May is Women’s Health Month and May 12-18 is Women’s Health Week. It’s a time of year dedicated to encouraging and empowering all women to find their wellness.

This year, we’re celebrating by highlighting women who’ve found their wellness with cannabis in hopes their stories help other women.

Today, we sat down with our very own Ann Bickel. She’s currently one of our Field Training Specialists and a former Wellness Coordinator at our Deltona Wellness Center. Before she worked at Surterra Wellness, Ann worked as a Division Leader at JP Morgan. Her personal experience as a cannabis patient lead to her career transition.

Anne Bickel, Surterra Wellness Field Training Specialist

Ann Bickel

Field Training Specialist

Q: What conditions does cannabis help you manage?

A: I have severe anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and irritable bowel diseases (IBD). Cannabis helps me manage the symptoms of these conditions.

Q: When were you diagnosed with your conditions?

A: I was officially diagnosed with depression 17 years ago. I’ve had gastrointestinal issues since my early teens.

Q: How long have you been a medical cannabis patient?

A: I just entered my third year.

Q: What products do you use to manage your conditions?

A: I use Serene during the daytime and Relief at night.

Q: What made you decided to choose cannabis?

A: I have struggled with how to effectively treat my mental and gastrointestinal issues most of my life. I had seen numerous counselors, tried different types of therapy, been hospitalized several times, prescribed dozens of pharmaceutical medications and had multiple surgeries. I was exhausted–exhausted from this life I was barely living. Then the panic attacks started a few years ago. One day, I drove off the road and ended up in a ditch after a panic attack and decided enough was enough. I talked to a friend and they suggested that I try medical marijuana. I looked into it a little more, spoke with a physician, and applied for my medical marijuana license.

Q: What would you like other women to know about your journey with cannabis?

A: For the first year I experimented with products from different dispensaries, finding relief but nothing consistent enough that I felt comfortable to stop taking my pharmaceutical medicine. I needed something that I could count on to work every time. In the Spring of 2018 I found Surterra Wellness. The Wellness Coordinators that I worked with helped educate me on why some products may work better than others for my specific conditions. It didn’t take us long to figure out what products were most effective and we built a daily cannabis regimen for me to follow. My quality of life has improved drastically! I have been pharma-free for just over 6 months AND have almost zero gastro-intestinal upset. It’s truly amazing what cannabis has helped me achieve.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share?

A: Be patient with your journey and remember you are worthy of the results you’re seeking.