Exsufferer

Hi I had very severe symptoms I was hospitalised every two weeks. I would vomit every 4-5 hours most days and only cannabis would stop me for a few hours and then the sickness would start again. I started smoking many years ago but not a lot. In the end I was smoking as many as 8-10 spiffs a day just to control the sickness. Hot showers were a relief but only when I was in them. Certain types of weed were not strong enough (I think) and would not stop the sickness or the sickness became so bad every two weeks that it would seem it wasn't working so I would end up in hospital again with severe dehydration. I was diagnosed with cyclical vomitting syndrome. Have you heard of this? It's a syndrome that cannot be tested but is diagnosed through observation. It is a period of unexplained sickness that is severe followed by period of being well and then sick again until a cycle develops. They have medication to relieve symptoms but none of them helped me. As one of the more severe treatments they would administer morphine which would stop the sickness and give me time to rest. I would come home after about 4days and would smoke and as the symptoms got worse again I would be back in hospital. There is more to it than that but in a nutshell. This lasted for over a year. I told my doctors that I was using cannabis to control my symptoms and at one point they looked into trying to get it prescribed legally for me. I was put on a list to have a stomach pacemaker fitted as in severe cases of C.V.S this is done (you have to get funding and there is only one hospital that does it about 140 have been done so far). I read about cannabinoid hyperemesis and after a hospitalisation I decided to come home and not smoke. I haven't been sick since. My symptoms went away instantly! I couldn't believe the one thing I was relying on to keep me well was the one thing that was making me poorly. During me being ill I contacted a drug recovery programme because I was worried about my use, I was now using it just to get through the day. They said I was doing what I needed to do to control my symptoms and the c.v.s helpline had heard of many people controlling their c.v.s with cannabis. My concern is that they too have been misdiagnosed and this horrendous illness could be stopped if only people had more awareness. My case was severe and I don't want others to think they aren't so bad so not the same but I didn't start that way. Abstinence was an instant treatment. I wasn't unwell for a period of time after. All my symptoms were gone and haven't returned! Please convince people just to try not smoking. If it doesn't work then maybe look at other options. I must say that I was only able to do this after I came out of hospital as I was not vomitting when I was discharged. I not sure if my relieve would have been instant if I would have stopped when I was being sick in between hospital visit.

I am an ex sufferer of this condition