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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> CH Preventives and Heart Rate
        
(Message started by: the_old_man on Dec 19^th, 2004, 3:57pm)

Title: CH Preventives and Heart Rate
Post by the_old_man on Dec 19^th, 2004, 3:57pm

Maybe I'm trying too hard to find a link, but I find it interesting that some of the most effective preventives for CH have something in common. I haven't researched it too deeply, but here's what I've found so far:

Melatonin.. One of the effects of melatonin is that it reduces the heart rate and blood pressure.

Verapamil.. Commonly used med used for reducing the heart rate and blood pressure.

Magnesium.. A deficiency of magnesium causes irregular heart rate and increased blood pressure. Magnesium supplementation reduces the heart rate and blood pressure.

Water.. People with high blood pressure or arrhythmia are encouraged to drink plenty of water. For some reason this can reduce the heart rate and blood pressure.

This is as far as I've gotten so far. Do you think this is off base, or is there a trend here?

The Old Man

Title: Re: CH Preventives and Heart Rate
Post by Biker on Dec 19^th, 2004, 6:19pm

I think your onto something. When I work hard (as a carpenter, I usually work real hard), then rest, (like driving the truck home) I get hit. I think blood pressure and stress levels cause CH. Like when I see blue flashing lights behind me, heart rate increases, stress increases, and I get hit. When the wife asks me questions and probes my mind, I get stressed, and CH happens. If I drink alochol, my heartbeat increases, and I get hit. I wonder why I get hit during sleep---bad dream perhaps increases my blood pressure???? How bout the low pressure that occurs just before a storm hits? I hope someone will finially figure out what may cause these dayumm things. Perhaps eventually, we can find the proper prevenative. The one who figures this out will become favorable with the ones who experience the beast in our heads. Thanks for thinking. Perhaps you will find what makes us all feel so much pain----and put an end for those who may follow.

Title: Re: CH Preventives and Heart Rate
Post by don on Dec 19^th, 2004, 6:20pm

No big secret here.

CH is a vascular headache. Lowering the blood pressure means less pounding on the vessel walls the in turn hit the nerves.

Title: Re: CH Preventives and Heart Rate
Post by Tetris-addict on Dec 19^th, 2004, 6:34pm

P.S. Have you seent he Medicine thread

Floridian said scientists have a small study ongoing
about a hole in the heart....

Yeah, heart is related, but so is lack of seratonin....

it is in the chemicals, not just the organs themselves.

Title: Re: CH Preventives and Heart Rate
Post by thebbz on Dec 19^th, 2004, 11:25pm

Your in the ball park there old man. Vascular headache for sure. The regimens of blood pressure meds I went through boggles my mind. I wish they would have worked. Seems there is more to it. Quite a complex affliction it seems. Hope they find the source someday.
BB

Title: Re: CH Preventives and Heart Rate
Post by Bob_Johnson on Dec 20^th, 2004, 6:25am

Remember the old child's game of setting up a line of dominoes, tipping the first one and watching the whole row topple in succession?

That's more like the issue of blood pressure. Peter Goadsby's work says that Cluster/Migraine is a neurological disorder, apparently triggered in the hypothalamus. It sets all a chain of reactions in our body, blook pressure being one of them--but is th BP part of cluster or an anxiety/stress reaction?

I've never seen BP mentioned in medical literature as a core element of Cluster which needs to be treated directly so that it affects the course of an attack.

This is the old problem in science: Because we see one thing follow another, it does not mean the first event caused the second one. Teasing out these cause and effect relationships can be a bear.

Title: Re: CH Preventives and Heart Rate
Post by the_old_man on Dec 20^th, 2004, 7:27am

Which brings us to the serotonin question. Does a lack of serotonin cause the CH, or does the CH reduce the amount of serotonin? The chicken or the egg. CH sucks!!! Had my second PF nite in a row. Wonder if this is it for this cycle. Sure would be nice. Not taking any meds makes it a bit clearer when it's ending...I hope.

The Old Man

Title: Re: CH Preventives and Heart Rate
Post by Redd715 on Dec 20^th, 2004, 7:27am

I'm with Bob on this one, since my BP is normaly low to begin with, and verapamil lowers it even farther to where I can only take 200mg without the side effects of nearly passing out with any movement. Haven't had my BP taken during a hit of course. Even at such a low dose, it seems to keep the 9-10's away for the most part. But those 7's and 8's are still a PITAH.

Title: Re: CH Preventives and Heart Rate
Post by BangYourHead on Dec 24^th, 2004, 10:02am

Got to give it to Bob on this one... Read every thing you can..

Title: Re: CH Preventives and Heart Rate
Post by dagger on Dec 26^th, 2004, 7:31pm

Yeah, I too, typically have low blood pressure but have suffered these things for over 30 years. I have never had an elevated reading. ( a little higher after imitrex, but nothing of concern to the doc.) I am in the tenth week of current cycle and had a pf day on Christmas! And I even had a cocktail for the first time in ten weeks! Go figure - usually that would bring one on immediately! I had one other pf day about 2 weeks ago. Hopefully they are on the outs!!

Title: Re: CH Preventives and Heart Rate
Post by BackwaterBiomed on Jan 3^rd, 2005, 4:12pm

In regards to blood pressure, heart rate, and REM sleep: one of the ways that REM is identified is that the heart rate increases and becomes irratic and I believe (don't quote me on this) the blood pressure increases. Also some interesting things happen to neurotramsimiters like sarotonin.

Title: Re: CH Preventives and Heart Rate
Post by Sean_C on Jan 3^rd, 2005, 10:44pm

I think your doing a great job ol' man, don't get discouraged. We all appreciate what your doing believe me.

Keep it up ;;D

Sean...........................