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Old 06-02-2015, 01:54 AM
 
Location: Someplace Wonderful
5,177 posts, read 4,763,285 times
Reputation: 2587

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Since I began smoking cigars four weeks ago (as of this writing) I have noticed the following Good Things:

1) my gums no longer bleed from brushing, flossing, or using toothpicks.

2) my overdeveloped gag reflex has stopped

I should explain that for several years I seriously gagged when anything went into my mouth, especially my toothbrush. That stopped after a week of smoking cigars

3) my cravings for alcohol have disappeared

I should explain that I was a heavy drinker until a month ago. I quit cold turkey and started smoking cigars the following day. Coincidence? Several previous attempts to quit drinking always failed because of the cravings. Now they are gone.

4) I can now walk confidently without the aid of a cane. This started less than a week into the cigar smoking.

5) My blood pressure was 168 over something bad just a couple of days before I began smoking cigars. The past few days I have checked four times, and my blood pressure has been less that 120 over something good.

This one has me puzzled. Every source I browsed on the topic says that nicotine raises blood pressure. Yet here I am. Normal for the first time in over two years.

6) my balance has returned to the point that I can put my pants on one leg at a time without leaning against something.

While I am not a medical professional, nor do I play one on the internet, I am reporting my own experience. Coincidence? Something else?

Last edited by chuckmann; 06-02-2015 at 02:21 AM..
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Old 06-02-2015, 03:05 AM
 
Location: Georgia, USA
36,972 posts, read 40,923,413 times
Reputation: 44898
Stopping the alcohol had more to do with it than the cigars. Do you really want to swap the alcohol for another addiction?

Alcohol can increase blood pressure, increase bleeding tendencies, contribute to gum disease, and affect muscle function and balance (even when you are not actually drunk). Poor nutrition associated with alcohol consumption can lead to vitamin deficiencies.

Congratulations on your sobriety, but a checkup with your family doctor would be a good idea. You are fortunate you did not have DTs by quitting drinking abruptly if your intake was indeed heavy.

You probably should be taking some vitamins, but consult with your doctor about having blood levels (B12 and folate) before you do that.

Edited to add: Quit the cigars! I really do not think they helped get you off the alcohol. You just did it yourself.
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