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Topic: Smoking. Are we all smokers? (Read 1345 times) |
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rubberplant
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Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« on: Sep 7th, 2004, 6:20am » |
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Hi all,
just joined yesterday, thankyou all for the support posted back!!!
I was finally diagnosed last thursday and am in remission since beginning of August. Thank the many moons of Uranus!
The Neuro at KCH London basically told me to quit, quit, quit! He said that smoking was not a clever thing for a CH to do. Is it true that most of us are heavy smokers or like a drink?
I know this has probably been covered before, what can I say, I thought I would never know about or need this site. But thankyou whoever is in charge that it IS here.
James
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BobG
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #1 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 6:46am » |
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This site is owned and operated by DJ. He started this about 5 years ago. Have you clicked on the 'new vistor' button on the left side of your screen?
Smoking......it seems that the number of clusterhead smokers are at a higher percent than in the general population. Smoking does not cause clusterheadaches.
Your neuro is right in telling you to quit smoking just for good general health. But, I have never read that stopping the smokes will stop or lessen the attacks.
Drinking.......many clusterheads enjoy their drinks. Some don't drink at all and some really, really enjoy a drink. Most don't drink during a cluster due to the fact that it is a well know trigger. Drinking does not cause clusterheadaches.
My theory is the reason so many cluster sufferers smoke and/or drink is because we tend to have a addictive personality (another thing the hypothalmus is good for). That does not mean we are all addicted to smoking, drinking or their cell phones (the sin habits) only. Some may be addicted or have a habit for reading this site, washing their hands every 5 minutes, driving too fast, or a thousand other habits.
I am a smoker. I started smoking at least 7 years before my first attack. I have smoked before, during and after an attack and it made no difference good or bad.
I am not a drinker. Alcohol was a big trigger for me. I stopped the boozing in 1985. It felt so good to be sober that I never started again.
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E-Double
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #2 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 6:49am » |
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Very Glad you are pain free!!!!
Somehow I get the feeling that a tremendous amount of people here smoke. Dare I say majority.
I don't know if it will help CH but since you are pain free and don't "need" that extra crutch....
Go for it!!! The dumbest thing I did was going back to it.
In fact I was down to a few a day when cycle hit & thus came the chain smoking.
If for no other reason You'll be healthier. (Although somehow my lungs are as clear as if I didn't smoke. go figure lol still should quit though)
Good Luck and enjoy the remission 
Eric
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rubberplant
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #3 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 6:59am » |
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Thanks both,
It makes perfect sense, have an eight week old son as well, which makes it a goood enough reason! Just seems to have been something I've read about us being smokers and what-not. Smelling a drink is enough during a cluster.
Strangely, my last cluster started when my wife was overdue and I had a massage to get my shoulders relaxed. BANG. 1/2 hour after going to sleep I was grinding my head into the mattress.
I feel that you might be right about the addictive personality business, BobG.
This is the last of my addictions, will have to find something else. Will probably be this site.
James (Patches, Gum, 2 fags a day) Quit day Friday!
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clarence
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #4 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 7:14am » |
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I don't smoke, never really have. And my head still hurts.
Casey
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Jaime
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #5 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 7:16am » |
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I quit smoking and quit drinking over 16 years ago. I started getting CH 5 weeks ago. In my case, they are unrelated, unless the past drinking and smoking did damage that only just recently caught up to me. I suppose that is a possibility - however unlikely.
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Lobster
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #6 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 7:24am » |
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Never smoked.
Do not drink enough to be called a 'drinker'... 2-3 drinks per week, perhaps.
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lionsound
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #7 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 7:35am » |
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Don't smoke
Don't drink
(never did either one)
Had these since i was a kid.
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rubberplant
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #8 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 7:39am » |
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Well,
It appears that someone somewhere made a rash generalisation.
It's good to be able to come here and ask. Going to the GP or the neuro they are interested in getting people to quit. Understandable!
thanks guys
James
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pubgirl
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #9 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 7:45am » |
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The London Institute of Neurology strongly recommend that CH sufferers give up, not because they say it is a trigger but heavy smokers are very likely to end up with heart trouble later in life, and with the current drugs available for CH prevention, treatment becomes difficult.
James, if you come to one of the OUCh Uk conferences you would laugh at coffee time, because there is a veritable stampede outside.
At the Birmingham conference, I would guess there were probably at least 50 of us outside puffing.
I have seen estimates that 60+% of us smoke or have done for years.
It may well be one of the ubiquitous "other factors"
Wendy
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rubberplant
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #10 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 7:54am » |
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Cheers Wendy,
I am on my way to the ouch site this weekend. ( I am meant to be working!) It's true this is addictive this site!
I guess this is where the neuro was coming from. It's just playing on my mind. It's my craving mind telling me to find a reason to have a fag!
I can do it!
I should imagine the figures would be the same for any condition as severe and misunderstood as CH.
If I have one more person tell me "Oh, I get migraines and headaches as well!!!"
Not bitter, not annoyed.
Just craving!
James
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pubgirl
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #11 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 7:56am » |
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I understand the craving very well and wish you success. I'm a 40 a day woman myself 
Wendy
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unsolved1
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #12 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 8:52am » |
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I smoke.
I quit for a year to see if it would have any effect on my headaches BUT >> I still had them ... everyday.
So, I started smoking again !! 
Unsolved
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vig
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #13 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 8:53am » |
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I'm like Lionsound on this one...
don't drink, don't smoke.
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nani
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #14 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 9:03am » |
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I'm a 2 pack per day woman. I won't quit. At least not for now. True - I affects my Imitrex use (my doc suggests I only use it for the kip 7 and above). One thing she said that made sense though is that CH seems to be a vascular issue, and we know what smoking does to our blood vessels...
I think that if I didn't smoke this pain would make me so anti-social I might have to kill someone. 
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BobG
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #15 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 9:08am » |
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Quote:| One thing she said that made sense though is that CH seems to be a vascular issue, |
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 Seems to be?
I think your doctor needs a little education about clusters.
But, that's just my opinion.
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Redrum
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #16 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 10:44am » |
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I was a smoker when the headaches started (20 years ago). I quit for about 2 years but never noticed a change in my HAs. I started again when I had to take a job in a bar and couldn't drink (definite change in HAs when I quit drinking  ).
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farmboy
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #17 on: Sep 7th, 2004, 11:02am » |
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Quit smoking about 16 yearts ago or there abouts.
don't drink it is a big time trigger for me.
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ArCane
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #18 on: Sep 8th, 2004, 1:34pm » |
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I dont smoke, but I do like my drink. Alcohol is a BIG trigger for me, so when Im in remission I love to party hardy and enjoy being pain free. Everyday is a celebration when Im in remission. Im in a cycle right now and I can't wait to drink again.
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rubberplant
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #19 on: Sep 8th, 2004, 1:56pm » |
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I know that feeling!!
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plateglass
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #20 on: Sep 8th, 2004, 3:57pm » |
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been smoking and drinking for about 16 yrs now, I don't drink durring cycles, miss it but still can't do it. It is a guranteed HA.
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mellie
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #21 on: Sep 8th, 2004, 4:24pm » |
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I quit smoking in July of 2003. I didn't have my normal episode in the winter so I thought that quitting smoking really helped--until July 2004 when I got hit. I don't drink while in an episode because I've tried it and sure enough a CH will come usually before the 1st drink is down. I do drink, a lot, while pain free!
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Karla
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #22 on: Sep 8th, 2004, 5:07pm » |
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I dont smoke or drink.
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Karla
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clarence
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #23 on: Sep 8th, 2004, 5:11pm » |
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I went to the Neuro today. He said I was strange because I don't/have never smoked and I still have CH. Maybe I will start to see if it makes the headaches go away...At least then I might not be "strange." 
Casey
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alleyoop
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Re: Smoking. Are we all smokers?
« Reply #24 on: Sep 8th, 2004, 5:22pm » |
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on Sep 8th, 2004, 5:07pm, Karla wrote:
Friggin Saint!
...........alley
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