There is a rare ailment that effects long term cannabis consumers that’s gotten more attention as cannabis programs open throughout the United States. This condition is called Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. This effects a small percentage of long term cannabis users. All of a sudden you may feel extreme nausea, disorientation, sweating, and begin vomiting. This could persist for up to 3 days, no breaks. Now you don’t need to get paranoid about this happening as this is a rare condition that only effects a small amount of consumers but it would be helpful to know the symptoms, stages, and how to control the symptoms should this ever happen to you.
Most of us use cannabis to ebb a myriad of symptoms such as nausea, headaches, light sensitivities. CHS is the antithetical villain causing a cascade of symptoms cannabis is supposed to assist with not egg on. There are three stages to CHS, let’s get into them. The first stage is called the “Prodromal Phase” and is characterized by consistent early morning nausea accompanying abdominal pain. You would think that consuming cannabis would help but that’s the exact opposite of what it’ll do. Having such pain with nausea may instigate vomiting so you may develop a fear of vomiting during this phase. This phase can last for months or even years prior to escalating. Why does it take so long, how? There is still ongoing research studying CHS and most information comes from personal account from people who have experienced this and been diagnosed. CHS is a newly understood/diagnosable condition, we’re learning as we go.
The second stage is the “Hyperemetic Phase” and is characterized by episodic vomiting, belly pain/bloating, extreme nausea and weight loss. The weight loss is due to being unable to hold down food. This phase lasts up to 3 days. There are a few things someone suffering stage two could do to slow down the symptoms, hot showers and drinking hot tea or room temp water.
The third stage is the recovery stage where symptoms stop, every case is unique so things may not be as sudden a stop for you as others. During this stage people who have had CHS think it is ok to return to cannabis use as the worst of it is over…that would be the beginning of another round with stage 1 & 2.
I hope this finds you well my keys! Consume safely.
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