Why do people puke or get nausea from weed?

[Euphoric7]

If grass is supposed to suppress nausea and such why do I frequently hear of people who have "smoked too much" and ended up violently puking or feeling really nauseous until their high came down?

It just doesn't add up to me; any clarifying?

And how can you stop this?

Euphoric7 Reviewed by Euphoric7 on 08-04-2008. Why do people puke or get nausea from weed? If grass is supposed to suppress nausea and such why do I frequently hear of people who have "smoked too much" and ended up violently puking or feeling really nauseous until their high came down? It just doesn't add up to me; any clarifying? And how can you stop this? Rating: 5

[TheMetal1]

I got this from a thread that I started awhile back. BirdGirl seems to have some street cred when it comes to medical matters. :thumbsup:

the correlation between cannabis smoking and nausea/vomiting aggravation does indeed exist for a small percentage of the cannabis-using population. Cannabis more frequently quells, or suppresses, nausea and vomiting for most people. But the same CB1 receptors in the area of the brain that control nausea/vomiting (and memory, perception, movement and other things) can sometimes be provoked in a way that aggravates nausea and vomiting rather than suppresses it. From what we've seen reported in this area, the people for whom it aggravates nausea or vomiting is a much smaller percentage of the population. I'd say only one or possibly two users in every 30 have the pro-nausea/vomiting response. Far more get the more desirable nausea-vomiting suppression response.

Makes sense, though, if you consider the unpredictable nature of how other medicines affect different people different ways. Same thing with cannabis if you consider that out of 10 users, 8 might get a pleasant, euphoric high whereas two might respond with panic and heart-racing. It's just clear evidence that cannabis, like all drugs, affects different brains different ways, not all of them pleasantly. Doesn't mean it's not still a valuable substance; it is. It simply means eveyone's brain chemistry is different and that it needs to be used judiciously.

I have suffered with extreme nausea for years. However, it is not provoked whatsoever by smoking Cannabis, but this information was still very useful.

Hope that helped. :jointsmile:

P.S. I have experienced almost complete relief of symptoms with a combination of morning doses of a new nausea medication and subsequent routine of smoking. For me, the pharmeceutical provides almost immediate improvement, but due to its side effects, there is no way that I could take it throughout the day. The later regimen of smoking helps my symptoms once my stomach has the support of the pharmeceutical. Since I experience extreme nausea as soon as I open my eyes in the morning, the irritation from the smoke makes it nearly impossible to medicate with Cannabis at that point. I have not had any experience with edibles for medication purposes, but I guess it would have a positive result. In my reading, the majority of patients receive nausea relief through baked goods and extracts.

[birdgirl73]

Wow! I was going to have to go looking for that thread TheMetal1 quoted above or else rewrite it. That came in handy, TheMetal! Thanks.

Yep, it just seems like for a very small fraction of people, the nausea/vomiting centers of the brain get stimulated instead of subdued by cannabis. I also think sometimes a very dramatic vomiting response may have more to do with anxiety--panic and an adrenaline surge frequently spur vomiting, too--or even a response to coughing from the harshness of the smoke.

[bugmenot2]

Most things in life have some people who have adverse reactions to it. Usually it's called an allergic reaction. That may not be what's going on, but there are other adverse consequences of pretty much everything. I know someone who is allergic to alcohol, even the smallest drop and they get nausea and a rash. Just because weed is good at controlling some symptoms in a majority of people, doesn't mean it will have that same affect in EVERYONE.

[stinkyattic]

To be precise, an allergic reaction is an immune response where the body identifies a substance as alien and tries to attack it, resulting in hives, rashes, fever, and, in extreme cases, anaphylactic shock. Allergic reactions, including contact dermatitis, to cannabis and its resins are uncommon but HAVE been documented among growers.

Not all reactions by the body to a toxin or irritant are allergic. For example, food poisoning is a rapid rejection by your body of an ingested substance that your body identifies as toxic, not by sending white blood cells or macrophages to attack it, but by triggering a vomiting response. Diarrhea caused by an irritant such as spicy food, a protein or set of proteins that the body cannot digest with the enzymes it has available, or a source of fiber (raw ginger, in excess, is a common one) is likewise not an allergy.

Vomiting from smoke inhalation is common. If you do not have an accompanying rash, hives, pain, or fever (in which case stop using cannabis completely until you have ruled it out as the source of the reaction!), you should look into vaporizing. It's possible simply that you have taken in so muhc smoke that your body has decided you are in danger and will try to rid you of the substance the quickest way it knows how, which is vomiting.

That's my totally undereducated and non-medical explanation!

[Storm Crow]

Have you tried vaping? It is usually less irritating than smoking. I have an asthmatic friend who coughs and chokes when she tokes. She vapes just fine, however.

And try a bedtime snack of an edible! My hubby suffers from pain and a "magic muffin" in the evening makes his mornings much better. Since eating has a much longer effect time, it might lessen the morning nausea.

I remember my morning sickness! Waking up sick to your stomach really sucks! And incidentally, my morning sickness was lessened by a large dose of B-6 just before bed. I'd still feel somewhat nauseous when I got up, but I wouldn't actually vomit. A small improvement. Pot was better, but not always available.

Granny

[GreenDestiny]

If possible, always try to get your bud from a trusted source.

There's so much floating around out there that you have no idea how it was grown, what kinds of fertilizers and chemicals were used, or how well that stuff was flushed from the plant prior to harvest.

Smoking nasty chemicals could definitely make anyone feel ill and puke after too many bowls of it. Kinda scary to think about it actually. How many toxic chemicals have you consumed from the mystery buds you buy on the street? There are no standards for quality control. Consume at your own risk unless it is from a reliable source.

[stinkyattic]

^^^Destiny has a good point.
If you cruise around the grow forums at sites that encourage/support cashcropping discussions, you will see an OUTRAGEOUS number of posts asking how to find Floramite, Avid, and Physan... None of which are approved for food crops nearing harvest!!!! I'll bet if we ever DO see a link between chronic cannabis use and lung cancer, it's going to be linked to the fucking SHIT that's getting sprayed on it so that the mites won't munch through its bag appeal...
This is what cashcroppers and even a lot of people who are growing for dispensaries are using! So definitely look into organically grown weed if you are sensitive to chemicals.

And for us growers, don't use any of that shit on your plants past the end of week 2 of flower, or no less than SIX WEEKS from harvest.

[Euphoric7]

Wow, thanks for the detailed posts everyone! Is there anything you can do WHILE you're high and feeling nauseous? I remember trying to drink water, feeling it drop down into my stomach, and feeling really nauseous with each sip.

[birdgirl73]

There are a couple of things you can do. First, make sure that you're well hydrated before you smoke. Dehydration can exacerbate nausea, and smoking is dehydrating. So is summertime heat!

I've always found that one of the best all-purpose anti-nausea meds around is Dramamine (generic name dimenhydrinate). It's marketed as an anti-motion sickness drug, but it's a very effective anti-nausea medicine and is sold over the counter. Half of a tablet usually does the trick for me. It's a first cousin to Benadryl/diphenhydramine. You can take it with other meds (like cannabis) or on its own. It's famous for causing drowsiness/sleepiness, but for me it works like a charm to quell nausea.