Initial symptoms are feeling sick to the stomach, belly pain and the feeling like you may throw up. After about years of chronic marijuana use, patients begin to have a strong feeling of sickness, throwing up, and belly pain. This is normally when people go see a doctor to find out what is causing these problems. They start to feel better when they stop using marijuana but can feel bad if they use it again. The exact mechanism isn’t fully understood, but researchers believe the extreme heat from hot water affects the hypothalamus—the brain region that regulates both temperature and vomiting.
Skin Care
Severe bouts of vomiting can lead to electrolyte abnormalities, dehydration, and kidney injury. The final “recovery” phase begins when a patient abstains from cannabis and their symptoms subside. The primary symptoms of CHS are intense and persistent nausea and vomiting. People with this condition vomit extensively, often without warning, and can vomit up to five times per hour.
Hyperemetic Phase
It’s like something is biting me and then twisting inside me harder and harder and harder. I’ve learned to use a tea kettle as a heating pad for my stomach to divert the pain. I never vomited but would have coughing fits in the mornings when I was a daily user. What’s unlikely is that CHS is attributable entirely to pesticide contamination, as some cannabis advocates have suggested.
Can you have CHS without vomiting?
Symptoms will usually improve after 1 or 2 days, as long as you don’t use cannabis during this time. I started smoking weed when I was 19 or 20 (I’m 23 now) and started seeing possible CHS symptoms when I was 21. He also warned that people with serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, should be cautious about marijuana use, as studies show cannabis can exacerbate the effects of those illnesses. Ultimately, the only way to guarantee health is by totally abstaining, he added. If the patient quits cannabis consumption, vomiting due to CHS largely subsides.

More often than not, an eating disorder acts partly as a coping mechanism. Many who suffer from anorexia describe the need to “have control over something” in a world where they feel they otherwise do not. The restriction of food may provide a sense of security, structure, or order that feels reassuring. This complex illness develops brilliantly over time, beginning as a functional coping mechanism for the individual. In the first phase of CHS (the prodromal phase), you don’t vomit. This word is a combination of “screaming” and “vomiting.” You’re in so much pain that you’re screaming while you’re vomiting.
When should I call my healthcare provider?
- While the exact mechanism is not fully understood, it is hypothesized that the chronic exposure to cannabinoids leads to dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system and other physiological pathways.
- A 2017 review of studies found that 97.4 percent of people who developed CHS reported using cannabis at least weekly.
- I have had CHS since September 21′, and have recently started what I think is another hyperemesis stage.
- Doctors named the condition Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (abbreviated as CHS), but had very little information on why it happened or how to treat it.
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) can affect people who use cannabis (marijuana) long-term. Many people experience temporary relief from their nausea and https://ecosoberhouse.com/ vomiting when bathing in hot water. Some people with CHS may compulsively bathe in hot water for hours a day to find relief. Severe nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain are the hallmark symptoms of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). The word “cannabinoid” refers to compounds uniquely found in cannabis, and “hyperemesis” means severe vomiting. Patients are often diagnosed with the syndrome based on the way they treat their own symptoms.
There are some drugs that may help, such as amitriptyline, Camilleri said. Other theories behind rising cases include the widespread legalization and cultural acceptance of cannabis, as well as the higher tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in modern marijuana, experts told the NewsHour. What was causing this intense stomach pain, Brittany wondered as she rode in an ambulance one late night in February. Below are some of the services available to help you quit marijuana and other drugs based on where you live. If you have any concerns or questions about the treatment options, please speak to your doctor.

How common is cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome?
- When people are sick, they can also sweat and just not feel right.
- If you stop using marijuana, your symptoms should not come back.
- Nausea ceases, appetite resumes, body weight is regained, and bathing/showering regimen returns to normal.
- Typically, patients can only find relief from intense and persistent nausea by taking hot baths or showers.
I had a CT scan and it showed nothing, upon finding out that I smoke weed everyday, the doctor implied my pain may be due to CHS. I feel silly for quitting weed when it helps my anxiety so much. My “episodes” are just discomfort at this point and it seems like a little nug would really help.
Severe cases may require hospitalisation until symptoms improve. Treating scromiting usually starts with stopping cannabis completely. The term comes from combining screaming and vomiting, and it describes a serious symptom of Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS). Our men-only program creates a safe space where you can be vulnerable, explore the root causes of your marijuana use, and connect with others who understand your experience. Whether you’re experiencing CHS or struggling with marijuana dependence and withdrawal, breaking free requires commitment alcoholism and often professional support. Research shows that sleep problems are often the most persistent symptom and a common reason for relapse.

This could lead to serious health conditions (caused by malnutrition), and possible organ failure. Cannabinoids are found in the cannabis plant and bind to cannabinoid receptors found in our brains, gastrointestinal tracts and immune cells. Cannabinoids include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG). I have had CHS since September 21′, and have recently started what I think is another hyperemesis stage.
Cannabis researcher Ethan Russo recently published a new study which found 5 statistically significant mutations chs in CHS patients. Importantly, they are all mutations that are not found in frequent cannabis users without CHS symptoms. These genes impact the TRPV1 receptor, dopamine receptors, and the enzyme CYP2C9 (which is responsible for metabolising THC in the liver).
