I'm going through some 'old medical records' about my clusters written by the neuro to my family doc.

Almost every one he sent to my family doc mentioned I was a recovering alcoholic and that I 'should' stop smoking if I ever want these clusters to stop! (which I did 8 yrs ago).

I had asked for these records as I wanted them since that winter we were going to spend the winter camping in AZ. Otherwise, I'd never have the records. I hadn't read them till now. I want to pass them on to the doc treating me now. I'm taking those parts out as it's none of his business.

There is a lot of good info in them, as far as treatment, med. etc, but it ticks me off he kept mentioning the recovering alcoholic part and the smoking. He kept blaming the clusters on that stuff. He never did to my face but doc to doc he did!!

Unfortunately, the alcohol history has a legit place in you records but smoking is another issue.

For many years, even in some info on CH still being published, the role of smoking is mentioned. However, over the years I've never seen any scientific data to support the impact of smoking on CH. So, can only assume our doc is stuck on some old training.

Bob Johnson wrote on Jul 23^rd, 2009 at 4:59pm:

For many years, even in some info on CH still being published, the role of smoking is mentioned. However, over the years I've never seen any scientific data to support the impact of smoking on CH. So, can only assume our doc is stuck on some old training.

There is clearly an association, but the nature of the association is not understood - cause of, consequence of, or merely coincidental?  No good explanation yet.

To even loosely imply that stopping smoking will cure the CH is lazy medicine and bad medicine. I understand doctors wanting people to stop smoking, lose weight, etc, but I think its bad medicine to leverage someone's agony from a disease like CH to persuade them to change their behavior.

I had a doc for a while who nearly refused to talk about my CH, preferring to harp about my weight and cholesterol count - there was certainly a place for that, but not at an appointment I made to get help with CH. She said "you aren't always going to have these headaches, but if you don't bring down your cholesterol you'll have real problems."

Maybe your neuro just thought the nicotine was triggering your attacks, but again, if s/he wasn't sure, it was lazy to say that if it wasn't proven somehow.

BTW, I'm guessing you went through a treatment facility of some sort for alcoholism?

No, didn't go to treatment. Just called AA and a lady came and took me to AA. That was 28 yrs ago.

Interesting. Usually its the treatment people who refer to themselves as "recovering."

I came in the back door, as some would say. I didn't go to treatment. One meeting convinced me I was at the right place. I had no one to watch my young children so I did it that way.

I don't know why only those who go to treatment use the term recovering? I never heard of it that way.

That is what I have been doing -one day at a time for 28 yrs!

I'm 69 years old and suffered with migraines, on and off, for as long as I can remember. I smoked from age 14 and stopped at 16  -  never touched tobacco in any form since. About 8 years ago my 'migraines' got so bad and so frequent my GP referred me to a Neuro Consultant who immediately diagnosed CH.. Before that I was an ocassional social drinker and only VERY rarely got 'legless'. Even this stopped when CH was diagnosed. My first 4 years with CH were Episodic (seasonal) but then I went chronic. Can someone tell me what part smoking and alcohol abuse had in my CH onset? :-?

I'm 69 years old and suffered with migraines, on and off, for as long as I can remember. I smoked fro age 14 and stopped at 16  -  never touched tobacco in any form since. About 8 years ago my 'migraines' got so bad and so frequent my GP referred me to a Neuro Consultant who immediately diagnosed CH.. Before that I was an ocassional social drinker and only VERY rarely got 'legless'. Even thi stopped when CH was diagnosed. My first 4 years with CH were Episodic (seasonal) but then I went chronic. Can someone tell me what part smoking and alcohol abuse had in my CH onset? :-?