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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> ch and Low Sugar
        
(Message started by: nancylynn on May 12^th, 2004, 1:44pm)

Title: ch and Low Sugar
Post by nancylynn on May 12^th, 2004, 1:44pm

Hi Everyone
My husband has had ch for 20 yrs and been free of them for the past 6 yrs. Than about 10 months ago they came back. He has also been a diabetic for 32 yrs. even though it doesn't sound it he is very healthy and very active.But this time with his headaches when his sugar drops to low even just a little low it will trigger a ch. Does anyone else have or know of anyone with diabetes and ch :)
Nancy

Title: Re: ch and Low Sugar
Post by floridian on May 12^th, 2004, 4:12pm

Problems with energy metabolism have been noted in clusterheadaches, although little has been written about diabetes and CH.

Nocturnal lipolysis (night time fat metabolism) dips very low in clusterheads. Not sure if the drop in metabolism triggers a headache, or if something in the hypothalamus just happens to turn down the metabolism right before the pain starts. The article below suggests that the hypothalamus shuts down the metabolism, but it could work either/both ways.

My panic attacks are definitely linked to low blood sugar. I'm normal on all the lab tests, but if I skip breakfast, I can get very jittery by noon; sometimes it develops into a full blown panic attack. I have never connected my clusters to low blood sugar, but it may be a factor for some.

Quote:

Neurology. 2003 Nov 11;61(9):1250-4.
Diminished nocturnal lipolysis in cluster headache: a sign of central sympathetic dysregulation?

Meyer EL, Waldenlind E, Marcus C.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether the autonomic symptoms during cluster headache (CH) attacks are of central or peripheral origin. A metabolic change such as altered lipolysis would reflect a central autonomic dysfunction. OBJECTIVE: To study nocturnal lipolysis in CH patients and healthy control subjects. METHODS: Microdialysis technique was used to measure glycerol levels, the end-product of lipolysis, in subcutaneous adipose tissue. Ten CH patients participated, of whom six were studied in remission as well as during symptomatic periods but between headache attacks. Fifteen healthy control subjects were studied. Mean glycerol, glucose, and lactate concentrations were calculated for three 2-hour intervals between 2400 and 0600 hours. RESULTS: Compared with healthy control subjects, symptomatic CH patients had lower glycerol levels during all three intervals (69, 61, and 73% of control levels; p < 0.05). CH patients in remission showed lower glycerol levels from 0200 to 0600 hours (68 and 63% of control levels; p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the CH groups. Compared with healthy control subjects, patients in remission also showed a significantly different nocturnal temporal pattern, demonstrating declining glycerol levels during the first part of the night. CONCLUSIONS: Altered lipolysis was found in patients with CH, both in symptomatic periods and in remission. The altered lipolysis may be due to a reduced nocturnal sympathetic activity and consequently an indication of central sympathetic dysregulation and hypothalamic dysfunction.

Is you husban insulin dependent? Any insulin production? Magnesium is one nutrient that is beneficial both to some clusterheads and to pancreatic regulation of insulin. If your husband has had diabetes for 32 years, I don't need to tell you to check with a doctor first, and only change one thing at a time while carefully monitoring the results.

Title: Re: ch and Low Sugar
Post by Prense on May 13^th, 2004, 7:26pm

Not too long ago (within the last year or so), someone was telling a similar story... I believe it was about a child with diabetes. Perhaps you could try to do a search. If I recall correctly, it was on the meds board.

Chris