Hello everyone, I have been smoking marijuana regularly for the past 2 years. I had to stop smoking during the last week because I travelled to go visit some of my relatives and where I am right now I wouldnt know how to score any. I have noticed that since I stopped smoking ( it's day number 6 now) I am suffering from chronic diarrhea. My question is if it is possible that it could somekind of marijuana withdrawal symptom or is it something I am eating here? Sorry for the bizzare topic. It's just that I wanted to be sure wether it's the marijuana or not before seeking proffessional help. Thank you in advance for your answers.
The discussion starter is a marijuana smoker who experienced diarrhea after he tried to stop smoking cannabis. Surprisingly (or not) this unusual problem has bee reported by many others who joined the discussion. The member who replied first told that his friend suffered severe abdominal pain for a week or so after quitting marijuana, but he wasn't sure if stopping smoking would cause diarrhea for such a long time as the discussion starter reported. He also gave a word of advice:
Any diarrhea that lasts longer than 7 days should be checked.
The same member added that if diarrhea is the only symptom, then the stomach flu was probably out of the question since the stomach flu would include other symptoms, such as weakness, fatigue, fever, and maybe even vomiting. He pointed out that the food might be the cause, and not cannabis, giving the advice that if the problem persists, the discussion starter should see a doctor.
The member who joined the next reported the same problem that started and persisted for two weeks after he decided to quit smoking marijuana. He had diarrhea every morning after waking up, and he would be fine for the rest of the day. He took Imodium that prevented him from having a bowel movement for one day. He decided to see a doctor, but he was too embarrassed to mention cannabis as a possible cause. Many who joined the discussion reported having a problem with diarrhea after trying to quit marijuana but weren't sure about the mechanisms that may have caused it.
Marihuana is absorbed everywhere especially in your small intestine.
Many others tried to explain the connection between cannabis and gastrointestinal disturbances, as the member who gave the statement above. One member said that diarrhea can be caused by all sorts of things and that the problems such as particular foods and potential food poisoning should be ruled out first. He added that a fever is the best indicator of food poisoning. He also advised that if diarrhea lasts more than three days with no probable cause, anyone with this problem should see a medical professional, particularly if there are other symptoms, such as blood in the stool.
Another participant told that the "ganja" stimulates the appetite, metabolism, and digestive function, which all change when one tries to quit.
I would definitely agree that the cause of the diarrhea is likely your body trying to flush the toxins out of its system.
As mentioned in several posts, if you're an everyday marijuana smoker who's tapering off or quitting, it's natural for your body to want to flush itself of toxins and foreign substances, particularly from the small intestine, where the majority of cannabinoids are absorbed. One member added that he heard of marijuana-related diarrhea lasting from a few days to a few weeks.
Part of the problem may also be due to intestinal motility.
According to one participant in the discussion, THC has been shown to produce a calming effect on the small bowel muscles of mice, which may be a reason why IBS and IBD patients often use marijuana as a relief.
Another member reported not only diarrhea but also a weight loss caused by a lack of appetite (apparently a result of trying to quit marijuana cold turkey). The same member also reported sleeping problems.
In several cases reported in this discussion, the cause of diarrhea was IBS that has been diagnosed.
What do experts say?
Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the world. Many countries and U.S. states have legalized the use of both medicinal and recreational marijuana, with more that may join in the future. Because of this, the misconception that marijuana is not addictive continues to spread. However, the truth is that marijuana can cause an addiction. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 10 Americans who use cannabis will become addicted. If you stop using it, you may experience withdrawal symptoms.
Diarrhea has been reported by many who smoke marijuana, especially by those who tried to quit, not only in this discussion but all over the Internet. According to a study from the last year, cocaine, heroin, and other commonly abused drugs are not the only causing withdrawal symptoms. Many heavy marijuana users may experience withdrawal symptoms while trying to kick the habit. Stomach problems, including diarrhea, have been listed as some of the common cannabis withdrawal symptoms.
When trying to end an addiction, many try to quit cold-turkey, which can be effective for some, while for the others this method can lead to very serious side effects. According to some research, marijuana is not an ideal candidate for the cold-turkey method.
Marijuana contains chemicals called cannabinoids which affect the central nervous system, including the brain and nerves. It makes sense then that the main symptoms of marijuana withdrawal are mental, including:
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Sleeping problems
- Headache
- Restlessness
- Shakiness
- Loss of appetite, leading to weight loss and even anorexia
Marijuana withdrawal symptoms can also affect other body systems, causing:
- Fever
- Chills
- Extreme sweating
- Tiredness during the day
- Stomach pain
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
It is believed that the longer a person uses marijuana, the more likely they are to have withdrawal symptoms when they stop using it.
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a condition that leads to repeated and severe bouts of vomiting and usually occurs in people who uses cannabis (e.g. marijuana), especially those who use it regularly.
Besides vomiting, this condition may also cause:
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Weight loss due to a decreased appetite
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Thirst
- A dry mouth
The symptoms of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome are usually relieved after taking a hot shower or bath, or after stopping smoking marijuana.
What to do when you have diarrhea?
There are some general rules on how to treat and relieve diarrhea, no matter what caused it. These include:
- Stay hydrated - Your body loses water with each trip to the bathroom. If you lose too much, you can get dehydrated. Drink clear liquids such as water, broth, or fruit juice during the day to stay hydrated.
- Eat bland, low-fiber foods until you feel better - Doctors often suggest the BRAT diet, which stands for Bananas, Rice (white), Applesauce, and Toast.
- Use over-the-counter medicines - Medications such as loperamide (Imodium) and Pepto-Bismol can help relieve the symptoms
- Call your doctor - Get medical help f your diarrhea doesn't go away after 48 hours, or if there are other symptoms such as stomach pain, fever or blood in the stool.
Discussion highlights
What side effects of marijuana withdrawal have been reported?
- it causes me a nasty morning nausea.
- making sometimes me allmost 2 vomit.
- I have been an avid smoker for over a year, over this last month or two of trying to quit I've come up with about a week of not smoking which has resulted in diarrhea quit often.
- Other effects: mood swings, by 11am if I haven't smoked I start to get light headed, sometimes I wont eat until 5 or 6 at night, I have yet to eat today and its almost 2 am and i've been up sice 9 am.
- its only been a day without weed for me and my stomach hurts to mad to leave my house!
What medicines have been prescribed to relieve the symptoms?
- I have been prescribed anti depressants and they have cleared up alot of symptoms, I am posting reallt to say again, i quitt cold turkey( i say cold turkey but i was never really heavy and had lots of spells where i had nights of etc etc) only after 3 weeks of quitting did my syptoms show up, so beware that it might take a month before you experience any other syptoms.
- I took immodium hoping that it would solve my problem, but it just prevent me from having a bowel movement for one day.
- I started my research to find a cure, and only had limited success with things like immodium and Pepto bismol, culminating in a visit to the emergency room where I was offhandedly diagnosed (after a finger in the ass) with IBS and given a referral to a specialist.
- I have quit several times and within about a week I get constipated to the point of needing to take stool softners.
- so she perscribed me buscupan which is for IBS.
Verification Claims & Medical Studies
-
Of course marihuana can cause severe diarrea.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4015312/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4437205/ -
I've heard that cannabis may increase the amount of fat in liver.
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/E5203E6D5CBAA696CA257BF0001E02ED/$File/part2-2.pdf -
THC has been shown to produce a calming effect on the small bowel muscles of mice (a handy substitute for people in lab experiments).
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-1-4615-2906-4.pdf -
Marijuana inhibits gut motility, and therefore will prolong digestion.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3417459/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5193087/ -
When u have diarrhia eat bread, rice, potatoes, or anything with a lot of carbs or starch.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4291444/
In conclusion
Diarrhea can be a symptom of marijuana withdrawal, but also of other medical conditions. It is important to visit a doctor to get a proper diagnosis, especially if diarrhea lasts for more than 2 days or if it includes other symptoms.