Posted by drummer (216.28.41.194) on December 15, 1999 at 09:47:45:
In Reply to: CHers posted by hub on December 15, 1999 at 08:25:10:
My illegal drug of choice WAS marijuana from age 14 to age 23. I smoked marijuana as soon as I woke up in the morning until I went to sleep at night during these years. My chronic Cluster cycle began in 1983 at age 20. I was convinced that these excruciatingly painful headaches were caused because of my substance abuse. BEFORE I was diagnosed as having Cluster Headaches I stopped smoking marijuana.
My legal drug of choice was beer and cigarettes. I smoked cigarettes from age 18 to the present. I drank beer heavily from age 18 to age 23.
I was diagnosed with Cluster Headaches at age 23.
Giving up marijuana was easy. I just kind of grew out of it and I was convinced that the marijuana was causing these excruciating headaches. When I finally went to a doctor and was properly diagnosed with chronic Cluster Headaches the doc explained that my prior marijuana smoking did NOT cause my Clusters. The doc also suggested that I stop drinking beer unless I wanted the beer to “trigger” a headache. I said, “okee dokee”.
Not drinking beer is easy for me, (I hate these headaches). I have not had any urge to smoke marijuana in the past 13 years. I’m 36 now. I’m currently trying to not smoke for the 22nd time in my life. This is the hardest addiction that I have found for me to overcome. BUT, I have a VERY strong will to survive and I have no intentions of EVER giving up! I believe this to be one of the positive aspects of being a CHRONIC sufferer of Cluster Headaches. YA-fucking-HOO!!! :-)