Copyright walesonline
A retired school teacher whose life became dominated by "unbelievable levels of pain" has shared how his life has been turned around after being given a treatment which has only been legal in the UK for seven years. Steven Griffiths, a business owner and former carer for his parents, has lived what he calls “a rich tapestry of various experiences.” But in recent years, his life became dominated by pain. Diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), fibromyalgia, and later a gout-like condition, the 71-year-old found himself having to say goodbye to the hobbies that once brought him joy, from DIY to gardening to long walks. At times, he admitted that even keeping up with daily life felt impossible and the "constant pain" from fibromyalgia and PMR became so severe he could barely walk. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here Initially treated with steroids and other medications, he struggled with difficult side effects. “I was in so much pain, unbelievable levels of pain, I could barely walk,” the Llanelli resident said. “I didn't like taking that because it just made me feel odd. "If I'd taken the dose that they gave me, I wouldn't have been able to drive or do anything, so I didn't like that particularly. "It also caused problems with my stomach, and it caused constipation, which was really a big problem for me.” Looking for alternatives, Mr Griffiths turned to his GP for advice. And to his surprise, the suggestion was medical cannabis. He recalled: "I asked my GP about getting some help with the pain and with the fibromyalgia generally, and my GP suggested that I should think about medical marijuana." Although initially hesitant, the pensioner decided to explore his options, encouraged by friends who were already benefiting from treatment. After researching providers, he chose Releaf , a UK cannabis clinic. He has now been a patient at Releaf since May 2025, and uses a combination of medical cannabis oil and flower. He said he has noticed significant changes to his pain and regained a new sense of hope. Mr Griffiths added: “It doesn’t just help with the pain, it’s also helped me with the mental side of coping with the pain. It gives me the ability to not worry too much about the future and pain in the future too. “If it hadn't been for the medication, I don't think I'd be where I am now because it enabled me to carry on and not feel so hopeless. I felt as if my life was over before this.” Looking ahead, he is once again planning holidays and activities he thought were no longer possible. He added: “I'm going up to Scotland soon for a holiday, which will involve a lot of walking. "Before I wouldn't have been able to do that, but I've been able to regain mobility again. "My life has opened up again, all I could see at the time was, misery and not being able to do stuff. Now here I am and I've got everything back again.”
