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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004-2005 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> new member scared of travelling
        
(Message started by: javi_spain on Mar 30^th, 2005, 6:05pm)

Title: new member scared of travelling
Post by javi_spain on Mar 30^th, 2005, 6:05pm

Hi all

I have been reading this board for some time, but quite superstitiously had not joined until today (you know the feeling).

Anyway, I am a 31 year old sufferer and I consider myself lucky as I get only relatively mild CHs (they are painful enough but I think a bit less so that those of many of the people around here) also my cycles are neither very long (one month maximum) nor very frequent (every 24 months or so, often in the summer).

I have been PF from the last 7 months... carelessly drinking beer, eating cheese, exercising, having naps (I am spanish, you see)... all without a trace of pain.

Thing is I am quite scared of travelling, it looks like our condition has to do with this internal clock in our brain that gets upset so easily by changes in the length of the daylight etc... I wonder if a significant trip would also upset that internal clock and bring in a cycle.

My company has just asked me to work USA for three months, it is a good oportunity and I am looking forward to it but I am afraid It might precipitate a new cycle. (not the flight itself but the change of day/night routine)

Is there any real risk? Does anyone have any experience on this? Any thread in the forum that I may have missed?

Thanks a lot to all, you are doing a really good job at providing info and keeping up many spirits!

Kind Regards

Javier

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by E-Double on Mar 30^th, 2005, 6:35pm

Could it happen????????
Yes or No....How ya like that answer?

The fact of the matter is this....

We have a disorder that sucks!!! However you can not let it rule your life!

If you have this amazing opportunity you better GO FOR IT!!!

Arm yourself with all the info and treatment that you would if you were home.

If it is going to hit then it will hit! Period.........

Don't let yourself get into the cycle of dread regarding the pending doom of a CH cycle that may or may not come!

You have to live your life!

Good luck!

Eric

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by thudpucker on Mar 30^th, 2005, 6:45pm

I'll be interested to see responses to these questions. We're vacationing in Europe in June, when I'll theoretically be out of cycle, but I'm concerned about

Headaches during the ten-hour flight. I've had headaches on four-hour flights within the US, even out of cycle. On one occasion, the ha's occurred every 90 minutes, just as they do at night; on another occasion the ha that started maybe halfway through the flight didn't go away until I'd been on the ground for several hours.

Headaches with changes in elevation. We'll be in Switzerland for a few days, perhaps going as high as 4800 feet (Gimmelwald).

I hadn't even thought about ha's as the result of swapping day and night.

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by javi_spain on Mar 31^st, 2005, 3:00am

Eric, Tpucker, thanks for the replies

ThePucker... I have been to Switzerland a couple of times this year, it is lovely! I hope you enjoy it.

I climbed to 3400 meters (well, the ski lifts took me that high ) ;) and it did not have any effect on me but I was out of cycle so I cannot tell you which effect it would have had.

Eric, thanks for the encouragement, I am definitely going (but I am scared nonetheless)

Has anyone experienced that relocating to a different place may bring in an unexpected cycle? Or has anyone found the oposite (relocating did not bring about anything?) or even cured a cycle?

Regards

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by javi_spain on Mar 31^st, 2005, 3:04am

Regarding treatements...

I think if I fall into a cycle I will try that Kuzu thing (never heard of it until I came here).

I dont think I would try mushromms in USA, with my luck I would end up in prison... I will wait until I am in Ams'dam, only 40 minutes away from home.

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by LeLimey on Mar 31^st, 2005, 3:36am

Hello Javier and welcome! Its nice to meet you
Going to the US for three months and getting paid for it... I'll bloody headbang you never mind the CH if you turned a chance like that down! [smiley=laugh.gif] My advice would be to go and see your doctor and get some prevents or/and abortives to take with you and also a letter stating you have CH to cover you there. I'm assuming your company will provide you with healthcare cover while you are there but you best check on it and make sure it will cover you for CH if necessary.
As for the Kudzu. Its helped me alot. I'm still getting hit but not as frequently or as severely so whilst it hasn't been the miracle for me that it has been for alot of others I do still count it as a miracle. It has certainly made life alot more bearable. I get it online from vitacost.com who also sell melatonin. This is not readily available here but it is supposed to help with travelling and jetlag as well as improving sleep. I'd certianly think about that for the journey and first few days while your body clock adjusts.. both going and coming back.
Sorry this is a bit long - I hope it helps!
Regards
Helen

Oh and its mandatory that you let us know how you are getting on okay?!!! ;)

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by pubgirl on Mar 31^st, 2005, 8:12pm

Hi Javier

Little bit of add-on advice. Imigran nasals are very useful for the flights as some airlines won't let you carry 02 to abort, and many will confiscate your Imigran injections!

Wendy

Modified as this is not the case with all airlines. (thanks Don for correcting misleading info)

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by don on Mar 31^st, 2005, 9:03pm

Quote:

and many will confiscate your Imigran injections!

Not with a prescription they wont. What airlines are you refering to?

I've travelled extensively with imitrex in my carry on and have never even been questioned.

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by pubgirl on Mar 31^st, 2005, 9:17pm

We have had a problem with Uk sufferers (can't remember which airlines but they were international flights) where the airline insisted on holding the Imigran injections for the traveller (on board but kept locked away by the flight staff) This means you can get them back during the flight if you need them, but during an attack this is unfunny as you have to get their attention, then suffer while they troll off and retrieve them.
With the nasals they don't have a problem and you can keep them on you.

This may not be the case with all airlines, but it is better to be prepared in case this is a problem.

Wendy

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by javi_spain on Apr 1^st, 2005, 9:22am

Hi there, thank you all for contributing. This site is GREAT!!

I will be taking kudzum, melatonine and with any luck some nasal spray trex... if I can

I say "If I can" because here, in the UK, medicins are pretty much free (for the public) but doctors are becoming more and more reluctant to prescribe expensive meds, and I believe Imitrex is expensive.

Well, I still stick to my original question: Has anyone experienced that travelling or relocating to a different time-zone has brought in a cycle?

Thank you all, kind regards

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by TonyG1 on Apr 6^th, 2005, 9:54pm

on 04/01/05 at 09:22:31, javi_spain wrote:

Well, I still stick to my original question: Has anyone experienced that travelling or relocating to a different time-zone has brought in a cycle?

Thank you all, kind regards

Javi - I'm glad to say my cycle is at an end and I'm almost weaned off of the preventative medication (verap) -- I'll be traveling in a couple of weeks and my fear is the flight may trigger a new cycle (god I hope not) -- Making sure to take my triptans with me ... just in case. If it does trigger a new cycle , I'll make a note of it on this thread ....

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by javi_spain on Apr 9^th, 2005, 11:53am

Hi Tony

Thanks for your email, glad to hear you are out of your cycle.

I am now in the US... arrived a few days ago.

This country is shocking!! The size of the things... wow!!

Well, I was PF during the flight, so far so good.

I will keep you posted on this.

Hugs to all!!

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by javi_spain on Apr 17^th, 2005, 3:45pm

Well, I have now been in the US for ten days and I must happily report total PF time.

For the first four days I was clearly jet-lagged and but have been adapting well since.

I was really worried that the change in body clock would trigger off a cycle but it hasn't happened yet.

My cycles often occur in July... maybe they are not related to changes in the lenght of daylight time at all. Who knows?

Anyway so far so good.

Best PF wishes for all.

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by TonyG1 on Apr 23^rd, 2005, 1:44pm

As promised --- I flew out on Monday and arrived back home on Friday --- no effect on the CH !! Even had some beer while I was away :-X -- No effect on the CH !! ;;D ;;D ;;D

Title: Re: new member scared of travelling
Post by taraann on Apr 25^th, 2005, 3:02am

Great to hear it Javier and Tony!