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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
        
(Message started by: clusterwife on Sep 27^th, 2006, 2:10pm)

Title: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by clusterwife on Sep 27^th, 2006, 2:10pm

For 7 years they were only leftsided, now they are both. Anyone out there has this happen to them? How often do they change, and is it permanment? Any feedback is wecome, and thank you.

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by TxBasslady on Sep 27^th, 2006, 2:36pm

Welcome!

Mine have never switched sides. But it does happen.

Someone with this switching experience will come along and answer better than I.

I see you're in Houston...I'm just north..Kingwood area.

PF vibes to your hubby,

Jean

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by BlueMeanie on Sep 27^th, 2006, 2:38pm

When you say both, do you mean one side at a time ? If it's both sides, he may want to get it checked out as there may be something else going on. Some people report they change from side to side during a cycle. I've had them change sides, but it was the complete cycle.

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by clusterwife on Sep 27^th, 2006, 2:44pm

Yes, Blue, he says they switched sides, from left to right. Is this normal?

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by nani on Sep 27^th, 2006, 2:50pm

It happens. The last time it happened to me, it was because I had a pretty bad sinus infection and the swelling was triggering CHs.
pain free wishes to your home, nani

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by georgej on Sep 27^th, 2006, 2:51pm

on 09/27/06 at 14:44:02, clusterwife wrote:

Yes, Blue, he says they switched sides, from left to right. Is this normal?

It happens to a small percentage of people who get them--I believe it's around ten percent (I may be wrong), but it does happen.

I only get them on the left side, so I'll defer to others who are in a similar situation. No doubt they'll be answering soon.

Best wishes to your husband--I'm sorry to hear that he's getting nailed in this way.

George

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by Chonas on Sep 27^th, 2006, 3:35pm

There's an entry on this page 'Cluster Moved Sides', where you'll find plenty of information.

In my case I've switched sides during several cycles, my most attacked side is the right, and when it moves to the left side I must add that the pain becomes more difficult to tolerate.

What did the Doc tell me about this...?. It is NORMAL.

I ask myself, what is the meaning of 'NORMAL' for my Doc?. >:(

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by Guiseppi on Sep 27^th, 2006, 3:35pm

You are a saint for surfing the board for your hubby, I'd be lost without the support of my wife, so thanks for that. What the others have said, mine have never changed sides but I've read of many people on the board who have. If nothing else wierd is going on medically, it sounds like the beast just pulled a morph on him. Good luck to both of you.

Guiseppi

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by CHAIN on Sep 27^th, 2006, 4:40pm

Hi, I have had cluster headaches for 12 years now and for 8 of those years it had always been on the left side. Fort the past for years they switch sometimes and I got to tell you the right side is even worse than the left side. Don't know why >:( . Since I had the first switch I get at least three of the attacks on the right side but I don't really know if they are here to stay or what.
I know I didin't help that much but at least you know that it is common at least in my case.
Hope your husband feels better. Tell him he is NOT ALONE!!
Ciao!

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by JeffB on Sep 27^th, 2006, 5:50pm

First few cycles were on the left. Latest cycle it hit my right, and I've got the droopy lid to prove it.

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by Jobette on Sep 27^th, 2006, 8:08pm

Mine have always been on the right side but 1 time. It was like a switch in between cycles. I told my neuro about it and she said that it was good to give the right side a break. I believe that she was serious. :-*

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by chopmyheadoff on Sep 28^th, 2006, 2:59am

hi im a chronic and yes, mine switch all the time -
my "main" side is the right side but i would say about 20% of them occur on the left side.

with me too this is more painful and the left ones always tend to be really "dirty".

funnily enough, if it starts on the left, sometimes it dies before reaching about kip 4 but then comes back on the right side immediately ramping up to k8 or 9 !!

pain free wishes to your husband. he is a lucky bloke having someone fight his corner so well !!

love

chop

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by BB on Sep 28^th, 2006, 5:38am

We all have two trigeminal nerves , one on each side of the face meeting in the middle.

The hypothalamus which is the trigger center of cluster sits in the middle of the brain sort of directly behind your nose, it has nerve branches extending to both sides of the head connecting to both trigeminal nerves.

Therefore it has the capacity to affect either side and can also switch sides. In migraine it can affect both sides at the same time although this is rarer.

No one knows yet why it tends to "prefer" one side to another but as anatomically it can "communicate" with both sides it can switch around whenever it feels like it !

So please reassure your husband that although this is not as common as unilateral attack, its just another feature of cluster and its nothing to worry about.

Best wishes to you both. Thanks for being there for him.

Annette

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by clusterwife on Sep 29^th, 2006, 9:50pm

Thanks everbody! I told him your info and he seems less worried. If only I could make it easier on him. I'll keep you posted.

Title: Re: WORRIED ABOUT HUBBY!
Post by Callico_Kid on Sep 29^th, 2006, 11:30pm

Ditto to the above. I fit in best with what Chop said. Since going chronic mine are almost always on the right, but when one goes to the left it is always longer and seems to ebb and then return several times before leaving.

jc