If a person experiences extreme vomiting and nausea, hospitalization that may last a few days could be necessary. If you are experiencing CHS symptoms, the best thing you can do is to stop cannabis use and seek medical care immediately. Dehydration from vomiting can be fatal, so these symptoms should be taken seriously. Ultimately though, the only clear and universally effective way to get rid of CHS symptoms is to entirely stop cannabis.
The Effects of Cannabinoids in the Brain
It can take days to months to resolve but most patients recover once they are fully off of any kind of cannabinoid. Unfortunately, many relapse into cannabis use, and then their CHS symptoms return. This means that getting diagnosed could be key to preventing other health risks for this vulnerable population. In other cases, patients may be misdiagnosed with CHS when they DO actually have another condition.
- Many researchers tried to give more details on CHS and its causes, but it requires more studies as it is the newly described condition.
- Cannabis researcher Ethan Russo recently published a new study which found 5 statistically significant mutations in CHS patients.
- Smoking extra marijuana won’t help your nausea but will make it worse.
- When cannabinoids bind with brain receptors, they tend to prevent nausea and vomiting.
Research on Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome
This hypothesis is supported by the demonstration of delayed gastric emptying on gastric emptying scintigraphy in some cases 6,55,62. Further research is required to investigate the gastrointestinal physiology in these patients during both the acute attacks of hyperemesis and between episodes. Cannabigerol (CBG) is a non-psychotropic cannabinoid that behaves as an antagonist at both the CB1 and 5-HT1A receptors 32. This antagonism reverses the anti-emetic actions of low-dose CBD, which likely occurs at the 5-HT1A receptor 33. The pro-emetic properties of CBD (at higher doses) and CBG may play a role in the severe nausea and vomiting observed in patients with Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (Figure 2).
How soon after cannabis hyperemesis syndrome treatment will I feel better?
- But over the next decade, more cases of CHS started to show up in the medical literature.
- It tends to affect people who use cannabis at least once a week and happens more often in adults who’ve been using cannabis since their adolescent years.
- We can help you find the marijuana addiction program that fits your needs and begin your recovery journey today.
The increased number of cases correlates with the fact that more states in the US legalized marijuana. However, the number https://ecosoberhouse.com/ of regular users who develop weed sickness is not high. There is a lack of evidence that would fully support the current theories around CHS, which is why further research is necessary. Diagnosing the condition is often tricky, considering that many users go for treatment without mentioning using marijuana. In most cases, the symptoms disappear entirely once the user stops consuming cannabis.
Risk Factors, Clinical Course, and Diagnosis
- Marijuana is addictive, with up to 30% of those using the drug having some degree of marijuana use disorder.
- However, this may be difficult for individuals with a marijuana addiction.
- Taking too many hot baths can increase dehydration due to sweating.
- Make sure you tell your doctor upfront that you are a heavy pot user (whether recreational or medicinal), before undergoing lab work.
- You may need to see a gastroenterologist, a doctor who specializes in the digestive tract, for a proper diagnosis.
Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the principle active compound in cannabis (Figure 1). The metabolism of THC occurs mainly in the liver via oxidation and hydroxylation reactions. In humans this is carried out largely by the CYP2C isoenzyme subfamily of the cytochrome P450 complex 19. The true elimination plasma half-life of THC has been difficult to calculate, but several studies have estimated it to be in the range of 20–30 hours 20. THC is excreted mainly as acid metabolites, with 60–85% cleared through the feces and 20–35% in the urine 20,21.
- Soon Facebook groups dedicated to CHS started to appear as well, with thousands of people who claimed they had these same symptoms.
- To ease nausea, people will mostly use hot showers throughout the day.
- Call us today at to learn about your treatment options and to take the first step onto the road to recovery.
- The mechanism by which cannabis induces hyperemesis is presently unknown.
What Is Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS)?
While marijuana seems to bring on chs stages nausea in the stomach, in the brain it usually has opposite effect. When cannabinoids bind with brain receptors, they tend to prevent nausea and vomiting. The second stage is called the hyperemetic phase, and during it, the vomiting is often pretty intense. To ease nausea, people will mostly use hot showers throughout the day. Some people take marijuana to ease nausea, but it only makes the situation worse.
The symptoms in this phase include feeling sick and nauseous, throwing up after smoking weed, dehydration, stomach pain, disturbance of eating patterns, reduced food intake, and weight loss. Extreme vomiting and intense tummy pain can plausibly lead to scromiting (the combination of screaming and vomiting). The mechanism by which cannabis induces hyperemesis is presently unknown. A recent review has explored numerous potential explanations regarding various pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic factors of the cannabinoids 72. The cannabis plant contains over four hundred different chemicals, with sixty possessing cannabinoid structures 76.
This stage is characterized by abdominal discomfort, early morning nausea and a fear of vomiting. During this time, people maintain normal eating patterns and continue using marijuana for its perceived anti-nausea effects. If you have cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), the best treatment is to stop using weed, even if you’ve been doing it for years with no previous side effects. Once you do that, your repeated nausea and vomiting should go away and not return. Since THC is stored in your body fat, it can take weeks to months before all the symptoms go away and you notice a difference.
Find Marijuana Addiction Treatment Near You
For example, the drug affects the receptors in the esophageal sphincter, the tight band of muscle that opens and closes to let food go from your throat to your stomach. If this flap doesn’t work properly, your stomach acids might flow upward and cause you to have nausea and vomiting. One study found that 32.9% of self-reported frequent marijuana users who came to an emergency department for care met the criteria for CHS. With the widespread use, increased potency and legalization of marijuana in multiple states in the U.S., CHS may be becoming increasingly common.
Soon Facebook groups dedicated to CHS started to appear as well, with thousands of people who claimed they had these same symptoms. So far, the only known way to completely resolve symptoms of CHS is to stop all cannabinoid use. People with CHS describe their symptoms as overwhelming and incapacitating, according to a 2011 study published in the journal Current Twelve-step program Drug Abuse Reviews. According to a 2015 study published in the journal Academic Emergency Medicine, emergency cases of CHS in two Colorado hospitals have nearly doubled since 2009. The best and only way to prevent or reduce your risk for CHS is to avoid or quit marijuana use.
