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Blood pressure and the hookah?


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Oh crap, I think there may be some connection between shisha smoking
and high blood pressure.  And I don't mean in an eventual, keel
over when you're 60 kind of way. 

  Last night I was sitting on my couch smoking the
hookah, having some beers and I could feel my pulse increasing as well
as the pressure of the blood in my head.  After four bowls or so I
engaged in some physical activity and I thought I was gonna pass out or
have a stroke or heart attack or something.  My vision kinda
whited out and I got really dizzy and then saw black spots and couldn't catch my breath. 

  Has anyone else experienced anything like this? 

I've been smoking shisha for five years or so, but I've probably smoked
more in the past three months than in the past three years.  Maybe
there's some sort of buildup? 

  I'm cutting back for now because I'm freaked out.  But, I don't want to give up my hookah!!! 

help me out?
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that sort of thing has happened to me before, but i always just assumed
that it was my special herbal blend of ma'assel ;) was to blame...

well, anyway, when it happened, the feeling passed after a minute or
so, and i felt fine afterwards... i doubt it's much to worry about, but
it is a very odd phenomenon... i believe it may be associated with the
headaches many get when smoking hookahs
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Its due to a lack of oxygen to the brain, so your body is working
harder to get more blood there.  The hookah headache as I call it
is common.  Seems like at least one person gets it each time I
smoke with friends.

Best thing to do: put the pipe down for a few minutes and relax.
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hey Bubble,
I have recently switched coals.  I got a box of Pegasus (Pegasos? I think they're greekcoals in my last order, I've only used Three Kings before.  Hmmm...?  Any experience with this brand?  They seem to burn hotter, but dirtier...they smell like my BBQ when they light up .  That could be the difference. 
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i tihnk the fact that u did 4 bowls is to blame, 1 time i did 4 bowls
of nakhla mint in a row and got a ripping headache, cudnt see straight,
passed out, and had one of the weirdest dreams
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Hmm. My wife had her blood pressure checked the day after smoking a
bowl. It was 118/78.  How many beers did you have? The alcohol
will thin your blood, combined with a lack of O2 will get you buzzed
up. Best bet is to go and get a physical. 
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Last week I packed a hookah full of shisha and weed (SSHHHWEEEED).
After smoking few regular shisha bowls and 1 shweed bowl my friend just
got up, went to the bathroom and all we heard was: BOOM TTTHUUUMP. Then
we unlock the door, go in and hes was passed out on the floor.

He was alright after we drew on him and took incriminating photos, but this is just a warning for us all.
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Assuming that one smokes ma'ssel only as it is intended, the changes in blood pressure would indeed probably come from the breathing...hyperventilation reduced the carbon dioxide levels in your blood...while smoking hookah since you breathe more deeply and rapidly chances are you would have decreased opxygen levels as well. Symptoms of hyperventilation are:
shortness of breath; fast breathing; chest pain; weakness; dizziness; and numbness and tingling around the mouth, hands, and feet. You may have blurred vision, feel like your heart is racing, have muscle tightness in your hands and feet, or feel faint
That very much sounds like what you described. Blood pressure in general is very affected by breathing so unless it's a lasting change (that is doesn't go back to normal within a few hours after smoking) I wouldn't worry about it....though cutting down on the number of bowls a bit is probably not a bad idea for your lungs
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QUOTE(Nathaliwhile smoking hookah since you breathe more deeply and rapidly chances are you would have decreased oxygen levels as well.

Because you're inhaling smoke and possibly less oxygen @ yes. 
But simply breathing faster isn't going to decrease your O2 level.

A quick thought experiment:  You run a mile.  Your muscles
produce more CO2 and want more oxygen so they can continue metabolising
goodies to make more energy so you can keep running.  Breathing
faster blows off the CO2 in your system, *and* brings in more O2, not
less.  Else we wouldn't be able to run far at all, and we'd have
been mammoth dinners eons ago. [img)
smileys/smiley1.gif[/img]

[quote]Blood pressure in general is very affected by breathing[/quote]

Kind of... Indirectly, how you breath (hyper/hypoventiliation) might
effect a temporary change in BP, but it's not a direct effect.

Smoking in general, though, is a risk factor for high BP.  (Chronic, that is.  Not episodic like was mentioned here.)

E.G.
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