Your provider may run blood tests, urinalysis, or imaging scans like CT or MRI to rule out other conditions. These tests help confirm that you don’t have another illness causing similar symptoms, such as cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS). CVS can look a lot like CHS, but the key difference is the link to prolonged cannabis use. When you stop using cannabis entirely, you can step into the recovery phase.
Trigger food list taken from the Recovery from Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome Facebook group
Further longitudinal studies in patients with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome are needed to corroborate these findings. One study found that 32.9% of self-reported frequent marijuana users who came to an emergency department for care met the criteria for CHS. With the widespread use, increased potency and legalization of marijuana in multiple states in the U.S., CHS may be becoming increasingly common.
Health impact theme
At Hope Harbor Wellness, our outpatient programs focus on helping people break free from substance abuse while also supporting their mental health. We understand how painful and confusing it can be to battle repeated bouts of nausea and vomiting. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) is a condition that develops after prolonged, heavy marijuana use.
Health Conditions
- But once you and your provider identify CHS, you can start working on an effective plan to stop the cycle of vomiting.
- The key risk factors are long-term, frequent and heavy marijuana use.
- An even more troubling piece of the puzzle is that many people who feel nauseated due to CHS may try to use more marijuana to alleviate their symptoms, not realizing they’re only making the problem worse.
- Patients with CVS also have times where they are feeling sick to the stomach and can also throw up for between 12 hours to about a week.
While the exact prevalence of the condition is unknown, many experts say that the condition is on the rise as the number of daily or near daily users of cannabis has increased in chs symptoms and signs the U.S. No one probed her underlying needs, checked on current therapies, explored alternatives — or even taught her how to balance THC and cannabidiol. Miriam finds it alarming that neither the doctor nor the dispensary staff warned her of CHS — a foreseeable risk, however rare, that she would have recognized in her own profile if it had been described.
Venkatesan et al have proposed a new criterion for CHS with the use of clinical features, cannabis use patterns including duration and frequency, and symptoms resolution after at least 6 months of cessation 48. 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. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, a very rare condition, often results from the chronic and heavy use of marijuana.
Topical Capsaicin Cream
If vomiting alcoholism is so frequent that you’re dangerously dehydrated, you might need hospital care. In that setting, medical staff can give you IV fluids, add electrolytes, and provide nutrition if you can’t keep food down. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), or cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, is caused by long-term cannabis (marijuana) use. People who have CHS experience repeated and severe bouts of nausea, vomiting, dehydration and stomach pain. With the expanding acceptance and legalization of cannabis worldwide, healthcare providers face a crucial imperative to accurately identify CHS amidst a sea of similar clinical presentations. The ramifications of misdiagnosing CHS can extend far beyond financial burdens, potentially obstructing the timely recognition of life-threatening conditions and compromising the quality of care and life for affected individuals.
