First Cigar in About a Year
hoghunter
Posts: 539 ✭✭✭✭✭
All this time I thought I had lung issues and couldn’t stop coughing. So I stopped smoking. Turned out my lungs are perfect- it was something called GERD putting acid into my lungs (or something like that). I had no other symptoms but the coughing. All controlled now with some OTC acids meds. Gonna take a long time to get my palate back. Fortunately I’ve been diligent on my tupperdors makes sure everything stayed controlled with humidity and temp. 
23
Comments
Great news, congrats on your diagnosis and prognosis.
Welcome back
A good cigar and whiskey solve most problems.
Welcome back!
Outstanding.
Don't let the wife know what you spend on guns, ammo or cigars.
Good you have a diagnosis, gastric reflux can lead to some serious issues if left untreated.
I understand your pain. I deal with GERD, as well. Been on Omeprazole for years now. Congratulations on getting that garbage under control!
Nolite Oblivisci Peniculus Dentes
PPI’s can cause issues also. They pushed them hard when they first came out and still do when many can get by with common H2 blockers. It’s worth looking into. I had major Gerd issues before but it mostly resolved after elimination of alcoholic beverages. Now it’s bbq sauce and red pizza sauce that still gets me from time to time.
Welcome back
Been 8 months for me without a Cigar. I have been dealing with heart rhythm issues. For the last 8 months it's been a fragile peace with my heart. The meds help but caffeine, and even too much sugar will cause me to have spells. I haven't tried smoking cigars again I am sure the nicotine would impact my heart. I practice a dry draw from time to time with a cheap hand rolled. I'm probably done with actually smoking cigars. Welcome back @hoghunter
Correct. I, too, have quit alcohol but run into the same issues with tomato based products and other high acid foods. Unfortunately, can't do the OTC stuff but have managed to reduce the daily pill to half dosage and supplement with liquid vitamins to aid digestion. Fingers crossed that and cutting aluminum products will help stem off Alzheimer's and dementia. The biggest worry for PPIs. Concerned for my dad, though, he still takes the 40 mg dose and won't supplement or read anything I send his way about the subject.
Nolite Oblivisci Peniculus Dentes
I'm so sorry to hear of your health problems @TNBigfoot68 . Thoughts and prayers that you can get it under control.
Trapped in the People's Communist Republic of Massachusetts.
Hope you get to the bottom of the root cause and get back to enjoying cigars. I’ve had issues with this previously as well and eliminating alcohol and taking a hard look at medication I was taking got it under control and resolved. Even simple water pills can cause issues. Your heart is a muscle and prone to the same temperaments of say a calf or hamstring. Dehydration or some beta blockers even, can cause problems. Ironically, beta blockers are often prescribed for arrhythmias.
A good place to start is drugs.com and check all your meds out and other reviews. Read the prescriber information also, many Doctors don’t even bother to read them. Then you can check and cross reference studies as well. It can be a real eye opener and you really must be your own advocate in a world of 10 min Dr. visits and little follow up. Many drugs require regular blood monitoring to identify imbalances and are routinely glossed over. Anywho, hope you get it figured out and identify your trigger(s).
Interesting @CAcigarguy007 I had quit alcohol for 2 years and then started again (ughh) but then stopped again a couple weeks prior to my GERD diagnosis and starting Prilosec generic. Maybe it was the combo of getting off alcohol again and the PPI that worked? I just passed 8 weeks of PPI and I asked my doctor how long I should take this stuff because there is all kinds of cautions about taking it too long. I was taking 40mg per day. She said to stop and see how it goes. Hell- maybe the alcohol was the culprit? At least I’m back on my cigars which hopefully keeps the brown liquor out of my hands. It’s a battle I won for 2 years, but one slip up is all it takes for me. Thanks for your feedback on this thread.on the bright side of all this- the cigars being in tupperdors with 62Rh Bovedas (holding at 65Rh) for well over a year have made them burn perfectly so far. Maybe the whole resting your cigars thing has some validity to it!
Resting cigars for as long as you can is one of the best tips for enjoying good cigars. I "hide" my new cigars from myself in my winedor in the living room for as long as possible and smoke out of my crates in my office.
I'm glad that things are on the upswing, @hoghunter.
I understand the struggle. Drinking solvent never helps anything and has a cumulative effect once you hit your 30’s and only gets worse from there. I think folks don’t appreciate the dangers long term because it’s so socially acceptable and the industry has done a great job of glamorizing it in ads, movies, and direct to consumer marketing. Plus it’s prevalent in music lyrics. It has zero therapeutic use (other than a solvent or emulsifier in limited uses). I switched back to H2’s from PPI’s no problem. If I don’t eat to soon before bed I’m usually fine taking nothing. Small modifications can make a big difference. I’m glad to hear things are looking up for you. A well aged stock is a nice bonus!
It has zero therapeutic use.
Does too... Keeps the drunks from getting the DT's.
Booze kept me alive until it nearly killed me and until I was strong enough to do without it, it has been a glorious uphill struggle but the view from the top was worth it.
I regularly drink the brown liquor, only when I smoke cigars, only in moderation, almost never on an empty stomach, going on 14 years now with no problems. Hope y'all don't jinx me.
Touché lol. One could also argue the merits of relaxation or the pleasure of don’tgiveashititis that it provides lol. I certainly derive pleasure and relaxation from cigars and they aren’t “good” for me, but I do correlate a tangible benefit nonetheless.