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        New Message Board Archives >> 2002 Posts >> Attitude
        
(Message started by: LTBullitt on Oct 15^th, 2002, 4:57pm)

Title: Attitude
Post by LTBullitt on Oct 15^th, 2002, 4:57pm

Jonny- "As for the drinking and smoking....I smoke like a chimeny and drink like a fish and im chronic"

I love that! :)

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by jonny on Oct 15^th, 2002, 5:35pm

Dont see why not when neither is a trigger, even if they were this bitch of a beast aint gonna run my life.

I run my life!!!!

................................jonny

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by curtisdsc on Oct 15^th, 2002, 7:22pm

ok i am jumping in but with a question. read the previous post jonny as to why this one may have been generated.

I do not smoke but when I am in a closed area with a lot of people smoking it does bring on an attack. Same with diesel fumes, that is almost an instant CH. Even when I am out of episode. As for drinking I guess I would fall under the normal casual drinker. So if it is a trigger (alchohol) why does it only cause one when in an episode. Has anyone found good info on this. That is one thing I have always been curious about. ???

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by Jim R on Oct 15^th, 2002, 7:30pm

Whatever happens to us in cycle or as a chronic, affects the dilation of the blood vessels...alcohol is a vasodilator, hence the issue. We just don't know what causes the first part. Nitroglycerin, asnother vasodialator can bring on a CH in very fast order. Vasoconstrictors, such as O2, can bring relief - I know this doesn't answer your question, but it's helping to divert me from a KIP 5+ right now. Wish we knew...

Jim R

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by curtisdsc on Oct 15^th, 2002, 7:39pm

I guess I have always been confused why they say alchohol is a trigger. If that were the case I should get two or three a week. Only when I am in a cycle does it seem to be an issue though. That is usually my test to see if it is really over. A nice cold can of spiked water uhh I mean Coors light.

Kill the beast Jim >:(

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by gtar_man on Oct 15^th, 2002, 8:45pm

That's why we call it the Beast, 'cause he likes to fu - er, mess with us. Does booze trigger it? Always. Maybe. Sometimes. Never. Depends. There just aren't any definative answers.
My neuro's got me on the "headache diet", last 2 weeks so far. (Q _ Can I eat such-and-such? A_ "NO") But you know? I AM feeling better, pain level has dropped substantially. But is it the diet or just the Beast doing what it wants to do?
Who the hell knows?

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by LTBullitt on Oct 15^th, 2002, 9:02pm

The relaxation qualities of alcohol would do it for me even if there were no other factors. I cannot even take pain killers most of the time like demerol b/c while it kills the after pain somewhat it will trigger an attack b/c the drug relaxes me.
Even chinese tea,relax, BANG, cluster!
I'd give up eating and drinking altogether but not eating gives me an attack.
They should really be called the Catch 22 headches.
I give up.

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by Charlie on Oct 15^th, 2002, 10:04pm

Even though I quit tobacco 22 years ago, smoking wasn't the trigger because I went into remission 11 years ago. Drinking has never been a trigger and so far as I know, I have none.

Still smoking is an unpleasant and dangerous habit. In our unscientific poll, 47% of CHers smoke. The national average is about half that. I don't know what it means.

Charlie

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by Mark C on Oct 16^th, 2002, 1:03am

I quit smoking cigaretts when they were 50 cents. I quit drinking my nightly rum and coke about a month ago when this last cycle started. I will drink another rum and coke in the next week or two when I am sure this cycle is over. I will stop drinking when the next cycle starts, etc...............and you? ;D

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by curtisdsc on Oct 16^th, 2002, 7:35am

things that make ya go hmmmmm.

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by Ree on Oct 16^th, 2002, 7:45am

ok dont kill the messenger but... Dave has had CH for about 20 years and his cycles went from 12 weeks to 7 months various years... His last cycle in the middle of it he discovered if he drank (and he likes to) his meds wouldnt work... so he actually gave it up (to my complete surprise) and he had a 10 week cycle... shortest eva!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did ya ever think you might not be chronic if ya gave it up for a little while... Im not saying become a monk...once they stopped for a while you could drink again thats what Dave did... wouldnt it be great if I were right... ok now I'm not tellin anyone what to do... just wonderin... alot of my chronic friends like to drink... with the exception of a few... Love to you all ree

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by Mark C on Oct 16^th, 2002, 9:44am

HMMMMMMMMM :)

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by oringkid on Oct 16^th, 2002, 10:44am

Ok, heres my take on this whole situation.

Alcohol is definite trigger for me. I have completely quit drinking during some episodes and continued to drink throughout some episodes (like jonny, I'm not letting the beast run my life)... doesn't seem to make a difference at all.
Now as to why alcohol is a trigger....some of you medical folk might be able to help me here...but it seems to me that not only is alcohol a vasodialator, but does it also slow down or reduce oxygen absorption by the brain?? That could be a big factor if so.

As far as the smoking goes, I got ch way before I started smoking and it does not trigger me, although if I smoke while being hit by an attack it will make the attack run through its course more quickly sometimes.

Interestingly though, a smoke FILLED room, like a bar or such can trigger on. Course a smoke filled room will trigger a regular headache for me to. It is possible to smoke like a chimney and still be adversely affected by a lot of smoke.

(ok, I think I covered everything I wanted to say)

Sherry

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by sueellen83 on Oct 16^th, 2002, 12:16pm

LOL!!!! LTBullitt!!! I agree that's a good name for them!!!! :D :D :D

Or we could call them Chamelion headaches, about the time you think you've figured them out they throw you a curve. LOL ;D

Like most here have said I can drink like a fish when not on cycle but, a few sips in cycle and the bombs start flying!!!! Wish I knew why. :(

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by paul_b on Oct 16^th, 2002, 2:22pm

I know my cycle is nearing its end when I want my Jack Daniels before dinner. I miss it, cheese a crackers w/o the JD is just not the same.

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by Jabeen on Oct 16^th, 2002, 6:09pm

I do not smoke so I can't relate to that-but smoke filled rooms are always a problem. Alcohol is never a trigger for me-in or out of cycle. I drink mostly red wines-never a problem. I have never been able to isolate a trigger. Mine only come in the middle of the night-hours after I've eaten or drank anything.
Jabeen :) :) :)

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by kim on Oct 17^th, 2002, 7:30pm

Catch 22. i agree. This conversation comes up so much that without even reading reading reading ;D I jes KNOW it somehow ties in.....(wish i was as smart as Boob, Paco, Ueli, et al.), but alas can only leak at the lips from experience....

I love ciggs and I love beers. during a cycle, I still smoke a lot. BUT, I avoid booze like the plague. If i smell alcohol fumes I'm off to the races, but have had an attack and actually lit a butt (sometimes it makes the pain worse but for some reason I don't care.... ???)

These things I know: alcohol is a vasodilator. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor. Hmmmm.......and ...........they are both bad "HABITS" or "ADDICTIONS" Hmmmm.................And that ole coffee -vasoconstrictor..........also habit forming and/or addicting...............

Comes up over and over. Why? I dunno. Ask Boob. ;D Or, you could read about 5HT.....................?

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by SteveY on Oct 18^th, 2002, 5:58pm

The one thing I've noticed with every CH sufferer I have ever met is their addictive personalities.

The fuck it attitude of the CH'er is so common, if I said you can't do something, how many of you would say "I F******* can" ?

Just a theory.

Let me get my fireproof jacket on. ;D

Steve

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by 2late on Oct 18^th, 2002, 6:05pm

i dunno stevey, even before CH (i'm 37, sufferer for 6 years) I've always had that fuck it attitude, it's a biker thing! ;D ..........2late

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by Lenny on Oct 19^th, 2002, 3:53pm

curtisdsc: I am so glad that i heard that from another clusterhead ( diesel ) whenever i am near it ,the moth.. fu..er attacks me instantly. As far as drinking goes,when i was eposodic it was a trigger for me,i am chronic now and gave up drinking long ago,i still get hit day and night and thats with NO ALCOHOL ( this last week has been great- avg. 2 attacks per day ). From what i understand,alcohol does not affect chronics. I could be wrong,thats what i have heard.

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by jonny on Oct 19^th, 2002, 4:01pm

Lenny,

Your chronic does alcohol trigger you?

Triggers are not the same for everyone be it chronic or episodic just like my meds may not work for you even though we are both chronic.

...................................jonny

Title: Re: Attitude
Post by Mark C on Oct 20^th, 2002, 3:06am

I am ECH, however, I abstained from all alcohol for five years at one point in my life and it made no impact in the frequency or duration of my attacks.
I do not drink when I am in the midst of an attack though for fear of antagonizing the beast. :)