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When you think about smoking weed or eating an edible, you might imagine a nice, euphoric experience where your blanket suddenly feels a million times softer and your music sounds more ... music-y ... than ever before.
And if you live in the Pacific Northwest, where the nearest dispensary is often a stone’s throw away, maybe you treat yourself to an after-work gummy or a calming smoke walk with some friends to channel some of these giggly experiences.
For some people, however, their much-loved cannabis use can suddenly turn into a nightmare when their favorite strains of weed start causing severe abdominal pain, nausea and cyclical vomiting — a condition called cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS).
What is cannabis hyperemesis syndrome?
CHS is characterized by three components:
- Several years of cannabis use without experiencing symptoms of the condition
- Cyclical patterns of hyperemesis — a condition that causes severe nausea and vomiting — that occurs every few weeks or months while actively using cannabis
- Symptoms stopping after cannabis use stops
Because one of the components of CHS includes long-term cannabis use, there’s no need to worry if you’re not a frequent user — it’s highly unlikely that your occasional cannabis use is going to result in you spending hours by the trash can, or worse, a trip to the emergency department (although, results may vary if you’re mixing it with alcohol or other drugs).
And even if you are a long-term cannabis user who is experiencing nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain, don’t automatically assume it’s due to your cannabis use; it could be something entirely unrelated.
What to do if you suspect cannabis hyperemesis syndrome
If you start experiencing symptoms, first go to your doctor to get checked out, says Denise Walker, PhD, a researcher at the University of Washington Center for Cannabis Research.
“Your doctor will do a careful medical history, including of your cannabis use, to rule out other disorders,” she says. “Sometimes, symptoms of CHS overlap with symptoms from other diagnoses unrelated to cannabis use, such as cyclical vomiting syndrome, appendicitis or ectopic pregnancy.”
Most importantly, Walker says to share everything with your doctors. There’s no shame in cannabis use. If you’re not being honest, you might not get the treatment you need — and no one wants to be sick (like, hugging the toilet, sick) for longer than they have to be.
Plus, Walker says that CHS often gets misdiagnosed as other conditions when people aren’t forthcoming about their cannabis use.
If your vomiting, nausea or abdominal pain are constant or severe, bypass the visit with your primary care doctor entirely and go straight to the emergency department.
“As with any repeated vomiting condition, there are risks associated with dehydration and electrolyte imbalances,” says Walker. “There is also the possibility of damage to the esophageal wall. If the vomiting is uncontrolled, these risks increase the need to seek emergency medical care.”
What to know if you’re diagnosed with cannabis hyperemesis syndrome
Currently, the only definitive treatment for CHS is abstinence (yes, so sorry).
This can be especially hard — and maybe seem unfair to some — considering the condition doesn’t affect all long-term cannabis users. And as of right now, it’s not known why some people experience CHS and others don’t.
“It’s kind of a mystery, but we do know that folks who are more at risk for CHS are those who tend to be younger — adolescence to young adulthood — and those who heavily use high-potency cannabis,” says Walker.
New research also suggests that people affected by CHS may have genetic differences than regular cannabis users who don’t develop CHS.
Once you put your favorite lighters in a drawer and gift your go-to edibles to a friend, it typically takes between two to three weeks of abstinence to feel better and for symptoms to ease. If you’re not totally sold on abstinence quite yet, Walker says some people find temporary relief from symptoms through hot showers or baths.
“Some doctors recommend different forms of antipsychotic and antidepressant medications to ease symptoms, but the early research suggests that these additional medications don’t work in the absence of quitting cannabis use,” says Walker.
This means, yes, it’s better to quit cannabis entirely than to continue dealing with the symptoms. You can always talk with your doctor or a therapist if you’re struggling with staying away from the substance — they’re there to support you wherever you are on that journey.
What to do after stopping cannabis
If you’re a long-term user, stopping cannabis use will mean a significant lifestyle change. It won’t be easy, so make sure you have supportive friends and family to encourage you (and maybe seek out people who don’t use cannabis, too).
Ultimately, while being high can reduce anxiety and make the most mundane things hilarious, if you’re someone who is affected by CHS, it’s probably not worth these symptoms. Life can be just as fun and colorful without cannabis, pinky promise.
So, if you’re a cannabis connoisseur who knows your local budtenders by name, you don’t need to stop or slow your consumption quite yet — just be aware of your body and take note of any symptoms that start to come up, if any.
