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Topic: CH and the military (Read 5412 times) |
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Phil L
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CH and the military
« on: May 14th, 2007, 6:28pm » |
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Anyone know the prevalance of CH and military service?
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AussieBrian
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #1 on: May 14th, 2007, 9:17pm » |
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Dunno about prevalence, Phil, but certainly I was an active serviceman when this nightmare began. Can even tell you that my first ever hit was after we'd led the Anzac Day parade at Paddington in Sydney.
Mind you, it was then another decade before I was able to identify the beast and give it a name so I blame the military only for failing to diagnose it in the first place.
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Linda_Howell
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #2 on: May 14th, 2007, 10:04pm » |
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I can't remember the guys name...but there is a guy with clusters from here, who is serving in Iraq as I type this. Second tour if I got that right.
I would imagine that since this is so rare that the military prevalence is quite low.
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Kopfschmerz
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In the US military, if you were found to have chronic cluster headaches, you be either booted out or medically retired. It wouldn't be good, in a combat situation, to have chronic CH. If you had episodic and the doc knew anything about CH, you'd be referred to a neurologist for an evaluation-but most don't know much about CH and, depending upon where you are, it might take so much time to get an appointment with a neuro that your episodic episode might be gone and you'd be sent back to duty (and if you had asked for anything stronger than aspirin for the pain during your attack, you'd probably be labeled as a drug abuser). I'd advise any servicemember with CH, chronic or episodic, to lay out the cash and see a civilian doc first.
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thomas
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #4 on: May 15th, 2007, 9:18am » |
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I started getting mine when I was in the Army. I think military service can trigger the CH in some one who is already predisposed to have it, the crazy sleep cylces and such mess up the circadian rythms.
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Religion and sex are powerplays. Manipulate the people for the money they pay. Selling skin, selling God, the numbers look the same on their credit cards. Triptans cause rebounds. Learn it, believe it, live it. I use triptans as the absolute LAST RESORT when treating my CH.
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BlueMeanie
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #5 on: May 15th, 2007, 1:15pm » |
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U.S.S. Impervious 1979 sitting in the hole (engine room) running a GM & 4 Waukesha diesel engines. By the time a got relieved of my watch the CH was gone. Hid with the headaches throughout the cycle, After I transferred and went into my 2nd cycle, my Senior Cheif caught me hiding during an attack. Great guy. He insisted he drive me to the doc. From there we went to a lady Neurologist from India who immediately told me I had CH's. Sent me for the usual MRI and such then told me I was not gonna die. Unfortunately there where no Triptans at that time, so i stayed pretty much drugged out until the day I found Trex years later. Did the military cause my CH's ? I doubt it.
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Phil L
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #6 on: May 15th, 2007, 3:02pm » |
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Just for fun let's expand the survey to include those who developed CH after military service. I've no particular axe to grind here, just curious as CH affects such a small percentage of people and there appears to be a higher than expected number of us with CH who have served in the military.
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totka2
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #7 on: May 15th, 2007, 3:11pm » |
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Brothers in arms. Like AussieBrian I served in the army too when my CH began. Not prevelance but ... who knows?
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TonyYZF
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #8 on: May 15th, 2007, 10:29pm » |
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I currently serve in the US Navy. I was diagnosed almost a year ago by a Navy Neurologist. I am still working out the bugs as to how long I will be able to serve and how this is going to pan out. I also served in the Army back in the 80's. The crazy changes in sleeping patterns has definately impacted my attempts to control and cope. Feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss some of the impact and implications of being a cluster head in the military.
Tony
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TonyG1
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Mine started when I was in the military...
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kcopelin
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #10 on: May 17th, 2007, 1:55pm » |
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Mine also started when I was in the military, US Air Force. I was episodic throughout my career, and although they did offer a medical retirement-I choose to stay in. Upon retirement I was listed as service-connected with "0" disability and "0" compensation. It is now up to 50% because I have become chronic.
Did the military cause my cluster headaches? Well, I doubt that they experimented with my hypothalymus, but the CH did start after I had served for about 3 years.
For those somehow predisposed, certainly the unusual work shifts and hours in the military could mess up the circadian rhythm.
PFDA y'all,
kathy
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sailpappy
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #11 on: May 18th, 2007, 7:45am » |
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 Here is a link to the VA's web site, these are all the cases that had been denied then went to appeal. there is a surprising number, way more than I ever thought, if they dont document it while they are in the service they dont have a chance of getting compensated for it after they get out! Pappy
http://www.index.va.gov/search/va/bva.html
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Phil L
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #12 on: May 18th, 2007, 8:18pm » |
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Thanks Sailpappy. I purused the data base and your right, a surprising number of cases. What it all means though, is beyond me and perhaps the numbers simply reflect the national average. Phil
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NovellRed
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #13 on: May 19th, 2007, 12:06am » |
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Active duty US Navy since 1971. Had my first cluster in 1977. Diagnosed as chronic in 1981. Medical retirement in 1990 with 30% disability. After 18 months my status was reviewed and I was declared 10% disabled and no longer eligible for retirement. At 10% disability I could not go back on active duty until retirement. I was discharged with severance pay.
I don't think the military caused my clusters, it may have caused them to be worse. Long periods without sleep, mid watches and the odd hours that are part of military life may have contributed to the severity. Since 1990 I believe I have transitioned from chronic to episodic.
Today my job requires me to travel globally and I do notice an increase in severity and frequency when I have had a particularly grueling schedule. Time zones and disruptive sleeping patterns do take a toll.
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chandlerda
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #14 on: Sep 4th, 2007, 12:54pm » |
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I dont really know of any connection between service and CH. I too was diagnosed while in the military, after years of being given 800MG ibuprofen (LOL!!!), and countless sick call slips, I finally got the much needed meds and explanation. I was really suprised when a CT scan produced nothing out of the ordinary.
I was rated at 30% disabled when I got out, but since then have been re-evaluated to 0%, but still service connected disabled.
I have actually noticed a suprising number of Veterans and Active Duty personnel on this web site.. So maybe there is a connection, but it would suprise me.
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Ghost
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #15 on: Sep 4th, 2007, 3:37pm » |
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Had it the whole 9 years in but was misdiagnosed. Did check with a friend that is a Navy Nurse Ret. last year and CH is in the same catigory as Migrane, You wont get booted. but if you got initial diagnoses while in you may not guaranteed get partial disability when you get out.
Mike
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UN solved
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on May 15th, 2007, 7:54am, Kopfschmerz wrote:| In the US military, if you were found to have chronic cluster headaches, you be either booted out or medically retired. It wouldn't be good, in a combat situation, to have chronic CH. If you had episodic and the doc knew anything about CH, you'd be referred to a neurologist for an evaluation-but most don't know much about CH and, depending upon where you are, it might take so much time to get an appointment with a neuro that your episodic episode might be gone and you'd be sent back to duty (and if you had asked for anything stronger than aspirin for the pain during your attack, you'd probably be labeled as a drug abuser). I'd advise any servicemember with CH, chronic or episodic, to lay out the cash and see a civilian doc first. |
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Not syaing that there is anything wrong with your post at all .... but a German, posting about CH in the US military strikes me as 'odd'
PF WIshes
Carry on
UNsolved
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LeLimey
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #17 on: Sep 5th, 2007, 3:05pm » |
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Its not odd at all Michael - Kopfschmerz is another of chtoms handles - look through his old posts and you'll see him exposed before now.
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totka2
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #18 on: Sep 5th, 2007, 3:35pm » |
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In the army are more smokers than the average. In Clusterville live more smokers than in a common city. Coherency?
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Neil_C
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #19 on: Sep 5th, 2007, 3:47pm » |
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on Sep 4th, 2007, 7:23pm, UN solved wrote:
Not syaing that there is anything wrong with your post at all .... but a German, posting about CH in the US military strikes me as 'odd'
PF WIshes
Carry on
UNsolved
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UNsolved,
Germans tend to know alot about the US military because of the many US bases dotted in the south of Germany. Today theres not as many as there were. I dont know the figures but the US had alot of influence in those areas. I know there was a good few Germans working with the Americans on the bases as well.
Im not American and I also worked with US Government back in the early 90's. Another thing to remember is that the flag by your name represents your location 
Im not Irish but I live in Ireland 
N
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Jonny
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #20 on: Sep 5th, 2007, 5:39pm » |
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on Sep 5th, 2007, 3:47pm, Neil_C wrote:
UNsolved,
Germans tend to know alot about the US military because of the many US bases dotted in the south of Germany. Today theres not as many as there were. I dont know the figures but the US had alot of influence in those areas. I know there was a good few Germans working with the Americans on the bases as well.
Im not American and I also worked with US Government back in the early 90's. Another thing to remember is that the flag by your name represents your location
Im not Irish but I live in Ireland
N
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It seems that Kopfschmerz knows the inner workings of US Army Protocol....Hmmmm!
It seems that you are backing Kopfschmerz...and only on your 10th post here........Hmmmmm!
Is that you John, Tom, Kopfschmerz, Big_Ouch?
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Neil_C
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #21 on: Sep 5th, 2007, 7:14pm » |
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Next, you will want my rank and serial number
Neil is actually my name, not an alias.
You Americans are so trustworthy... not!... lol
N
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Brew
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #22 on: Sep 5th, 2007, 10:44pm » |
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on Sep 5th, 2007, 3:47pm, Neil_C wrote:Another thing to remember is that the flag by your name represents your location
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It does if you are telling the truth.
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LeLimey
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #23 on: Sep 6th, 2007, 3:47am » |
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Neil I'll just explain a bit of "history" here
Kopfschmerz as he is calling himself in this incantation has had more handles here than I've had hot dinners. He is what we call a troll, someone who has a twist against ch.com and someone who doesn't even have CH. He's a website junkie 
He comes back frequently under differing handles but always gives himself away with the crap he posts.
I can understand how as a new poster you would think as you do - it makes sense to me too however I have learned that not everyone on the internet is normal and there are some real loo loo's who have to bug medical related websites. You can only wonder about how weird their REAL life is if they have to come and play hard man on the internet don't you?!
I hope that helps, in the past he has frequently posted under two or three handles in one thread. You'll get used to it, its pathetic, its horrible and its actually quite sad but those of us who have been around a while have a duty to prevent him from leading desperate people who come looking for help here up the garden path with the crank crap he posts.
Don't let it put you off - the rest of us are merely psycho's I promise
Helen (who's family have all moved back to Galway and left her here!)
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bluesunshine
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Re: CH and the military
« Reply #24 on: Sep 6th, 2007, 4:06am » |
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ARMY has no correlation with CH, you know better!
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