He was referred to our Pediatric Gastroenterology department when he was 13 years old for initiation of the ketogenic diet. Raising awareness about hyperemesis cannabis syndrome is vital as cannabis use grows. Early recognition and proper treatment can help those affected manage their symptoms and improve their well-being. If you suspect you have CHS, seek guidance from a healthcare professional for the best care and support.

Emetic Phase

  • NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public.
  • There is a need for awareness among the medical community about what cannabis can and cannot do as CHS can lead to death 36.
  • We’re building a community of support and understanding, and your experience matters.
  • It is difficult to get an idea of the true amount of people who suffer from this condition, as many cases are likely not reported or potentially misdiagnosed.

Many people believe that they have the flu when they begin to experience the symptoms of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, but after repeated episodes of vomiting, they may seek a formal diagnosis. At low doses, the effect of cannabis on your brain can have an antiemetic effect that suppresses nausea and vomiting. However, with repeated use in some people, it can have the opposite effect on the digestive tract. This results in the persistent vomiting and nausea characteristic of CHS. Nineteen patients were identified with chronic cannabis abuse and a cyclical vomiting illness.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) and Marijuana Use

cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome diet

The prodromal phase includes early morning nausea, abdominal pain, and fear of vomiting. This stage can persist for months or even years before progressing to full-blown CHS. how long does it take to recover from cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome When you use marijuana for many years, it can start to slowly change how the receptors in your body respond to the cannabinoid chemicals. For example, the drug affects the receptors in the esophageal sphincter, the tight band of muscle that opens and closes to let food go from your throat to your stomach. If this flap doesn’t work properly, your stomach acids might flow upward and cause you to have nausea and vomiting. The connection between food and CHS, while still being researched, suggests that certain compounds in food may interact with the endocannabinoid system, mimicking or amplifying the effects of cannabinoids.

How Is CHS Diagnosed?

They’ll also examine your abdomen and may order tests to rule out other causes of vomiting. Overall, most cannabis users find the experience safe and without any problems. However, sometimes, frequent and heavy cannabis use can have some side effects, one of which is Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS). When you do this, your symptoms usually start to go away in few days to a few months.

Carnett’s sign refers to pain elicited by tensing the abdominal muscles or performing a straight leg raise. Lidocaine patches have been proposed as a means to relax the rectus muscle, potentially alleviating abdominal pain during acute flares 91. 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. Cannabinoids affect the pituitary–adrenal axis and stress-responsive brain regions. Studies suggest that CHS may involve disruption at the hippocampal–hypothalamic–pituitary level 22.

3. Recovery Phase

A systematic review was conducted by 2 independent researchers using PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Central, EMBASE and Google Scholar. For each study, the keywords “cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome,” “nausea,” “vomiting,” and “cannabinoids” were utilized in the search. Eligibility assessment was performed by the independent reviewers (H.S. and S.W.) and disagreements were resolved by consensus. A data extraction excel sheet was developed and used to compile and summarize the relevant studies. Inclusion criteria were established in line with the study objective, where relevant articles underwent data extraction and analysis. People in the hyperemetic phase can take up to 12 hot showers or baths during the day to relieve symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS)

Moreover, coffee also contains other compounds that may interact with the endocannabinoid system. Examples of capsaicin-containing foods include chili peppers in all forms (fresh, dried, powdered), hot sauces, cayenne pepper, paprika, and spicy dishes like curries or stews that incorporate these ingredients. The throwing up can be bad and can cause you to be low on body water. We fix this by giving the water back through the veins and giving drugs to stop the sick feeling and lower the acid in the stomach. Some people call certain symptoms of CHS “scromiting.” The term combines “vomiting” and “screaming.” You may have intense pain, which causes you to alcohol rehab scream while you vomit. Not everyone with the condition seeks medical help or tells their provider that they use marijuana.

This will help to rule out life-threatening causes or diagnoses that confer significant potential morbidity to the patient or to establish the presumptive diagnosis of CHS. History taking should include an inquiry about the patient’s past and present medical illness, medication use, illicit drug use, and therapeutic or recreational use of cannabis. Denial of cannabis use by the patient is typically the biggest stumbling block for clinicians in making a proper diagnosis of CHS. A urine drug screen should be ordered if the patient presents with the typical symptoms of CHS, there is no noted other organic cause, and the patient denies cannabis use. Several previous studies have described the characteristics of frequent and prolonged hot shower use common among patients with CHS. Patients often adopt this behavior to alleviate nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain symptoms of CHS, and some reports have referred to this symptom as CHS as “cannabis hot shower syndrome”.

cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome diet

Patients should be directly questioned about marijuana use and whether symptoms are https://ecosoberhouse.com/ relieved with hot showers. For patients with marijuana use and compulsive hot showers, further work up of their symptoms (e.g., upper endoscopy, abdominal ultrasound, and/or nuclear medicine emptying study) should be avoided. WS is a 54-year-old African American male with a medical history of diabetes mellitus type 2, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and gastroparesis.