Doctors named the condition Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (abbreviated as CHS), but had very little information on why it happened or how to treat it. People with CHS describe their symptoms as overwhelming and incapacitating, according to a 2011 study published in the journal Current 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.
What are the risk factors for developing cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome?
- But there are a number of theories about why cannabis could lead to CHS.
- I also experience loss of appetite when sober, but im normally not so I never notice it.
- You will not be able to use cannabis while in the hospital, and it is recommended that you stop using it altogether.
- It can take days to months to resolve but most patients recover once they are fully off of any kind of cannabinoid.
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. Smoking extra marijuana won’t help your nausea but will make it worse. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a condition that early signs of chs you might get if you’ve regularly smoked weed or used marijuana in some other form for a long time. CHS causes you to have repeated episodes of vomiting, severe nausea, stomach pain, and dehydration.
Causes of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome
Because CHS is a fairly new medical condition, Halfway house not all doctors know about it. Or they might think it’s something else, since repeated throwing up is a sign of many health problems. You may need to see a gastroenterologist, a doctor who specializes in the digestive tract, for a proper diagnosis. So GPs are used to talking about it and its many different causes. If you develop any of these symptoms you should go to a hospital emergency department (A & E) straight away. Our online screener cannot tell you if you have liver disease or not.
Indigestion or heartburn
- The most effective treatment is stopping marijuana use, which can be achieved through medical detoxification and therapy.
- CHS symptoms often subside within two days, although some effects persist for several weeks.
- During this time, people maintain normal eating patterns and continue using marijuana for its perceived anti-nausea effects.
- Since these symptoms can cause dehydration, in rare uncontrolled cases it can even lead to death from kidney failure.
- Some individuals, for instance, also admitted to smoking 2000 mg of THC per day.
- Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) can affect people who use cannabis (marijuana) long-term.
(Recreational use and sale of cannabis in Canada was legalized starting in 2018). It’s not clear what percentage of all heavy marijuana users have experienced CHS. Yes, addiction treatment can significantly help those with CHS. The most effective treatment is stopping marijuana use, which can be achieved through medical detoxification and therapy. Treatment centers provide programs that support individuals in overcoming marijuana addiction and managing CHS symptoms through professional care, therapy, and aftercare support. In the hyperemetic phase, individuals experience mild abdominal pain, dehydration, weight loss and intense nausea and vomiting.
What the DSM-5 Says About Addiction
The only way to end CHS symptoms is to completely stop using all marijuana products. After you quit, you may still have symptoms and side effects for a few days to a few weeks. It’s a serious medical problem that can cause major health issues if you leave it untreated.
But not every person who uses marijuana, even long-term use, develops CHS. Not everyone with the condition seeks medical help or tells their provider that they use marijuana. In one small study of eight patients hospitalized with CHS, four of the five who stopped using weed recovered from CHS.
What causes cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome?
I swore I was pregnant and woke up with feeling of morning sickness everyday for weeks. I threw up on an empty stomach once early on, but have not experienced vomiting beyond that. The main risk factor for developing cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is using cannabis regularly, particularly daily use. If you use cannabis on a regular basis, it’s important to understand the risks of developing cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). Another misconception is that CHS is a subtype of cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS). While these are similar conditions symptomatically, they have very different root causes.
- It’s not clear what percentage of all heavy marijuana users have experienced CHS.
- We are dedicated to helping you break free from addiction and lead a healthier, drug-free life.
- You will only know for sure once you stop using cannabis and your symptoms disappear.
- Symptoms of CHS typically come on several years after the start of chronic marijuana use.
- These cases highlight the importance of finding better ways to distinguish CHS from other conditions that manifest in similar ways.
Medical experts can ease distressing symptoms and expedite the recovery stage. Ultimately, the treatment of any illness is the removal of precipitating factors, not merely the management of its symptoms. Indeed, with any syndrome that results in frequent vomiting, there is a concern for a disorder of electrolytes and fluid balance in the body. Patients who fail to respond to antiemetic therapy are at high risk for dehydration and resulting in nutritional deficiencies.
They then regain weight and resume normal bathing and eating habits. This stage can last for days, weeks or months if no marijuana is used. The past few years has seen expanding use of marijuana in the United States, particularly since the advent of the decriminalization and now legalization of the drug.