Marijuana-Withdrawal problems at 5 months

I just also want to add (but can’t seem to edit previous post) that I do not drink any alcohol (stopped that 18 months ago and haven’t had a drink since) and I do not take any medication at all, except occasional aspirin or acetaminophen. I do have a little caffeine in coffee first thing in the morning, normal brewed coffee, about 4 ounces. I eat very little sugar. I eat quite healthy, clean foods. I exercise daily, taking a rest day about once a week. So I just can’t understand why I feel so bad. Also recently had blood tests done and everything is normal, including ferritin and thyroid.

I'm going through the exact same thing 3 months and 17 days clean

Sorry to hear you are suffering with coming off medical Cannabis. Unfortunately it would seem like you are experiencing Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome PAWS. Imo this is due to the gm weed that is alot stronger these days. In my experience it would appear the high levels of THC is the reason so many are having long term withdrawals after stopping consumption.
The good news is you're not broken or is this going to kill you and you will recover to your previous self. Our brains are remarkable organs and are better than we realise at healing and getting back to their equilibrium. The not so good news is this unfortunately takes time. Time is your healer here.
What is positive is you were only consuming Cannabis for a year or so which id hope would be a factor in recovery. The symptoms usually come in waves so it can be quite distressing after days or weeks of feeling well to then go down hill with a wave of paws so keep reassuring yourself it will pass as it really will pass.
There are many people on this forum me included that smoked for 20 + years and have recovered or are well on their way to recovery so try not to despair.
Its not easy ill admit but you will get through this and get better trust me.. Just don't consume any more Cannabis. Good luck with your journey and talk on the forum as needed to gather support as this helped me a great deal.

Gekie- I am sorry you are having a difficult time, too. I want to share with you that today I had a good day. I have been so dizzy and in such a complete mental fog the entire month of June that there were days I could barely stand in the shower without fear of falling. But, I have just returned home from a 30-mile bike ride. I want to share this with you to encourage you that there will be some rough days and they might go on for a while, but then there are breakthroughs and the clouds clear. I have had this happen before- I had 6 weeks of brutal hell from February through the middle of March, then it got better, until June 2nd when I woke up dizzy and dazed again. So, it has been almost a month again of another brutal PAWS wave, but today was better. I haven’t been on my bike since this latest wave hit. I do exercise a lot- on my treadmill (holding the handrails while I run if I’m dizzy) and using my rowing machine as well as hand weights, but I know not to get on my bike when the PAWS is at its worst. Hang in there and please let me know if I can help you in any way. Have you had any good days so far? Are you able to exercise? I have seen many people post that exercise really helps them.

Power- Thank you so much for your very supportive and encouraging reply. You are such an inspiration, especially since you have recovered after 20 years of use. I appreciate your taking the time to respond!

That was me! Used it medically and it was tincture, edibles and sometimes vape depending on if my back was bad. I only used high cbd low Thc. And I used for probably 2 years. The day after I quit my life began a living hell! I am 8 months off as of last week. I take anxiety meds because my heart palpitations are constant. I can’t drink caffeine at all or anything with b12 in it. My ears ring, always. I went to the hospital when I first quit due to my heart palpitations all day and night and they did every test, nothing was found that would cause it. So eventually everything was ruled out except anxiety. I now have been diagnosed with panic disorder. I honestly think it’s from the receptors being hijacked by the weed in my sympathetic system and now it’s just stuck on fight or flight. Anyways, with all that being said, I am WAY better than when all of this first started. And there is definitely good days, possibly weeks and bad as well. I am praying someday I will recover from the palpitations and the ringing in my head. Those are the 2 worst and debilitating symptoms that have still not subsided. Also, the result of edibles and tinctures long term on our bodies is unknown. Its broken down and dispersed way different in the body than smoking, so I think that may have something to do with why the results after quitting are so intense.

Ditto on everything you said, BUT, this is all NORMAL! I’m five months, today, and I can reassure you, you’re NOT alone. No matter how crazy you feel, it WILL NOT kill you, it WILL NOT last forever, and every single day without weed brings you closer to a normal healthy life.

I’m five months today with no weed, not after a few years smoking, but after FIFTY YEARS! I’m an old hippie, who’d finally had enough, and I can tell you, EVERYTHING you’re experiencing IS normal, it’s the price of admission for smoking weed. Didn’t anyone tell you? Lol. Just kidding.

My worst month was #4, horrible, horrible nightmares, heart palpitations, anxiety, tinnitus, dizziness, insomnia, high blood pressure, etc. I, too, was in the ER, ekg, heart scan, CAT scans, twice, nothing ever shows up, which should reassure you, but I understand anxiety is the absence of reason and logic.

Month 5 for me was better, everything is less severe, seems a bit more constant, but I do have good days at least.

If I can offer something that’s helped me a lot, try to “float” through the bad times. There’s a site called THE ANXIETY COACH, where they talk about our tendency to fight and reason our way out of anxiety or panic attacks, which always makes it worse. Instead, just accept them, “float” through them without resisting, knowing why you’re having them(PAWS), that they will end, I even laugh at them sometimes!

Your brain is realigning your neural pathways as God designed them to work. It takes time, and you WILL get better. Don’t give up, quitting an addiction takes enormous courage! True failure rate is huge, but the successful reward for quoting is larger.

Hang in there, you’re closer to freedom now than when you started this journey. O n e. D a y. A t. A. T I m e.

Rockszee- thank you so much for your post! I can’t tell you how much it helps just to have someone else say that they have gone through the same thing and they understand. I have really thought I was losing my mind at times. You said you are praying for the palpitations and the tinnitus to go away. I want you to know that I also prayed for you to have relief from those symptoms. I agree totally that the tinctures and edibles seem like they can mess you up in a different way, not to disrespect anyone who is struggling from withdrawal from the flower or other forms. It’s all just horribly bad. If I had ever known this I never would have used it. I just had no idea.

JohnDoe- your post really helped me to just be calm and to remember to float. I am so glad you said that all of these things we are feeling is normal. It helps so much to hear that from someone with more experience than me. So, thank you so much for taking the time to post, remind us that this is the price of admission to marijuana land, and to tell us about the anxiety site and the concept of floating. Very important info and reminders and so appreciated!

I’ve been really adamant about not using any other drugs to alleviate my symptoms, but I would guess, if you’re five months in, like me, better times aren’t that far away. Just remember, everyone is different. Though symptoms can be very similar, as so many have proved, timelines and severity differ quite a bit. Theirs a thread here on the timeline of PAWS that suggests six months is about the out of the woods moment for a lot of folks. Not the end, but the light at the end of the tunnel. Best of healing to you! Be safe, be confident! Oh! The common thread on YouTube for alleviating symptoms are exercise and meditation. I do yoga, and breathing exercises every day and believe it helps. Also, if I’m having a bad day, just keep “doing the work”, ie, living, as they bother me much more when I quit moving.

Thank you for praying for me that is so sweet. I prayed for you too! This has been one of the worst experiences of my life, physically. It’s beyond comprehension that we took it because we were told it would make us better and we all ended up like this! Like everything in life that’s not good, it’s best to look for the bright side and count your blessings. I have learned in life that no matter how bad something seems, it can always be even worse! Lol

Keep up the fight everyone, im having a tough day today with heavy depression after some time of feeling really well. Im hoping it doesn't last too long. Take care all and thanks for sharing your experiences as it helps a lot with supporting each other through this evil paws.

Rockszee- thank you for praying for me! I understand when you say this has been one of the worst experiences of your life. Me too. Absolutely brutal and terrifying.

Power- I, too, am having a very, very tough day. I was feeling quite good for over two weeks, then yesterday I started the heart palpitations/ weird fluttering feeling in the middle of my chest and they continue today. I also have an almost indescribably horrible, deep depression, anhedonia, and total inertia. And brain fog and extreme fatigue. I can’t motivate myself to do anything. So, I am focusing on the fact that I had 18 good days in a row without these symptoms and hoping this will pass soon. I’m glad you shared how you are feeling- it helped me to know that I’m not the only one having another wave, but I’m sorry you’re having a tough day. Hope you feel better. Hope everyone feels better soon!

MMJnomo wrote:Power- I, too, am having a very, very tough day. I was feeling quite good for over two weeks, then yesterday I started the heart palpitations/ weird fluttering feeling in the middle of my chest and they continue today. I also have an almost indescribably horrible, deep depression, anhedonia, and total inertia. And brain fog and extreme fatigue. I can’t motivate myself to do anything. So, I am focusing on the fact that I had 18 good days in a row without these symptoms and hoping this will pass soon. I’m glad you shared how you are feeling- it helped me to know that I’m not the only one having another wave, but I’m sorry you’re having a tough day. Hope you feel better. Hope everyone feels better soon!

I too get that exact fluttering feeling in the middle of my chest. Its like the heart jumps out of rhythm. When it does that I feel like a sudden cold feeling in the chest, like when you get a jump scare. It used to trigger a panic attack but now I try my best to stay calm. I had an episode about a month ago that the fluttering lasted for around 30 seconds and I became pale and dizzy. I could feel the fluttering on my pulse. I ended up in the ER… again… And nothing showed up… again. So yeah, crazy PAWS stuff man.