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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Posts >> Smoking and Clusters
        
(Message started by: garygus on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 11:02am)

Title: Smoking and Clusters
Post by garygus on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 11:02am

Hi Everybody, Im Gary. 30 year sufferer. on a 2 monther that has swithed sides now. In a study out of Michigan my Doc showed me, its stated almost all cluster sufferers are smokers. I am. Im just wondering how many arent? And how many of you have quit and still suffer? Please reply.

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by Cerberus on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 11:07am

Well sir... I smoke...

BUT...I have met many more that dont or never have or have quit....the Doc is full of BS.
CH doesn't discriminate, if it did we'd have the cure nailed down already ;)

Ramon

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by thomas on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 11:07am

I've quit off and on, right now have been smoke-free since Jan 12th. ;;D (thanks Gena) Have had clusters when I was and was not smoking, sometimes a smoke right at the beginning of a ch would actually take the ch down a notch or two, I don't think smoking affects me much as far as ch goes.

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by JDH on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 11:13am

Hey there Gary,
There's been a lot of discussion on this in the past and I think the majority of us here are smokers...at least most that I've met. Why that is I dunno.
Personally I don't think there's any connection because there are people who have quit and still get ch's and there are those who have never smoked and they also get ch's. Like most everything with ch's, there seems to be no rhyme or reason.
And IMO after a hard fought Kip 7 thru 10 there's nothing better than having a smoke to calm yourself down.

Jim

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by ClusterChuck on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 11:15am

I have never met a group where the precentage of smokers is so high. Yes, I am one of them. I once quit for nine months. Towards the end of that nine months, I went into a cycle. No different from all the previous cycles.

Many here have quit. None, that I can remember, have noticed any appreciable change in their ch. As Thomas says, many of us get some relief from lighting up.

If you go to the buttons on the left side of the screen, there is one for cluster survey. Several of the questions relate to smoking. Go look at the results.

BTW, sorry you have to be here, but glad you found us! Welcome aboard, and tell us more about yourself. We are a ~~nosey~~ caring group, that like to get to know our brotheren.

Chuck

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by no-one on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 11:36am

Garygus,

I smoke, but as you have already been told it doesn't really seem to make much differentces.

on 06/03/04 at 11:15:40, ClusterChuck wrote:

BTW, sorry you have to be here, but glad you found us! Welcome aboard, and tell us more about yourself. We are a ~~nosey~~ caring group, that like to get to know our brotheren.
Chuck

We are one big crazy family here as you will find out as you read some of the posts, and like any family we tend to pick on each other at times. So don't get scared off. I am glad you found us, but sorry you had to.

[smiley=hug.gif]
Becky

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by Elaine on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 11:51am

Smoking period is said to be proven not good for us.

I think its just like this. There are more people in the world that smoke than don't. They do questionars on all illnes and one of the questions is always do you smoke.
Because most people do smoking gets blamed for everything. From crib death to ear infections in children. From Cancer to headaches in adults. I think its BS myself.
The truth be told its the chemicals in our soil, the air we breath from all the big factors, the water we drink. The drugs they use on cattle that we eat. The chemicals they use on the food that grows we eat.

I feel this way because I put many animals to sleep that were out side animals when I worked at a vets office that had cancer, they never picked up a smoke and they were not where they got second hand smoke. Lung cancer and other cancers and heart trouble and kendy trouble happens to animals who don't smoke !

Thats my thought for today.

No I don't think smoking has any thing to do with us having clusters.

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by echo on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 12:18pm

I have smoked off and on for years. I have not experienced any change in severity or frequency when I have quit.

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by Charlie on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 3:41pm

Quote:

its stated almost all cluster sufferers are smokers.

It's true on this message board and at the convention I attended last July.....unbelievably true there. The last I had on smoking and the board was something like 47% which is more than twice the national average.

However:

I wish it were so simple. I quit smoking when I was 34 but it took 11 more years for mine to go away. I can't say anything other than that I can't prove a thing by it. Coincidence, something not a "fun" answer, is as likely as anything.

There are a lot of smokers here but I'm not sure of the relationship. For all I know smoking may be something nervous wrecks with CH pick up.

Still. Quit. Life is so much easier without it and you'll smell better. Good luck kids.

Charlie

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by BstnEagles on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 6:02pm

I also smoke but dont see the conenction... SOmetimes I find that it also helps the pain when I am having an attack.

Ed

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by eyes_afire on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 6:52pm

I have never smoked a cigarette.
One time, I inhaled a cigar (large mistake...).
Occasionally I have inhaled other chemicals...

--- Steve

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by Carl_D on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 7:01pm

Hi Gary
I smoked cigs for 24 years before quitting April 20th of this year. I have been chronic with CH since Feb. '98, and since I quit, I have noticed no difference.
I am different than some CH'ers in that, if I felt an attack coming on, and I tried to smoke a cig, it brought on the attack faster and harder. That is just my own personal experience though. I thought the hardest time for me to lick smoking would be missing that after dinner smoke, but the one I truly miss the most is the post-trauma lightup right after a CH.

Peace,
Carl D

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by Edna on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 10:56pm

Hi Gary,

Episodic sufferer, for over 25 yrs. Never smoked, (well, only once but I was drunk) AND FEMALE

Hope that helps you out.

pf wishes,
EDNA

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by Melissa on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 11:15pm

I had quit and still suffered. I had the worst cycle when I wasn't smoking. (had to quit again after starting back up last cycle in order to help me get through the attacks)

:)mel

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by Gator on Jun 4^th, 2004, 12:25pm

I smoked 2 - 3 packs a day for about 15 years. I quit several years ago. I was only struck with clusters in Nov of last year.

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by UN_SOLVED on Jun 4^th, 2004, 12:42pm

I am a smoker. I did quit for a year (about 2 years ago) and there was NO change in frequency or intensity of the headaches. If it would've helped at all, I wouldn't be smoking right now.

Unsolved

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by floridian on Jun 4^th, 2004, 1:32pm

Almost all ?? If you mean more than half = most, that is true. Almost all sounds like 90% or 95% - which is an exaggeration.

I do think there is a link. Not sure which is the cart and which is the horse. It could be that nicotine messes up the acetylcholine neurotransmitter system, which messes up other things, which contributes to clusters. Or it could be that clusterheads already have a messed up acetylcholine system, which makes them more susceptible to a nicotine habit (either we are more likely to try certain behaviors, or the nicotine is a form of self medication). And yes, some people who have never smoked get clusters, while others that do smoke never get this horrendous pain. - That only means that smoking is not "THE CAUSE" of clusters. It does not prove that smoking does not increase the risk of clusters. It could, although at present there is only a correlation. Given the fact that most correlations between smoking and various diseases have turned out to be causal relationships, it is not surprising that most doctors think that smoking is a cause of cluster headaches.

Quote:

There are more people in the world that smoke than don't.

No. According to the World Bank, about one in three adults, or 1.1 billion people, smoke. That's less than 25% of the total population. In some countries, a majority of men smoke. Those countries also have predictable health problems when those men start hitting middle age. Smoking declined in the US starting about 20 years ago, and we have seen lung cancer rates go down as a result.

Quote:

I feel this way because I put many animals to sleep that were out side animals when I worked at a vets office that had cancer, they never picked up a smoke and they were not where they got second hand smoke. Lung cancer and other cancers and heart trouble and kendy trouble happens to animals who don't smoke !

You are right that smoking is not the only cause of cancer or heart disease - they do occur naturally. But there is absolutely no doubt that smoking increases the risk of cancer and heart disease. Almost 9 out of 10 cases of lung cancer are linked to smoking. Emphysema? Again, most people with emphysema have smoked heavily for long periods of time. Other cancers (bladder, kidney, etc) are also more likely in people that smoke - and the risk increases with the years of exposure.

All medical evidence suggests that quitting is a good idea if you are so inclined - but its your choice. There's no guarantee that quitting will help with clusters. But in the long run, your health is likely to be better if you don't smoke.

One alternative is to reduce the risk by dipping snuff or using other nicotine products (gum, lozenge, etc). The nicotine itself does relatively little damage - it is the tar and carbon monoxide that comes from smoldering plant material, and the particulates that are inhaled in large amounts 20 - 50 times a day.

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by Charlie on Jun 4^th, 2004, 3:16pm

The percentage of wprld-wide or even American smokers has never been close to 50%.

Charlie

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by Elaine on Jun 4^th, 2004, 4:44pm

When they can do a world wide questioniar and they get back all of them then you might convence me but until then I am not convenced. I think smoking gets blamed for way to much. Just my opinion but then again I am a smoker I like it. Its the best chill pill I have.
:-)

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by jonny on Jun 4^th, 2004, 4:56pm

http://worldzone.net/nature/lionscry2/gif/smokeduck.gif

Quack (Cough, cough) Quack ;;D

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by Bob P on Jun 4^th, 2004, 5:44pm

It's absolutely true.

I'm betting 90% of clusterheads are smokers.

I'm also betting there is a connection.

I'm betting the same thing that is messed up in our brains, the thing that causes clusters, also causes us to have addictive personalities. Obsessive compulsive disorder is treated with serotonin altering medications.

Need convincing? Go to an OUCH convention. You'll see a super high percentage of smokers and heavy drinkers.

So your doctor is correct. Clusters cause Smoking

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by floridian on Jun 4^th, 2004, 5:51pm

Quote:

Clusters cause Smoking

;;D You may be right on that one, Bob - its plausible, and we don't have the evidence to say what causes what. You're a little more direct than I was with my cart-horse analogy.

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by Bob P on Jun 4^th, 2004, 5:55pm

I should have read the entire thread and I would have seen that you had already proposed this possibility.

You give them the medical literature and I'll smack 'em 'tween the eyes with a 2 by.

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by Elaine on Jun 4^th, 2004, 8:57pm

I will agree with Bob Clusters cause smoking !

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by kimh on Jun 4^th, 2004, 9:27pm

i think there's a link and some day hopefully it will all be made clear.

i don't think it's so much what smoking has to do with clusters, but more so how what switch in the brain has that results in both smoking and cluters

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by OneEyeBlind on Jun 4^th, 2004, 9:44pm

I am an addictive neurotic not a very nice person ……… just ask anyone. Oh yea, and I smoke em when I got em !

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by OneEyeBlind on Jun 4^th, 2004, 9:46pm

That was so not fair ........ I have barely posted in the last few months, and when I do .......... my words get changed !!!!!!

WhoIsOutToGetMeNeuroticNancy

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by jonny on Jun 4^th, 2004, 9:53pm

Over a one hundred and seventy milion people dont smoke......Give me a fucking break that smoking has anything to do with CH

Thanks for the laugh

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

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by UN_SOLVED on Jun 4^th, 2004, 9:59pm

on 06/04/04 at 17:44:07, Bob P wrote:

Clusters cause Smoking

[smiley=me&mb.gif]And maybe even drinking 2 (when possible)

Unsolved

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by garygus on Jun 5^th, 2004, 5:28am

remember people this wasnt my doc but a study he showed me out of michigan and the percentage of cluster sufferers that were smokers was like in the 95% range.
Gary

Title: Re: Smoking and Clusters
Post by PPRanch on Jun 5^th, 2004, 6:24am

As a 30 year sufferer, and a smoker, I have not been able to determine any connection between smoking and the intensity, frequency, or duration of my attacks. In fact, like several others have commented, I actually find some solace by lighting up during an attack (psychological?). I am also ADHD and I have often wondered if the "neurological wiring" of ADHD is somehow related to CH. This may also explain the high incidence of "addictive" behaviors (including smoking) found in CH sufferers.

Rich