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        New Message Board Archives >> 2002 Posts >> Genetics and CH, resources?
        
(Message started by: cox3406 on Oct 7^th, 2002, 4:52am)

Title: Genetics and CH, resources?
Post by cox3406 on Oct 7^th, 2002, 4:52am

Hi all,
Having had most of my 41 years to suffer in pain, and to rejoice in it's absence, the history of my (our) disease comes to mind.
I remember being a small boy and my Father hurting and me rubbing his head to help relieve the pain. There was no such thing as a "Cluster Headache" in 1965, at least not in title. My Father has been dead now for over 20 years but I still remember him so big and strong, 30 years in the Air Force, Chief Master Sargent. 6'2" tall and 265 lbs. I have talked with my Mom and we are pretty certain my Dad was a Clusterhead.
I now look at my beautiful seven year old son and wonder if he is going to suffer like his Father, and his Father. I pray to God the answer is no. Maybe medicine will advance the treatment of CH, maybe even prevent such horrible pain, just not right now.
He shows no signs, yet.
Mine didn't start untill I was about 12.
Oldtimers, do you guys have any links to the possible heredity factors involved in CH?
Are my children at risk?
What can I do if they are?
I really don't relish the idea of my Son having the same illness as I.
PF for 21 hours now!
Thanks again,
Mark :)

Title: Re: Genetics and CH, resources?
Post by Charlie on Oct 7^th, 2002, 5:20am

For my part, I think the jury is still out on almost everything that we come up with about the whys and incidence of CH. So far, I believe we've found no definitive evidence for a genetic factor. It has happened to at least one poster, but like tobacco, there just isn't enough data. We smoke about twice the national average but we just don't know why this is.

Anyway, it's probably not worth planning on as so far there is very little we can do about it anyway.

I really hope I'm right :-/

Charlie

Title: Re: Genetics and CH, resources?
Post by BobG on Oct 7^th, 2002, 5:35am

Possible heredity factors involved in CH? I have no idea. I do know that no one in my family, except me, has ever had cluster headaches.

And speaking of smoking...........
Did you see in the news about the woman that was awarded $28 billion because of her dumb-assed smoking habit? I think someone should go through all this site and change every smoking related post to claim that smoking causes clusters. $28 BILLION divided by a few thousand clusterheads equals big $$$ for us all!

Title: Re: Genetics and CH, resources?
Post by Charlie on Oct 7^th, 2002, 5:48am

Neat idea Bob. We can build a CH clinic ala Hugh Hefner as well as an Imitrex, and "fungus" distribution and processing facility. Who gets to run The Church of the Presumptuous Assumption on the OUCH Television network? Oh.....That's right up Ted's dark alley ::)

Charlie

Title: Re: Genetics and CH, resources?
Post by cox3406 on Oct 7^th, 2002, 6:44am

Thanks for the replys guys, and the laughs, something I have not done much of lately. OUCH tv, why not? I like it! Lets do it!
Tune in tomorrow..................
Mark

Title: Re: Genetics and CH, resources?
Post by Bob P on Oct 7^th, 2002, 8:39am

Visit the OUCH Library and read the article on heritability.

I've seen two articles. One says first generation relatives of clusterheads are 14 times more likely to have CH. The other says 30 time more likely.

Also see the OUCH survey on genetices.

Title: Re: Genetics and CH, resources?
Post by Karla on Oct 7^th, 2002, 11:14am

I hear your worry Cox. I am a chronic clusterhead who suffers immensly. I have 17 year old identical twin boys. One was diagnosed as having eposodic clusters. We are waiting to see if and when the other twin develops them as well. I worry about them alot. I also suffer from migraines. My boy that has ch also suffers from migraines as well as my youngest 13 year old. What a legacy I have left them.

Title: Re: Genetics and CH, resources?
Post by Ueli on Oct 7^th, 2002, 11:17am

All our traits and properties are either hereditary or caused by environmental influences.

But in my opinion the environment is usually greatly overrated; like the well known cause of blindness or the damaged hypothalamus by teenage boozing (we all know the results of Digestion).

I believe clusters are purely genetic, maybe with an environmental trigger for its onset. But the good part is that this heritability is far more complicated and involves more factors than for blue eyes or hair color.

In our family there were no cases of headaches neither on mothers nor on fathers side. But out of 4 siblings a sister and I got clusters. For us, part of the requisite genes must have come from the father, the other part from the mother.

Finally, an example to illuminate the difference between heredity and environment: :D
If a boy looks like his father, that's heredity.
If he looks like a neighbor, that's environment.

PFNADs,
Ueli

Title: Re: Genetics and CH, resources?
Post by Drk^Angel on Oct 7^th, 2002, 12:07pm

I believe the IHS may be taking the position that 5% of CH cases are caused by a dominate gene on a non-sexual chromosome. If this is true, and you inherited your clusters from your dad, it would appear that your children will each have about a 50% chance of getting CH also.

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