My sober app says I am quitting because “weed makes me violently ill”. I’ve been using weed as a crutch for so many things for longer than I could ever imagine I would. It became part of my identity… I suffered from chronic pain and I used that excuse to continue smoking. I suffer from anxiety and I used that excuse to continue smoking. When it didn’t work anymore, I just smoked stronger stuff or smoked more often. Got to the point where I was smoking at least two joints the super strong but every day or taking rosin hits.
I started becoming violently ill, and then I was using the weed to help with that too… And intermittently over years I would get this unexplainable vomiting spells that would sometimes land me in the hospital with dehydration. I would eventually quit during this just because I didn’t even want to smoke. And then I’d go right back to it as if nothing ever happened.
Until this last time, my husband and I were doing research on what was happening with me. I was literally screaming and vomiting at the same time. The only relief I would have would be taking super hot showers. After some Google searching, I learned about CHS and I couldn’t believe how many of the symptoms I had and how long. I was waking up every morning prior to this incident, feeling nausea, and we would just joke about it and chalk it up to old age.
I finally admitted to my doctor what was going on because the nausea and vomiting spell was so bad he had never even heard of CHS. But he did his research too and agreed that it could very well be that but the only way to tell would be for me to quit smoking and see if these spells come back.
It’s been 46 days now. I haven’t had another spell, but obviously it hasn’t been enough time to really tell. The nausea in the morning is long gone and I’m starting to come back to life inways I never experienced before. I’ve been smoking regularly for well over 10 years. If I’m being honest with myself, I’ve probably only had a couple of lengthy breaks in 20 years. Mostly because of pregnancy.
So now I have to deal with the boredom, the sadness, the overwhelmed all on my own. I’ll admit it’s getting easier. I did have a lot of physical withdrawal symptoms when I first quit so much so that the idea of smoking again is not at all appealing. I don’t wanna have to deal with CHS but I also don’t want to have to deal with those withdrawals. I miss it all the time. I’ve lost some friends because of not smoking. The first month was absolute hell but it’s starting to really get better. I wouldn’t say I have a lot of energy or anything like that yet, but it’s getting better.
I just wanted to share my story in case there’s anyone out there that’s having similar symptoms and doesn’t know what it is. If you are look up Cannabinoid Hypermesis Syndrome.