My medical records are really sparse – where do I start?

[Spongecake]

Hello lovely friends. I would really appreciate some advice on my eligibility and how to get started on this journey.

I'm 56 and I have anxiety, agoraphobia and insomnia. One of my major anxieties is a phobia of anything medical (not to mention social anxiety), and so I hardly ever go to the doctor! I'm very reluctant to use conventional medicines and have had some awful reactions to them in the past, so I prefer to use holistic options instead. Consequently there's almost nothing in my medical records ... I haven't seen my GP for around 15 years.

I have been self-medicating with cannabis for over two decades and it's amazing. It keeps my anxiety under control to the point where I no longer have panic attacks. It has calmed my agoraphobia to the point where I can actually go out of the house every day. I just vape a bit every evening and it seems to keep me on an even keel. With 20-odd years of experience I know how much cannabis truly helps me, so I really ought to be eligible. But the requirement for two previous treatments is a sticking point.

There's only one relevant thing in my medical records. Around 2005 I had a very serious panic attack which caused me to have a seizure while driving. My GP wanted to prescribe me Seroxat (an SSRI antidepressant). I wouldn't touch the stuff with a bargepole due to the side effects, so I didn't take up the offer of a prescription. He told me I wouldn't get better without it, but I did – because I used cannabis instead, and it has kept me free of major symptoms ever since. (Though I never went back to tell him so.)

I now find myself in a position where I need a legal cannabis prescription. To cut a long story short, the police took away my meds but recognised that I was a genuine (if informal) medical user and advised me to get legal stuff from a clinic. I'm now suffering a lot more anxiety in the aftermath of dealing with the police, so I really feel I need to get this sorted out.

What do you suggest I should do as a first step? Do I go to my GP and tell him I've been self-medicating successfully for years but that my symptoms have flared up following the police incident? I don't really want to have to take the doc's meds just for the sake of it, but it seems that this is a requirement.

Or should I try contacting one of the clinics, tell them my circumstances and just see what they say?

I've been leaning towards Alternaleaf but am also looking at Cannabis Clinic Cardiff because they seem to be such great people. Any suggestions welcome.

 

[Dooby Doo]

Indeed it was an incredibly therapeutic hobby and I had a real love for the plants. I'd spend ages hanging out with them and enjoying their beautiful scents. I hope a time will come when we can resume our hobby without being persecuted.

I'm looking forward to exploring the medical strains and I'm having a great time educating myself about them.

I miss growing my own too, as in indoors

 

[Spongecake]

Now that I'm sorted, I thought I would do a post about what I've learned, in case there are others reading this who are starting from a similar position.

These are my tips based on my experience so far.

1. Collect together as much of your medical records as you can before you start, and submit all of it to the clinic, including your Summary Care Record even if there doesn't appear to be anything relevant on it (they still need to have it). If there's anything missing which you have to go back and add later the clinic will still accept it, but it's demoralising to have to go off and dig up extra evidence and it slows down your application so better to have it all ready at the start.

2. It's not just NHS stuff from your GP which makes you eligible. If you've had any therapy from anywhere else, like a charity or somewhere you self-referred to, that will help your case. Any documentation is enough, even if it's just an email confirming that you booked a therapy session. It doesn't matter how long ago it was. Also things like osteopath invoices ... if you had a treatment and they didn't give you an invoice, you can go back and ask for one. It all counts!

3. With a mainstream clinic like Alternaleaf, there is a noticeable presumption in favour of acceptance. The fact that they direct you straight to their payment portal before you even apply says it all really. I get the impression that they really want to prescribe for everybody as far as the law allows.

4. The doctors can use their discretion in deciding to prescribe, so if medical cannabis will benefit you then they can offer it to you even if your medical evidence is a bit lacking. Be open and honest with them about your condition and why you think cannabis will help.

5. If your records are sparse, they will ask a lot of questions. They may say discouraging things about possibly being rejected at the next stage. Don't let it get you down, it's probably not as negative as the voice in your head tells you it is.

6. If you do get turned down, take all the experience you've gained from it and apply somewhere else.

Don't give up – it's worth it!

 

[Spongecake]

So I'm two weeks in now, and have spent some time trying out my first meds.

I'm grovellingly grateful to be prescribed medical cannabis so I don't want this to sound like a criticism, but the Upstate-brand flowers are a little ... um ... different from my beloved homegrown.

The dryness is a whole new experience. Berry Cream Puff is so hard that if you dropped it on the floor it would probably bounce. They supplied me with Boveda packs (which I've never used before, as homegrown is usually about trying to get moisture out of the flowers rather than putting it back in) so I put both strains in jars with those. Two days later the Ghost Train Haze had perked right up, but the Berry Cream Puff remains rock hard after a fortnight and the Boveda is making no impression on it. Or maybe just a little, as it's now got a tiny waft of a slightly berryish creamy aroma which wasn't there before. It still tastes of Dettol when vaped.

It does do the job though – it's very uplifting and enhances my mood without any heaviness so it's great for daytime and getting stuff done.

If Berry Cream Puff tastes of Dettol, Ghost Train Haze adds variety by tasting of cardboard.

But again, no complaints about the effects. The only thing is, it's supposed to be a Sativa dom strain but it knocks me right out! I can only have it at bedtime or I'm nodding off within five minutes. Great for a relaxing night's sleep though.

I've got my first month's review coming up shortly so I will see if I can get some slightly more terpy stuff for the next one.

 

[Dooby Doo]

So I'm two weeks in now, and have spent some time trying out my first meds.

I'm grovellingly grateful to be prescribed medical cannabis so I don't want this to sound like a criticism, but the Upstate-brand flowers are a little ... um ... different from my beloved homegrown.

The dryness is a whole new experience. Berry Cream Puff is so hard that if you dropped it on the floor it would probably bounce. They supplied me with Boveda packs (which I've never used before, as homegrown is usually about trying to get moisture out of the flowers rather than putting it back in) so I put both strains in jars with those. Two days later the Ghost Train Haze had perked right up, but the Berry Cream Puff remains rock hard after a fortnight and the Boveda is making no impression on it. Or maybe just a little, as it's now got a tiny waft of a slightly berryish creamy aroma which wasn't there before. It still tastes of Dettol when vaped.

It does do the job though – it's very uplifting and enhances my mood without any heaviness so it's great for daytime and getting stuff done.

If Berry Cream Puff tastes of Dettol, Ghost Train Haze adds variety by tasting of cardboard.

But again, no complaints about the effects. The only thing is, it's supposed to be a Sativa dom strain but it knocks me right out! I can only have it at bedtime or I'm nodding off within five minutes. Great for a relaxing night's sleep though.

I've got my first month's review coming up shortly so I will see if I can get some slightly more terpy stuff for the next one.

I was the same when I took the plunge into medical cannabis from growingmy own and BM stuff. Everything seemed overly dry. I must say its improved over the last 2 years but you do still get dry flower.

 

[PitaPata]

Thanks for sharing your story and "lessons learnt"!

The current Good Practice Guide for Prescribers of CBPMs says the following:

The regulations do not stipulate that two licensed medications must have been tried before prescribing a CBMP.
Nevertheless, the MCCS consider that the principle of trying licensed medicines, or licensed medicines ‘off-label’, before a CBMP, is reasonable.
Generally, CBMPs are not first-line medicines. Questions arise when the patient has tried alternative therapies but not necessarily a licensed medicine.
Common examples are
• over-the-counter analgesics or valid alternatives such as acupuncture or physiotherapy for pain
• CBT or relaxation techniques for anxiety.
The MCCS feel that prescribers must make a judgement themselves on this issue but nevertheless we feel that completion (and consequent failure) of two accepted, evidenced-based treatments for the condition is a minimum requirement.

… the last line manages to contradict itself, IMO.

Anyone who feels they have a good case should persevere, it's your right actually!

 

[PitaPata]

Thanks for sharing your story and "lessons learnt"!

The current Good Practice Guide for Prescribers of CBPMs says the following:



… the last line manages to contradict itself, IMO.

Anyone who feels they have a good case should persevere, it's your right actually!

https://www.ukmccs.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/MCCS-Good-Practice-MCCS_EXT_GOOD_PRACTICE_25-V3.pdf

 

[Spongecake]

It does seem to be a bit of a grey area, hence the subtle differences of policy between different clinics and even different clinicians.

A friend of mine started her MC journey at the same time as me, got through initial assessment but then the doctor turned her down flat. She appealed (yes, the same clinic) and saw a different doctor who apologised for the attitude of the previous one and gave her a prescription.

I think there is an element of pot luck but the vibe is definitely towards acceptance unless you have another condition which makes cannabis meds a no-no. So definitely worth persevering.

 

[PitaPata]

It does seem to be a bit of a grey area, hence the subtle differences of policy between different clinics and even different clinicians.

A friend of mine started her MC journey at the same time as me, got through initial assessment but then the doctor turned her down flat. She appealed (yes, the same clinic) and saw a different doctor who apologised for the attitude of the previous one and gave her a prescription.

I think there is an element of pot luck but the vibe is definitely towards acceptance unless you have another condition which makes cannabis meds a no-no. So definitely worth persevering.

I was also refused the first time, then accepted later when I appealed.

 

[Spongecake]

I was also refused the first time, then accepted later when I appealed.

That's helpful to know. So clearly it is well worth trying again!