Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome

Detonator · Jan 22, 2014

omg I cant believe this is real..... I have had 2 bouts with this earlier this year then it went away... never knew what it was only that my stomach hurt like hell had me bent over and that the only thing that made me feel better was taking hot hot showers and lying on my back in the hot tub for hours..... it also happened to me about 2 years ago for a week or two... and before that it happen the first time about 5-7 years ago... exactly like wiki pedi says except I just keep smoking weed and taking hot showers and baths till it goes away ... the last one was 4-5 monts ago and lasted 2-3 days... I had read it was some sort of illness that marijuana user in Australia had reported ...but I did not want to believe it..... I started taking Prilosec cause I thought I had heart burn and that was all a doctor could say to do.. he had no idea what this was.....I'm a life long user from a very young age that is not ready to just quit..... I'm very upset to learn about this....I am not currently experiencing any symptoms ... like I said it has happend to me about 6-12 times over the past 7-8 years I think....I never knew what it was....

those 6-12 time were really the number of days involved ...... really it was more like 4 times over those 7 or so years that last 3-4 days each... or more.. .... I'm a daily user... All ways high or going to get high...but anyway my point is thinking back I think now these were all times when my marijuana usage shot up dramatically.... like 7 years ago when I lost my job and started really smoking a lot more .... or a several months ago when I really started killing gram after gram of wax..... but recently my usage has not gone down but just leveled off... I'm not sick or hurting at all for months now and usage is still the same......

I never come over here to the medical side of the forum.... I'm a stoner not a medical user.... I did not want to believe this could be real when I heard of it a few years ago.... when my bouts start I will go into the bathroom and live in the hot shower with my Solo ( using even more marijuana was the only way I could force myself to eat even a little oatmeal so I could throw up something- which was better than the dry heaves ) the last time or with my bong the other times.... I'm still one page 1 of this thread and reading forward.....

my fingers are tired or I would rant more... fuck...

Zookeeper · Feb 15, 2014

My standing theory is: Whatever ailments or symptoms led you to use Cannabis in the first place (be it pain, depression,whatever) are exemplified when going through the withdrawal period.

Although I believe Cannabis completely cured stomach problems I had for a decade, whenever I stop after a long period of use, I have diarrhea, loss of appetite nausea and stomach pains for 2-3 days, then it goes away. Same with my spinal injury, hurts twice as bad those 2-3 days then goes back to the pre cannabis level.

DirtyBongWater · Apr 2, 2014

does the vape help ? are less toxins and cannabinoids going into and storing in your fat ?? if so what vape plz .i was just diagnosed with CHS.. and am really really bummed.. dont want to stop.yet dont want to end up in ER every 4 months

grokit · Apr 2, 2014

The best vaporizer right now for strict temperature regulation,
which will let you be in the most control of what substances are being vaporized,
is the herbalizer :tup:

Check its thread out from the most recent page or two,
and there is quite a bit of reference to these temperatures/substances.

Quetzalcoatl · Apr 2, 2014

DirtyBongWater said:
does the vape help ? are less toxins and cannabinoids going into and storing in your fat ?? if so what vape plz .i was just diagnosed with CHS.. and am really really bummed.. dont want to stop.yet dont want to end up in ER every 4 months

No, vaporizers don't help, because CHS is due to the cannabinoids. With vaporizing, you're still ingesting cannabinoids.

sve · Apr 2, 2014

DirtyBongWater said:
does the vape help ? are less toxins and cannabinoids going into and storing in your fat ?? if so what vape plz .i was just diagnosed with CHS.. and am really really bummed.. dont want to stop.yet dont want to end up in ER every 4 months

Im not positive I have this condition, although I do think it is a possibility. I have gone through bouts if similar problems. Anyways, I have been strictly vaping for a few months now and have been feeling much better.

I am wonderng, do any of those suffering also have any allergy or sinus issues?

Detonator said:
omg I cant believe this is real..... I have had 2 bouts with this earlier this year then it went away... never knew what it was only that my stomach hurt like hell had me bent over and that the only thing that made me feel better was taking hot hot showers and lying on my back in the hot tub for hours..... it also happened to me about 2 years ago for a week or two... and before that it happen the first time about 5-7 years ago... exactly like wiki pedi says except I just keep smoking weed and taking hot showers and baths till it goes away ... the last one was 4-5 monts ago and lasted 2-3 days... I had read it was some sort of illness that marijuana user in Australia had reported ...but I did not want to believe it..... I started taking Prilosec cause I thought I had heart burn and that was all a doctor could say to do.. he had no idea what this was.....I'm a life long user from a very young age that is not ready to just quit..... I'm very upset to learn about this....I am not currently experiencing any symptoms ... like I said it has happend to me about 6-12 times over the past 7-8 years I think....I never knew what it was....

those 6-12 time were really the number of days involved ...... really it was more like 4 times over those 7 or so years that last 3-4 days each... or more.. .... I'm a daily user... All ways high or going to get high...but anyway my point is thinking back I think now these were all times when my marijuana usage shot up dramatically.... like 7 years ago when I lost my job and started really smoking a lot more .... or a several months ago when I really started killing gram after gram of wax..... but recently my usage has not gone down but just leveled off... I'm not sick or hurting at all for months now and usage is still the same......

I never come over here to the medical side of the forum.... I'm a stoner not a medical user.... I did not want to believe this could be real when I heard of it a few years ago.... when my bouts start I will go into the bathroom and live in the hot shower with my Solo ( using even more marijuana was the only way I could force myself to eat even a little oatmeal so I could throw up something- which was better than the dry heaves ) the last time or with my bong the other times.... I'm still one page 1 of this thread and reading forward.....

my fingers are tired or I would rant more... fuck...

Just wondering, any sinus/allergy issues? Also, what kind of climate do you live in? Any chance you are realky dried out and dehydrated? The reason I ask is that like you, showers or just sitting in the bathroom, make me feel so much better. For me, I believe it is the moisture in the air, like a huge humidifier. Smoking and vaping really dry the body out. Humidifiers and lots of extra liquids are necessary, especially when using alot.

DirtyBongWater · Apr 2, 2014

grokit said:
My apologies if that came off as insensitive. But if you had died from smoking too much marijuana,
I believe that you would be the first person on record to ever do so. Again, in contrast to alcohol.

as sick and miserable you feel with this CHS or what ever it is .. and the tole on the body..weight loss ..cant eat or drink liquids.. you dont only feel like dying n sadly i think you could

Hash Aprons Tom · Apr 3, 2014

IF YOU HAVE THIS SYNDROME TAKE TIME TO READ THIS PLEASE!!! I KNOW ITS LONG.

For those saying that this condition is fake, I can say with 100% certainty that it is not. Of course if you don't experience this and you've been smoking for 20 years you're gonna say it's false. But some people or more pre-dispositioned to get this. For example, just because you smoke cigarettes your whole life doesn't mean that you'll get cancer - but that doesn't mean cancer isn't real.

I am a 19 year old female and began smoking weed around 2 years ago. In August of last year (around 1.5 years after I began smoking, earlier than the normal onset), I came down with the symptoms mentioned. At this point, I was smoking .5-1 grams per day. I would become nauseous for no reason, especially after eating and worsening in the morning. This would go on for 2-3 days and then I would be COMPLETELY better for 3-4 weeks. Then it would hit again. These bouts would be accompanied with diarrhea and when I would throw up it was literally like I was dry heaving normally, throwing up only bile like fluid. This went on until Christmas time. Since I would get better, I always thought it was something I ate or that I was allergic to something. I cut gluten out of my diet. This did make the stomach issues some better but I would still have extreme nausea for no reason that usually came on after eating. In January, it got worse. Rather than having 3-4 week periods where I was better, I started getting sick EVERY morning. Again, throwing up only liquid and bile like fluid. After I would smoke, I would feel completely better. I tried taking nausea medicine, ondansetron, but this helped little to none. I went to the doctor and they ran a bunch of blood tests and even did an ultrasound. The results came back completely normal. I was going to go to a GI specialist and on the form I was supposed to fill out, they asked about recreational use. Thats when I thought to look up nausea from weed, and found this syndrome. It fit my symptoms to a T and I cancelled my appointment because I did not want to have this syndrome on my medical record. I am a highly educated college student, and will be starting a graduate level program in the medical field next semester. I tried to quit, but when I would stop smoking for more than 24 hours I would be so sick that I couldn't leave my house... I definitely couldn't attend class or study. So for this reason, I kept smoking. But I was still getting sick every morning and felt sick up until I smoked every day. Over my spring break, I quit since I had time to do nothing at all. For me, the first 5 days were hell. I threw up 5-6 times a day and even after getting sick had no relief. I also had bad diarrhea and absolutely no appetite. I lost 10 pounds (and I weighed only 140 before that so I was not overweight). On the 6th day, I got sick in the morning but generally felt fine for the rest of the day (for the first time in a LONG time). It was almost 4 weeks ago that I quit now and have not been sick once since that 6th day, and have also had no GI issues.

Now, some other symptoms that I am wondering if others experienced too but are not as bad are the following: heat flashes, anxiety, excess belching. I noticed that I began getting hot much easier than I previously had, and was unable to cool myself down. I also noticed that I would get a nervous feeling in my stomach for no reason at all, or maybe a slight reason but nothing that previously would have made me nervous. Also, I noticed that I burped much, much more than I used to.

As mentioned, I will be starting a grad level school next year so I have had lots of science classes. I think this syndrome has something to do with the hypothalamus, as it plays a roll in all body temperature, digestion, and anxiety. I don't know how, but I truly believe that it does. Another thing to mention is that my boyfriend began smoking 3 years before me, and when I smoked I smoked with him 99% of the time. He is not sick at all and never has been. This to me seems to disprove the theory that this syndrome could be caused by a "bad batch" of weed or chemicals.

Next, I have read some of the previous comments and I do suffer from seasonal allergies, but never very bad. Something that I found on other cites, is that childhood nausea may play a roll and I'm wondering if anyone else suffered from this. When I was a child, I would start gagging super easily. Smells, sights, thoughts - really anything could set me off. This went on until I got my appendix out in 4th grade. From then until when this happened 10 years later I never had nausea issues again. However, the nausea I experienced with this hyperemesis reminded me EXACTLY of how I used to feel. For me, it was more of a feeling in the back of my throat like I was going to throw up rather than in my stomach... which was reaffirmed by the fact that I usually was only throwing up bile.

For those of you that stuck with me threw all that, thank you! And i hope to hear responses soon to try and get this figured out as a group.

timeisnotmyfriend said:
Actually if you read my post, the potential for it to be life threatening is quite real. Towards the end, before quitting I had been hospitalized for 3 days and spent a boat load of money trying to find out what was wrong. Please read my post above it is pretty self explanatory.
I'll reiterate that I believe it is a small percentage of folks who have this issue. My concern is not the number of folks affected but rather it be properly diagnosed.
I would only go back to using marijuana under for scientific purposes if say UCLA wanted to study the cause and effect with hopes to finding a cure other than to stop using as I chose to do. It's been over 3 years and have not vomited once since stopping. I miss using it, but I sure as hell do not miss puking!

I'd love for you to read my post above ^^
also, i'm curious if after smoking and getting it out of your system (like after months)... does smoking ONE night or ONE time (like a blunt) cause the syndrome to come back. I know that smoking again on a daily basis would, but I'm just curious if getting high one time would make it return.

AndNewww said:
Well I was doing good for 2 months then I fell off the wagon again... just spent 4 of the worst days at home followed by 8 worse days stuck in a hospital bed... what the fuck is my problem??? I even had joints brought to the hospital to me.. my excuse it always "it helps me get an appetite after i haven't eaten solid foods for 2 weeks...." I call bullshit on myself! I'm now at the point of my life I'm not going to miss it... feeling like a bag of shit 150 days out of the year just won't cut it... I'll try to keep you guys posted on my progress... maybe offer some tips that I find will help me get through this.... I've quit before... if you can make it past the first 2 weeks.... you just feel so fantastic and full of life... I just have to keep reminding myself that I'm not the type of person who can smoke the "odd" joint... you will all be hearing from me soon cheers everyone DAY 1 BEGINS!

Hi, I'd love for you to read my post above. I'm curious, so you smoked only one time and the syndrome came back? I'm wondering if getting high once after having it out of your system causes it to return. Because I love getting high, but it's definitely not worth it!

Adam Smith said:
Wow... seeing such an active thread, I thought that I'd give my story as well.

I should begin with my stance on the herb in general: despite my experiences, I consider it to be essentially 'harmless,' and furthermore, of great benefit to those who suffer from painful illnesses.

It began about a year ago. I woke up with an excruciating pain in my abdomen on the right side. Long story short, it was diagnosed as appendicitis, and I was taken to emergency for surgery. They did not have laproscopic equipment on-site to perform the surgery, so they cut me open the old fashioned way.

Following the surgery, I was discharged the very next day with no pain medication. Needless to say, I was far from comfortable - but, having some medicine of my own [wink wink] I was able to get by without too much trouble. During the recovery period, however, my intake greatly increased - sometimes as much as an 1/8th per day.

A month later, everything should've healed, and my digestion should've return to normal. Unfortunately to my surprise, my digestion kept getting worse. I had painful cramps and bouts of diarrhea, and zero appetite. There were some weeks where I ate as little as 300 calories a day. I lost over 100 pounds, and my family and my doctor became very concerned.

Then began the tests - stool tests, urine tests, blood tests, colonoscopies, gastroscopies, testing for every little thing I could think of. Nothing came back with any meaningful information - in all areas, I was 'clean,' 'healthy,' with no abnormal growths.

At this point, my GI specialist diagnosed me with IBS as a diagnosis of exclusion; I did not have cancer, or parasites, or any noteable intestinal damage, so it was simply the only diagnosis they were left with. I should mention that I never mentioned my herb use to anyone.

My attendance at school waned, as it did at my work. Mornings were impossibly difficult. I would wake up at 4 or 5 with terrible chills and flash sweats, with an almost indescribable nausea. Hot showering, as others have mentioned, has an almost uncanny ability to dampen the discomfort. I understand the controversy surrounding hot showers as an unreliable indicator of this syndrome, but I must make this extremely clear: it brought about an almost complete level of comfort that hot showers simply do not provide for other forms of nausea. In those cases, the hot water shower is 'helpful..' but for any would-be sufferers of CHS, it brings such an intense relief that it brings goosebumps and makes one feel faint.
The effects are only temporary, however, with the nausea returning probably 20-30 minutes after the shower.

The only other thing I could do to prevent these symptoms was to smoke. It was the ONLY thing that could prevent nausea in the long term, and I had tried everything from fresh ginger and gravol to prescription anti-emetics.

I'll skip to the part where I decided to try to stop smoking. I was inspired by a number of forums, such as this one, to see if there was any credibility to this 'CHS.' I was extremely desperate: if I didn't find out what was wrong with me quickly, I was in danger of losing my job and further scarring my student record with terrible grades.

I decided I would quit cold turkey, and record how I felt in detail over the next week. The results, frankly, speak for themselves. I'll give you a condensed version. I should mention before sharing these notes that I have never had a history of stomach problems or psychological illness.

Day 1 - Unbearable nausea, fatigue, 'foggy thinking,' stopping mid-sentence, anhedonia [no pleasure in activities usually pleasurable.]

Day 2 - Nausea and cramping, 'restless legs,' irritability, aggression [I very nearly hit my dog on a number of occasions - I would NEVER do this!!]. Terrible insomnia; sleep was impossible.

Day 3 - More fatigue [paired with sleeplessness]. Anxiety/panic attacks over very small things. Nausea in the morning, but it clears in 2-3 hours rather than 7-8 like before. Worsened irritability, paranoia [especially social paranoia]. Obsession with mortality and dying; depression.

Day 4 - Minor stomach discomfort; still no appetite. Despite this, eating is now possible, but takes considerable effort and worsens discomfort for a time. Irritability and paranoia increase, depression decreases. Sleep is possible with some aid [hot bath, melatonin supplement, zopiclone prescription, anything that will help]

Day 5 - Minor stomach discomfort; appetite slowly returning. Unusual cravings for vinegar, salt, and bitter foods. Irritability decreasing, but still present. Paranoia decreasing, but still present. More energy, more motivation to 'do things,' greater pleasure in activities. At one point, I described to my friends that I felt 'high,' or at least, higher than I had been in the final weeks of my smoking.

From day 6 on, the symptoms decreased gradually. I'm currently on day 9, and symptoms are nearly completely gone.

It is very important to note that this does not imply a direct cause between herb and illness; rather, it suggests that a physical dependance CAN emerge in SOME people, based on pre-existing psychological or physiological factors. In my own case, I feel that it became a problem when I began chronically using in the morning for pain relief after surgery, when my body was likely trying to 'restart' its digestive system after the trauma of surgery. Additionally, I also smoked every night before bed to alleviate pain and have a good sleep - and because it was easy to treat myself in this way, I did not focus as much on healthy eating or exercise during that time.

It should be no surprise to people that MJ can have adverse effects if used incorrectly; the same is true of almost anything else in nature. Even water, in exaggerated amounts, can be toxic or even fatal to humans. With that said, I propose that even though MJ is less 'deadly' than even water, the rules of moderation still apply - too much of a good thing isn't always good.

It is important to recognize the users out there who have never had this experience. I must re-iterate: the herb on it's own is not enough to make someone 'ill.' The truth is that there are many variables at play in which MJ, while an important factor, is only a single factor.

I have two things left to discuss: first, how to avoid the risk of CHS, and second, how to 'get better' if you find yourself in the same position I was in.

TO AVOID CHS:

- Be aware of how much you are smoking per day, and be realistic with portions.
- NEVER smoke first thing in the morning, and NEVER smoke right before bed.
- Try to always enjoy the herb with other people and avoid smoking alone.
- If you are hungry, and after smoking you are not, you should eat anyway.
- If you are NOT hungry, and after smoking you become hungry, you should wait before eating.
- Have alternative remedies available that can 'share the medicinal load.' [e.g. Fresh ginger for nausea instead of smoking up]
- Recognize within yourself the sensation of building tolerance, and take tolerance breaks at strategic times [During time off work or on vacation]

Thanks for listening everyone! I'm hoping that other sufferers can learn from my experience, and quickly return to enjoying MJ rather than feeling reliant on it.

I noticed that you had your appendix out too when this started. I also had my appendix out, though I got mine out in 4th grade, and did not begin smoking until 12th. I wonder if this could be a common link. I know they say the appendix does nothing now but used to be important when people had more earthy diets... perhaps the appendix is important in processing weed? My story is posted above. Just like you, I was extremely sick for the first 5 days and have now been done with weed for 4 weeks and have had no problems since (compared to getting sick EVERY morning for 3 months, and before that having attacks every few weeks).

Glass004 · Apr 17, 2014

I am new member. I am a trained scientist, used to studies and evaluation of the studies and medical issues. I am also a chronic pain patient and a chronic herb smoker for 40+ years. I have a 20 year history of CVS triggered by stress (good and bad), late night overconsumption of food (munchies), acid stomach and poor sleep. My symptoms relieved with showers. (Get a chlorine filter if you shower chronically with city water, the chlorine can burn your lungs and skin) Force omeprazole during attacks to keep acid off stomach. Ondansetron works pretty good as antiemetic. Restorative sleep and transcendental meditation have an ability to switch off the process, due to the chemical cleansing effect of sleep. While showering I try to enter meditative states to make this switch off occur.
I switched to a vaporizer for 2.5 years and my CVS stopped. My vaporizer broke and within 2 months the CVS started again. I bought a new ascent vaporizer and used for 4 months, and the every two week CVS attacks have stopped.
FROM MY LITERATURE REVIEW
Just as in cigarettes, toxins are created in the combustion process that are not present with vaporization. These toxins have cannabinoid effects on the hypothalamus and autonomic system. Hence showers and the autonomic stimulation of the skin with hot water provided give instant relief of symptoms.
This process also involves many personal and environmental factors complicating diagnosis. Some people most likely have CVS with or without cannabinoid involvement.
I believe that combustion of pot leads to exacerbation of CVS effects and the best way to deal with it besides abstinence from pot is to vaporize it.
Again let me express my extreme sympathy and compassion for those that suffer so much from this problem and also the bias's against them. We have few people with the knowledge to help us with CVS, that also have compassion.

Hash Aprons Tom said:
Hi, I'd love for you to read my post above. I'm curious, so you smoked only one time and the syndrome came back? I'm wondering if getting high once after having it out of your system causes it to return. Because I love getting high, but it's definitely not worth it!

It is not as simple as just the levels of cannabinoids in your system causing illness. The drug is lipid soluble and take a long time to get out of your system. There are other triggers like stress and diet.
Try vaporizing, without any pipe bowls. The poison is in the smoke. Your health and enjoyment of pot are worth the money spent on a vaporizer.

CentiZen said:
Hey there Nos,

We've been having a bit of a discussion in the "Nausea; the monster" thread in the medical section about this over the past few weeks. I brought up the subject because I had recently been diagnosed with the syndrome by my stomach specialist who was investigating my issues of daily nausea and infrequent attacks of cyclic vomiting which could last for days. Since getting the diagnosis I have been doing a lot of research and personal experimentation to try to understand more about this phenomena.

First things first; this is not propaganda. At all. For the past year I was suffering nearly debilitating nausea every day, especially in the mornings. During this time I was imbibing about .8 - 1.5 grams a day in various methods, most common being vaporizing. I would wake up in the morning and the first thing that I would do is vaporize because of the pain I was in.

About once every three months I would wake up and it would be over. I would be so sick that I could not do anything other than lie in a bed and throw up for days on end. The only thing that could possibly make me feel better was a hot shower; which is a common effect among those suffering from CHS. In fact, it is almost uncanny in the fact that suffers have this in common.

After I was diagnosed with this; I stopped completely for several days and then started enjoying the herb on an infrequent basis. Within the week, my nausea was gone. I just didn't feel sick anymore. Eating no longer made my stomach warble and waking up is not a 4 step process anymore. My life returned back to normal, for lack of a better term. Of course, this is my story and your mileage may differ.

Now what really causes me to scratch my head over this is the cause. I've got three pet theories about why this is happening to people and why it is only coming to light now. The first is that this condition is being brought about in us by the disproportional increase in THC and other choice cannabinoids in selectively bred plants by the growers. It may be possible that other, less known cannabinoids provided an effect on us which allowed our bodies to better handle the more popular molecules; and that this condition is brought on by a buildup of THC that the body cannot process or work with for that reason.

The other is that this effect has always been there; and it is only coming to light now because people are being more open with their doctors about their habit; and more people are taking part in the cannabis culture. It simply serves to reason that as this group increases in size, so do those who are effected by this.

The final one is that it is a plain and simple toxicity issue. Most people that I have discussed these issues with have been huge, unmitigated consumers of the herb. Smoking, eating, vaping; it doesn't matter; everyone has their own way of getting the chemicals in their body, but the point is that they get there anyway. We all know that the toxicity level of THC is somwhere in the degree of 14 kg of raw marijauna; but that may not be the case for other chemicals that are present within the plant. It is very possible that the amount of other chemicals entering the body through the use of marijuana are reaching levels that our body finds toxic when they are being consumed in such large amounts; and that our bodies react as if they being poisoned because of it.

Whatever the reasons are; it's here and it's real; and I challenge anyone who tries to assert otherwise. However, there is no reason that one has to completely stop enjoying the herb; as when it is used in moderation it is still quite harmless.

Please consider in your deliberations about CVS
Autonomic involvement at hypothalamus level. A big clue in this respect is the autonomic response to hot showers on the skin.
Cigarette smoking generates toxic substances not present in unburned tobacco. New chemical are generated with marijuana combustion. These new compounds could be toxic to the cannabinoid receptors in the hypothalamus region of the brain.
CVS People on this forum say vaping helps their nausea, smoking causes nausea.
Many things affect brain chemistry, including stress and sleep. Stress in bad, sleep is restorative.
If you shower with chlorinated water your skin and lungs are being damaged, my lungs on chest xray look like chorine gas poisoning. USE A CHORINE FILTER.

Quetzalcoatl said:
No, vaporizers don't help, because CHS is due to the cannabinoids. With vaporizing, you're still ingesting cannabinoids.

Your reply does not consider that new and possibly toxic cannabinoid compounds are created by combustion, not present when vaping. Combustion is a transitional chemical process that can create and change chemical compounds. So vapeing and smoking are like apples and oranges

Hash Aprons Tom said:
Im not positive I have this condition, although I do think it is a possibility. I have gone through bouts if similar problems. Anyways, I have been strictly vaping for a few months now and have been feeling much better.

I have the symptoms of CHS. I too have been vaping only (no combustion) for four months with resolution of all symptoms.
Vaping is different because it does not create the same chemical profile as does burning pot.

I am glad to hear that you too have the same experience with vaping and resolution of CHS as I do. I am sure your CHS will resolve and you suffer no more.

DDave · Apr 17, 2014

Hey All,

I have no idea if this applies, but soon after I began my MMJ to relieve Vertigo quest, I had to change my eating habits completely. Used to be 3 large meals a day and the only thing that caused me nausea was vertigo. I was overweight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol... After MMJ, I no longer had need to eat such large meals, so I cut the meal size by more than half and that would satisfy for that particular meal. I also noticed sudden attacks of nausea in between meal times that were remedied by a small snack/meal (usually yogurt or a banana). Today, I eat anywhere from 7-9 smaller meals and rarely have these sudden nausea spells. (I also carry a small bag of snacks like Chex or Nuts or Granola Bar, just in case).

For those who can eat, and have something similar to what I've described, I hope this helps!

I have a theory behind this, but not sure of the validity. I've heard in the past that MMJ could stop your stomach muscles from moving your stomach, such as when digestion is taking place. If this is true, then an empty stomach would be subject to acid sitting in one area instead of being moved around and possibly diluted by other fluids... so maybe it's that acid eating away at the stomach lining that triggers the feeling of nausea?

Any with medical knowledge or experience, would love to hear your input?

Later,
DDave

DirtyBongWater · Apr 18, 2014

Again let me express my extreme sympathy and compassion for those that suffer so much from this problem and also the bias's against them. We have few people with the knowledge to help us with CVS, that also have compassion.

i am so hoping this works..been paranoid to get sick again.. because of the suddenness
of the attacks,afraid to go anywhere of distance..and yes the stigma carried by this ,when you do end up in the emergency room of the doctors office..spent 5 days in hospital last august ..they must have thought i was a junkie,,,,suffering withdrawal .the admitted me ..started IV..then deprived me of all my meds..so not only suffering from CVS or CHS ..i was unnecessarily suffering from opioid issues (perscribed) but didn't give me my anti anxiety meds for days ..no coffee no weed no smokes ..specialist said to me after..no wonder you were sick !! But now i am so optimistic about what i have read here ..ty to all replying with similar issues and help .. appreciate it very much ..i can only hope now it works for me.. seems to only make sense..if removing the toxins will help.i have read some articles stating it could be an organic reaction i am assuming like being allergic to it ..

Glass004 · Apr 18, 2014

DirtyBongWater said:
Again let me express my extreme sympathy and compassion for those that suffer so much from this problem and also the bias's against them. We have few people with the knowledge to help us with CVS, that also have compassion.

i am so hoping this works..been paranoid to get sick again.. because of the suddenness
of the attacks,afraid to go anywhere of distance..and yes the stigma carried by this ,when you do end up in the emergency room of the doctors office..spent 5 days in hospital last august ..they must have thought i was a junkie,,,,suffering withdrawal .the admitted me ..started IV..then deprived me of all my meds..so not only suffering from CVS or CHS ..i was unnecessarily suffering from opioid issues (perscribed) but didn't give me my anti anxiety meds for days ..no coffee no weed no smokes ..specialist said to me after..no wonder you were sick !! But now i am so optimistic about what i have read here ..ty to all replying with similar issues and help .. appreciate it very much ..i can only hope now it works for me.. seems to only make sense..if removing the toxins will help.i have read some articles stating it could be an organic reaction i am assuming like being allergic to it ..

For me it was so obvious that the pot could cause CHS, I was fortunate to have tried a vaporizer for over 2 years and noted no attacks. When attacks returned after I went to a pipe, my only hesitation was knowing which vaporizer would have the proper kick, and ease of use, to convince me not to combust again.
I am medical, I too feel the bias and cruelty of those who have not experienced our suffering. I also understand that for some of us, the MJ provides brain chemistry that makes our existence better. This altered state is hard to give it up.
The brain goes through a chemical/toxin cleansing phase during deep restorative sleep or meditation. One of my triggers is poor of little sleep. My headaches seem relative to how effective I am at "sleeping it off" Many sufferers seek extreme sedation to help this process, but benzos tend to interfere with sleep cycles. Usually I try to minimize combusted herb during the detox phase before headaches go away.
Google hypothalamus, CHS, CVS, and cannabinoid receptors for2012 article that explains the chills, and heat imbalance. The hot showers are throwing your body temp regulation way off. The hypothalamus "poisoning" contributes to this problem. I suck on ice cubes during showers to help cool my brain and Hypothalamus which are close to the mouth. This also helps with hydration, ice is useful for temp control during hot showers even if you throw it back up. Reduce the shower temp as much as you can to save water, protect skin and reduce heat prostration. You can lose a lot of body fluid to sweat during prolonged very hot showers, increasing dehydration.
Also for the thirst issue, Ice is best, but I know you crave a sweet too, use tea. Gatorade, coke, and ginger ale will really irritate your stomach as they are not neutral pH or isotonicity. I recommend you brew your own sweetened DECAFFINATED ice tea. It is very easy on the stomach.
Do you shower? Does your throat burn during the illness? If you have chlorinated water get a sprite chlorine filter. Please let me help you with my experience in dealing with the problem. I empathize with you, and will pray for you. Much of this will be read by others searching in Google for resolution of their suffering. I hope and pray for you as well.

FlyingLow · Apr 18, 2014

Glass004 · Apr 19, 2014

The best link for the most recent medical information on CHS.
Again, I am a 20 year sufferer of CHS. I am also medical and familiar with literature review. I am recommending people follow this link to this good and non biased medical article on CHS that pretty much has all the right information about the syndrome. This is the best info I have yet seen. http://www.currentpsychiatry.com/ho...bis-use/7f745b490668efc93ec5bab9da3bfdc1.html
In my own situation again I propose that vaporization does not present the same inhaled cannabinoid profile as does smoking. Toxic lipophilic cannabinoids produced during combustion accumulate in your fat tissues with heavy use. The toxic effect of these cannabinoids lower nausea, vomiting and gut dysfunction thresholds to where our triggers start up our CVS.
To solve CHS you pretty much have to drastically decrease MJ intake or obstain, or for me switch to vaporization.
Many of you have traveled a long and difficult road to find information on this monster that ruins your life. I wish you clarity, intelligence, and bravery to help you make the right decision that will lead to a happier,healthier and peaceful life.

Jared · Apr 30, 2014

I think this happened to me a while back. About a year after I started smoking I started getting the symptoms of CHS. Wake up every morning and throw up until I was exhausted enough to fall back asleep. I ended up getting my appendix removed and it pretty much stopped happening. I still use cannabis daily and never have any issues anymore. My stomach still hurts in the mornings sometimes but never like before and after I take a poop I feel just fine. Sorry if that was TMI but I'm trying to give you guys all the information I have on the subject, which isn't a whole lt. Thought I'd mention the appendix removal/CHS correlation becasue I saw a couple other people in this thread saying they had their appendix removed in the past and THEN started having these symptoms after cannabis use.

Glass004 · May 1, 2014

I too have had an appendectomy. There is no information out there supporting a theory of appendix involvement with CHS or CVS.
There is an issue with early morning bowel motility. It is not TMI.
Don't smoke herb ever. Vaporize or eat herb instead.
Good health and peace .

PMR1995 · Aug 10, 2014

Hello everyone!
I was recently told, after my second visit to the emergency room (for reoccurring vomiting and stomach pain) that I may be suffering from CHS. This is after I told the doctor that I am a daily smoker of about 4 or 5 years. I have since been trying to do everything I can to gain more knowledge about this when I came across this thread. From what everyone here has said and the other studies I have read my symptoms fit to a tea. I seem to have bouts of vomiting for a few days about every month or so with severe stomach cramping, and boy do hot showers help. I have ceased smoking since the ER visit and am on my fifth day. However, me and MaryJane are real good friends and I can't see myself cutting pot out of my life completely. My question to other sufferers of this syndrome is: how long did you cease smoking for before starting again (if at all)? And once you started again, did you return to daily use or did you smoke on an infrequent basis? Also, for those who returned to smoking, but on an infrequent basis, did your symptoms ever return? Please please let me know! I'm trying to find out all I can about this because it has truly made my life a nightmare. Thank you!

Royalblunts · Aug 10, 2014

To PMR1995
I stopped for a month after getting sick and then started again, pretty much daily but only at night for the most part for a couple months and i'm starting to see the early signs in me again. So I'm just quitting again at the moment but this time I didn't have withdraw or anything. It's going alright so far but if I'm not sick by the end of the month or so then I know for sure that I can at least smoke in moderation with out getting sick. I was a wake and bake, high 24/7 kinda guy before though. Daily at night for only about 1 sesh seems to be too much for me. After I detox for a couple weeks I will try maybe a week on a week off and see how that works or even every other day. It is so easy to fall back into the rut but it is definitely worth it to stay out of it because it keeps the tolerance and toxicity down. But I can vouche that if you stop for a month or at least to the point of passing a drug test that you will feel like a new person, and the natural highs come back to take over, it's not all bad.

Michelle · Aug 10, 2014

PMR1995 said:
Hello everyone!
I was recently told, after my second visit to the emergency room (for reoccurring vomiting and stomach pain) that I may be suffering from CHS. This is after I told the doctor that I am a daily smoker of about 4 or 5 years. I have since been trying to do everything I can to gain more knowledge about this when I came across this thread. From what everyone here has said and the other studies I have read my symptoms fit to a tea. I seem to have bouts of vomiting for a few days about every month or so with severe stomach cramping, and boy do hot showers help. I have ceased smoking since the ER visit and am on my fifth day. However, me and MaryJane are real good friends and I can't see myself cutting pot out of my life completely. My question to other sufferers of this syndrome is: how long did you cease smoking for before starting again (if at all)? And once you started again, did you return to daily use or did you smoke on an infrequent basis? Also, for those who returned to smoking, but on an infrequent basis, did your symptoms ever return? Please please let me know! I'm trying to find out all I can about this because it has truly made my life a nightmare. Thank you!

There is life after CHS diagnosis. Everyone is unique, but here is my experience:
When I finally figured out that my problem was CHS I quit smoking or using cannabis. I quit for 4 months and cleaned my system out. I now smoke daily again and try to keep my intake to a modest amount. I guess a modest amount will vary from person to person. I used to smoke a lot, now I try and keep it to 6-10 small bong hits a day. If I smoke too much I start to get sick. You know what it feels like when IT starts coming on. I have a few oxycodone left over from a knee surgery and just before "the point of no return" I take one and go to bed. The moral of my story: enjoy marijuana but try to keep use at a low-moderate level. Best of luck!

Quetzalcoatl · Aug 10, 2014

Michelle said:
There is life after CHS diagnosis. Everyone is unique, but here is my experience:
When I finally figured out that my problem was CHS I quit smoking or using cannabis. I quit for 4 months and cleaned my system out. I now smoke daily again and try to keep my intake to a modest amount. I guess a modest amount will vary from person to person. I used to smoke a lot, now I try and keep it to 6-10 small bong hits a day. If I smoke too much I start to get sick. You know what it feels like when IT starts coming on. I have a few oxycodone left over from a knee surgery and just before "the point of no return" I take one and go to bed. The moral of my story: enjoy marijuana but try to keep use at a low-moderate level. Best of luck!

Please don't take opiates for sleep. If you think cannabis withdrawal is bad, opiate withdrawal will make CHS look like getting to kiss your secret crush.

Glass004 · Aug 10, 2014

Do not smoke pot. Toxic cannabinoids are produced with combustion that are toxic to the hypothalamus causing your CHS. You may eat pot or vaporize it. I discovered the vaporization by going off and on. I got sick with smoking and not sick with super heavy vaporization use. I use an Ascent portable. The taste is better than hash with every hit.
You do not have to give up pot with CHS. Just don't smoke it.

Quetzalcoatl · Aug 10, 2014

Glass004 said:
Do not smoke pot. Toxic cannabinoids are produced with combustion that are toxic to the hypothalamus causing your CHS. You may eat pot or vaporize it. I discovered the vaporization by going off and on. I got sick with smoking and not sick with super heavy vaporization use. I use an Ascent portable. The taste is better than hash with every hit.
You do not have to give up pot with CHS. Just don't smoke it.

Sources for your "toxic cannabinoids" and "hypothalmus" claims? Also you realize FC people that don't smoke and only vaporize don't smoke still get CHS right? It's called CANNABINOID hyperemesis, not CANNABIS hyperemesis.

Detonator · Aug 11, 2014

no bouts of this for a long while now which is great. knock on wood. I really dont even want to talk about it , accept this is the only place I;m keeping a real record of it...

to anyone going through this,,, all things in moderation is my best advice to myself ... I have not done this in the past but I'm trying to now....

Radio · Aug 11, 2014

CentiZen said:
Hey there Nos,

We've been having a bit of a discussion in the "Nausea; the monster" thread in the medical section about this over the past few weeks. I brought up the subject because I had recently been diagnosed with the syndrome by my stomach specialist who was investigating my issues of daily nausea and infrequent attacks of cyclic vomiting which could last for days. Since getting the diagnosis I have been doing a lot of research and personal experimentation to try to understand more about this phenomena.

First things first; this is not propaganda. At all. For the past year I was suffering nearly debilitating nausea every day, especially in the mornings. During this time I was imbibing about .8 - 1.5 grams a day in various methods, most common being vaporizing. I would wake up in the morning and the first thing that I would do is vaporize because of the pain I was in.

About once every three months I would wake up and it would be over. I would be so sick that I could not do anything other than lie in a bed and throw up for days on end. The only thing that could possibly make me feel better was a hot shower; which is a common effect among those suffering from CHS. In fact, it is almost uncanny in the fact that suffers have this in common.

After I was diagnosed with this; I stopped completely for several days and then started enjoying the herb on an infrequent basis. Within the week, my nausea was gone. I just didn't feel sick anymore. Eating no longer made my stomach warble and waking up is not a 4 step process anymore. My life returned back to normal, for lack of a better term. Of course, this is my story and your mileage may differ.

Now what really causes me to scratch my head over this is the cause. I've got three pet theories about why this is happening to people and why it is only coming to light now. The first is that this condition is being brought about in us by the disproportional increase in THC and other choice cannabinoids in selectively bred plants by the growers. It may be possible that other, less known cannabinoids provided an effect on us which allowed our bodies to better handle the more popular molecules; and that this condition is brought on by a buildup of THC that the body cannot process or work with for that reason.

The other is that this effect has always been there; and it is only coming to light now because people are being more open with their doctors about their habit; and more people are taking part in the cannabis culture. It simply serves to reason that as this group increases in size, so do those who are effected by this.

The final one is that it is a plain and simple toxicity issue. Most people that I have discussed these issues with have been huge, unmitigated consumers of the herb. Smoking, eating, vaping; it doesn't matter; everyone has their own way of getting the chemicals in their body, but the point is that they get there anyway. We all know that the toxicity level of THC is somwhere in the degree of 14 kg of raw marijauna; but that may not be the case for other chemicals that are present within the plant. It is very possible that the amount of other chemicals entering the body through the use of marijuana are reaching levels that our body finds toxic when they are being consumed in such large amounts; and that our bodies react as if they being poisoned because of it.

Whatever the reasons are; it's here and it's real; and I challenge anyone who tries to assert otherwise. However, there is no reason that one has to completely stop enjoying the herb; as when it is used in moderation it is still quite harmless.

This is an amazingly genuine account! Reading inspirational things like this remind me that you can stop at anytime and slow down cannabis use with only positive outcomes! This is something that was never known to me, but I am exhibiting it more now in my adulthood than I did in my youth and it's very responsible and respectful to the herb and to ourselves. Kudos to you!

Glass004 · Aug 11, 2014

Quetzalcoatl said:
Sources for your "toxic cannabinoids" and "hypothalmus" claims? Also you realize FC people that don't smoke and only vaporize don't smoke still get CHS right? It's called CANNABINOID hyperemesis, not CANNABIS hyperemesis.

Please look it up yourself, it's easy. I followed the leads and related to my experience. If you were suffering I would try to help you. Please I have no interest in communicating or aurgueing with you, I am unsure of the tone your words convey. I only hope to steer those suffering towards resolution of their symptoms. I am a trained pot smoking scientist available by PM to discuss with those experiencing CHS.

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