Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

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CHS?

New Member
Has anyone ever heard of such a disease/thing? I am nearly positive that I am suffering from it, so I am starting a thread on the topic and I'd love any input from the community. If you have never heard of Cannabinoid Hyperemsis Syndrome, google it, read up, and come back for the talk. Educated or uneducated, your opinion is welcome. :)

To start us off, I'm going to repost a LONG reply I made to a thread found here researching Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. I am WAY too lazy to retype the majority of my story in a way that would make sense for a new post on the subject (and I'm sure y'all can understand). So here ya go:

CVS Sufferer,

While I have not been diagnosed with CHS, I have been suffering from recurring nausea and vomiting for 3 years that, in the last few months, has become a nearly weekly occurrence. I have been hospitalized for it twice since February 2013. Up until about 5 days ago, I smoked roughly 3 grams of quality bud per day for the past 8 years. I am 26 years old, male, and have no health problems aside from this.

As far as symptoms are concerned, they began about 3 years ago when I would wake up feeling nauseated. Shortly after the nausea started, I'd vomit once and (after smoking) I would feel better. This continued off and on without me giving it much thought until February of this year, when I was floored by intractable vomiting for about 48 hours. I couldn't keep anything down (not even water), and the only time I felt like I didn't want to die was when I was in a hot shower. When the vomiting and nausea finally relented after that first episode, I chalked the experience up to acute gastroenteritis. However, about three days later, I woke up feeling nauseated. I went to work as usual, but by noon I was throwing up unstoppably again and had to go home. By the time evening came around, I could eat light food like white rice and slept. But as soon as I awoke the next morning, I had the same stomach pains and nausea. Again I went to work and again the unstoppable vomiting kicked in right around midday. The only thing that brought relief was a hot shower or bath. So long as I was under hot water, I felt alright.

This process went on for a few weeks until I finally said "screw it" and went to an urgent care clinic. I was referred to a gastroenterologist and had just about every test you can think of relating to the GI tract (CT scans, xrays, EGDs, barium swallows -- you name it). Absolutely nothing wrong (minus a wonderfully obvious hiatal hernia from the constant vomiting). Great blood work, no known allergies, perfect vitals -- I was and am perfectly fine minus the nausea and vomiting (well, and I am now severely underweight for my height). So I continued smoking and stuck to a very light diet, and also began taking Prilosec daily. After a week or so of no symptoms, I thought my problems were cured. But I ended up in the hospital over Easter weekend after 3 days of vomiting and being unable to keep anything down. While there, my WBC spiked and the attending nurse practitioner put me on two antibiotics (CIPRO and flagyl). My symptoms seemed to improve and, once I finished the antibiotics, I thought all was well. Until the same damned thing happened again about a week later.

My last episode of vomiting began last Friday evening and last well into Saturday morning. After getting some sleep, I again researched my symptoms for the thousandth time and I again found no explanation. Until I added 'hot showers' to the list. That did the trick and my search results were immediately flooded with a new answer: CHS. My immediate thought was BS. I mean, how could a known antiemitc cause hyperemesis? That makes no sense. But the more I read into the published medical journals and case studies, the more I think I have my answer. My symptoms match up almost identically to the Simonetto/Mayo Clinic case study. Unlike CVS, I have no history of migranes, no fever or diarrhea during episodes, and absolutely no issues with nausea as a child. (Up until three years ago, I could count the number of times I had thrown up on two hands.) On top of this, I am not triggered by any specific foods, nor is there a discernable pattern to the vomiting episodes.

At this point, I have been completely abstinent from ze herb for 5 days and I have already noticed improvement. Although I, too, was skeptical about CHS at first, I just do not know what else could be causing the problem. Although I absolutely love to get high, at my current weight/height (I am 6'1" and 129lbs now) I am quickly running out of options. If I can't find a solution to this problem soon, it will literally kill me. And I'll be damned if I gonna become the first known death directly related to marijuana consumption.

So if you're still around reading this (or if any other posters with similar diagnoses or symptoms are either), I would love your opinion. Also, I am happy to answer any questions about it y'all have. Fire away. At this point, I feel like I probably know more about CHS than most doctors. I have read and digested every published article and case study on the topic at this point (and since I have access to the pay-to-view articles through family in the medical field, I've done a LOT of reading on the subject).
 

remyaz0

Well-Known Member
I replied in the other thread I think your full of crap try changing your lifestyle get tested for celiac it can be as bad as you are. If its pot, your one in a million, sounds like a bullshit study that will just be used as a reason that medicaid costs would go up if pot was legal... Its also a trend that celiac a very hard to diagnose GI disease is becoming much more common in the united states, and what do ya know its the same fucking symptoms btw, probably due to the high % of gluten in the strains of wheat we predominantly use. Give me links to studies that have more than a few years of findings like celiac... ,,!,,
 

remyaz0

Well-Known Member
Yea I think he smoked what this guy smoked,

[video=youtube;TCm_srXvB0c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCm_srXvB0c[/video]
 

CHS?

New Member
No need to be an asshole. I'm certainly not full of shit, nor am I on here lying or trying to make pot look evil/bad. I fucking love pot. Love, love, love it. But I'm still clean since my last post and I'm feeling better everyday. Once I've detoxes for a few months, I'll go right back to smoking, but I'll certainly be doing it less frequently. I don't care how great pot is, nothing's worth being this sick. Especially a fucking buzz.

Out of all of the studies I've read, this is the most thorough. If you can actually read and understand medical journals and research, you'll be able to find every major study on CHS linked in this article.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3538402/
This is a 98-patient case study published by the Mayo Clinic. Maybe you've heard of them?
 

CHS?

New Member
Also, it's definitely not Celiac. Celiac comes with anemia, and all of my blood work is perfect. Maybe you missed the part where I've been seeing gastroenterologists regularly for months and have been tested and tested again for every GI problem known to man?
 

CHS?

New Member

CHS?

New Member
That's definitely not the problem either. I know how to tell moldy and mite-y bud from clean bud. I've grown it myself, sold it en masse and on a small level, and I only smoke the best of the best. You aren't talking to an uneducated 'head who'll smoke shit that rode into this country in a semi tire. If I use my pocket scope and see anything even slightly out of the ordinary, I won't buy it.

None of that really matters at the moment though, since it's been nearly two weeks without smoking now. I'm putting weight back on and I haven't even felt nauseated since the last episode I mentioned.

Look, folks. I'm not trying to tell you everyone will develop this problem, nor am I trying to tell you to stop smoking. I'm just trying to help others understand what their problem MIGHT be if their symptoms are similar to mine. What have you got to lose by quitting for a month or two if they are?
 

T444

Member
Hi,
I experienced the same thing with non-stop vomiting for 2 days, they took me to the emergency room and I rec'd 2 IV's. I had other episodes of getting sick at work and extreme stomach pains. I had an endoscopy done, found nothing. After doing my own self test, it came down to coffee (of all things). I had been a coffee drinker for several years with absolutely no issues. I don't know what changed, but whenever I have the slightest amount of coffee, it's near death for me. Since cutting coffee out, I haven't had any of the issues:) I've only had relief from smoking, never what you described. Are you a coffee drinker? Good luck
 

CHS?

New Member
As to coffee, not really. I used to drink a cup most mornings at work, but once the vomiting started frequently at the beginning of this year, it was the first thing I thought to cut out. I haven't had caffeine at all since early January, so that wasn't it. I definitely appreciate the input though, and I'm glad to hear you're in good health.

Also, on a different note, I used marijuana to help alleviate the symptoms (or so I thought), and it would generally work. About the only time I could eat was right after smoking. I didn't come to conclusion that marijuana was causing my problem until I stumbled upon an article about CHS while researching Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (a similar disorder that usually comes with migraines).
 

h0psin

Member
So let me get this straight... when you stop smoking for small periods of time you, have bad nausea and all sorts of other GI problems. It sounds to me like you're just experiencing psychological withdrawal. It makes sense that a hot shower would help you relax a little bit because you're so stressed out from not smoking any bud. I know someone that withdrawals like heroin almost when he stops smoking. He throws up , gets sweats and chills at the same time, he cant eat anything, has trouble sleeping, etc etc... Which also makes sense that the more time off weed you have the better you start feeling. Piece the puzzle together mah dude...

Much respect,

One Love
 

CHS?

New Member
No. Not at all. You've got me backwards. The problems were there while I smoked frequently at my normal pace (3-4 grams of killer shit a day). When I stopped smoking a few weeks ago, the problems stopped. They're still gone, and I haven't smoked since. (Hell, at this point I could probably pass a piss test for the first time in 8 years.) I did piece the puzzle together. It was the smoking that caused the problem.
 

chuck estevez

Well-Known Member
No. Not at all. You've got me backwards. The problems were there while I smoked frequently at my normal pace (3-4 grams of killer shit a day). When I stopped smoking a few weeks ago, the problems stopped. They're still gone, and I haven't smoked since. (Hell, at this point I could probably pass a piss test for the first time in 8 years.) I did piece the puzzle together. It was the smoking that caused the problem.
so, you fixed your problem and you are now a Non-smoker and your here at the marijuana growing forum spreading ????????????

not sure of your real goal here, you made your point, but yet your still standing on your soapbox yelling for anyone to listen. Don't you think it's time for you to move on and live your new smoke free life with like minded people?
 

CHS?

New Member
Why are you such an ass about this? I'm not on a soapbox. And I never said I've quit forever. I still love marijuana. I don't think it's bad just because my own choice to smoke way too much for so long made me sick. I'm not anti-pot now, nor do I like the people who are.

I'm here to get the opinions of other people who have the same problem. Especially if they went back to smoking later and were fine, or if they found a better way to get high without the side effect (like vaping or cooking it, etc.)

If you don't have anything positive to add to the conversation, maybe it's you who should move on; go back to one of the growing forums or something. Only a jerk is gonna sit here and take potshots at a sick person discussing his problem in the medicinal section.
 

Canna Connoiseur

Active Member
If it was actually an issue for you antibiotics would not have alleviated your situation like you stated. Change up your lifestyle and see if anything changes. I am sure there are people in the world that are nauseous everyday and vomit daily that don't smoke weed.
 

h0psin

Member
Im just trying to point out that it was most likely not weed at all that made you sick. I understand that weed effects people differently but i know many many people that smoke a lot of weed every day of there lives and never have any problems like this. Maybe you are at a very stressful point in your life. Also weed with high CBD's can make you nauseous and light headed. But i really highly doubt smoking a lot of dank all day for 8 years straight can make you wanna throw up when you smoke. Especially since THC is anti emetic. So my conclusion is you either smoke high CBD weed and it wasnt cured/ grown properly, or you are having a lot of stress in your life. Stress can cause a lot of problems that down show up on medical test. Where is your scientific evidence to back this "theory" of yours up?
 

bunnyface

Well-Known Member
Hey, i agree with chuck though, why come here and start a profile called cannabinoidhyperemsissysndrome,chs?,
,and start two threads about a quite frankly very small chance of occurring problem people can get? Im sure other people are making good points but i guess it would be like if you got drunk everyday you would be more likely to get alcohol poisoning. Dont get me wrong im glad you feel better but i wouldnt attribute it just to pot... I have a friend who while he stayed in town had pretty much the same problems as you, except it was mostly coming out from his guts and shitting all the time. 3 doctors later they didnt know what it was... So he got a cold and didnt smoke for a week and his gut stopped being funny, he changed his diet while ill but thought it was the pot basically,, maybe you just need a detox,? Or as someone said you were smoking too much for your body and getting the body wanting pot but just too full.. Sorry if i dont make senese,,stoned chimp here...
infact sounds like your a pot-a-holic with those symptoms....
take it easy....
 
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