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Title: Need More Info on 02 & Quitting Smoking? Post by Judy_K on Feb 14th, 2004, 9:58pm First off, thanks to all those who have responded to our inquiries!! God Bless you all!!! My husband Jon continues to have clusters every night around 9:00 p.m. His clusters started in mid-October. He lost his job in January. We are both beginning to feel it's weight! He has tried Paxil CR, Topamax, and OTC Melatonin. He is currently on Cafergot, Verapamil, and Imiprimine. Yesterday I picked up the 02 for him to try. His neuro said try 6 litres, 5-10 minutes when a headache begins. He has used it 3 times with no dramatic change. The neuro really didn't give much info about it! How long does it take? Someone said you can get too much of it and get a really bad headache from that! How do you know if you are getting too much! And has anyone quit smoking while in an episode? And has that stopped the clusters? Jon's neuro said, "Whatever you do, don't quit smoking while in this episode"! He never said why! Yes, it would be stressful, but the neuro says stress does not trigger clusters! Hard to believe that! Years ago Jon's MD told him to quit smoking if he wanted to be over the cluster headaches! Going to try to get Jon to go out with friends or have them come here! I tell him he's got to keep trying! Thanks again for the help! Still Hangin' In There! Judy_K |
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Title: Re: Need More Info on 02 & Quitting Smoking? Post by Flounder on Feb 14th, 2004, 10:07pm That is way to low a flow rate on the O2. Try 10Lpm. Also you need a non-rebreather mask. Start at the first sign of an attack and go for 20 min even if the CH goes away to insure that it will not come back. He will not get a headache from doing to much O2. I can usually get relief from O2 in about 10 minutes. How many Mgms of Verapamil is he taking? It may need to be increased. There are many people here that take 700mgs even 900mgs a day. I would think he should be taking at least 420mgs. Smoking does not cause CH for me and I doubt quitting will have much effect on his, although it's a good Idea to stop anyway. Sorry that he is getting slammed. Lithium would be good to try with the Verapamil as well. |
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Title: Re: Need More Info on 02 & Quitting Smoking? Post by ave on Feb 15th, 2004, 6:07am Doctors habituallytellpeople to stop smoking; it has become quite a religious dogma. Your recent doc seems to know something about clusters; many people here smoke and thecigaret can sometime avert an attack or help with the after effects. To be hit so hard and than be deniedthat cigarett may be toomuch to bear - not stress, just toomuch. Plus the I am no good feeling, when the quit smoking project fails. It is best, I agree, to start quitting smoking when therest of one's life is on an even keel. Than it has a chance of succeeding. Nobody here (as far as I remeber) has ever reported clusters went out with the cigarets. ----- The O2, yes you definitely need a valve that allows you 10-15 liters per minute, not the measly 5. Of course that does not work! You also need a proper mask, preferablya non-rebreather. Be careful with upping your Vera dose allon your own, but yoiu cantake some guidance from Vera users, who have gone up to 960 mg a day. I was comfortable at 360. It varies for everybody. More info about O2 you'll find under the oxygen info button onthe left. No, I have never had bad headaches from O2. The only real O2 danger is strapping on the mask and then falling asleep because the O2 has killed the pain and made you wonderfully sleepy. All that O2 will, if it is on long enough, dry out your mucous membranse so taht you get very painful, dry lungs. Easy solution, snip the elastic on the mask. Good luck! |
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Title: Re: Need More Info on 02 & Quitting Smoking? Post by Prense on Feb 15th, 2004, 11:32am In addition to the flow, he should be using the O2 for up to 15 mins. After 15 minutes, if there is no relief, the O2 probably isn't going to work on that attack... Chris |
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Title: Re: Need More Info on 02 & Quitting Smoking? Post by Edski_1 on Feb 15th, 2004, 12:24pm Judy... I can't offer any advice on verapimil or O2 or smoking, but I can offer a little emotional guidance. My clusters re-appeared in October, and I too lost my job in January. So I can understand the stress that Jon must be feeling. It really sucks to get kicked in the teeth like that professionally like that and have this beast bearing down on him. From what I've read on this board and otehr sites, 6 LPM is way too low for oxygen to be effective... As for cigs, the better neuro will say that smoking actually has a beneficial effect onthe HA's, ironically, as the smoking seems to constrict the blood vessels, and that's what's needed in a CH. The anectdotal evidence seems to be split as to the actual effictiveness, however it seems. Considering the stress of being out of work and going through the visits fromthe beast, I doubt that this is a good time to try and quit...seems from those I know who smoke that the mental aspect of uitting smoking is as important as the physical aspect. And trying to be with friends would be a good idea, if only to let your husband know that his friends are still there for him. I know that it was hard for me to keep up my social activities... but trying to keep a normal routine is one way to fight off the blues and the beast :) Keep the faith, anf PF vibes to Jon! :) |
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Title: Re: Need More Info on 02 & Quitting Smoking? Post by denisebyrd on Feb 15th, 2004, 1:27pm Judy, I din't quit smoking while I was in a cycle because I have never had more than 9 PF days in a row. I did however quit for 3 plus months and For me it precipitated a cycle that has been going since then. WhenI finally gave in and went bacik to smoking, the frequency and kip rating went down so I guess you could say I did feel better smoking again. Stupid huh? I want to try again but I am so afraid this will happen again. Maybe it was partly withdrawal, who the hell knows. All I know is I too take oxygen and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. when it doesn't I take imitrex. I guess we just have to mix it up a little to find whatever will get rid of the pain until the next headache. Good luck |
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