I have to ask the experts

When ever the Beast awakes me, the first thing I do is puff on a smoke until it is too painful, then as the pain resides i smoke another.

Do you think this could be doing more harm than good????

Rob

   I've smoked and gone in cycle, stopped smoking for the better part of five years, yep, you guessed it .... still went in cycle during that period.
    I really didn't see much difference one way or the other, I have sworn to quit after this cycle, as the obvious benefits to quitting, health and monetary make it worth while.
    Use extreme caution when using O2 if you continue to smoke, it could really ruin your day. ;)

B.Baer wrote on Jan 11^th, 2009 at 10:56am:

Use extreme caution when using O2 if you continue to smoke, it could really ruin your day. ;)

Very wise words!!! :o

The important thing to remember about oxygen...oxygen is not flammable...it's an accelerant. So if your clothes get saturated with it, and you're smoking...if you're clothes should catch fire.....it'll be like WAAAYYY bad! So do be careful combining the two!!

Joe

  Smoking is one thing. If you catch on fire around O2, you could be well and truly screwed. Be damned careful.
[smiley=smokin.gif]

Since I have quit smoking now 4 years come this Feb., the cluster cycles still come, however the total time of the cycle, the duration of each HA, and intensity has been reduced.  Maybe it's just a coincidence, but it feels great to breathe again.  If i'm even near by stander smoke, clusters can start.  When I did smoke, it was almost gauranteed one was coming after that last drag.  I use to celebrate once the HA was gone with a cig, but now I just have a very happy mood afterwards knowing that the beast took a break.  Thinking positive is the key for me as well as exercise and now i'm trying rc seeds.  Quitting smoking has helped me many ways.  It's not for all though.

rodoepig wrote on Jan 11^th, 2009 at 2:20am:

I have to ask the experts When ever the Beast awakes me, the first thing I do is puff on a smoke until it is too painful, then as the pain resides i smoke another. Do you think this could be doing more harm than good???? Rob

Rob,

I used to do the same thing.  Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, so it might possibly reduce CH pain a bit in the short term, but it also acts to stimulate calcium-channel activity; the exact opposite effect of Verapamil.

There's a lot of disagreement among CH sufferers about whether smoking is a trigger, but keep in mind that smokers (myself included) tend to be in denial about most of the harmful effects from smoking!

I noticed a marked decrease in CH around the time I quit smoking five years ago, but I think the remission from CH may have actually started before I quit, so I can't claim a definite cause/effect.  I since seem to have eliminated my CH completely, but that's a whole 'nother thread  ::)

Ditto on what the other guys said about smoking & O2.  There are WAY too many people going up in flames from smoking around medical oxygen!

Best guess is, yes, the smoking does more harm than good.

Regards,
Jim

I have never had a cigerette bring on an attack so Im not sure about that. But I must admit when I have a bad attack I pace the floor and chain smoke till it goes.

Becky wrote on Jan 12^th, 2009 at 9:15pm:

I have never had a cigerette bring on an attack so Im not sure about that. But I must admit when I have a bad attack I pace the floor and chain smoke till it goes.

Wow, I can't do anything, but meditate during an attack.  Smoking intensifies it even bystander smoke, chimney smoke, burning leafs, fumes, pot smoke etc...  When I use to smoke, I would treat myself with one after the beast took a break.
As we all say though, everybody is different.  

Hiya Chad, as you say we are all different. I can meditate after a fashion when I am having a bad attack. I usually visualise a beach and try to imagine the sea washing the pain away. I say after a fahion because one thing I can not do is sit still. I bet I look a right sight LOL!! I pace around in the dark because I cant bare light, this is going to sound funny but I have to light my ciggy with my hand over my eyes because the light from my lighter hurts my head.

hi i dont know about other peeps but smoking causes several attacks for me especially the bong

I have smoked for the better part of my life I don't think that it has caused me any hits. Now if I take a couple hits off a j with in five minuets I will be in CH hell.

Funny you mentioned about getting a headache after smoking pot, Blue Eyes.
I have smoked a lot of pot for the past 20 years or so, but only had CH for about 5 years. This week it has been dry, not much to smoke, maybe the least I have smoked(pot) in years, and my headaches seemed to be a little milder, still a couple a night , but maybee only 3 on the scale. Now the hard part, I have to determine weather or not it is coincidense, or should I cut down. Maybee I'll make it a new question.

Thanks
Rob

Just to throw in my two cents on it, over the 15 years of clusters, I've been hit while a pack a day smoker, and while a non-smoker, after just having taken it up again, and after just having quit.  Smoking has never seemed to have any impact one way or the other.  I will say that while in cycle, and while having a headache, the smell of the smoke (along with the smell of anything really) is really irritating.

Also, while not a pot smoker, I did try it in my last cluster to see if it would help, since a friend of my swears by it for her migraines.  After smoking it and going to sleep, I woke up with a particularly nasty K9.  Haven't gone near the stuff since.

I'm with Becky, chain smoke until it's gone.

I don't think it makes the hit better or worse, just something else to pass the time.

                                    PFD's
                                     JPC

i usually smoke when i get the first taste of a headache coming...for two reasons

- im not gonna be smoking for  a while....i cant smoke when it come on for real and a bit after.

- it makes the headache come on stronger - which for me = shorter..

ive noticed recently that the really bad ones are about 20 - 40 min shorter...ive been keeping records...low level ones last for about 2 hours....kip 10 about 40 min to an hour (about 10 min at the 10)...
mid are about 60 min.

smoking helps by making it shorter but stronger...kip 10 are almost normal once aday so yeah id rather have it quicker...

I smoke and while it is not a trigger for ch, I cannot be in the same room with cigarette smoke during a ch.  Any strong scents (perfume, smoke, food, etc.) makes the ch worse.  

It's got to be good in every way to give it up.

Mark Twain had the right idea.

Ellick.