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There are over 30 different known epilepsy syndromes, and unfortunately, epilepsy is relatively common in the UK - affecting over 625,000. People with epilepsy experience bursts of electrical activity that triggers seizures. For some, this can happen on occasion and can be easily managed, but for others not responding to conventional treatments, seizures can happen hundreds of times a day- and this can have devastating knock-on effects on a person’s overall health. However, recently in the UK, medical cannabis has emerged as a new treatment option for treatment-resistant epilepsy.
Am I eligible?Epilepsy is estimated to affect around 50 million people around the world, but it's estimated that if diagnosed and properly treated, up to 70% could live seizure-free lives.
Around 30% of newly diagnosed patients with epilepsy don’t respond to conventional monotherapy or polytherapy treatments and continue to suffer from seizures.
In a small scale British study, children with epilepsy experienced an 86% average reduction in seizure frequency when treated with whole-plant medical cannabis oil.
A review of patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy found convulsive seizures decreased by 51% and total seizures fell by 48% after 12 weeks of CBD treatment.
“Having a medical cannabis card makes me feel better - and that counts“
Daisy, Releaf Patient
October 2023
Articles on Epilepsy
View all12. 07. 2023
When applied as part of a tailored and managed treatment plan, medical cannabis has been shown to improve the overall control of epileptic seizures. In fact, it is the only non-pharmaceutical treatment option that has been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in England for two exceedingly rare forms of epilepsy.
12. 07. 2023
13. 02. 2024
With International Epilepsy Day just passing us by (on the 12th of February), we decided to take a look back at how medical cannabis treatment has added to epilepsy treatment options, the role epilepsy played in essentially forcing medical cannabis to become a legal reality here in the UK, and a look forward to what the future may hold for medical cannabis and epilepsy treatment in the UK.
13. 02. 2024
14. 07. 2023
Neurological disorders. Varied, potentially devastating, and hard to group into one easy-to-digest category. They are essentially diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system conditions and include epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer's disease and dementia, ALS, Bell's palsy, and a huge range of separate neuromuscular disorders.
14. 07. 2023
Experiencing ‘fits’ or uncontrollable shaking/jerking
Collapsing
Becoming stiff or rigid
Loosing awareness of surroundings
Tingling sensation in arms or legs
‘Rising’ feeling in the tummy
Experiencing unusual tastes or smells
If you are suffering from any of these symptoms. Please speak with your GP to find out more.
When a person is diagnosed with epilepsy, they are usually prescribed anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) or anti-seizure medication (ASM) to help them manage their symptoms. In some cases, if they are not experiencing sufficient relief with these options, surgery may be considered to remove a small section of the brain, or insert an electrical device that can help control seizures.
Clobazam
Clonazepam
Carbamazepine
Lamotrigine
Levetiracetam
Brivaracetam
Clinic Director
When medical cannabis was legalised in the UK back in November 2018, severe treatment-resistant epilepsy was one of the first conditions to be approved for cannabis-based treatments on the NHS.
This is because unfortunately, around 30% of people with epilepsy do not respond to the conventional, traditional treatment options available. But, medical cannabis, and cannabis-derived medicines, have shown promising results in managing common symptoms associated with epilepsy, especially its effects on seizure onset and frequency.
At the moment, the NHS only, and rarely, prescribe one licensed cannabis-based medicine to treat severe, treatment-resistant epilepsy. This is called Epidiolex, and is used to treat the seizures experienced by those with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.
However, private medical cannabis clinics like Releaf have more prescribing freedom. At Releaf, our team of expert consultants can prescribe a range of different cannabis derived treatments to patients with different types of epilepsy to best suit their needs, lifestyle, and budget.
To you have been unable to find success with conventional epilepsy treatments, medical cannabis may be an option worth considering. Find out if this approach may be appropriate for you by checking your eligibility today.
