Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS): The Dreaded Stomach Ache

For years, cannabis has been praised for its anti-nausea effects—so it’s a cruel twist of fate that heavy, long-term use can cause a brutal condition called Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS). If you’re a chronic user who suddenly finds yourself stuck in a cycle of stomach pain, nausea, and endless vomiting, CHS might be the culprit. And you are NOT going to like the solution.

What the Hell Is CHS?

CHS is a paradoxical reaction to long-term cannabis use. Instead of helping with nausea (like it does for chemo patients), cannabis starts triggering intense and recurring episodes of vomiting, stomach cramps, and nausea. It’s like your body suddenly flips a switch, deciding that cannabis is the enemy.

And here’s the kicker: The only real cure is quitting cannabis completely.

How Does CHS Happen?

Science is still trying to catch up, but here’s what we know:

• THC Messes with Your Gut: Long-term THC exposure can throw your body's natural digestive balance out of whack, specifically affecting the endocannabinoid system (which helps regulate nausea and vomiting).
• Your Brain Gets Confused: Instead of calming nausea, THC starts overstimulating certain brain receptors, leading to uncontrollable vomiting.
• Your Body Fights Back: CHS sufferers often feel relief only by taking hot showers or baths—this is because heat helps override the vomiting signals coming from the brain.

The bottom line? If you’ve been a heavy user for years, CHS can come out of nowhere and make life miserable.

Symptoms: When Weed Turns on You

CHS symptoms come in cycles, with three distinct phases:

1. Prodromal Phase (The Warning Signs)

• Early morning nausea
• Stomach discomfort
• Anxiety about vomiting
• Increasing reliance on cannabis (which only makes things worse)

This phase can last months or even years, and many users don’t recognize it as CHS—yet.

2. Hyperemetic Phase (The Hell Phase)

• Severe, repeated vomiting (think 20+ times a day)
• Excruciating stomach cramps
• Dehydration from nonstop vomiting
• Relief only from hot showers/baths (because of how heat affects cannabinoid receptors)

This is when most people end up in the ER—often misdiagnosed with food poisoning, gastroenteritis, or cyclic vomiting syndrome.

3. Recovery Phase (Only If You Quit Weed)

• Symptoms disappear
• Stomach function returns to normal
• But… symptoms come back if you start using cannabis again

How to Treat CHS (Spoiler: You Won’t Like It)

There’s only one true treatment: Stop using cannabis completely.

That’s it. No magic pill, no strain that’s “better” for CHS—just quitting. Once THC clears out of your system, your gut and brain reset, and the symptoms stop.

That said, if you’re in the middle of an episode, here’s what can help:

1. Hot Showers & Baths: The quickest relief trick—heat overrides the vomiting signals in your brain.
2. Anti-Nausea Meds (Maybe): Some people find relief with meds like Ondansetron (Zofran), but they’re often not very effective.
3. Capsaicin Cream: Weird but true—rubbing capsaicin (the active ingredient in hot peppers) on your stomach can mimic the effects of a hot shower and provide relief.

Final Thoughts: Why me?

If you’re a heavy cannabis user and keep getting hit with nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain, CHS isn’t just a fluke—it’s your body waving a giant red flag.

The only way to stop it? Quit cannabis.

Yeah, it’s a tough pill to swallow (especially when you can’t keep anything down), but ignoring CHS will only keep you stuck in the cycle.

For a small portion of our community, CHS can become completely debilitating.  It sucks.  It’s unfortunate.  For some, the choice is between weed or keeping your stomach from turning inside out.  We're here to support you.