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        New Message Board Archives >> 2002 Posts >> Altitude effects?
        
(Message started by: daven on Aug 29^th, 2002, 2:03pm)

Title: Altitude effects?
Post by daven on Aug 29^th, 2002, 2:03pm

Hi All..... I am new to CHMB. I notice that when I am in a cluster cycle, I will most certainly trrigger a CH attack with the slightest change in altitude. I live in central California and if I drive to San Francisco, I cross over a pass that is about 2000 ft in elevation. Within an hour of that I will have a CH. Is it the drop in air pressure that triggers it? Is it relative to my blood pressure? Any thoughts?

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by echo on Aug 29^th, 2002, 2:35pm

Altitude is a definate trigger for me. Everytime I fly above 27 Kft it will trigger a CH during decent. Never thought about drive time elavation changes. Will keep that in mind during the next trip. Humidity, vast temperature changes and time zone changes will trigger for me also.
BTW - Welcome to the family.

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by jonny2 on Aug 29^th, 2002, 2:56pm

10,000 miles on 8 flights in the last 14 months and not one CH while in the air and im chronic.

Echo, got your package dude, coaster is comming in real handy......LOL ;D

Thanks, Bro

.....................jonny2

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by Drk^Angel on Aug 29^th, 2002, 3:03pm

welcome to the board! Sorry that the beast is playin' a drum solo on your cranium with a sledgehammer in one hand, and a pickaxe in the other. Welcome to the family!

PFDAN........................... Drk^Angel

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by jonny2 on Aug 29^th, 2002, 3:05pm

LMMFAO.....DRK!!

I love how you change up that welcome all the time......LMAO ;D

..........................jonny2

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by echo on Aug 29^th, 2002, 3:08pm

Jonny, glad you got it. After reading one of your recent posts (math) I understand what drove me to sent that stuff your way.
Take care bro,
I'm heading out to the sun and flash morse code your direction. Or is it send more coeds your direction? Hell I don't know - Im old.

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by Slammy on Aug 29^th, 2002, 3:09pm

With all the flying I do... I can only recall 2 times that I developed a CH during flight. Both times I was in friggin NY air space... What's up with that? :o

Slammy 8)

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by daven on Aug 29^th, 2002, 3:27pm

Thanks ALL for your support and comments. I think CH's can be very personalized, effecting some in only certain ways.
Seems there are many of you that use Verapamil and Imitrex. Is that a better treatment than Prednisone and Amtriptylene?

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by jonny2 on Aug 29^th, 2002, 3:31pm

Key CH phrase is "Nothing work's for everyone"

It's all trial and error to finding what work's for you.

.......................jonny2

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by Slammy on Aug 29^th, 2002, 3:42pm

I was on prednisone and elavil. For me, the prednisone did not work and the elavil made me feel like I was wrapped in cellophane! It allowed me to sleep through the night, but it really didn't prevent any of the Ch's during the day.

Slammy 8)

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by ChristineL on Aug 29^th, 2002, 4:23pm

Hi and welcome..........

I have been on Pred for 2 weeks with 2 weeks to go. I am still getting CH's but not as often and with much less severity. O2 usually knocks them out but I have Imitrex on hand in case for the big ones.

Hope this helps.

Chris L

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by SFChris on Aug 29^th, 2002, 4:28pm

Daven

Never had a problem with altitude here either (I travel like a muthafuker). I'm also in the Bay Area, and if/when I cross the Pacheco Pass (is that the one you were talking about?) it doesn't trigger me...

Welcome to the family.

Chris

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by oringkid on Aug 29^th, 2002, 5:33pm

I have flown from TN to Japan and from Japan to VA. I have driven by vehicle from VA to AZ. Never had a CH. Were you (any of you) in cycle when you got your attacks? Or are you chronic? Cuz I was out of cycle when I flew and drove. Could be, if you were in cycle anyway, you would have gotten the attack no matter where you were.

Sherry

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by ChristineL on Aug 29^th, 2002, 5:37pm

I think for Slammy it was NY's way of saying

GTFOOH :o sunshine boy!!!

Chris L

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by Slammy on Aug 29^th, 2002, 5:38pm

I think it was just coincidence in my case, Sherry.
I was in cycle both times I had a cluster headache in a plane.

Slammy 8)

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by SFChris on Aug 29^th, 2002, 5:58pm

Sherry - I have been in cycle since the New Year (never more than three days pain free), and have had at least 8 cross country trips during this time. I have never been hit while flying, but I have in many of the hotels.
Oh, shit - I do have a red-eye flight upcoming - I would be surprised if I don't get hit then. :'(
Chris

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by Svenn on Aug 29^th, 2002, 6:21pm

Altitude is a definate trigger for me

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by Kilo on Aug 29^th, 2002, 9:24pm

Never had to deal with altitude (except in a metaphysical sense) while in a cycle, but I do know I got a hell of a panic attack whilst crossing the Beartooth Pass. Could it be a cluster trigger for some for the same reason it is a panic trigger for others: inadequate oxygen?

I'm not a doctor, but I play with one on TV. ;D

Kilo

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by daven on Aug 30^th, 2002, 11:44am

I have already learned much from this web site. #1 I am episodic. When I am "in cycle" altitude is a definate trigger. One of my worst CH's was when I was in cycle and had to drive to Reno. After crossing Donner pass, I had to stop at the Truckey River for an hour until the CH passed. The ice cold water helped some. I had no meds with me at the time other than Sudafed.
#2 many of you (like me) use O2. I find it will end a CH up to a 4 or 5. Migranal works for me up to a 6 or 7. Beyond a 7, there isn't much that helps.
Thank you all for your comments.

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by pjbgravely on Aug 30^th, 2002, 4:13pm

When riding down a steep hill in a car sometimes a CH will dissapear. Thats why I was sure I had sinus problems.

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by daven on Aug 31^st, 2002, 10:32am

Yep ..... for the first year I thought I had Sinusitis. Had Ct scan when I saw an ENT Dr. He reffered me to the Neuro.
BTW, do most episodic's turn chronic? Seems like it from the posts. I know this is a very individualized disorder, but just curious. I have accepted that this is a life long problem (just like my Alopecia) am I am learning what I will need to do to deal with it. :)

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by oringkid on Aug 31^st, 2002, 6:58pm

I am going to get thrown outta here for this, but, just going from the posts, it is really starting to look like Verapamil, one of the preferred preventatives is causing people to go from episodic to chronic.

How many on Verap. have had a longer than normal episode?

Sherry

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by Drk^Angel on Aug 31^st, 2002, 7:02pm

My cycle was longer than normal before I started on the meds...

PFDAN..................... Drk^Angel

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by jonny on Aug 31^st, 2002, 11:20pm

LMMFAO!!!!!!

Verap causing people to go from episodic to chronic?

Your kidding me right?

It dont get more funnier than that......LMAO

Im chronic and been taking it for over a decade maybe it will turn me episodic......LOL

Sorry, Kid, it's just to far fetched.

......................jonny

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by Melissa on Sep 1^st, 2002, 9:00am

Quote:

just going from the posts, it is really starting to look like Verapamil, one of the preferred preventatives is causing people to go from episodic to chronic.

Interesting observation Sherry. Can't say whether I agree or not. I guess it all depends on when people became chronic and when it was they started on the verap. Maybe you want to do a sort of survey?

:)Mel

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by Marc on Sep 1^st, 2002, 10:02pm

Hi Sherry,

I went from no CH's to chronic before I heard of Verapamil. Varapamil has been my life saver every day for the last 3 years ..........

Can't speak for others.

Marc

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by oringkid on Sep 3^rd, 2002, 8:16am

I don't know. Maybe it's not the Verap. But it sure seems like a lot of people are going chronic. I'm not talking about those who are chronic or have been for years. I'm talking about the ones on this board who were episodic and now feel they are going chronic. Those who normally had cycles that lasted 5 months or less and now have been in cycle for 9 months or more.

And Jonny, if you are already chronic, you can't get anymore chronic, so you don't count! ;D

It just seems weird to me.

Sherry

Title: Re: Altitude effects?
Post by jonny on Sep 3^rd, 2002, 5:09pm

Quote:

And Jonny, if you are already chronic, you can't get anymore chronic, so you don't count! ;D

I know I dont count never did, as a child playing hide and
seek I would spend hours in my hiding spot before realizing that I didnt count.
:'( :'( :'(

......................Lonelyjonny ;D