Cannabis, Appetite, and Digestion: A Comprehensive Guide to Its Effects and Uses

Patients may also benefit from oral lorazepam tablets, doses between 0.5 to 1 mg every 6 to 8 h on discharge. Benzodiazepines, with their gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonistic actions, inhibit the medullary and vestibular nuclei, causing anti-emetic action. Additionally, anxiolytic and sedative properties aid in counteracting the abnormal sympathetic nervous system response, helping in the reduction in vomiting and decreasing pain perception 67. In this phase, patients gradually resume normal eating and dietary habits. Patients experience complete relief of the symptoms, which can last days, weeks, or even months. The duration of this phase ranges from weeks to months, depending on resuming marijuana use, which may trigger another relapse.

How soon after cannabis hyperemesis syndrome treatment will I feel better?

• The most important thing to make CHS better is stopping marijuana use.
• Without knowing this background, providers often misdiagnose CHS as other conditions, like cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS).
• If this flap doesn’t work properly, your stomach acids might flow upward and cause you to have nausea and vomiting.
• If you are worried about your symptoms, see your doctor or go to the hospital.
• The ECS is actively involved in motility, secretions, emesis, satiety and inflammation 32.

A 2020 review in Frontiers in Endocrinology found that CBD reduced food intake in preclinical models, suggesting a role in appetite suppression (Rossi et al., 2020). Human studies are sparse, but anecdotal reports, like John, a 30-year-old who used 20 mg CBD tinctures to curb late-night snacking, hint at its potential. It is important for people with CHS to stop using marijuana because this will resolve their nausea and vomiting. Preventing dehydration and stopping nausea and vomiting are the treatment goals during the hyperemesis stage of the condition.

Long-term management success relies on patient and physician commitment, availability, and the coordination of regular follow-up visits. Establishing trust and rapport between the patient and physician is crucial. A good patient–physician relationship helps achieve CHS remission sooner and avoids unnecessary diagnostic workups 106. 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. Mood disorders such as anxiety and depression often coexist in patients with CHS 98.

Vasodilatory Effects

One of the 4 who recovered went back to using marijuana and the vomiting resumed. Although it was considered to be rare, the number of cases has increased with Oxford House the legalization of marijuana in many places and the opening of retail stores to easily get it. This has increased both the number of people using the drug and the “high” in the available weed. Researchers are currently studying several treatment options to manage the hyperemetic phase of CHS.

Patients are still able to tolerate a liquid diet in this prodromal phase. In the last decade, several reports describing the structure and function of the CB1R, its allosteric ligands, and their translational potential have increased enormously. Abrupt cessation of cannabis use may cause catatonia from hypoactivity of GABA and dopamine D2 receptors, along with hyperactivity of the glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 71,72.

It often only happens in people who have regularly used marijuana for several years. Some people may feel better with cream (capsaicin) applied to the stomach area. Our patient had a history of diabetes with an HbA1c at goal and a normal nuclear medicine gastric-emptying study (6% retention at 4 hours). He was also on liraglutide, but his symptoms predated this medicine use.

Care at Cleveland Clinic

ECS affects nausea and vomiting pathways in multiple ways, as noted in Fig. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome is thought to occur due to the overstimulation of cannabinoid receptors in the brain and digestive system from heavy or long-term cannabis use. Over time, these receptors may become overactive, leading to the severe nausea and vomiting experienced by people with CHS. https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/meth-addiction-and-abuse-symptoms-and-treatment/ Although cannabis typically reduces nausea, in CHS, it has the opposite effect, causing symptoms to worsen. They should also have the freedom and empowerment to speak up to other team members if they feel that this may be getting overlooked in the diagnostic picture.

These supportive treatments can help people during the hyperemesis stage of the condition, but recovery depends on the person stopping their use of marijuana. However, feeling better after taking a hot shower is very suspicious for this syndrome. For correct diagnosis and treatment, it’s important to be honest with your providers about the length of time and the amount of marijuana you use.

Many times, presentation during the hyperemesis phase may be similar to panic disorder. This similarity could be the reason why CHS tends to respond well to benzodiazepines, especially during these acute episodes. It is essential to treat the underlying mood disorder to achieve cannabis discontinuation and CHS remission. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety is commonly used to assess anxiety, while the Zung Depression Inventory is employed to evaluate depression severity 99,100. Discontinuation of cannabis use in any form is required for complete long-term management of CHS.

A multimodal approach, including structured psychotherapy such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), along with addiction counseling in educating patients about the consequences of cannabis use, is necessary 92. Some patients may require rehabilitation programs to monitor the patient’s progress, ensure treatment adherence, and offer therapeutic support to achieve and maintain recovery. Mutual-help groups such as Marijuana Anonymous are beneficial to patients without access to structured programs. Pathological hot bathing can temporarily relieve CHS symptoms 64.

The only known treatment to permanently get rid of CHS is to stop cannabis use completely. You may have symptoms and side effects of CHS for a few weeks after quitting cannabis. Cannabis can influence appetite and digestion with compounds like THC, CBD, and THCV, offering benefits for weight management, digestive comfort, and overall wellness via the endocannabinoid system. Another doctor reported using a combination of injectable lorazepam and promethazine, another antinausea medication.

Understanding the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and its dual response (pro-emetic at higher doses and anti-emetic at lower doses) is crucial in the pathophysiology of CHS. Recent research noted that type 1 cannabinoid receptors in the intestinal nerve plexus exhibit an inhibitory effect on gastrointestinal motility. At the same time, the thermoregulatory function of endocannabinoids might explain compulsive hot bathing in CHS patients. The prevalence of cannabis CHS is expected to rise as legal restrictions on its recreational use decrease in several states.

Differences Between CHS and Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS)

It has been found that in 3500 BC, Romanian kurgans burned cannabis for ceremonial practices. Additionally, Israeli archaeologists discovered cannabis residues from the eighth-century B.C. Shrine, indicating its use in ancient Jewish religious ceremonies 2. Cannabis was first used for medicinal purposes around 400 AD in the United States (U.S.) 3.