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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> CH's & Smoking???
        
(Message started by: cronic_head_case on Apr 11^th, 2008, 1:30pm)

Title: CH's & Smoking???
Post by cronic_head_case on Apr 11^th, 2008, 1:30pm

Hi there, I've suffered from chronic cluster headaches for the last 13 years. When i first developed CH's i didn't smoke at all, but have done for the last 10 years.

I just wanted to now if anybody had given up smoking and found that the CH's had improved or even gone away.

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by seasonalboomer on Apr 11^th, 2008, 2:15pm

on 04/11/08 at 13:30:52, cronic_head_case wrote:

Didn't make a difference. Went from nearly two packs a day to zip and have still had them. My Clustermasx probably smells better though as a result....

;)

Scott

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by Superdave on Apr 11^th, 2008, 2:31pm

Same Here, No change

Although my Neuro told me that smoking is very common among cluster sufferers, one of those chemical things we’re lacking due to this condition.

It certainly isn't a good thing, especially along side the drugs we use to fight the beast.

Superdave

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by Paul98 on Apr 11^th, 2008, 3:39pm

Quit for 8 years, the CH didn't.

-P.

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by kevmd on Apr 11^th, 2008, 10:20pm

i think the last time I looked at the medication survey, about 11% of people who quit smoking to help their headaches experienced some kind of relief. Of course that could just be a coincidence

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by barry_sword on Apr 12^th, 2008, 3:09pm

Smoked for 30 years, worked myself up to 2 packs a day.
Clusterheadaches.

Quit smoking September 3rd, 2005.
Clusterheadaches.

Seemed to make no diff with me either way, but gave me a little more pocket money and I have more energy!

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by darknight on Apr 14^th, 2008, 11:58am

id been smoking since i was 15 at least 10-15 a day i gave up when i was told the 02 will be in my house and noticed the frequency of attacks have lowered (maybe due to more oxygen in the room)!! ALso the oxygen works for me!!!

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by purpleydog on Apr 15^th, 2008, 5:20pm

Cigarette smoke used to trigger CH for me when I was episodic. After I turned chronic, it didn't bother me anymore.

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by stevec on Apr 15^th, 2008, 7:17pm

I know that this is unnecessary, but still it needs to be said. Most people with cluster headaches use 100% O2. Any flame around this high concentration of oxygen can be deadly. Your clothes can become soaked with pure O2, and even when you are away from the oxygen, an open flame can instantly ignite your clothes. So everyone, please be careful. Ok, lecture over. I'm pretty sure that everyone here understands this.

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by purpleydog on Apr 15^th, 2008, 10:26pm

Most people with CH smoke, too. But thanks for the warning anyway.

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by kevmd on Apr 15^th, 2008, 11:15pm

Smoking will make me die earlier than if I did not smoke. Therefor, it is the best preventative going as it will guarantee less clusterheadaches. If I am going chronic, I will NOT quit. Just being brutally honst. My wife hates when I say that

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by Becky on Apr 25^th, 2008, 6:40am

My Gp told me to stop smoking, I was in cycle at the time and thought "nuts to that" all I need is nicotine withdrawal and the beast together!!
When I get hit I tend to pace the back garden and chain smoke!

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by clavers on Apr 25^th, 2008, 11:26am

I smoked for 22 years. I quit in 1983 and shortly thereafter I began to get cluster headaches. I do not know if there is any connection, but it is the only thing that I can think of that happened just before becoming a clusterhead.

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by kcopelin on Apr 25^th, 2008, 12:07pm

Quitting is easy-I've done it many times :P

Honestly, the longest cigarette free times for me were when I was pregnant and I didn't get CH-but that was probably the preganancy. I have quit since then for 3-6 months at a time and still got slammed...

Don't really feel like going through nicotine withdrawals right now.

Just my dos centavos. I know that smoking is hideous, deadly and I am setting a bad example for my children. I am also singlehandedly destroying the atmosphere,
endangering the future of this rock we live on and yada yada yada.

Going out to have a smoke....
BRB
kathy

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by TrippnMI on May 9^th, 2008, 10:55pm

I quit smoking about 3 years ago and didn't have a headache for about a year and thought I had them beat. (wasn't the first time I thought I found out what caused them... caffine, alcohol, sugar and heat were some of the other false ideas) They came back with a vengence after about 7 months. I still get them but since I quit the number of kip 10s has been reduced. When I would smoke too many cigs in a row I would get a level 10 all the time. This last 2 years I've been taking esgic or fioricet in the morning if I feel like I might get a headache. Its worked well at stopping them from even starting and if I already have one then it makes it go away faster Sorry for rambling this is the first time I've talked much about this and I've had CH's for 17 years.

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by Jean on May 10^th, 2008, 4:23pm

I smoked for about five years after growing up in a home where EVERYONE smoked. Mom, Dad, Sisters,and Brother. I was the youngest of five and they are quite a bit older than me. They weren't smokers as toddlers or anything. After moving out I quit. I still got CH. I have also tried to give up things that I thought were the cause. ( Diet Coke, artificial sweeteners, nuts, MSG, processed food, cheese, you name it.) Although I think some things make them more painful (alcohol) I really do think that for me, I get hit when the bastard wants to hit me..... no matter what I do.

Jeannie [smiley=twocents.gif]

Title: Re: CH's & Smoking???
Post by tonyonly on May 17^th, 2008, 1:46pm

I quit smoking (for a year or so) in 2006 and then my pain cycle ended and I thought quitting smokes somekinda helped a bit. Not so sure anymore, worse CH than ever.

Anyways, with common sense - if you're a smoker then the level of oxygen in your blood is never the same than person that does not smoke. So it "should" have something to do with this all; at least your body is "more able" to take & use oxygen if you do not smoke so one would think attacks would not come either as often or not as severe...