- Desiree Haight, 46, from Calgary, Canada, was plagued by constant nausea and vomiting last year
- She was hospitalized in November 2018 after she vomited 30 times in one day
- Doctors diagnosed her with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, characterized by severe bouts of vomiting in chronic marijuana users
- CHS is believed to be caused by THC in weed altering receptors in the gut that control many physiological processes
- Like many sufferers, Haight said hot showers were the only thing that relieved symptoms, although why is not understood
A Canadian woman discovered that her intense bouts of vomiting and constant nausea were due to her regular marijuana use.
Last year, Desiree Haight found it so difficult to keep food down that she dropped 30 pounds, from 150 pounds down to 120.
Things
came to a head in November when she wound up in the emergency room in
her hometown of Calgary after she threw up 30 times in one day, reported
BuzzFeed News.
At first, doctors assumed the 46-year-old either had food poisoning or a stomach virus.
But
one emergency room physician said her symptoms seemed familiar and
asked if she smoked marijuana and if hot showers gave her relief.
When
she answered 'yes', that's when he diagnosed her with a little-known
condition called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) in which chronic
cannabis users vomit incessantly without explanation.
Desiree
Haight, 46 (left and right), from Calgary, Canada, suffered constant
nausea and intense bouts of vomiting last year. She was first
hospitalized in 2005 for the same symptoms, but doctors were unable to
diagnose her
In 2018, Haight (pictured) found it so difficult to keep food down that she dropped 30 pounds, from 150 pounds down to 120
CHS is a recently discovered, but poorly understood, condition caused by long-term cannabis use.
The
syndrome occurs in heavy marijuana users, those who smoke at least 20
times a month, who have recurrent and severe bouts of nausea, vomiting
and abdominal pain.
The number of people affected by CHS is unclear, although its prevalence could be in the millions.
In Canada, where recreational marijuana was legalized last year, the numbers of people with the condition could rise.
The first study to
report on the phenomenon was led by Mount Barker Hospital in Australia,
where researchers realized patients who had repeated attacks of
vomiting had one thing in common: chronic cannabis use.
Out
of 10 participants, seven who stopped using cannabis saw their symptoms
resolve. The three who refused to abstain saw their symptoms continue.
Several studies have since confirmed
the original findings by the Australian researchers, with many reports
stating that people find relief from their symptoms by taking hot
showers.
Haight also said that hot showers were the only thing that could abate her nausea.
'The
only thing that makes you feel better is hot water,' she said. 'As soon
as that hot water hits you, it's over, you could run a marathon.'
She told BuzzFeed News that the first time she experiencing the debilitating symptoms was in 2005.
'It just grips you like fog. There's no way out of it,' she said. 'You retch probably 30, 40 times a day minimum.'
Haight was hospitalized for three months and needed a feeding tube because she would vomit anything she ate.
She was hospitalized in November after she vomited 30 times in one day. Pictured: Haight, left, with family members
One doctor
recognized her symptoms and diagnosed Haight (left and right) with
cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. The condition is characterized by
severe bouts of vomiting in chronic marijuana users
At one point, her weight dropped to just 96 pounds.
No
tests could diagnose her condition and, when she was referred to a
psychiatrist, he told her she was in 'fight-or-flight mode'.
So, when she finally received a diagnosis 13 years later, she felt relief.
Doctors aren't sure what causes the mysterious condition but, according to a 2017 study conducted
by Dr Cecilia Sorensen, an emergency medicine physician at the
University of Colorado Hospital, the answer lies in the endocannabinoid
system.
The endocannabinoid system is a
group of lipid signalling molecules - called endocannabinoids, often
thought of as the body's own 'natural cannabis' - and their receptors.
These
receptors control many physiological processes including food intake,
energy balance, reward, and mediating the effects of cannabis.
'These receptors are all over our gut,' Dr Sorensen told Popular Science.
'They're in our intestines, our colon, and they have a role in
regulating gastric and intestinal motility to control the propulsion of
food and fluids.'
She says too much of
THC, the psychoactive compound responsible for the euphoric and 'high'
feeling often associated with marijuana, could damage the receptors.
'This
alters your gut motility,' she told the website. 'Anytime your gastric
motility is obstructed, you get really severe abdominal pain and nausea.
It's a severe, spasmodic pain that basically results in
overstimulation.'
Physicians also only
have theories as to why hot showers help, one being that it helps
sufferers distract themselves from their discomfort.
Researchers
wrote in the current report that the patient received a topical cream
containing capsaicin, the main component of chili peppers.
CHS is believed to be caused by
THC in weed altering receptors in the gut that control many
physiological processes. Pictured: Haight, left with a friend
Like many sufferers, Haight
(pictured) said hot showers were the only thing that relieved symptoms,
although why is not understood. She has since stopped using marijuana
According to a 2011 article from
Harvard Women's Health Watch, capsaicin is believed to relieve pain by
releasing a chemical called substance P that transmits pain signals from
nerves to the brain.
After the cream is applied several times, stores of substance P deplete in the body and fewer pain signals are transmitted.
The
only known cure of CHS is stopping marijuana use altogether. Several
studies suggest that complete relief takes seven to 10 days.
Haight told BuzzFeed News that she stopped smoking right after she was diagnosed.
It took more than a month, however, to recover and start eating again.
'You
can stop the weed but to get eating again is a nightmare, but you've
got to do it,' she said.
'For me, I've smoked enough in my lifetime to
last me a lifetime.'
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