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]
RECOVERING FROM CHS:
- Smoking cessation doesn't have to be permanent, as MJ in itself is not powerfully addictive like nicotine.
- When you are taking a break, quit cold turkey if possible. This greatly speeds the recovery process and there is less risk of secretly indulging.
- Wait until you are out of MJ to take a break. It is much easier to resist the temptation to re-up when it is simply not an available option.
- If you experience intense anxiety, or even nausea, exert the nervous energy. Box in the mirror, go for a sprint, or lift weights - use your body to stand up and 'fight' your symptoms. This also speeds the recovery process, and also will greatly diminish your symptoms, and increase your chances of successfully sleeping.
- Speaking of sleep: if you ever feel tired enough to sleep, do NOT waste the opportunity. Avoid caffeine and other stimulants. Have sleeping aids available, of whatever kind you prefer [Melatonin, chamomile tea // prescription meds can be helpful, I had success with Elavil.]
- Give yourself at least a strict 2 weeks of complete sobriety; don't make deals with yourself.
- Find an opportunity to cry often, even if it makes you feel uncomfortable. The shower is often a good place - sometimes it is the only way to get rid of the anxiety.
- If you smoke tobacco, do NOT quit tobacco at the same time. Also, do not try to smoke more tobacco to compensate for the lack of herb.
- Find things in life to feel 'high' off of. Depression can become a real issue when taking a break from MJ; do not ignore your feelings, or they will grow larger. Make an effort to get out of your house and spend time with people doing things.
- Find activities that provide a rush, especially any experience that can give you goosebumps or feels particularly awesome. This can be anything from putting on some headphones and grooving out to some loud music, or watching a movie at the theatre.
- Do not blame the issues on MJ alone; chances are the accompanying lifestyle choices or just as much to blame. Don't condemn MJ, but respect it as a powerful and incredible substance that should be handled with maturity.
- Reward yourself for your persistence. Buy something new with the money you've saved from not buying baggies.
- Most importantly, do NOT try to make any of your smoking buddies feel guilty or uncomfortable about their own choices. It is their body, not yours. During the recovery process, your friends are some of the best support you can get - if you respect their choices, they are much more likely to take you and your condition seriously.
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.
and a couple of hospital admissions, I was diagnosed with CHS because I was very open about recreational usage. After I received this diagnosis, of course I stopped smoking! But the agony of the endless vomiting continued to take charge.
