After watching her son being unable to eat properly for more than 18 months, Laura was at her wit’s end and started seeking some alternative treatments
Laura was at her wits’ end as her 20-year-old son Harry’s health drastically deteriorated, leaving him unable to eat properly for more than a year and a half, resulting in a disturbing weight loss. Born prematurely, Harry had a history of medical issues, including Tourette’s syndrome, ADHD, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
Despite managing his symptoms for years, his health took a turn for the worse in early 2023. His mum, Laura Hummerstone, recounted the heart-wrenching experience of watching her son struggle to keep food down, vomiting daily, and losing his appetite. She said: “It was heartbreaking to watch my son waste away, and every anti-sickness drug the doctors gave him either didn’t work or had severe side effects.”
Harry’s weight plummeted to 72kg, a concerning low for his 6ft 2ins height. Laura added: “He couldn’t keep anything down, and the doctors just kept telling us to wait for appointments that could take years. We were desperate. We were at breaking point.”
It was then that Laura discovered a more unconventional treatment: medical cannabis. After extensive research, she found private medical cannabis clinic Releaf, where they met Dr Michal Modestowicz. After a transformative consultation, young Harry was prescribed two types of medical cannabis flowers and an oil.
His mother, Laura, shared her amazement when the vaping made an almost instant impact: “As soon as he vaped, his nausea stopped, and he could eat. It was incredible. We’d spent years trying to get him to a point where he could keep food down, and this worked immediately.”
Harry’s treatment turned out to be a multitasker, improving his Tourette’s symptoms, enhancing his sleep quality, and boosting his concentration levels – benefits that reflected in his stellar performance in college, where he’s pursuing a BTEC in IT. Laura couldn’t hide her excitement: “We never thought he’d be able to go back to education. Now he’s thriving, and we’re hopeful it will lead to a job in the future.
Talking about the turn their lives have taken since introducing medical cannabis, she said: “Before medical cannabis, we felt like we were out of options. Now, Harry has his life back, and we finally have hope for the future.” The family’s experience with the treatment even inspired Harry’s grandmother to start her own journey with medical cannabis, guiding her through learning to use a vaporiser.