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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Maybe the answer is closer than we like to admit
        
(Message started by: make_it_stop on Feb 13th, 2006, 1:44pm)
Title: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to admit
Post by make_it_stop on Feb 13th, 2006, 1:44pm
Hi all, back here under a different name after an absence of 3 years...I was having too much fun being CH free to spend time at the PC.

I've had Ch on and off for the past 15 years and the last was the worst (8 weeks of agony with no relief from any of the meds I tried).

My Ch walked out the door a week ago with a partner who caused me a lot of stress..bang it was gone just like that ( apart from a residual sore head from my head banging activities ).

Now that got me thinking (a rare event ) and I got details from my doctor of when I had got the attacks in the past along with all my other medical history.

I don't keep diaries but I do remember stressfull events and I was able to match up every CH attack to a big or drawn out stress.

Not only that but as I suffer from torn ligaments and tendons for no apparent reason ,I checked the dates those happened and they also followed closely behind  a major stress.

So here I was swallowing 1500mg of Eplilim (sodium Val)
a day plus 75 mg of Prednisolone and it wasn't working.. all I needed was to be free of a stressing person and next day I'm ok again. I can't believe that I didn't realize it before now...talk about dumb...my doctor is no smarter obviously.

Sure I can't avoid stressfull events for the rest of my life but I can be aware that even if I think my mind is relaxed it doesn't mean that the stress won't get me physically...so I am now exploring the reasons I can't tolerate stress with a professional and coming up with solutions that will hopefully not only prevent CH but also further physical damage to tendons.

SO my long winded point is....there is a cause for everything including CH and sometimes it can be found so close to home that we can't see it.

When you are CH free it is easy to think that it was all a very bad dream...but it was all too real ,so do yourselves a favour and sit down and write out everything that you'd prefer not to have in your life....and try to do something about achieving that release.

Best wishes to you all    ::)
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by seasonalboomer on Feb 13th, 2006, 1:56pm

on 02/13/06 at 13:44:15, make_it_stop wrote:
Hi all, back here under a different name after an absence of 3 years...I was having too much fun being CH free to spend time at the PC.

I've had Ch on and off for the past 15 years and the last was the worst (8 weeks of agony with no relief from any of the meds I tried).

My Ch walked out the door a week ago with a partner who caused me a lot of stress..bang it was gone just like that ( apart from a residual sore head from my head banging activities ).

Now that got me thinking (a rare event ) and I got details from my doctor of when I had got the attacks in the past along with all my other medical history.

I don't keep diaries but I do remember stressfull events and I was able to match up every CH attack to a big or drawn out stress.

Not only that but as I suffer from torn ligaments and tendons for no apparent reason ,I checked the dates those happened and they also followed closely behind  a major stress.

So here I was swallowing 1500mg of Eplilim (sodium Val)
a day plus 75 mg of Prednisolone and it wasn't working.. all I needed was to be free of a stressing person and next day I'm ok again. I can't believe that I didn't realize it before now...talk about dumb...my doctor is no smarter obviously.

Sure I can't avoid stressfull events for the rest of my life but I can be aware that even if I think my mind is relaxed it doesn't mean that the stress won't get me physically...so I am now exploring the reasons I can't tolerate stress with a professional and coming up with solutions that will hopefully not only prevent CH but also further physical damage to tendons.

SO my long winded point is....there is a cause for everything including CH and sometimes it can be found so close to home that we can't see it.

When you are CH free it is easy to think that it was all a very bad dream...but it was all too real ,so do yourselves a favour and sit down and write out everything that you'd prefer not to have in your life....and try to do something about achieving that release.

Best wishes to you all    ::)


hmmmmmm........ applying that theory it would mean I would have to run away from everything in my life. because EVERYTHING stresses me out.
[smiley=laugh.gif]

interesting thoughts... seriously though, my pattern is that my heads are more likely to trigger after a period of intense stress is just completed. my dad's were the same way. all CH is different. similar to how people get hit right as soon they get to REM sleep, mine often hit just when I was finished up on some huge project or stressful period. so all the stress in my life gets to feel the pleasure of actually potentially keeping me from getting a CH cycle. [smiley=laugh.gif].


scott
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by chewy on Feb 13th, 2006, 2:15pm

Quote:
my pattern is that my heads are more likely to trigger after a period of intense stress is just completed.


BINGO!
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by Gator on Feb 13th, 2006, 3:05pm
Same here, Scott.  Stress seems to keep the beast at bay.   It's when the stress is over and I'm winding down that the attacks come most often.

To quote BobG's tagline:

Stay stressed. Never relax. Never sleep. Ever.
Title: I have looked for and...
Post by Richr8 on Feb 13th, 2006, 3:43pm
...found no corellation of stress to CH in my own experience.  I am at no higher level of stress than when my cycle is ending and I have missed several days or weeks of work, many social events, had too many to count K10s, no sleep, and utter physical and emotional devastation.  In fact, my cycle always begin in October regardless of the level of stress I am dealing with at that time.
I guess the keywords being, "cycle ending," and, "no higher level of stress."  
If there was even a chance, I would have no problem completely rearrangng my life to eliminate stress.  It just doesn't add up for me.  
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by suziq on Feb 13th, 2006, 3:57pm
I agree with Gator - after I experience a stressful incident, it can trigger a more painful CH, but it's not the CAUSE of my CH. I went from a highly stressful job to a non-stressful job and still experienced CH. Lack of stress helps, but it's not a cure (for me.) I've been to a pain psych, too, and I still suffer - no help from her techniques.

I've analyzed the hell out of my CH and searched hi and low for a cause or a reason - I'm just cursed.

Praying for a cure,
Suziq
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by Dragnlance on Feb 13th, 2006, 4:00pm
can't imagine what has kept me stressed since grade school. I remember that I have (even in grade school) had to stay home from fishing or hunting, or even swimming because of the CH. I am afraid that in all the changes in my life over 40+ years, that stress would change and some stresses disappear while new ones appear. During that time, I always had CH, stress or no stress.
For ME, I don't think stress is the answer. I can tell you that stress will make my CH much worse, but it does not appear to be my trigger.

Dragn
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by seasonalboomer on Feb 13th, 2006, 4:03pm

on 02/13/06 at 15:57:35, suziq wrote:
I agree with Gator - after I experience a stressful incident, it can trigger a more painful CH, but it's not the CAUSE of my CH. I went from a highly stressful job to a non-stressful job and still experienced CH. Lack of stress helps, but it's not a cure (for me.) I've been to a pain psych, too, and I still suffer - no help from her techniques.

I've analyzed the hell out of my CH and searched hi and low for a cause or a reason - I'm just cursed.

Praying for a cure,
Suziq


completely agree with you suziq. definitely not the "cause" but seems to have a kind of "attenuating" function sometimes for me.
have ruled out "curses" though in my case as I've lived a perfect life and always been good......  :-/

scott
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by Guiseppi on Feb 13th, 2006, 4:12pm
Same here, stress won't turn a cycle on, but when on cycle stress can trigger a whammy.

Guiseppi
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by AussieBrian on Feb 13th, 2006, 8:32pm
It's relevant also that CH in the past has been referred to as 'Holiday Headaches" in that a lot of people in stressful jobs got them bang on starting their vacation - i.e. the sudden relief from stress.
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by BarbaraD on Feb 13th, 2006, 9:38pm
Agree with the non-stress. I can't relax without getting CH. I can control them pretty much under a lot of stress, but cannot when relaxed. I just try to stay stressed.

Hugs BD
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by Jasmyn on Feb 14th, 2006, 3:01am

on 02/13/06 at 20:32:58, AussieBrian wrote:
It's relevant also that CH in the past has been referred to as 'Holiday Headaches" in that a lot of people in stressful jobs got them bang on starting their vacation - i.e. the sudden relief from stress.


Ditto, mine is definitely holiday related... no minni breaks for me.  If life is not stressful enough make it stressful - prevention is better than cure. ;)
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by Karla on Feb 14th, 2006, 12:32pm
I found no relation between ch and stress.  I quit my job and went on disability.  I quit all my volunteer work.  I learned self hypnosis and biofeedback.  The shrink said he had never seen someone so relaxed yet I was still getting hit 8x /day.  My drs all came to the same conclussion that stress was not a cause or trigger for me.

I am however glad that you have found something that works for you and hope it continues that way.
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by Chonas on Feb 14th, 2006, 6:07pm
A lot of stress and lack of sleep always tell me that I'm about to enter a new CH cycle. Stress by itself doesn't wake up the beast, I must also get a completely altered sleeping pattern.  
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by BlueMeanie on Feb 14th, 2006, 7:25pm
Lots of stress/No stress.... had cycles both ways and in-between. Haven't found no correlation. Of course when a cycles starts and/or ends, it always seems we've found the answer. No such luck here.
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by floridian on Feb 15th, 2006, 5:58pm
Well, I have seen a nice remission since changing jobs. But it isn't stress. For me, it has been keeping a regular sleep cycle (or just a bit of luck, who knows?).  But I am 9to5ing it now, before my sleep was often very irregular.  I also used to get 'brainstorms' or manic like episodes that would keep me up late. Now, if that happens, I usually take a melatonin and get a fair amount of zzzz.
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by jmorgan52 on Feb 16th, 2006, 4:05am
My whole life doctors, family, friends workmates always tried to tell me my HA's are stress related.

Well I think it's mainly bull. I agree with BlueMeanie. I've had very long periods of extreme stress work and long periods pretty much stress free. No correlation with CH. The cycles came and went like clockwork most years with an occassional season shift every few cycles. I have had then during EVERY season over the years.

I do agree that stress can trigger a big one during a cycle and I have also started a cycle during holidays many times. The worst is the festive season when a single beer could spoil the day not just for me but for the whole family!

I seriously doubt stress is the CAUSE, but I am trying hard to prevent stress in my life, but not always that succesful though ;;D

I don't believe ANYONE yet knows the definitive cause.

I have my own theories on the cause and how to stop or prevent them. A couple of years PF so far. A few more years and perhaps I will be satisfied I can handle them. I have been trying to be totally drug free these past few years.

My experience over the last 10 years since discovering the  trex inj is that I can now manage the pain much better, but my cycles seem to have lasted much longer, and untreated HAs also last much longer 3-4 hours. Before Trex I used to get many 1 hour HA's a day with no means for relief, now I usually get 2 or maybe 3 at most a day in cycle, which last for several hours if I don't inject.

John
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by sandie99 on Feb 16th, 2006, 6:40am
Back at my episodic days, it was the time of year which activated my ch and nothing else. When I was chronic... well, pretty much anything triggered ch. I have them on holiday and during hectic school times. I do recall getting hits certainly when I was bit stressing about university work. But  stress itself doesn't cause my ch -I've been stressed about things since I was just a kid and ch came into the picture in 2001 when I was 21.

I'm glad that you've found your trigger, though. I hope you lots of PF times! :)

Sanna
Title: Re: Maybe the answer is closer than we like to adm
Post by gardengal on Feb 25th, 2006, 11:12pm
I think sleep patterns trigger me. I quit smoking and after 2-3 CH was pain free for 8 years. I lost my mom suddenly and moved....lots of stress during that time and no CH.  I went off the pill after 23 years, had hot flashes, didn't sleep well for a month and they are back. I was also dumb enough to smoke when I had a drink at parties lately. I think the combo of the 2 brought them back. I wish I knew exactly what it was after 8 yrs.Now I just want this cycle to end. The CH's I am having now are a lot worse and lasting longer than they did in the past.


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