Sonia has been using the therapy since 2024 to control her epilepsy
11:13, 09 Feb 2026Updated 14:02, 09 Feb 2026
Sonia has been using an alternative therapy since 2024
A 46-year-old mum says a new medication has changed her life after years of struggling with illness and the side-effects of strong drugs. Sonia Hosking has found it hard to balance working night shifts in a Plymouth factory and caring for her children with dealing with epilepsy.
Sonia says the drugs she previously took to manage her epilepsy – as well as frequent fits – left her unable to work. She was regularly admitted to hospital. Sonia said he illness was making it difficult to maintain the independence and routine she needed for herself and her family.
She began using medical cannabis, a legal treatment option in the UK since 2018, in 2024 and says it transformed her life.
Sonia said: “I have epilepsy, but I have a very functioning lifestyle for someone with my type of epilepsy, and that’s because of what I use for medication.” Sonia said that she experiences an aura before a seizure, allowing her some warning. “My body tells me when I’m about to have an epileptic fit,” she said.
Sonia struggled to manage daily life while dealing with the effects of other treatments. “There were some crazy-name prescriptions that the hospital gave me. They were just not good. After effects,” she explains. The impact was immediate and disruptive. I couldn’t work,” she says.
For Sonia, the turning point came when her condition began affecting her independence and mental wellbeing. “I was neglecting myself in the hospital and still having fits,” she said. “I need to function. I need to be able to go to work. My mental health matters too. “I needed something that would let me still get up and be me: go to work, earn a crust every week, feed my kids myself, not rely on anyone else.”
Sonia had already been aware of cannabis being used for epilepsy before her own diagnosis. “I had already looked at things with children because they were using cannabis liquids when kids were having epileptic fits,” she said. Sonia began to explore different clinics and signed up with Releaf in May 2024. She now uses a combination of medical cannabis flower and oil, containing THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
Since starting medical cannabis treatment, Sonia says the impact has been ‘life-changing’. She said: “Now I’ve got what’s suitable for work and what’s brilliant to help me get sleep. It has been truly life-changing for me.”
Friends, family and colleagues have noticed changes too. “Apparently, I’m a lot more spritely. A lot more happy,” she says. “When epilepsy isn’t controlled, there’s a lot of what ifs. Now it’s dealt with. Not a problem.” Sonia has been open about her treatment and says her employer is supportive. “I don’t take it to work. I don’t feel like I need it at work. But I know I’m allowed to.”
Looking ahead, she hopes her experience will encourage others to explore their options. “If someone is in the same boat as me, I would definitely suggest they at least consider trying a medical cannabis treatment plan.”