A commando who underwent five spinal surgeries has shared how he can finally play soccer with his kids again after a medical cannabis prescription ended years of crippling back pain.
Rik Swaine, 40, from Wales, suffers from a chronic inflammatory arthritis called ankylosing spondylitis, which was exacerbated by carrying 120 pounds of military equipment through danger zones around the world, leaving him immobile and bedridden for weeks.
The father of four said: “I spent years lugging heavy equipment around hostile locations. One day I could climb a treacherous mountain, the next day I could wade through swamps in a snake-infested jungle.
“People underestimate the amount of equipment a soldier carries, and what the long-term effects might be.
“Your guns and rations all add up and all that heavy lifting takes its toll. In Sierra Leone, it was not uncommon for me to have 120 pounds of gear on my back.
Rik Swaine (pictured), 40, from Wales, suffers from a chronic inflammatory arthritis called ankylosing spondylitis, which was aggravated by carrying 120-pound army gear through danger zones around the world, leaving him immobile and bedridden for weeks
In total, Rik (pictured in hospital) underwent five surgeries on his spine, five on his knees and two on his shoulders – but each time the pain returned more intense than before
Rik (left behind with a rifle) said, “I spent years lugging heavy equipment around hostile locations. One day I could climb a treacherous mountain, the next day I could wade through swamps in a jungle full of snakes’
“After eight years of serving in elite forces, the inflammation had spread from my back to my knees and I just couldn’t take punishment anymore. I had to quit my beloved job because of the excruciating pain.’
Ankylosing spondylitis causes low back pain and stiffness in the early stages, but over time it can lead to fusion of the vertebrae of the spine and cause significant mobility problems.
Some people with AS experience severe, persistent back and hip pain and stiffness. Others have symptoms — or flare-ups — that come and go. Patients are encouraged to exercise and play sports to maintain mobility.
Rik retired from the military and moved into private security duties, including guarding diplomats in Iraq and fighting Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.
“My equipment was only a fraction of the weight I carried in the army, and because I didn’t have to travel long distances, there was less pressure on my knees. Yet I was still experiencing flare-ups of back pain which meant I would be out of action for days or weeks at a time
“I ended up working in Iraq and other troubled areas for 10 years on and off, but had to stop because the pain got too much.”
He was prescribed dozens of drugs that did nothing to end his torment. In all, he underwent five surgeries on his spine, five on his knees and two on his shoulders – but each time the pain returned more intense than before.
‘A flare-up can last a few days, but also a few weeks. I hoped things would get better in time, but the damage was clearly done and my condition kept getting worse. The pain and inflammation spread throughout my body.
“There were times when it felt like poison was coursing through my veins and I couldn’t get out of bed.
Sometimes the pain lasted days and sometimes months. I became completely demoralized and was about to give up all hope.
‘Even when I struggled to get out of bed, it was impossible for me to play with my children. I remember my toddler son asking me one day if they could sit on my shoulders and I had to say, “no, I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
“I couldn’t even mess with them in the ball pit. Sometimes it felt like life wasn’t worth living.’
Rik (pictured with two of his children) has returned to work as a health and safety worker and can now enjoy more quality time with his children aged 8-24
Rik (pictured skiing) has called on the NHS to make medical cannabis prescriptions more widely available to patients with chronic pain, defined as pain lasting more than three months
In 2018, after reading a newspaper article about medical cannabis, Rik contacted a private clinic who issued him a prescription.
“In the space of five minutes, my life completely changed and my pain began to dissolve. No medication I had been on before came close. It felt like a miracle, but the bad news was it wasn’t free.
‘Because the prescription wasn’t available on the NHS, it cost me £400 a month – money I just didn’t have because I was struggling financially.’
Last year, Rik’s case was acquired by the IAMBILLY Foundation, which works with global medical cannabis manufacturers to find free medicines for people with chronic pain.
The charity is run by Charlotte Caldwell whose epileptic son Billy changed the law when he was given the first NHS prescription for medical cannabis in 2018 after medicines his mother had flown in from Canada were seized at Heathrow.
Currently around 25,000 people in the UK are being treated with medical cannabis for conditions such as chronic pain, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease, although the vast majority of prescriptions have been issued through expensive private healthcare with patients struggling to access the medicines through the NHS.
Thanks to the foundation, pharmaceutical manufacturer Cellen stepped forward at the beginning of this year to offer Rik a free program of his medication Satoline.
Rik has since returned to work as a health and safety worker and can now enjoy more quality time with his children aged 8-24.
Last night he called on the NHS to make medical cannabis prescriptions more widely available to patients with chronic pain, defined as pain lasting more than three months.
“I am indebted to Cellen for giving me a normal life. I’m back to work and paying off my debts.
“I can kick a ball around with my kids and join in the family fun. But I want others with chronic pain to have the same quality of life as I have now.’
Charlotte Caldwell, mother of Billy, wants the NHS to accelerate funding for medical cannabis treatment through the Refractory Epilepsy Specialist Clinical Advisory Service (RECAS) – currently the only route to publicly funded healthcare in these cases.
She said: ‘In the meantime, we want more medical manufacturers to come forward and offer free treatments. No manufacturer should have to take thousands of euros from vulnerable parents to keep their chronically ill child alive.’
Graham Woodward, clinical director of Cellen’s online Leva Clinic said: ‘I am delighted that Rik has got his life back with access to Satoline.
‘We want to continue to support as many people as possible, because we believe in a world without unnecessary pain and suffering.
‘Through access to excellent care and the latest evidence-based medicine, we hope that many more people with life-limiting conditions like Rik’s will be able to change their lives.
“We believe in a world free of unnecessary pain and suffering by helping people access excellent care and the latest evidence-based medicine.”