Imagine you're 21 years old and your left thumb starts tingling. Like me, you'll probably ignore the sensation at first – even if it persists. Especially if you're currently preparing for your final exams at the Lucerne Hotel Management School. That's what happened to me. When the tingling and numbness spread towards my elbow and onto my left abdomen, I finally went to the doctor. He immediately referred me to a login . After numerous tests, she diagnosed me with multiple sclerosis (MS) – a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system in the brain and spinal cord.
No improvement in sight for a long time
The diagnosis was a huge shock for me. At first, I tried not to let the illness take over too much of my life, focusing on work and friends. But that didn't last long: the severe MS relapses eventually left me bedridden and forced me to drop out of my apprenticeship.
None of the established therapies worked for me. On the contrary, my MS was more active than ever before. Added to that were the severe side effects of the medications: I constantly had body aches and pains like a bad case of the flu. Furthermore, my optic nerves were at times so inflamed that I could barely see.
Constantly dazed and 60 kilos heavier
I was prescribed numerous medications to treat the symptoms of MS, such as nerve pain, sleep disturbances, depression, panic attacks, and exhaustion. At first, I was relieved because the medications alleviated the symptoms. However, this didn't last long: the medications severely dulled my senses, and I constantly felt foggy-headed. I also gained a lot of weight—I ended up weighing 140 kilos. During this time, I was often close to despair. In retrospect, I can say that cannabis saved me—no other remedy helped as much with the pain and the hopelessness. Because back then, my situation seemed hopeless.
My doctor sent me to Dresden for a second opinion and further neurological tests. Accompanied by my mother, I traveled to Germany – I wouldn't have been able to make the train journey alone due to the pain and my constant exhaustion. After numerous further tests, the specialists there prescribed that I would receive an infusion every six months from now on.
Having already undergone so many changes in therapy, I didn't have high hopes. Contrary to expectations, however, the new therapy worked well. Although I still had pain and was often exhausted at the beginning, my condition stabilized and the inflammation in my nervous system slowly subsided.
Things are slowly improving
I finally had enough energy again to research other treatment methods that can help with MS. Writing down everything I tried would fill an entire book. Ultimately, three measures in particular helped:
- I completely changed my diet. Today I completely avoid foods containing industrially processed sugar. As a result, I lost over 60 kilos in one year.
- I underwent a gut flora regeneration. This is because people with MS often have an altered gut flora, which in turn affects the immune system.
- I successfully replaced all my MS medications with cannabis, except for the six-monthly infusion. The result: no more side effects, a clear head, and a better quality of life.
Today I am optimistic about my future. I am exercising again within my capabilities, working part-time (20%), and hope that my condition remains stable for as long as possible.
My wish: better access to cannabis
I had a special permit from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) for the medical use of cannabis, but my health insurance refused to cover the cost of the medication: One gram of the active ingredient THC costs up to 1800 Swiss francs legally. If you buy it illegally, it costs about 50 francs, and if you grow it yourself, around 20 francs. Furthermore, the legally available medications like Sativex didn't work well for me, so they weren't a viable treatment option. In the long run, I had no other choice but to self-medicate with cannabis. My quality of life has improved enormously thanks to cannabis. And yet, it feels wrong to have to act illegally as a "good citizen"—just to be pain-free. That's another reason why I'm involved with MEDCAN
