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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
        
(Message started by: Jill_R on Mar 23^rd, 2004, 10:45am)

Title: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by Jill_R on Mar 23^rd, 2004, 10:45am

HI ,
I am in week 3 of an episode, not sleeping at all. This time, I have had very bad shakes and get very cold. I don't remember this from the past (I've had them 14 years now). I shake uncontrollably. Anyone else experience this?

Also, when I am "coming down", my heart seems to beat sooo slow, and I feel a pressure on my face, throat, chest. During the high point of an attack, it is racing like crazy.

Am I normal in this abnormal, crazy world of clusters?

Thanks,
Jill

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by wsnyder on Mar 23^rd, 2004, 11:26am

Jil,

What, if any, meds are you taking?

Bill

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by floridian on Mar 23^rd, 2004, 11:32am

Some disturbance to the heart rhythm with clusters is 'normal' (but not good). The autonomic nervous system is out of whack in all of us.

Worth visiting your doc to check for other things.

The hypothalamus is involved in regulating a lot of processes, including the heart, body temp, the thyroid, etc - it may be that this time, it is spilling over to these processes.

What meds do you use??

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by Tiannia on Mar 23^rd, 2004, 11:35am

The meds are a good place to start.

But I know that after a hard hit, I will get very cold and start shacking badly as well. It is like I am chilled to the core of my bones and I cant stop. My teeth chatter everything. My husband says that it is a reaction because I tense up so bad while I was dancing. That I go from one extreme to the other.

I did the same thing after having my daughter, I was shacking so bad after she was delivered that I could not hold her because I pushing so hard. So it makes sense.

I dont notice the heart thing, unless I take Imitrex then I feel my heart pounding.

Talk to yout doctor about it as well. It is always good to let him/her know what you are doing. the beast always seems to change once we think we know what he is doing.

PF Wishes to you Jill,
Tia

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by boomboom on Mar 23^rd, 2004, 4:36pm

Jill,

My hubby had the same problem. No sleep. No consolation. He would also get really hot and then really cold, then hot again.

Just do your best to try to make yourself comfortable and cozy and keep your loved ones nearby to cope with the pain and tears.

PF vibes, dear. :)

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by Jill_R on Mar 23^rd, 2004, 5:44pm

Thank you for all of your replies. I can't tell you how very comforting it is to know I am not alone.

About meds: I was originally put on Relpax, felt no relief. After waiting 24 hours, I went back to Maxalt, which has worked for me in the past but this time is doing nothing. No relief. (Imitrex and beta blockers used in past episodes did nothing either). I would rather use nothing, than pump all the chemicals into my body if they are not working.

For two days I have used nothing-- my hits are hard and intense, and have been for the past 5 days. The head-bangers are finished after 30 - 45 minutes, then I have the "after stabs" for a couple of hours. Then, when I lay down, thinking I am able to quietly sneak in some sleep, the heavy monster comes again. I have gotten absolutely zero relief from meds this time.

About the heart and shakes... I went to my primary care doc today. She ran an EKG, did bloodwork,etc. She also had a very interesting thought. I was telling her how I know when they are about to come on, and how VERY afraid I become. I fear another bout. Her thoughts are that possibly the shakes and heart palpatations are from the intense anxiety of "looking forward" to another one. Interesting. She gave me Zolof for anxiety.

It makes sense to me. The Zolof will do nothing for the ch pain, I am sure, but the heart racing and shakes were scaring me. I'll give it a try. If I can get that under control, I know the headaches will go away eventually.

Thank you, Friends.

Jill

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by t_h_b on Mar 23^rd, 2004, 7:12pm

on 03/23/04 at 17:44:01, Jill_R wrote:

Her thoughts are that possibly the shakes and heart palpatations are from the intense anxiety of "looking forward" to another one

"Anxiety" is exactly what I thought when I read the title of this thread before even looking at your post.

Also keep in mind that if your heart is racing, you will feel anxious. Either one can cause the other one.

Almost anything is normal in this "abnormal, crazy world of clusters."

Hope you feel better soon.

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by ave on Mar 23^rd, 2004, 7:49pm

Hi, you must have thought of this, but lack of sleep alone will cause chilly feeling, shivering, heart racing.

Still, never hurts to have a doc check out the heart...

BTW, did you try oxygen? There is a very useful link to the left of this board and many get relief using O2 (the right way!) It is also non-toxic and is very soothing if it works as it should.

luck!

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by Charlie on Mar 24^th, 2004, 3:03pm

Sorry you have to deal with this horror. It can affect us in many ways. My pressure certainly was affected by these attacks. When ended, my pressure nauturally dropped and I felt chilly. That I think is normal. I'm not sure if this is what you mean though.

Stick around and look us over. You'll find a ton of information and some good ways to deal with these attacks.

Let us know how you're doing.

Here's something to try as well:

http://www.netsync.net/~charlies/

Charlie

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by Pegase on Mar 25^th, 2004, 8:31am

i feel the same... sometimes i can be very cold and shaky and sometimes and Im all hot... the heartbeat seems normal though.

Drinking a lot of water during an attack seems to help me...

Pegase

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by Opus on Mar 25^th, 2004, 11:02am

Jill,
With me the beast messes with the temperature I feel, during an attack I feel very hot, in the winter I can go outside in below zero temps without a coat and still feel hot, this really helps kill the beast, then when I start to get cold and shiver I go in because the attack is almost done. Even in the summer, I feel very cold after an attack, and have to bundle up. Of course not enough sleep can do strange things to everyone.

When you sleep try sleeping propped up or in a recliner, it really seems to help stop the attacks while sleeping for some people. It stopped working for me so I started taking melontonin, Start at a low dosage, 1mg, and increase nightly until you get some results, I use 15mg, be warned that it can make things worse for some people, so it is important to start at a low dose, also some no-med treatments areHERE (http://www.clusterheadaches.org/resources/non_script_treat.htm)

Opus/Paul

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by Jill_R on Mar 25^th, 2004, 11:47am

Hi all,

This is day 3 of taking the Zoloft. It has definitely regulated my heart. As for the shakes, I still get them, but not as intense. I am still ramping up my dosage, so maybe it will totally remove them. It is exactly like Tia mentioned-- when I had my first son I shook uncontrollably aslo.

Thank you for the kind suggestions. I am wondering if any of you have the same crazy cycle I have?

Sunday and Monday nights, I couldn't lay down - at all. Intense pressure and jabs, but not the monster. Even propped up with all my pillows in a sitting position, if I let my body slack and try to doze, within 15-30 minutes it would awaken me. No sleep. (I told my husband last night that the one thing I couldn't wait to do was flop on our bed, and totally release all my muscles and slowly sink into sweet sleep...)

Then, last night, the more usual, intense, intense MONSTER attacked. Right after going to sleep, ZAM! 45 minutes of headbanging, I have-no-more-tears-left-pain. But then, suddenly, it leaks away, and I am clear, and able to lay down for 4-5 hours before I am woken up with the pressure jabs.

Do you all have these two types of pains? I almost prefer the monster, because I can usually rest afterwards for a few hours. It is the less intense pressure jabs are the ones that drain my energy, and won't let me sleep at all.

This has been my cycle for the past 14 years. I usually have 2 1/2 years between episodes, and count myself fortunate as I read some of your histories. How can you live like this as a chronic sufferer? My heart goes out to those of you.

Blessings,

Jill

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by Jill_R on Mar 25^th, 2004, 3:04pm

Paul,

Thank you so much for the non-med suggestions. I will try some of them that I have not tried yet.

Blessings,

Jill

Title: Re: The Shakes, Heart goes Fast/ Slow
Post by Jill_R on Mar 25^th, 2004, 3:17pm

Charlie,

Thank you for the your website suggestion, also. I am glad you found something that works for you. It intrigues me. Thanks,

Jill