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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Black Widows Anyone?
        
(Message started by: Ozark_E on Jan 6^th, 2007, 9:38pm)

Title: Black Widows Anyone?
Post by Ozark_E on Jan 6^th, 2007, 9:38pm

Since 1993, my cycles were were all 6-8 weeks, and recurred every 24 to 28 months: Dec 1993, March 1996, July 1998, Feb 2001, April 2003. I moved from Southern California to the Ozark Highlands in June 2004. I did not get another CH cycle until Sept 2006, over 40 months.

I have speculated about this increased remission period a lot lately. The first obvious possibility is the change in location. From coast to 1500 ft elevation, from coastal climate to continetal climate. Not much change in latitude, I am about 200 miles further north (but 1800 miles east) of where I used to live. I have also had some changes in diet (increasingly omniovorous from mostly vegetarian). Some other changes with the move as well, especially less partying.

So these could all be factors in my increased remission time. But I was thinking about it, and I got a double bight from a BLACK WIDOW in August 2005, right at the 28 month period since my previous cycle. It was nasty, I ended up going to ER about 12 hours after the bight because I knew I would get no sleep without some pain relief / muscle relaxers.

So I thought that was interesting. Then just a fews days after the thought occurred tome that maybe the black widow neurotoxins might have disrupted my cycle somehow, I read an interesting article in Scientific American News. It described research that showed that the neurotoxins from some poisonous spiders (NOT necessarily black widow) affect the same pain nerves as are effected by capzasin, the pepper derived cream.

During my last cycle, my neuro prescribed that I swab the inside of my CH affected nostral with capzasin cream twice a day as a preventative. So I thought that was an iteresting connection. Capzasin is thought to benefit CH sufferers, and affects the same nerves as black widow.

I AM NOT suggesting that anyone should experiment with black widows as treatment, it could literally kill you!!! But I keep asking myself "What if a future treatment for CH might be derived from black widow or some other spider neurotoxin". There are people on this message board who will know better than I do the feasability of this connection, or could share this idea with a knowlegible doctor?. I plan to share the idea with my neuro, JUST IN CASE there is something there.

Has anyone else had a black widow bight? If so, did it alter your CH cycles in any way, possibly?

In hopes of a better treatment or "cure" (don't ban me for using the C-word),

E

Title: Re: Black Widows Anyone?
Post by chewy on Jan 6^th, 2007, 10:05pm

Quote:

Has anyone else had a black widow bight

Ex wives count?

Title: Re: Black Widows Anyone?
Post by Ozark_E on Jan 8^th, 2007, 9:53am

Depends if the bight is venomous, or if they just bight your head off. Either way, there might be some benefit...