Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome Treatment, Symptoms, More
Content
The gut and brain chatter constantly via the gut-brain axis, a physiologic dialogue the ECS helps orchestrate. THC, for instance, slows gastric emptying, how fast food exits the stomach, easing nausea. A 2011 study in Neurogastroenterology & Motility found THC reduced vomiting in animals by targeting brainstem CB1 receptors (Parker et al., 2011). CBD, meanwhile, tackles inflammation, a root cause of digestive distress.
Hyperemesis induced by cannabis
If you have cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), the best treatment is to stop using weed, even if you’ve been doing it for years with no previous side effects. Once you do that, your repeated nausea and vomiting should go away and not return. Since THC is stored in your body fat, it can take weeks to months before all the symptoms go away and you notice a difference. Smoking extra marijuana won’t help your nausea but will make it worse.
While symptoms begin as mild, they can intensify and increase your risk of severe problems. As a somewhat new problem, CHS is often mistaken for other problems with the same symptoms. When combined with the fact that people may not reveal they use cannabis, getting the right diagnosis can take years. Since its symptoms are easily confused with other conditions, it can take about one to two years before people who seek medical help with CHS get an accurate diagnosis. In one study of frequent cannabis users with potential CHS symptoms, 33% of participants met the definition of CHS. When expanded to the general U.S. population, research indicates that about 2.75 million Americans annually may experience CHS.
Symptoms and Causes
- In addition, since pesticides are not exclusive to cannabis, there would be many similar cases that would not be solved with cannabis abstinence.
- Mindfulness-based meditation is a new approach that promotes inner reflection and acceptance of experiences and negative effects by enhancing present-moment awareness and thus decreases the impact of triggers of use 93.
- A recent study Omri Bar et al. showed 12 genes that were “Highly likely” (SCN4A, CACNA1A, CACNA1S, RYR2, TRAP1, MEFV) or “Likely” (SCN9A, TNFRSF1A, POLG, SCN10A, POGZ, TRPA1) to be CVS-related 48.
- Chronic cannabis use can lower pituitary hormone levels, including the growth hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone, which has been shown to normalize after stopping use 23,24.
- (Recreational use and sale of cannabis in Canada was legalized starting in 2018).
- Haloperidol is traditionally used to treat agitation; however, it has been used successfully as an antiemetic in general surgery and oncology.
However, questions remain about the dosage of cannabis, individual and genetic susceptibility, abstinence period and the inclusion of abdominal pain as a criterion. The clinical effects of volume depletion dominate complications related to CHS. Reports of severe volume depletion resulting in acute kidney injury and severe electrolyte disturbances with rhabdomyolysis have been reported in the literature 49. Severe and persistent vomiting can also lead to Mallory-Weiss tear 47. Benzodiazepines have been shown to be effective in managing acute symptoms of CHS, particularly for their rapid-acting anti-emetic and anxiolytic properties. These medications exert their effects by inhibiting the medullary and vestibular nuclei in the brain, which play a key role in nausea and vomiting regulation.
What Are the Health Complications of CHS?
Here’s what researchers are unraveling https://ecosoberhouse.com/ about this curious condition. If you do use cannabis, quitting can ward off future episodes of CHS. Researchers are still trying to figure out exactly what causes CHS in some people who regularly use cannabis but not others. This article will explain the causes of CHS and the available treatment options. She is a communications expert working with Dr. Green Relief, specializing in creating engaging content that promotes holistic health and well-being.
Your doctor may ask you questions, like how long you’ve been using cannabis and what type of products you normally use. For example, if you smoke weed, eat edibles, use tinctures, or dab or vape THC, tell your doctor about any or all of them. This word is a combination of “screaming” and “vomiting.” You’re in so much pain that you’re screaming while you’re vomiting. It tends to affect people who use cannabis at least once a week and happens more often in adults who’ve been using cannabis since their adolescent years.
This activation leads to the emetic reflex, which includes increased salivation, deep breathing, glottis closure, pyloric sphincter relaxation, retroperistalsis, and abdominal muscle contraction. CHS may involve dysfunction in the sympathetic nervous system 49. This is evidenced by symptoms like rapid heartbeat, sweating, hot flashes, high blood pressure, and tremors, often during the hyperemesis phase 49.
How Common Is CHS?
One of the 4 who recovered went back to using marijuana and the vomiting resumed. They may also prescribe antipsychotic medications such as haloperidol (Haldol) or olanzapine (Zyprexa) to help you calm down as you switch to the recovery phase. The what is Oxford House only way to end CHS symptoms is to completely stop using all marijuana products. After you quit, you may still have symptoms and side effects for a few days to a few weeks. If you have symptoms, your doctor will do a physical exam and ask for your detailed medical history. Let your doctor know how much marijuana you use and how often you use it.
Sustained Recovery
- Recent developments in cannabinoid research have led to the creation of novel modulators aimed at specifically targeting the CB1 receptors, which are integral to the psychoactive effects of cannabis.
- Whether you’re like Sarah, regaining appetite with THC, or John, managing snacking with CBD, informed use unlocks its potential.
- In rodents, indirect measures such as taste aversion and facial expressions are identified to confirm the anti-emetic properties of cannabinoids 18.
- Research suggests that CHS is a permanent condition that can only be effectively treated by quitting cannabis.
Studies indicate that when patients trust their physicians, they are more likely to disclose sensitive health-related behaviors and adhere to medical recommendations 107. This trust also encourages patients to accept a CHS diagnosis, preventing them from seeking unnecessary medical consultations and receiving inappropriate treatments. Amitriptyline is initially started at a low dose of 10 mg at night and gradually increased to 10 mg every 1–2 weeks until the therapeutic effect is achieved 96. Slow up-titration helps to adapt and minimize anticholinergic side effects, including dry mouth, sedation, constipation, postural hypotension, palpitations, chronic fatigue, blurred vision, nightmares, and mild hallucinations. Additionally, gradual titration of the dose prevents cardiac arrhythmias.
- Cannabis contains over 100 different cannabinoids, with delta-9-THC and CBD being the primary compounds.
- CHS may involve dysfunction in the sympathetic nervous system 49.
- The underlying mechanism of the cannabis-induced biphasic effect related to emesis is not clearly understood, but the literature supports the role of the brainstem and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis.
- To diagnose CHS, a healthcare professional will study your symptoms and ask you questions.
- With around 15% of Americans currently using marijuana and the industry rapidly booming, it is important to note any health concerns that may arise through cannabis usage.
Health Conditions
Your health care team will quickly work to fix any dehydration or electrolyte problems. Other pharmacologic alternatives were also explored with mixed to unproven efficacy. Corticosteroids, histamine-receptor antagonists, neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists, serotonin receptor antagonists, and opioids have been explored in case reports and preliminary studies but have not yet adequately proven efficacy 42. Exogenous ligands, such as N-acyl ethanolamines and mono-acyl-glycerols, include notable compounds like THC (which contains a dibenzopyran ring), cannabidiol, cannabigerol, and cannabinol 23,30. These ligands interact with G protein-coupled receptors (GPR), GPR18 and GPR55, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), and TRPV1.