Veteran says CBD helped him come off medications, now he's assisting others in finding relief Ten years of un-aiding prescriptions led him to become a CEO who helps others to be pain-free

Gonzalez's time in the army played a significant role in what ultimately led to his journey with CBD and becoming a business owner. Gonzalez's time in the army played a significant role in what ultimately led to his journey with CBD and becoming a business owner. Photo: Samantha Lopez, Houston Chronicle Photo: Samantha Lopez, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Veteran says CBD helped him come off medications, now he's assisting others in finding relief 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

Army veteran Abel Gonzalez suffered from persistent pain, anxiety, PTSD and the many side-effects from medications meant to prevent these ailments after jumping out of an airplane and landing on his gear in 2008.

"There's bags falling before the person hits the ground, so basically, my whole bottom of my body landed on the bag," Gonzalez said. "They found a fractured disk and then they found deterioration because it never grew properly, it never healed properly, so that's why I still deal with it."

After ten years of taking pain medications and antidepressants, Gonzalez found that his body was beginning to reject what was meant to heal him. It was not until Gonzalez's wife, Vanessa, gifted him Cannabidiol (CBD) gummies that he began to feel his pain go away, and his entrepreneurial journey took off.

"Little by little I got to the point where I wasn't taking the medication that was prescribed for me for anti-depression, anxiety, and also the pain," Gonzalez said. "So, I knew that it worked, and I was more dedicated to finding the facts and doing my research and ultimately supplying it to others as well."

Gonzalez now owns a CBD business, Alpha Alernatives, where he sells gummies, droppers, powders, and oils. He also shares his testimony on his business' Facebook page.

"We've basically got people already telling us that they've gotten off medication," Gonzalez said. "They've dropped doses of their other prescriptions."

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As with any drug, there are side effects. And while Gonzalez has seen the positive impacts of CBD, there is a possibility of nausea, fatigue, or irritability. The biggest concern is that it has not yet been approved by the FDA as a medication, according to physician Peter Grinspoon.

These side effects were not a worry for Gonzalez, who, before being introduced to CBD, had a daily routine that included taking multiple pills for anxiety, anti-depression, and chronic pain.

"I just knew it was getting worse and the doctors weren't helping," Gonzalez said. "They just wanted to give me something else or up the dose and it was kind of scary."

"I really didn't know what to do until my wife brought CBD into my life and, really, everything changed," said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez is not the only one who has experienced life-altering affects from taking CBD.

Anne Quiroga, who lived in Houston for 18 years, has a similar story to Gonzalez.

Quiroga said her mother in law uses CBD for pain management after being in a knee-shattering accident a year ago that required surgery to repair it.

"[She] uses a salve that has an equal ratio of CBD to THC, but because it is a topical and non-transdermal, she does not get high from it," Quiroga said. "She says that it legitimately melts her pain and inflammation away in her knee, and she uses it twice daily."

She was prescribed codeine after the accident but did not like the way the drug made her feel. Instead, she takes Advil and rubs CBD salves on her knee when inflammation increases.

Quiroga's wife, who is a disabled veteran, also uses CBD to cope with pain. She has used topical tinctures (oils taken by mouth) to alleviate the pain in her knees and back for the past two years.

Quiroga's family has found CBD to be more healing than the medications they were prescribed, something Gonzalez is familiar with.

"Me and my wife started Alpha Alternatives not as a money thing," Gonzalez said. "I just know that it works so well. It's something that's amazing and everybody should experience it at some time or another."

Gonzalez has found that CBD has drastically improved his life, and through his business, he seeks to do the same for others.

"There's imbalances in your body that take place through our life, so I see it both ways; I would like to not need anything to live life, but I think it's important to have the best quality life while I have life," Gonzalez said.

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