Jessica uses cannabis to help treat her Nocturnal Epilepsy

Jessica Herndon’s story started when she was diagnosed with Nocturnal Epilepsy at 26 years old, back in 2013. Without any prior symptoms or health issues she started having seizures during her sleep. She experienced full grand mal seizures that usually lasted for more than a minute and this type of event features a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions. It’s the type that most people think of when picturing a seizure. “I’ve had seizures that when I wake up, my body aches like I’ve been in a fight.”

 

After consulting a neurologist, she was prescribed 2 different pharmaceuticals. She experienced 32 seizures in the year that followed her diagnosis. The doses only got higher and the effects were barely noticeable. “Dealing with those drugs was one of the worst experiences of my life”. Being a mom of 3, there is already too much to bear without the medication. At that time, Jessica was facing constant fatigue and rage, the number one side effect of the second pharmaceutical she was prescribed.

 

She, like most patients in the US and around the world, was prescribed traditional medication. She was given 2 FDA-approved pharmaceuticals with the final aim of getting her better. These pills are expensive and require a consistent intake to achieve results. It’s not a good feeling when you’re taking expensive pills that you don’t feel are helping you much. The Keppra and Lamictal made up to a total monthly cost of $600, which is a lot compared to the current $100 Jessica spends on cannabis. And even this expense she will be able to cut down as this is her first year growing her own cannabis. In the future, after the initial investment, there will be very few expenses in keeping the cannabis growing. As long as she keeps a controlled intake, very soon it will be very inexpensive to keep herself happily medicated during the whole year.

 

She consumes the plant with the same control and routine she had when taking the pharmaceuticals. This allowed Jessica to maintain a controlled and on budget use. Treating it as a medicine keeps her mind from wanting it at unnecessary times.

“While I was on these meds for 2 years, my personality changed and turned me into someone I didn’t know.” Keppra, “…caused me to have crazy mood swings and even started giving me thoughts of harming myself.” “The short-term memory loss was hard to deal with at first, especially at work. Same with the mood swings. Staying awake was a chore, I always wanted to sleep.” At that moment, Jessica knew that these pharmaceuticals were doing more harm than good. “While I was on both of these medications I used Cannabis daily to try to help control some of the side effects.”

 

Jessica saw that cannabis could actually do her some good and bring benefits to her life that the pharmaceuticals were not. She researched and talked to specialists to try and find a suitable solution that would work for her and her condition. Not every cannabis strain or type is helpful for seizures. She made the decision, as a recreational user, to use the drug she knew and felt comfortable with as a medicine. It’s a decision Jessica will never go back on.

 

In November, three years will have passed since her last seizure and it has been 3 months since she last took her anti-seizure drugs. She was seizure-free while on the medication, but now, with only marijuana in her medicine cabinet, Jessica is also seizure free and enjoying life. With the help of great people in the cannabis community, Jessica now knows a life without pills and a term called “happily medicated”. She medicates herself daily with a routine that she enjoys and can truly call “living”.

 

Like many people around the globe whose life has been eased due to cannabis, Jessica owes many of her daily pleasures to this plant. Small things that many of us take for granted, she can now enjoy. Even if not for the physiological benefits, her cannabis medication is worth it for the peace of mind it brings. “Putting my Trust in Cannabis was scary at first. Not only was stopping my meds something that affected me, it affected my family. There was definitely a large risk in stopping. My doctor advised against it, but supported my cannabis use while I was on the prescriptions. I wanted control of my life again. The pharmaceuticals were changing my personality and hurting my relationships. I was tired of always being tired and angry.”

Jessica is married and has three children. Her kids have thankfully never seen her have an episode but they’ve been educated on how to deal with such a situation in order to help their mother.

 

Aurora is Jessica’s only daughter and her biggest supporter. At 11 years-old she already understands all about her mother’s seizures and how cannabis has helped her. She is constantly telling her mom how proud she is of her standing up for something she truly believes in: Team Cannabis 4 Epilepsy. After the first End Epilepsy walk with the Epilepsy Foundation, Aurora decided to talk with her 6th grade class about what to do if someone you know starts seizing. “She believes people need to know they are not alone in this. I love that she even has people like Sarai Knowledge that she looks up to, and aspires to be like now, changing lives and encouraging others.” This is evidence that being a good parent and a cannabis consumer have no direct connection. Jessica has used her experience to educate her young ones instead of sheltering them from information that they can really use growing up.

 

Cannabis is legal and widely accepted in California, where this family lives and so being a cannabis patient is not associated to any negatives stigmas or taboos anymore. Yet, her family remained skeptical at first due to the unknown properties of cannabis. Although it may be socially accepted as a medicine, it does not mean everyone will have a positive view when it comes to this plant. Jessica did not leave her family on the dark and took this chance to educate her closest ones. With supportive friends and family, Jessica’s life is so much easier. She can talk to all her loved ones about her issues. These include the positive and the negative ones, keeping her family 100% informed on her condition and state of mind.

 

Jessica was extremely honest and very open when telling us her story. She is eager to spread the positive message and the benefits that cannabis can bring to everyone around the world. It is only a shame that more people don’t know her story and many like hers. “It breaks my heart talking to parents searching for something to help their child when pharmaceuticals won’t cut it.”

 

This mother loves cannabis-themed events. The great energy that comes with the amazing people involved makes her joyful taking part in events like the November 5k Walks with Team Cannabis 4 Epilepsy. “When I put on my bright Purple team shirt with the Cannabis leaf right in the middle it shows I’m a part of something more.”

 

She consumes cannabis in different forms: joints, dabs, vapes and edibles. Her favorite strain is SoCal Family Pharms’ Soco c, a Girl Scout Cookie vs Forum Cut OG Hybrid cross. During the day, she usually prefers to smoke joints and dabs. At night, sometimes she recurs to an edible to help her sleep. She’s eager to try out a CBD strain that a friend at SoCal Family Pharms is growing. 80 years ago, no mother would be so open about this lifestyle. 60 years ago, no person would write such a story to inform the world. Today, we have a chance to truly make a difference in the cannabis world and share stories like this.

 

It is time let go of the stigma and get the message out there. Whether that is going out on the street to spread the message or simply talking to your loved ones about your lifestyle and informing them of the truth of cannabis.

 

Written by Francisco – published in Weed World magazine issue 129