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Title: Your thoughts.... Post by mflynn74 on Oct 6th, 2003, 12:50pm Hello everyone, I have just discovered this website today. In addition, today is the first time I have heard the term 'cluster headache'. I found this site by typing in the words 'alcohol induced headache' into a search engine. I do not know if I suffer from 'cluster headaches', but I am hoping to gain some insight from all of you. My first inclination is that I do not suffer from cluster headaches, but my symptoms keep bringing me back to this website...so here is my story. For the past many years, lets say 5-7yrs, I have experienced horrible headaches after drinking alcohol. I used to just think its a hangover - you play - you pay. Sometimes I would get these headaches after drinking...and sometimes not. But in the past 2 years, I get them without fail - shortly after drinking. It does not matter what type of alchohol it is -- nor does it matter how much I drink. (And by the way, I am only talking 2-3 beers or glasses of wine over a reasonable period of time). The headaches I experience are unbearable. They are usually behind my eyes, but sometimes can be disseminated throughout my head. Its a hard-throbbing pain, one that makes me terribly restless - I constantly strive for a position in which I can feel comfortable, but I can never seem to find it. I often cannot pick my head up straight and also feel the need to keep my eyes closed. I also experience eye tearing often. On very rare occasions, and only recently, the pain is so intense that I became naseaous. Accompanying these headaches is extreme sinus congestion. I usually cannot breathe through one or both nostrils, I get post-nasal drip and produce lots of mucous. The headaches last a long time. I usually get desparate and try Advil, Tylenol, Alieve, etc to no avail. I also try to hydrate myself, but this doesn't seem to help. Only time seems to do the trick. One oddball remedy I use is to take a hot shower. I sit in the tub and let the shower pour down on my head. The hot water (oddly enough) temporarily and only slightly relieves my pain. The hot water also helps clear my sinuses slightly - and I guess I feel like its doing some good. Problem is, the minor relief I experience from the shower disappears as soon as the shower is over. The reason I think I am not a CH sufferer is because I ONLY experience these types of headaches after drinking alcohol. I cannot say I ever got this type of headache when alcohol was not involved. But as you can see - I still experience many similar symptoms. I know this post sounds a bit abusrd.....if alcohol gives me headaches...then maybe I shouldn't drink alcohol. Well if that is the case - that is just fine with me. At most, I would have a social drink once a week. I can easily give that up. But nevertheless, I would like to get to the bottom of this so I can better understand what the heck happens to me. Some background about me: I am a 29yr old male, non-smoker, and in pretty decent shape. In other words, I do not have any other predispositions that I know of that put me at greater risk...other than being a male in my 20s. I'd appreciate your thoughts about my 'symptoms' and whether or not the headaches I am experiencing are Cluster Headaches...or perhaps something else. I realize my symptoms are mild compare to what some of you experience....my sympathy to all of you. Thanks for your time. |
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Title: Re: Your thoughts.... Post by cootie on Oct 6th, 2003, 1:06pm Could you be maybe allergic ta alchohol ? I usually git sum sorta mild ha when I drink......sum is tension when out (but they can get debilitateing)....but in yer case it's hard ta say. Hard ta explain to a doc too I'd imagine esp since it is alchohol related. Unless you have some sort of sugar problem which is serious enuff to have checked out also.....my doc told me years ago the sugar in booze will drop you like a rock after drinkin for sum causeing severe ha's. Mite wanna check inta that ta be on the safe side and ask about an allergy to it also. Pam that socially drinks and smokes at the same time |
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Title: Re: Your thoughts.... Post by 9erfan on Oct 6th, 2003, 1:09pm Some of your symptoms sound like clusters but some do not. The one that stands out to me the most is that you say it is a "throbbing" headache. Clusters don't throb, they are a constant pain. The fact that you ONLY get these after drinking is not normal for a cluster either...unless you are drinking several times a day, day after day, for weeks at a time... :-/ I agree with cootie that you may be allergic to alcohol. Have you seen a Dr. about this? Take the cluster quiz on the left and see what comes up. Good luck and let us know. Virginia |
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Title: Re: Your thoughts.... Post by Cerberus on Oct 6th, 2003, 1:13pm Mflynn74, No need to feel like thisis a stupid question. Although Cluster Headache triggers vary a great deal, there are MANY who's pain is often triggered by the use of alcohol. Before you go too long without a diagnosis and treatment please get to a Doctor (preferbly with a little info printed from this site.....links are listed on the left) get some tests done, possibly an MRI and or CT scan and maybe a few X-rays. You may find that your doctor has not heard of CH so don't be surprised. If it happens that you end up at the doctor's during a headache ask for Oxygen ( good test of headache type). In any case get to a doctor directly and let us know of your results.......the typical thing of CH is that nothing about it is typical for everyone and you will want to eliminate all other possibilities to recieve proper treatment. Here's to hoping you don't have this, and that it is merely a "fluke" . (it woud also be a good Idea to curb the drinking for the time being ;)) Ramon |
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Title: Re: Your thoughts.... Post by thomas on Oct 6th, 2003, 1:45pm I know that if I drink cheap vodka I will get a cluster. There must be something in the distilling process that triggers them. But I can usually drink anything else with no probelm, unless of course I'm already in a cylce - then I avoid alcohol at all costs. |
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Title: Re: Your thoughts.... Post by mflynn74 on Oct 6th, 2003, 2:10pm Thanks for the replies :D I have thought about visiting a doctor - but as someone elluded to, I thought it would sound silly telling a doctor that, "Hey Doc, when I drink alcohol, a known toxin, I get sick? What's wrong with me?" :P I figued the Doctor would prescribe me a bottle of "Dont drink you moron". Like I said, I don't drink regularly, nor do I binge drink. Those 'college partying' days are long gone. At most I will drink once a week - and even then its only 2-3 max. If in order to avoid HAs I have to simply stop drinking...then NO problem. I'll consider it a minor inconvenience. But as you can imagine, it is a bit disappointing to not be able to have a glass of wine with a nice dinner, or have a beer or 2 on a Friday night. I was sure I had an allergy to alcohol. I looked up alcohol allergies on the internet one day, and it all said the same thing. All the alchohol allergies or intolerances I found happen instantly. In other words, alcohol allergies occur as soon as you start drinking - and they act just as a food allergy would. My HAs start a few hours (2-3) after I start drinking. And none of these alcohol allergies have my symptoms. I thought perhaps I was allergic to a by-product that is created when alcohol is metaboliszed....but I couldn't find anything like that on the internet. Well this has been good. I am becoming more and more convinced that I do not have CHs, but at the same time I do believe I should get checked...not because I cannot drink alcohol, but rather there could be an underlying problem why this happens. Alcohol: The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems. -- Homer J. Simpson |
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Title: Re: Your thoughts.... Post by cootie on Oct 6th, 2003, 2:34pm My one doc I had years ago was so cool I asked him why I got such HORRID ha's when I drank mflynn74....so I wouldn't worry bout it bein stupid to ask yer doc....jus goin to a new doc would be a bit odd if that was yer only complaint..ha-ha-ha. But hey most docs would be considerate that you are gettin such a ansty ha after tryin to have a couple drinks to relax and wonderin what's goin on.....nothin wrong with that......you should still bring that up to your doc. I myself always would get a ha after havein sum drinks jus like you a few hours later.....mine got so bad I would have to LEAVE.....got caught punchin myself in the head once it got so bad. They were tension ha's caused by a messed up disk in my neck. I go out and sit in different chairs different posture and even tho havein fun there is still a lill uptightness or stress involved. So either way you mite have sumthin worth checkin into...cause it is a sign sumthin is up ! (alchohol messes with blood pressure and sugar levels too) So good luck and keep us posted. Hope ya don't have CH tho....it's not a fun world. Pam used ta git tension ha's the size of Texas |
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