Marijuana Withdrawal

I searched the forum but couldn't find anything about marijuana withdrawal itself, only ways of easing the withdrawal, so I figured I'd start this thread...

I have vaped (I'm including all of my mmj use in the term "vaped" for ease, but specifically that includes vaping, dabbing, and use of topicals and edibles - no combustion) multiple times daily for nearly 3 years now. Not a day has gone by in that time that I haven't relied on mmj to curb the symptoms of my medical condition. Due to a new medication which in combination with marijuana was causing tachycardia, I've been forced to take a brief t-break while my body adjusts to the new meds. It's now been just over a week since I last vaped. The only real apparent withdrawal symptom I'm experiencing is insomnia and that kicked in on night 1. Hell, it's 3am now and I'm nowhere near tired.

The last time I took a t-break, 3 years ago, I experienced a myriad of symptoms including insomnia, loss of appetite, irritability, restlessness, depression, extremely vivid and often terrifying dreams, and a craving for bud. The onset of those symptoms began within just a couple days of stopping mmj use.

The only difference in my habits between then and now is back then I was also combusting a few times a week, whereas now I stick strictly to vapor.

Is it possible that I'm just lucky and have no real withdrawal symptoms this time around (aside form insomnia)? Or could the withdrawal still be on its way? It seems to me like I should be experiencing something more by now if I was going to at all, but I'm not too familiar with withdrawals in general.

Maybe the combustion was a factor in the withdrawal I experienced 3 years ago? Is there a possible correlation there?

Either way, my body seems to be adjusting to my new med so I should be good to vape again shortly, but I'm curious what other's have experienced and in what time frame.

Did you combust with tobacco? (EU style) or without (US style?)

Supposing it's US style, there 's still allot of 'things' in smoke that aren't present in vapor. Chances are that it's some of those 'things' that caused those withdrawal symptoms the 1st time.

Anyway, it's been a while since my last decent T-break, I go without MJ for 3-4 days on a regular basis but a few weeks, I couldn't say when that happend the last time... So I'm not sure there's much still to come.

Also I used to combust EU style, and I smoked more than on pack a day. I do still use e-juice to compensate my nicotine cravings, if it wasn't for e-juice I'd still be smoking. So maybe it's the nicotine that keeps me at bay when not using MJ.

A good friend of mine started a lengthy T-break and although he did say sleeping was sometimes a problem in the beginning as well as coping with a 24/7 soberness. He didn't have much problems with it.

Give your mind some time to adjust, you'll be ok. There shouldn't be much (if any) physical withdrawal symptoms.

Cheers

i have stopped cold turkey on ocasions here and there over the years. im a daily user for years and years. i never experienced any withdrall at all what so ever!! it was only a month or so ago that i stopped for 5 days just to see what would happen. i thought i would at least have the trouble sleeping thing i had read about but nope didnt happen. really made me see that all the withdrall stuff i had read about was bs. the only thing i noticed was the symptoms that i have that i use mj to curb medically did return some what but as far as withdral i call bullshit..

Since cannabis isn't physically addictive there shouldn't be any physical withdrawal symptoms. I stop every year for the two months I spend in Hawaii (although that will change once their legalization bill passes) and I have never noticed any withdrawal symptoms at all.

chris 71 said:

i have stopped cold turkey on ocasions here and there over the years. im a daily user for years and years. i never experienced any withdrall at all what so ever!! it was only a month or so ago that i stopped for 5 days just to see what would happen. i thought i would at least have the trouble sleeping thing i had read about but nope didnt happen. really made me see that all the withdrall stuff i had read about was bs. the only thing i noticed was the symptoms that i have that i use mj to curb medically did return some what but as far as withdral i call bullshit..

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I don't think you can say it's complete bullshit. Some people develop a psychological dependence and will experience some withdrawal.

It's a definite psychological thing for me. If I'm craving it in my mind I will be more prone to withdrawal, are you thinking about it constantly? If no, I would be inclined to say that you shouldn't suffer any withdrawal.

My first break was for 3 months I had trouble sleeping the first few nights. The first week I was getting some headaches (I never get headaches) . At two weeks I found myself craving the feeling every once in a while. Then that was it.

This time around I have to stop for a while as im looking for a new job. I was expecting the symptoms I had the first time around. However, I had no problem falling asleep and no headaches. Been a week already!

I did pick up on something interesting about my cannabis use. When I start up vaping I find it very difficult to not do it everyday. I tried to keep it to weekends, but before I knew it I was vaping every night. I think its mainly because its I find vaping and listening to music with a candle on in a dark room is fun, relaxing, and a wonderful way to unwind after work. I'm just glad I can be sober and not have problems sleeping. The one thing I did differently this time was I didn't think about the "withdrawal effects" and getting laid before you go to sleep always helps too

Good luck brother! While I enjoy the magical herb I have to keep my priorities straight(which isn't too difficult for me). I need to move up from where I'm at in the world. For me that means getting a new job. Have a good day everyone! Being sober doesn't mean I cant keep the positivity flowing!

pakalolo said:

Since cannabis isn't physically addictive there shouldn't be any physical withdrawal symptoms. I stop every year for the two months I spend in Hawaii (although that will change once their legalization bill passes) and I have never noticed any withdrawal symptoms at all.



I don't think you can say it's complete bullshit. Some people develop a psychological dependence and will experience some withdrawal.

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Cannabis may not be physically addictive, but one can definitely become physically dependent on it. This dependence may not be as consistent or as certain as with other drugs, but it's definitely there for some people. It all depends on the make-up of your body. I've experienced the physical withdrawal symptoms in the past, and I have a few friends who have experienced much harsher withdrawal symptoms as well (i.e. intestinal hypersensitivities that have led to temporary IBS-D symptoms).

The best example I can think of that demonstrates withdrawal from a drug that isn't accepted as one that can cause physical dependence is my experience with Imodium (loperamide). Doctor after doctor told me there was no issue with daily use to control some rather unpleasant symptoms of my condition and that loperamide doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier so I could stop cold turkey whenever I'd like. Well, after over 2 years of daily use, I decided to stop. Within 48 hours I was in opiate withdrawal hell.... cold sweats, fevers, insomnia, stomach pains, brain fog and confusion, inability to keep any food down, and the list goes on. After 2 weeks of this I said fuck it and caved in, taking 2 pills - the recommended dose is 2-4 per 24 hours. Within minutes every single symptom I listed above vanished. I then spent the next 2 months slowly weening myself off. Once I finally worked my way down to zero, I experienced some minor withdrawal symptoms but they were bearable and passed within a week.

Anything you put into your body can cause a dependence. Just because it doesn't typically happen, it doesn't mean that it can't.

goatgobaahh said:

My first break was for 3 months I had trouble sleeping the first few nights. The first week I was getting some headaches (I never get headaches) . At two weeks I found myself craving the feeling every once in a while. Then that was it.

This time around I have to stop for a while as im looking for a new job. I was expecting the symptoms I had the first time around. However, I had no problem falling asleep and no headaches. Been a week already!

I did pick up on something interesting about my cannabis use. When I start up vaping I find it very difficult to not do it everyday. I tried to keep it to weekends, but before I knew it I was vaping every night. I think its mainly because its I find vaping and listening to music with a candle on in a dark room is fun, relaxing, and a wonderful way to unwind after work. I'm just glad I can be sober and not have problems sleeping. The one thing I did differently this time was I didn't think about the "withdrawal effects" and getting laid before you go to sleep always helps too

Good luck brother! While I enjoy the magical herb I have to keep my priorities straight(which isn't too difficult for me). I need to move up from where I'm at in the world. For me that means getting a new job. Have a good day everyone! Being sober doesn't mean I cant keep the positivity flowing!

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Thanks for the kind words and for detailing your experiences! It seems that the withdrawal can be completely random. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. I think we're both evidence of that!

I had to quit about 1 & half week ago because i am trying to find a job for the summer, now that college is over. I smoke usually daily and recently got into dabbing. (and had been purely dabbing before quitting so my tolerance was through the roof)

The only problems i face when i quit is a HUGE lack of appetite, and it is hard for me to eat. I have to eat really fast and literally force it down, and my body wants to make it come back up. What helps me is to drink ALOT of water while eating.


Other then that, no problems, i sleep fine. If you guys are having a hard time sleeping i would recommend waking up early and do activities that make you tired, start working out, bike ride etc. I sleep best when Ive had a good productive day getting stuff done.

Tamataz said:

I had to quit about 1 & half week ago because i am trying to find a job for the summer, now that college is over. I smoke usually daily and recently got into dabbing. (and had been purely dabbing before quitting so my tolerance was through the roof)

The only problems i face when i quit is a HUGE lack of appetite, and it is hard for me to eat. I have to eat really fast and literally force it down, and my body wants to make it come back up. What helps me is to drink ALOT of water while eating.


Other then that, no problems, i sleep fine. If you guys are having a hard time sleeping i would recommend waking up early and do activities that make you tired, start working out, bike ride etc. I sleep best when Ive had a good productive day getting stuff done.

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The easiest remedy for a lack of appetite is to consume fluids instead of solids. Try making smoothies. You can add some protein powder and whatever else you like to ensure you're getting all the nutrients you need. And then in time your appetite will come back and you can move back to solid foods.

pakalolo said:

Since cannabis isn't physically addictive there shouldn't be any physical withdrawal symptoms.

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With "shouldn't" being the key word here. For some of us, those withdrawal symptoms are pretty real. It's weird how coming off of a psychological addiction can manifest itself with physical withdrawals.

lwien said:

With "shouldn't" being the key word here. For some of us, those withdrawal symptoms are pretty real. It's weird how coming off of a psychological addiction can manifest itself with physical withdrawals.

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fine line, blurred line, no line sometimes it seems

Loss of appetite for me too, that's about it.

I want to come in here and give an update on the absolute hell I'm now going through! Withdrawal is a LEGITIMATE possibility, both mental and physical.

Today is day 11 without cannabis use. 4 days ago I began experiencing unbearable intestinal cramping and the bowel movements that you can imagine would come with that. I have daily GI issues regardless, but NEVER has it been so painful. My colon was literally bulging an inch out of my abdomen on the left side and I could feel it with my hand like a rock. Fortunately, that has now subsided a bit, though the discomfort is still very much there and my intestines feel worn. My bowel movements are still far from normal - even my normal which is already far from normal. And I've had excessive and at times nauseating gas. Last night I had dreams for the first time in a couple years. IT WAS HORRIBLE. Vivid, all too real nightmares that were waking me up every hour. I'm pretty exhausted right now because of it. My appetite is beginning to increase though and I'm falling asleep easier than I was a week ago. So there's some improvement there. I'm in a constant haze with more confusion than a person should be experiencing. For example, I got locked out of my computer trying to log on this morning because I just couldn't type my password correctly. Yeah, I'm that good. It's quite interesting though, because while my mind doesn't seem to be running on all cylinders, I've had a sudden burst of creativity that I had lost a few years back when I started chronically smoking. I've always loved writing and used to write constantly before I began relying on cannabis for my health problems. But as I smoked more and more, I got worse and worse writer's block. A song I had begun over 2 years ago was left unfinished only a couple verses in, yet 2 days ago when I was singing it in my head the song didn't stop and a couple more verses came flowing out beautifully. This shocked me. Isn't weed supposed to aid creativity? I guess to an extent, but I had just overdone it.

So there's some good, some bad, and some just strange and bizarre. But one way or another, I'm undoubtedly in the midst of a crazy withdrawal.

My friend who also quit smoking the same day I did is also experiencing withdrawal. He's perfectly healthy and just a recreational user. But the past few days he's been complaining of excessive gas (and wow is it awful!) and diarrhea. This is a guy who usually only has a bowel movement every other day at most, but yesterday he complained of 3 episodes of diarrhea. He also just called to inform me that he woke up throughout the night with cold sweats.

Maybe it's the quality of the cannabis (I've been to over a 100 dispensaries, I've tried bud all over the world, and I've found only one collective that I NEED to keep going back to - PM me if you want the info and are in southern CA), or maybe it's just our bodies, but he and I are both going through this. I will say, we both have incredibly rapid metabolisms so it's likely that our bodies are detoxing quicker than the average person causing increased and more severe symptoms.

One last thing to add: I spoke with my gastroenterologist about the withdrawal symptoms and he said that he has had a number of patients who abruptly quit cannabis use after being chronic users for years that have suffered from the myriad of GI symptoms I listed above. So there's some confirmation that this isn't out of the ordinary. He too agreed that the potency of cannabis ingested most likely correlates to the severity of symptoms. The best bud = the worst withdrawal. Hip hip hooray!

Gotta be honest here, Its been about a week and a half and with the amount of stress I have been under with my car dying. Getting to and from work has been a hassle!

I also live in a town different from where I work. Since I get out late the buses dont run, I've had to crash at several different places, but when I'm back home I just want to sit put in some fresh herb in my EQ and hit the fucking bong HARD. However, I know that I cant and putting these items away in a different room has helped a bit (out of sight out of mind).

I have had pretty vivid dreams as of late, but not bad dreams. I never really had GI problems and I truly feel for those who do. Then again MJ is illegal where I live, and I'm sure the herbs im getting is not the best of the best.

I hope your symptoms subside brother! Also, the job I am really going for I heard they test yearly...

Stay strong brother we can do this!!!

Habituating to any outside chemical can hamper the body's natural ability to produce its own version. That machinery can become rusty from lack of use. Opiate addicts can be in for a hell of a ride for a long time dealing with pain without their junk ... because their body's forgotten how to, or the machinery's plain broken down from lack of maintenance.

Laying off will make you stronger and allow you to re-approach recreational use later with less need and more wisdom from the experience. That's one reason I'm leery of prescription medications too, and those who would hook me on this or that for whatever ailment. I avoid doctors like the plague usually and would rather nurse my own symptoms (maybe to my detriment someday if I actually get the plague, but I'm sure I would go scurrying to the doctor if I felt my life threatened or had a limb fall off, etc).

Ive stopped cold turkey for the month of June. I've been smoking for 3 months and its actually pretty hard to quit completely. I guess the best thing that you can do is surround yourself with people who won't encourage you to smoke.

Ive done that so far and the first day has been no problem. However...its only been the first day =\

well...the weird thing for me is that I sleep better when I take a break from vaping, not that I don't sleep well when I am vaping but it's harder for me to fall asleep.
I'm vaping almost daily now for about 1.5 to 2 years
I figured out for myself (i'm not sure if this is correct) that it might have to do with the fact that I have a pretty busy life, I own a business that is very subjective to the financial situation or our country at that moment and I find myself thinking alot more about how business is going and what our next step will be while vaping.

@green2brown, how are you doing, man? I'm curious how your "issues" are coming along?

I happen to be one of those who actually uses Cannabis, medically, due to IBS. In fact, I DO suffer severe "abstinence" syndrome if I stop my meds.

About 12 years ago, I was a pretty heavy Cannabis smoker. I stopped in order to pass a drug test. Same situation described above. Unable to sleep, vivid dreams (though not nightmares...most dreams were just me using Cannabis!) and then the stomach/bowel cramp issues.

Fast-forward to now. About 2 years ago, I started smoking again, mainly due to bowel issues. Cannabis, of course, fixed me right up. Now-a-days, I vape exclusively and live a fairly healthy lifestyle. All is well.

Still, though, I wonder about ceasing. I didn't smoke for almost 10 years. To be honest (and hopefully not TMI), but my bowels DO work better WITH Cannabis than without, so I have a legit medical usage.

I guess what I'm wondering is tapering. If someone DID have to stop using, would a taper help? IOW, green2brown, I wonder if when you had those super severe cramps (as did I, years ago) if you or I simply took a hit, would that have relieved them? (I think it would've.) Also, if we truly ONLY hit it when in severe pain, could one taper off successfully?

Just some thoughts...