Northeast Ohio doctors are increasingly noticing that some people who use marijuana daily are developing cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome.
A few people who consume marijuana frequently will develop severe abdominal pain and uncontrollable vomiting, doctors say.
Many hospitals have been reporting a rise in cases. Emergency room doctors in the U.S. and Canada saw twice as many cases in 2021 as they did four years before, according to a Journal of the American Medical Association article published in October.
Cannabis typically reverses feelings of nausea, so doctors aren't sure what causes such a severe reaction, said Dr. Ryan Marino, a University Hospitals medical toxicologist.
“No one has elucidated the underlying pathophysiology of why some people react to cannabis in a way that has paradoxical, completely opposite effects that almost everyone else has," he said.
People who suffer from cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome also don’t respond to standard therapies for food poisoning or the flu, Marino said, adding that patients report hot showers, heating pads or a special cream are helpful.
“The Capsaicin — the hot pepper — cream can actually be helpful," Marino said. "People have reported literally just putting hot sauce on their abdomen at home and having success from that.”
He advised people with symptoms to go to the hospital because dehydration and potential resulting kidney damage are risks of trying to manage the illness at home.
Identifying a trend
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome was first described in 2004, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Doctors may be noticing more cases over the last few years because more states have legalized marijuana, and there’s been an increased focus on possible medical effects, Marino said. THC potency has also increased over the years, which some doctors link to the digestive upset.
More people may have had the syndrome in the past, Marino said, but doctors may have diagnosed it as cyclical vomiting disorder, which is similar.
"I think people are seeing more of this just because they're able to recognize it, not necessarily because we're seeing massive outbreaks of cannabinoid hyperemesis," Marino noted.
There is currently no cure for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. Once someone experiences it, they will likely be unable to tolerate cannabis in the future, Marino said.
