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What is this high pitched sound I hear since stopping pot?

Comments (2)

answered 11:55 PM EST, Sun November 03, 2013

anonymous

I have not smoked pot for 7 days and I was a huge stoner so 7 days is a long time for me the longest I’ve been straight for 4 years pretty much since I started smoking at 15. My friends can’t believe I am passing on joints and I feel really good except for being a little testy the first few days it has not been as hard as I was worried it would be. The one seriously bothersome thing that I am dealing with is that I have this buzzing sound in my ears that comes and goes on and off all day long. No one else hears it so it is coming from my mind and since it never happened before I quit pot I think it has got to be because of quitting smoking. It is like a high pitched whining sound. What is up with this?

Dr. Stuart Shipko Says...

S. Shipko

M.D.

This is referred to as tinnitus, which is a known withdrawal effect of marijuana dependency. It should resolve soon, but may take up to a couple of months to resolve, It would be reasonable to see an ENT specialist to rule out other causes of tinnitus.

I support you taking a break - or permanently stopping- you marijuana use. To find out what you will be like off of marijuana will take months. Not just to withdraw from pot, but to develop "non-stoned" behavior patterns.

You should also be aware that the metabolites of marijuana result in withdrawal symptoms which may occur at 12 to 15 days after stopping, Often this is overlooked or mistaken as a reason to continue marijuana. So I suggest that you wait at least a month before considering that the marijuana has a medical need.

I would expect that your tinnitus will resolve in the next week or two. Otherwise, you should seek an ENT consultation.

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Page last updated Nov 03, 2013