story post Anterior Cervical Discectomy Neurosurgery.

“I was in a considerable amount of chronic pain for a couple of years after an accident that had damaged the C4, C5 and C6 disks in my spine and neck. It was clear from looking at the MRI Scans with my neurosurgeon that the original steroid injections and simply giving my body time to potentially stop feeling the pain was just not working.

“The flare ups were becoming increasingly agonising and frequent over the years, and after another MRI scan and discussion with my surgeon at the end of September 2021, I decided to take the plunge and go ahead with the surgery.

“This would involve the removal of the cervical discs, insertion of the artificial ones and then stabilisation with a titanium cage. All of this is done by slicing open the front of your neck and moving your vocal cords and larynx to the side before replacing the damaged discs.

“It goes without saying that I was pretty scared, but I trusted my surgeon and knew that he has a fantastic track record.  I thought that I would make a rapid and very straightforward recovery since I was relatively young and very fit – how wrong I was.

“Prior to my surgery, I researched the stories of other people who had the same procedure and surprisingly, they all seemed very positive in their on-line recovery diaries, so I hoped I would quickly join their ranks. Nothing prepared me for how much pain I found myself in and how totally mentally and physically wiped out I was by the whole experience.

“Even though I was assured the operation itself went smoothly and was apparently ‘textbook’, I had excruciating muscle spasm in my shoulders, as a result of the recalibration of all my muscles and ligaments. My body went into high alert and defence mode. I was in terrible pain and found sleeping at night or being able to rest in a comfortable position impossible.

“On being discharged, I had been given a two week supply of opioids and paracetamol to take four times a day as well as diazepam to relax my muscle spasms at night. I went through the drugs swiftly and had to have them supplemented with another two weeks’ worth, of the same medications. During this time, I began to feel very disorientated, drowsy, depressed, entirely lost my appetite, and began to actually feel anxious that the operation had made my situation worse, which in turn made me more tense.

“I knew that I needed to stop taking the opioids and diazepam as long term they bring more problems than they solve. Prior to my operation, I had received THC and CBD oils and flower to vape prescribed by Dr Ordman, which had improved my sleep and helped with the day-to-day chronic pain. Dr Ordman advised that I start the Cannabis-based medicines (CBM’s) again, and after two weeks, I stopped taking the traditional medications and was only using CBM’s and finally felt like myself.

“The brain fog had gone, and I was sleeping much better. The six-week review and scan with my surgeon was positive and the bone fusion looked to be progressing fairly well. I still have twinges and bad days, but now, I’m no longer using any medicines on a daily basis and have begun physio and clinical Pilates to open up and relax by shoulders.

“What really interested me, was that both Dr Ordman and my surgeon said that if you have been suffering a chronic pain pathway for years, even once the mechanical issue is resolved, it can take a while for the nerve pathways to stop feeling pain. 

“I feel that I am now on track and that the cannabis medicines were, and still are, very helpful when I need them and are a much better option than the opioids because they have no negative side effects on me.”

Pain management and medical cannabis

Integro Clinics nurse, Sophie Hayes commented: “Here at Integro Clinics we manage many patients living with chronic back pain. Physiotherapy is usually the long-term solution to managing this kind of pain, however, often patients find that their pain is so severe that they really struggle to engage with this. Cannabis medicines can be a very effective form of pain management that allows patients to re-engage with these important therapies. The cannabinoid THC is an effective muscle relaxant and neuropathic pain killer, whilst CBD can be an effective anxiolytic, combatting the anxiety surrounding the anticipation of pain following physical activity.”

If you would like to book an appointment to see Dr Ordman and discuss your, or a family member’s back pain, please contact Integro Clinics or speak to our nurse who can take all your details. Consultations are remote so you can have an appointment from the comfort of your own home. 

Integro Clinics Ltd always recommends remaining under the care and treatment of your GP and specialist for your condition, while using cannabis-based medicines, and the Integro Clinical team would always prefer to work in collaboration with them.

For further information, or to make an appointment for a medical consultation, contact:

Website: www.integroclinics.com

Email: Contact@integroclinics.com

Twitter: @clinicsintegro