A 23-year-old woman from the United States, who had been to the emergency room of a hospital almost every month for two years with the same symptoms of nausea, abdominal pain and uncontrollable vomiting, now has some relief. Doctors have diagnosed her with Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS). People who regularly consume high doses of cannabis for extended periods of time are vulnerable to this illness, which is marked by episodes of extreme nausea and vomiting.
According to the American Journal of Case Reports, the patient was initially diagnosed with gastroparesis, a disorder where the stomach doesn't empty completely, as the source of her problems. The patient had diabetes, which is also a common symptom of the intestinal condition.
Her digestive system had been scanned previously and the results were normal, and the medication provided to treat gastroparesis wasn't working. According to the report, the doctors didn't start thinking about a new diagnosis until she revealed that she frequently used cannabis.
The patient's urine tested positive for cannabis on one of her hospital visits and she admitted that she smoked cannabis at least five times a week. She also claimed that she smoked two days before her most recent visit. However, smoking didn't ease her symptoms. She mentioned that only hot baths helped her get some rest.
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Hot baths and showers are beneficial but giving up cannabis is the only way to permanently treat CHS, as per the report. After receiving the diagnosis, the patient sought counselling to assist her in quitting cannabis. She was successful for two months and remained symptom-free. However, nausea and vomiting returned when she started smoking cannabis again.
The case of this patient, according to the authors of the case study, highlights the significance of taking a full drug history into account for all patients, particularly those who experience acute nausea and vomiting that only subsides in a hot shower or bath. They also note that with the legalization of the drug in 21 states in the United States, hospitals might see widespread diagnosis of the disease.
