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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Triggers
        
(Message started by: tgardpak on Jan 17^th, 2006, 12:14am)

Title: Triggers
Post by tgardpak on Jan 17^th, 2006, 12:14am

Hey all its been a while since I've been on here but I'm in a cycle after a 2year abscence. I know that all of us on here are trying to figure out what causes these or finding ways to stop the pain. By the way I am a 20+ year sufferer. I have a question to ask, being that we are from all over the world with different climates we know we get these in cold or heat mostly heat. so that pretty much rules out climate but I think I have found something that I think triggers my cycle and that is barometric pressure. Low barometric pressure 28.5 and below. I started to figure this out 2 years ago when we had a summer that the whole eastern half of the US was stuck in a low pressure system lots of clouds and rain, but this cycle that started 2 weeks ago is in winter and I would never get these in the winter but guess what the pressure is fluctuating between thirty and dropping to 28.

My last bout was also when I figured out mild excercise would get rid of these for me, I was is so much pain one night I took off running in my backyard after about a minute I stopped to kneel down and squeeze my brains out of my head and breathing heavy the pain had just dissapeared. So the next night took off jogging and just a lap around my yard and it went away. A little exercise is working for me this round to.

Any how just wondered if anybody else felt this might be a trigger. Wishing you all PF days and nights!

Tom

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by AussieBrian on Jan 17^th, 2006, 12:34am

Triggers, triggers, triggers. I sometimes wonder what isn't a bloody trigger for one of us or another. Alcohol, perfume, wheat germ, milk, flashing lights, and for some poor bastages it's sex! (I find that to relieve my symptoms but it seems to give her a headache instead.)

As to the barometer, it was discussed here recently and I recall it was more the change in pressure that seems to bring it on. I certainly know that to be true for me.

Exercise? Many swear by it and whether it works by increasing the O2 or just taking your mind off it doesn't matter. So long as it works.

Get your jogging shoes on, my friend, and best wishes always.

Brian, the fittest virgin in Oz.

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by Turts on Jan 17^th, 2006, 3:51pm

That must make me the second fittest then!!!

The best thing I find by knowing your triggers, is that, even though a bit barbaric, sometimes extensive shadows can be just as exhausting as getting hit.

So if I have a long shadow, I throw down a few shots of bourbon and start the beast boogie.

Its too bad im not a weather man, cause I would just leave the low pressure cells hovering over Antartica and save us all.

Turts

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by Karla on Jan 17^th, 2006, 4:00pm

I couldn't agree more.

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by marlinsfan on Jan 17^th, 2006, 5:59pm

Low barometric pressure is not a trigger for me. SInce my cycle ended in July, I've gone through 3 hurricanes here in florida (2 of them knocked out power in my house, the last one damaged my f...n roof). Hurricanes bring with them very low barometric pressure. 2 of the 3 storms passed over my house. I didn't get any headaches, othern than the ones relating to the decreasing size of my bank account after having to fix my house.

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by upnover on Jan 18^th, 2006, 5:30pm

Sometimes I think food and sleep are triggers for me. any food any sleep and beer is a 100% dance..

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by eyes_afire on Jan 18^th, 2006, 7:44pm

Quote:

Any how just wondered if anybody else felt this might be a trigger

Nope. In my experience, CH will happen no matter what.

'The Ultimate Trigger': Life

--- Steve

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by TeresaB on Jan 19^th, 2006, 2:19pm

I'm new here....so, first of all, hello to everyone and sorry we had to meet under these particular circumstances.

Triggers. Well, I have autonomic failure, so what seems to be a main trigger is anything that causes changes in my blood pressure. This usually involves being upright when I'm in cluster mode as I am orthostatic and this causes my blood pressure to greatly drop. Also anything that produces the slightest bit of hypoxia...slight congestion in the lungs, something cooking on the stove, etc. Changes in temperatures also wreak havoc.

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by suziq on Jan 19^th, 2006, 2:36pm

Low barometric pressure is a trigger for me too.

Suziq

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by BarbaraD on Jan 19^th, 2006, 6:30pm

I've sworn for years that barometric pressure changes triggers me. I'm chronic and between CH and arthritis (I'm OLD too) I can predict rain better than the weatherman.

But that's about the only constant trigger I've ever been able to come up with except beer years ago and now that doesn't seem to bother me (I only try it occasionally now - I really don't want to temt fate).

Hugs BD

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by thebbz on Jan 19^th, 2006, 10:13pm

Winter Solstice 100% trigger. Fatigue, booze,relaxation, stress,ignorant doctors,trolls.
jb :D

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by ray4903 on Jan 31^st, 2006, 7:55pm

Have been sufferrer for +10 yrs.- Like most here have gone through every possible thing that could be a trigger - diet, weather, soaps, wifes' perfume, daily habits- everything -- but cannot find any things that are a true trigger- my theory is that there are triggers but they buld up other aperiod of time - maybe diet ( for me I think smoked meats)- but becuase of that you can never isolate any exact things or things and it's pretty hard to stop or change everything single thing in your life. For me , periods of stress or just after seem to lead to the ultimate onset but don't think stress alone is a trigger. I ahve had MRI's , kept logs, everything and they just happen.
It is nerve racking trying to think there is something specific that causes the episodes, the curses. Part of the issue is that most , well at least myself, looks for 'triggers' at the onset of a cycle and once I am in a cycle I am paranoid that so many things are a trigger - the smell of perfume seems highlighted and I panic - the paranoia makes me ultra sensitive to everything and one is so terrified of when the next one will hit - it might even bring them on-- now, unlesss I ahve done something way out of the ordinary - I don't even think about posible triggers - but look for possible prevents or new abortive ways- imitrex makes me feel terrible but the tradeoff is worth it- however it has limits in dosage - I took too much over a short period of time once and thought i would almost die and felt like it was extremely dangerous - and without it as the ultimate backup was a sick and scary feeling that I was going to suffer and not a thing I could do about it..

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by E-Double on Jan 31^st, 2006, 7:56pm

on 01/18/06 at 19:44:51, eyes_afire wrote:

Nope. In my experience, CH will happen no matter what.

'The Ultimate Trigger': Life

--- Steve

Exactly!

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by BobG on Jan 31^st, 2006, 8:04pm

January

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by Kris_in_SJ on Jan 31^st, 2006, 8:22pm

9:00 PM and 3:00 PM when I'm in cycle.

Kris

Title: October and
Post by Richr8 on Jan 31^st, 2006, 8:34pm

Alcohol

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by mynm156 on Feb 1^st, 2006, 7:33pm

I have found that when I travel and go through elevation changes I get hit. Long plane rides also seem to hit me.

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by thenucman on Feb 4^th, 2006, 9:27am

I had never really linked barometric weather changes, but that makes perfect sense for me.
When I am in cycle, any kind of elevation change is a trigger. Even as little a change as 1000 feet. Oddly, even if I am at elevation for a short time, the CH is only delayed, not forgotten. I have a 1000 ft. pass I have to go over occasionally to go to work. If I am in cycle, my CH will hit a few hours afterward.
Flying is a huge problem. I discussed it before on this forum. Besides taking whatever you can before the flight, once you are airborne, you're alternatives are very limited.

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by Phil L on Feb 4^th, 2006, 8:47pm

Changes in Barometric pressure are absolutes for me. Good thing I live in San Diego where the weather is fairly constant.

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by tgardpak on Feb 4^th, 2006, 8:56pm

I think we all have abnormal hypothalmus's [smiley=huh.gif] Seriously this would explain why the pain is always on the same side as this is the switching station for the brain. I swear it has something to do with either high or low pressure and the way the hypothalmus reacts to it that starts a cycle.

Just another shot in the dark by a clusterhead. ;;D

Title: Re: Triggers
Post by thenucman on Feb 5^th, 2006, 1:07pm

I told my wife I wanted a Hyperbaric Chamber for Christmas. O2 at pressure!!! Not practical, really, but fun to think about.

The other thing I have wondered about, since you live in San Diego, Phil, is how much effect the amount of winter daylight may play on CH cycles. For instance, in San diego, the effect of shorter days is significantly less than that of Anchorage, Alaska.
The only reason I am even thinking along these lines is that I have to travel to Anchorage in 2 weeks. I am concerned with the effect it might have on my circadian rhythm, if any.
Who knows, though. It might just throw it all out of wack and end this cycle [smiley=laugh.gif]