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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> Sleep Study
        
(Message started by: Bunky on Feb 18^th, 2004, 10:20am)

Title: Sleep Study
Post by Bunky on Feb 18^th, 2004, 10:20am

Has anyone ever taken part in a sleep study where technicians monitor your sleep patterns and determine if you have any disorders, such as apnea, etc.? My husband is going for a sleep study in March, and his headache specialist said that if he does have a disorder, then he would have him connect to a small bedside oxygen machine (I can't think of the name) that he would use all night as he slept. He also said that sleep disorders are the most underdiagnosed cause for headaches, which I thought was interesting.

Hearing about your experiences would be great! Thanks! :D

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by Prense on Feb 18^th, 2004, 8:39pm

There has been plenty of discussion here about it.

Perhaps you could check the archives.

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by Opus on Feb 18^th, 2004, 10:39pm

Bunky,
I have had a few sleep studies done, I was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea, and was prescribed a CPAP, one of those machines that push air, not o2 into your nose at a constant ( that's what the C is for) pressure to keep you air way open. Some people have trouble pushing against the pressure of the machine ( I am a smoker with great lung capacity so I don't have this problem) and they need a VPAP ( the V is for variable ) so that the pressure is reduced with each exhale.

Before the CPAP I suffered from severe joint and bone pain along with fatigue. I had CH then but with only a few attacks every two years they were thought to be sinus. After the CPAP in a few months my body pain was gone, most of my fatigue but my CH became full blown with multiple attacks a day. Now this cycle has reached the 11 month point I can defiantly say that sleep apnea was NOT the cause of my ha's and I believe the reduction in stress from not being too tired to move may be what let the beast out of the bag.

Opus/Paul

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by Bob_Johnson on Feb 19^th, 2004, 9:44am

Over the years, I've posted a couple of medical reports about the link between cluster and sleep apnea--and have seen 2-4 others.

Like so many factors in CH, apnea not a problem for everyone but a sufficiently relevant possibility that worth investigating if other treatments haven't worked.

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by Bunky on Feb 19^th, 2004, 11:08am

I believe the reduction in stress from not being too tired to move may be what let the beast out of the bag.

Opus - I'm not sure if I'm reading your above statement correctly. Do you mean that when your stress levels lowered the HA's came on full force?

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I definitely will check the archives as well for more information - thanks for the tip Prense.

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by MarkV2 on Feb 19^th, 2004, 8:56pm

I am chronic and snore. One of my traits is that I do get more CHs the less sleep I get.

Had a sleep study last year at the recommendation of my neuro mainly to rule out other causes/triggers. It came up that I have only very mild sleep apnea.

Tried a cpap machine at night for a couple weeks. Did not help at all reduce my headaches.

The only thing it helped with was when I tested it like an O2 abortive - on very mild shadows during the day if I kicked the machine up to where it max'd out at around 7 liters/min, but hey, that's what O2 is for, not a cpap machine.

Mark

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by Prense on Feb 19^th, 2004, 9:00pm

on 02/19/04 at 11:08:30, Bunky wrote:

Do you mean that when your stress levels lowered the HA's came on full force?

Probably what he meant...but for me, oh hell yeah!

Stressed out normally = milder attacks. Unfortunately, I get attacks regardless.

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by Opus on Feb 20^th, 2004, 11:28pm

Bunky,
Relaxation is mine and probably most suffers biggest trigger, besides sleep. There is nothing like a relaxing evening to bring on a kip10. I have used stress to abort my Ch's before too. A very stressful event in a suffers life is likely to bring a cycle to an end. I realized that since I started not caring anymore my cycle has been worse, I guess it's time to up my stress level. As Bob ( I can't remember which one ) say's "stay stressed, never sleep"

Opus/Paul

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by UN_SOLVED on Feb 21^st, 2004, 7:31pm

Doc said that a report claims that 80% of CH sufferers also have sleep apnea.

I took the test and Yes...I have it. I can't sleep with all that shit on my head though so I don't use my CPAP machine. (It gets in my way and slows me down when i'm trying to get to my Imitrex at night) :'(

UNSOLVED

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by don on Feb 22^nd, 2004, 11:50am

Quote:

Do you mean that when your stress levels lowered the HA's came on full force?

I think you will find that the case with most sufferers. I am not sure if it is exactly the lower stress level or the process of lowering the stress that triggers though.

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by mudplugga on Feb 22^nd, 2004, 6:55pm

I have a cpap, and I wouldn't do without it now. At least I can drive during the day without terrorising all the road users as I dozed off .

Whether it's a part of my ch I don't know, but this subject has once again raised the possibility that coming down from stress might be a trigger. I'm leaning that way, but hell - I've leaned most ways in trying to find 'the answer'

Dave

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by jeepman on Feb 25^th, 2004, 9:30pm

OPUS totally agree, after work, after meetings, etc..when I can finally hit my easy chair, if I doze off I'm generally going to awaken with a CH...but it's a given when I go to bed, the ultimate relaxing place, darkness etc, about 2.5-3 hrs into my nice sleep, I awaken with a major CH....but have learned to feel the inital twinge, get right up and snort away on the TREX..then i'm good for the night...but it does seem RELAXING/SLEEPING generall invites a headache, but forcing myself not to sleep, still brings the early AM ones on!! [smiley=huh.gif]

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by sgarner on Feb 26^th, 2004, 1:00am

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea about a year ago. My SATS were dropping to 70 at night (doctors never want it below 90 and prefer 97 or better. This can't be could with the lack of sufficient oxygen in your blood. However, I have seen now difference in my headaches. If he has sleep apnea he needs to take action regardless.

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by Bunky on Mar 1^st, 2004, 2:28pm

Thanks so much to all of you for your great advice. My husband and I are going to the neuro (HA specialist) today armed with a lot of pages of discussions from this site. Plus, my husband is going in for a sleep study this Saturday, so we'll see how that goes.

The cool thing is that because of your conversations, we have been able to check ahead with our insurance to find out what prescriptions they would cover, and we are going to talk with the neuro today about natural (melatonin) and alternative (biofeedback) methods first - before he ends up on three or four different drugs.

Wish us luck. You all have been a Godsend to us. Thank you!

P.S. Since my husband has been taking Elavel consistently for four weeks, he's been PF for two weeks - that's since one year ago! He did start to feel two Clusters creeping up on him yesterday, but they went away on their own (plus he tried not taking the Elavel the night before).

Bunky

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by Bunky on Mar 1^st, 2004, 2:48pm

Title: Re: Sleep Study
Post by BobG on Mar 2^nd, 2004, 8:28pm

on 02/20/04 at 23:28:16, Opus wrote:

Bunky,
Relaxation is mine and probably most suffers biggest trigger, besides sleep. There is nothing like a relaxing evening to bring on a kip10. As Bob ( I can't remember which one ) say's "stay stressed, never sleep"

Yep, I've been preaching that theory for years.

Stay wired. :o It's good for ya.