From Seizures to Stability: How Medical Cannabis Transformed Fernando's Life

Fernando Soller Gimenez, 46, found in cannabis a real solution for a condition that had accompanied him since adolescence. Suffering from refractory epilepsy that was difficult to control, with the right treatment, he managed to go up to four months without a single seizure - something unimaginable for much of his life.

This stability, however, was achieved after decades of crises, prejudice, and failed treatment attempts.

First Seizures and Stigmas: The Beginning of the Journey

Fernando's journey began in 1995 when, at 16, he had his first seizure. “From then on, my life changed,” he recalls. “Both at school and in social and family life, it was very difficult because at that time there was a lot of prejudice.”

During his adolescence, Fernando faced jokes and nicknames like “Gardenal” and “Lelé da Cuca.” “This started to disrupt my life. I didn't want to go to school anymore; I was avoiding social life.”

Without a clear diagnosis, he was seen by various doctors. Medications like Gardenal and Depakene became part of his routine, yet they did not provide the expected control. The condition led Fernando to his mother's house in São Paulo, and he moved to Salvador (BA) when he was 17. “We thought it would be easier to deal with everything here in Bahia,” he explains.

At that time, he still did not understand his condition, which was diagnosed about a year after the move. He only knew that the “blackouts” while driving, walking, or performing simple tasks were constant. 

Connection with Nature and Awareness of Emotional Triggers

At 22, in 2001, he moved to Vale do Capão in Chapada Diamantina (BA) in search of tranquility. It was during this period that he began to identify the emotional triggers related to his seizures. “I get anxious, and that activates a protective mode in my body. It makes me stop thinking about everything. It's like my body presses a reset button.”

In the region, he learned about the adult use of the plant, which in his few experiences had already shown good results in controlling both anxiety and seizures. The search for medication came in 2016, at the age of 37. “I saw in scientific research that cannabis could help in treatment. With the support of friends, I decided to produce my own oil,” he explains.

Without technical knowledge, he faced a journey of trial and error. Still, the results began to appear. In early 2017, he started producing homemade oil and continued with the “informal” treatment until mid-2022.

The turning point came after a extraction course at the Cannabis Without Borders Institute, which helped him refine his technique and understand cannabinoids. At the same time, he began to be followed by a doctor specialized in medical cannabis.

The Right to Cultivate Legally

The legal backing, stemming from a preventive Habeas Corpus obtained in 2023, came after a traumatic episode. At the end of the previous year, the Federal Police invaded his home with a search and seizure warrant. “It was a shock. I wasn't even home. They searched everything but saw that there was no crime at all.”

After the episode, he decided to “kick down the door.” “Before, I lived hidden, afraid. Today, if they want to come here and film the entire cultivation process, everything is open. This intervention gave me strength.” With legal support, he obtained the preventive habeas corpus and legalized the cultivation.

Activism and a New Perspective on Mental Health

Today, Fernando is part of the Cannabis Therapists Institute (ITC), the Bahia Association for Support and Research for Cannabis Patients (ABAPEC), and is structuring the Cannabis Association of Southern Bahia (CSB). “We want to provide more support and access to people. It is an expensive medicine, and access is still difficult.”

In addition to treatment with oil, he also started seeing a neurologist and cognitive-behavioral therapy. “For the first time in 46 years, I started therapy. I thought that seeing a psychologist was for ‘crazy’ people, but I saw how much it helped me.”

How is Dr.?

Check out the interview from the Sechat Portal with Dr. Alessandra de Moura Lima, neurosurgeon and neurophysiologist, responsible for explaining how cannabis can assist in the treatment of refractory epilepsy: