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It’s beginning to feel a lot like Xmas, isn’t it? We know so, because we just wrote a blog last week all about shopping for loved ones this holidaze season. Something else that is sure to strike as the snow is white this festive season has to do with Xmas ganja goodies: feeling dizzy from edibles. Whether you’re trying to learn how to stop nausea from too many marijuana edibles, or are suffering from the effects of an edible that was way too potent for you, greening-out happens all the time during the white, snowy winter months.
Even St. Nick himself can get a little Grinchy in the gills from eating so many weed cookies & milk, so it’s not embarrassing to admit when we literally bite off more than our minds & bodies can chew. Sometimes, for no particular reason at all, edibles can hit us even harder than usual. Where we used to be a savvy, stoic stoner in the face of even the hundreds of milligrams of THC, there are some nights when just the first dose of many hits us square in the face.
There are a number of factors that can determine how high you feel vs how little effect edibles have, and we’ll definitely be discussing them throughout this article. For now let’s set the stage with some key questions to answer about feeling dizzy from edibles: Why do edibles make some people sick? Why do edibles make you dizzy hours after eating them? Is it possible to learn how to stop nausea from edibles? Or is smoking weed easier on the stomach than getting baked on baked goods?!
We’ll endeavor to answer these questions and more as we chew through the tasty bits of managing your edibles high without the nausea.
Why Do Edibles Make You Dizzy?
Before we discuss what the ramifications are for getting too high, too quickly from edibles, let’s focus on the causes first. If you weren’t already aware that edibles can make you nauseous, then you’re either very lucky or you’ve been doing your grandma’s dose for far too long. It’s almost a rite of passage for every stoner – you’re planning on getting ripped for an Xmas party, or dropping edibles with friends at the local light up festival. The night is marching on, fun and festive, when all of the sudden it hits you – the weed, that is, all at once!
Cannabis of all types is capable of knocking us back a few blocks, but there’s something particularly troublesome about edibles. Most peoples’ first couple edibles experiences are bad experiences. In fact, are overly intense and get out of hand before you can say “Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer”. Have you ever wondered why do edibles make some people sick, while others seem unfazed by them? You might as well ask why some people can eat and eat and eat without gaining weight, whereas others drink a milkshake and waddle around after – it’s all about that metabolism.
Metabolism Matters
Each person has a unique metabolism. This includes digestion, absorption, and expulsion. Even family members can have different physiques and digestive health. Food allergies and aversions vary too. Stomachs and bowels are unpredictable. From meal to meal, digestion issues can occur. This happens even with foods eaten regularly. Much like cannabinoid tolerance, food tolerance varies. People often discover this only after digestion.
The key point here is to consider our metabolism and digestion with cannabis edibles. You may have a high THC tolerance when smoking or vaping. However, eating cannabis involves digestion first. The body must process it before absorbing active compounds. This digestion step can introduce several problems, such as:
Indigestion, constipation
Cramping, bloating, gas
Delayed effects from slow metabolism
Prolonged effects from inefficient digestive system
Blood sugars & blood pressure conditions
Foodborne reactions within the stomach
Acid reflux, vomiting, diarrhea
Other Symptoms From Edibles
These aren’t typical symptoms from eating cannabis edibles. In most cases, edibles soothe gastrointestinal issues. They can reduce inflammation, pain, or nausea in the stomach, gut, and bowels. Still, cannabis can sometimes cause dizziness or nausea, or even make someone pass out from being too high.
To avoid these symptoms, focus on diet and fitness. A hydrated, healthy body with good nutrition handles THC better. Someone with low blood sugar or a slow metabolism, or who hasn’t eaten well, may feel worse after edibles. This is even more likely if it’s their first time trying them.
To prevent feeling sick, remember the golden rule: start low and go slow. Just because Santa can fit down the chimney doesn’t mean you should eat all the cookies at once! Edibles require the right timing and dose. It’s about how they’re consumed, not just what you consume.
So, instead of asking yourself “what’s my tolerance to this kind of cannabis?”, you should also be pontificating on other things, such as:
What else did I eat today? How’s my metabolism doing right now?
If I take this edible now, how long until it’s supposed to ‘kick in’?
What strain of cannabis was used to make these edibles? What are the food ingredients in it?
How’s my digestion/bowel movements been lately? What could be some factors for whether it’s good/poor?
We’ll detail some tips & tricks of learning how to stop nausea from edibles in the last section of this blog. Before we discuss the secrets of the edibles trade, let’s shift our attention to what it means to be dizzy or nauseous from edibles.
Consequences of Feeling Dizzy From Edibles
Let’s say you didn’t read the first section of this article, and you just rushed into the Xmas party late and gorged yourself on some gummies, cookies, brownies and/or cannabis bevvies… What can you expect now that you’re locked in for the edibles ride?! Buckle up your pants Chris Cringle, because these consequences of feeling sick from edibles can get pretty messy:
The Shakes
Why do edibles make you dizzy? A friend at a party suggested it might be because cannabis makes you aware of everything. You might even notice the Earth spinning and feel dizzy from it. This idea is creative, yet edibles do cause dizziness. THC and other cannabinoids in edibles are absorbed in your stomach. They can hit you all at once or in bursts.
You might feel sudden dizziness or nausea. These feelings often come in waves. It starts as mild dizziness, grows intense, then fades, only to return. Feeling dizzy from edibles is common. But if it’s severe or lasts long, you may have taken too much THC.
Try not to panic if you feel too high too fast. Take deep breaths. Sit or lie down somewhere comfortable. Drink lots of fluids. Close your eyes and let the dizziness pass. It always does. Remember that.
The Pukes
Shaking, shivering, or dizziness may not be the only reactions from too many cannabinoids in your system. Sometimes, your stomach feels the urge to purge immediately. Vomiting is an unfortunate but common occurrence with weed. When dizziness hits, it’s natural to vomit up those edibles.
Edibles can take a while to digest. If they hit too hard or too fast, your stomach may eject them. Vomiting is unpleasant, but it’s how your body removes unwanted substances. If edibles make you dizzy or nauseous, let your body respond.
If you feel the need to puke, do so. Rinse your mouth, relax, and assess how you feel. If you’re sure you didn’t consume too much THC, bad ingredients or bacteria could be responsible. Rest, drink water, and avoid eating for a few hours if nausea persists.
The S&%#s
No one wants to ruin their new onesie, but diarrhea can spoil a holiday. Sometimes, cannabis edibles upset the stomach. It could also be the eggnog, turkey, or Brussels sprouts. An overload of cannabinoids may cause a flush of your system. This could mean fluids coming from both ends. Diarrhea is your body’s way of getting rid of contaminants like bacteria or indigestible materials. If you get ‘dope diarrhea,’ avoid eating more snacks. It’s a shame to waste Doritos and gummy bears. Stay near a toilet for an hour or two to let it pass. Once you feel better, have some peppermint tea or something warm and soothing. CBD can help with nausea or diarrhea, but more on that later.
How to Stop Nausea from Edibles
This is the easy part – trust us, even though you might have suffered from a bad edibles trip or two, avoiding these episodes of nausea or dizziness are actually quite easy once you know what causes them. Here’s everything you need to know about why edibles make some people sick, and how to stop nausea or dizziness from edibles:
Rest Is Best
The simplest and most obvious thing to do whenever you are feeling dizzy from edibles is to sit down, close your eyes, and try to relax your way through any bouts of nausea. Feeling overwhelmed from eating edibles will happen to even the most seasoned stoner, and when it does the worst thing you can do is to freak out. If you’re a meditating type of person, deep breaths and a trip to your center can work wonders for quelling the weed shakes. If you’d rather stay awake & present, then try to fixate on something calming like music, art, other people or even pets.
We would advocate for turning your mind off since it’s your brain’s reaction to the cannabinoids in your stomach which is why edibles are making you dizzy in the first place. Closing your eyes removes the issues of visual stimuli dancing & swirling in your distorted vision. The same goes for socializing – when dizziness or nausea occur after eating edibles, it’s best to remove yourself from the hubbub of social activity and find somewhere dark & quiet to sit or lie down. Beyond some CBD rescue that we’ll talk about shortly, the only way to stop nausea from edibles is to let it pass with time – that, or the antagonizing edibles will be purged from your orifices if your body can’t handle it any longer.
Flush Your System
Flushing hopefully doesn’t have to involve toilets, although many people who are greening-out will end up puking or pooping their night of edibles out. To try and avoid this messy occurrence from ruining your day/night, a good hydrating flush of water, tea or electrolytes can work wonders for easing your gastrointestinal system. When edibles make some people sick, it could be because they didn’t eat enough during the day, or the fact that what they did eat is not digesting well with the added edibles in their stomachs.
You could try some digestive enzymes to help break it down, but your body’s nausea or dizziness are reactions that are trying to tell you that ‘they need to go, now!’. Drinking a ton of water or electrolytes can help to move things along in your stomach. When water flows, things tend to get going – remember this any time that you feel off after taking cannabis, because hydration is the key to pushing through your discomforts.
CBD & Chill
The ultimate cannabis-related “get out of high-jail free card” is, and always will be Cannabidiol. This magical cannabinoid is like the antivenom for the snakebite, the yin to the yang, the water to the fire of being too high. CBD actually works to counteract the psychoactivity of THC, making it the perfect emergency remedy for those moments when your weed gets the better of you. Every stoner, new and old, should have a bottle of high-potency CBD oil or capsules on hand whenever they’re getting stoned.
Not only can high doses of CBD help you to overcome too much THC in your system, but Cannabidiol also has a ton of benefits to your health & wellbeing, such as:
Eases pain & inflammation in stomach & bowels
Calms nerves, soothes anxiety and quiets the mind
Reverses nausea, soothes the stomach
Relaxes tense muscles, eases cramping
Crush Nausea With Cannabidiol
CBD truly is the cure-all for much of what ails us with too much THC. Cannabidiol doesn’t always take effect immediately – much like the edibles we consume, it can take some time to absorb into our system and help us to feel better. When you need immediate relief from feeling dizzy or nauseous from edibles, large doses of CBD oil under the tongue, held for 30-60 seconds then swallowing can jumpstart your recovery. The beauty of CBD is that you can’t take ‘too much’ of it – there’s no mind-altering effects to it, so taking super high doses will only risk wasting CBD, not your state of mind.
For more information on this life-changing phytocannabinoid, check out our other articles on CBD and all it has to offer. The more you learn about Cannabidiol, the more we’re confident you’ll be adopting it into your daily lives. Whether you’re using CBD to ease upset stomachs or for other reasons, we want to wish you a very Merry Xmas and we’ll see you in the new year.
