Marijuana.com

RunHappy

I was wondering if anyone has had this same experience or has any helpful information. I only smoke pot when I am at home now because when I go out in public I may faint. I don't know why, but this has happened to me quite a few times. And I even ended up in the hospital. I do tend to feel anxious or paranoid when I smoke? Does anyone know why I would faint from Marijuana? Thanks.

 

jewishjake420

You might be dehydrated. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids before you smoke the next time. Also, is it just when you smoke weed or anything? Also, have you tried other forms of getting high?

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RunHappy

I guess that could be the situation. I love smoking, but I just have this fear of leaving my housebecause of the fainting spells. I will try to drink more water. Thanks. Also, I have tried cocaine, but do not enjoy it.

jewishjake420

no... I meant such as eating or vaporizing pot.

Buzzby

Other possible reasons for your faintness might be low blood sugar or acute anxiety. Sensitivity to either of these can be amplified by marijuana.

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SmokingBelle

I pass out because (like many younger people under 35) I have really low blood pressure. Most people think only high bp is a problem, not so.

I'm sure they checked yours at the hospital, but next time at the DR, have them take your BP while laying down, and again as soon as you stand up as quickly as possible. It may be something rather simple to fix, but ya won't know til you check with a DR!

As suggested, up your fluid intake. Water is best, BUT you can drink too much and that is a big problem b/c of electrolyte imbalances that can also cause fainting/lightheadedness. So yes, drink water, but try to up your sodium intake while increasing water intake, or rotate drinking water/gatorade. I hope you get the answers you're looking for, I know fainting can be pretty freaky.

Edited to add: I don't faint BECAUSE of marijuana, I DO pass out b/c of something called POTS that I have along with a host of other health issues and injuries(I swear, it IS called POTS lol). Should have made that clearer, sorry.

Mamabudz

Any time a young person faints for no apparent reason is a reason to be checked by a physician.

The most likely cause is a sudden drop in blood pressure caused by the sudden dilation (relaxing and therefore opening) of blood vessels that occurs when you smoke. That drop in blood pressure can cause oxygenated blood to flow quickly away from the brain and cause a "faint". If you feel faint, sit and lie down. Bend your knees or prop your feet up, to allow gravity to assist in getting you blood flow back up to your brain. You'll feel your heart beat a bit harder and will come out of your faint. You may feel nauseaus or dizzy. Take a few minutes before sitting and standing again.

But do get a check up -- make sure that your fainting isn;t a symptom of an underlying illness.

Hugz,

Mama Budz

RunHappy

Thank you so much for all of the info. I will have my blood sugar checked ASAP. Thanks again.

LegalizIT!

Hmmm.... I've never fainted off of pot but I do sometimes feel my heartbeat getting a little faster and harder but never took notice cause i though i was just feeling it. Should I check it out.?

ProfessorDread

I joined this forum not only because I'm a dedicated smoker for many years but also because myself and numbers of others I've known over my lifetime have had experiences with MJ and fainting spells. The other evening it happened to a friend for the first time and she was very concerned about it. So once again I started looking for reliable medical information about this phenomenon. In my opinion it's rather difficult to get straight info from many medical professionals because of the politicization of herb due to the senseless war on drugs. Likewise, because fainting can be very scary, it seems like many people jump to unnecessary conclusions about what this means and other potential health issues involved.
From my years of observation and participation in smoking practices across cultures (I am a dr. of anthropology) I have seen this fainting thing happen countless times. Unlike what many people have said in their postings about fainting under the influence of herb being unusual, it is VERY common. In Jamaica it is called 'blacking up,' and people are very familiar with it and deal with the fainting person quite matter of factly. There also seems to be a range of experiences with it: some people feel strange, get tunnel vision, then faint, and then are fine a few minutes later. Others, like a good friend of mine and longtime smoker, gets cold sweats and has to lie down for at least an hour when he feels it coming on. My long-standing theory has been that this has to do with oxygenation levels in the brain, which MamaBudz pointed out quite well as far as how smoking the herb might alter those levels through dilation of blood vessels, etc. (This is also substantiated in medical lit regarding short fainting spells in general). I think it can also be aggravated by external circumstances: heat, closed area, smokey room, etc. But the main causes seem to be within the body itself because it's happened to me and others I know (including my friend the other night) out of doors. Other mitigating factors are emotional conditions: if you are already anxious, panicky, freaked out, etc., or have had a balck-up before and are afraid of it happening again, all of these can make you somehow more susceptible, I think. There was a period about ten years ago when I had some anxiety issues generally and I had to give up the herb for the better part of a year because it made it my anxiety worse and I experienced more frequent black-ups.
I wish we all had more factual -- as opposed to anecdotal -- information to go on as far as this phenomenon is concerned. In addition to the obvious things like staying hydrated, not mixing all sorts of substances (alcohol and herb can be particularly unhappy, especially if smoking follows alcohol intoxication) and being responsible about what other health issues you might have, I think the best way to deal with it is 1) don't freak out and go rushing off to the emergency room or a doctor if it happens to you; for one, we don't want any more ammunition in the war on drugs labeling MJ harmful; 2) learn to recognize the early signs (uneasiness, feeling heavy in your legs and arms, tunnel vision) and sit or lie down til you feel better again 3) recognize that the herb is a powerful thing and respect it. Learn your own limits and recognize also that your relationship with herb, as with all living things, will change over time according to what else is happening in your life, in your emotional and/or physical state. If the herb is making you freaky, lay off for a bit.