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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Triggers?
        
(Message started by: retrovertigo on Feb 9^th, 2007, 10:10am)

Title: Triggers?
Post by retrovertigo on Feb 9^th, 2007, 10:10am

I am coming (hopefully) to the end of a bad cycle. As I look back on it, all of the worst nights were preceded by some type of chemical exposure.

Being in a cigarette smoke filled room. Application of a topical steroid. Having to hand apply lacquer finnish touch-ups at work (lacquer is loaded with volatile organic compounds). And swimming in a highly chlorinated pool.

I'd really like to know if any of these things could be triggers, but don't want to have to experiment on myself for obvious, painful reasons. I'm sure some, or all, of these exposure/ HA situations were coincidence, but if not I'd try much harder to avoid them. I know alcohol is a trigger for me and I wait about a month after last HA to enjoy a beer again.

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by burnt-toast on Feb 9^th, 2007, 11:02am

I have found that non-water based paints, stains and finishes such as polyurathane and laquer can be triggers.

I do a considerable amount of finishing work and have experienced a connection between sudden daytime attacks with the use of strong finishes. Appropriate ventilation and good masks do not seem to make a difference - even light exposures can trigger attacks.

Then there are days when even heavy exposure to these products doesn't trigger attacks. In my experience they're just not as consistent a trigger as alcohol.

Best wishes,

Tom

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by Bob_Johnson on Feb 9^th, 2007, 11:04am

When in an active cluster cycle/period, large numbers of folks find that alcohol will trigger an attack. SOME people can use beer at any time; MOST can't use distilled spirits; a single report from Europe, a number of years ago, said that red wine was bad, white wine not a problem.

Solvents of any kind appear to trigger many people.

Beyond that, other chemicals and foods, etc. are highly variable.

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by thebbz on Feb 9^th, 2007, 3:02pm

stress, fatigue ,hunger ,changing tempature,booze, changing seasons,narcotics,weed.
there are more, these are common.
jb

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by BB on Feb 9^th, 2007, 3:25pm

Stress is a common trigger ? I thought its relaxing that is a common trigger ??????

Annette

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by thebbz on Feb 9^th, 2007, 3:31pm

Never relax..ever. Actually on any given day it coud be one or the other or both. Or neither..you choose :-*
jb

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by georgej on Feb 9^th, 2007, 7:13pm

Speaking only for myself, the only triggers I've ever isolated (and believe me, I've tried) are:

REM sleep
Alcohol in cycle
Spring and Fall.

Best,

George

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by retrovertigo on Feb 9^th, 2007, 9:14pm

Sounds like I don't have to avoid the pool. I'll probably give the topical steroid another go as the rash is flaring up. The other things I'll just try to avoid in general.

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by bigred on Feb 10^th, 2007, 10:38am

My triggers are REM at 45 minutes after nap or bedtme. Any alcahol. I dont get any CH at work(factory} but have daily light HA like you now he is there. Its when I get home and sit down to relax with the kids and deal with that stuff and other things I start to have mine come on! Around 6;00pm is a good time for a 5-6 start up.
If I mow my lawn, its a big yard, I cant do it all at once because a CH will creep up and attack!!
We all find new triggers all the time, im still trying to figure out what to eat and what not to eat, I have cut down on the caffine, and that has helped me!! ;)

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by retrovertigo on Feb 10^th, 2007, 11:34am

REM hadn't been much of trigger for me before this cycle. But I have been more active in searching out abortives. Now that I've found some things that work provided I take them right at onset, I'm getting the REM triggered HA's. When I wake with a screamer it's too late to abort. Drinking Red Bull at 2 a.m. isn't that appealling anyway as I'd just be up all night after the HA is gone. The beast is an adaptive adversary.

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by DoverNH on Feb 10^th, 2007, 12:37pm

Iron pills, specifically Ferrous Sulfate gave me daily blinding headaches.

I was prescribed iron for anemia. I started taking it and within a few days started getting severe headaches. I was treated for “cluster” headaches. Since even with strong medication, the headaches did not stop, I thought about what I had changed in my diet. The only differences were the iron pill and eating more meat – I ruled out the hamburgers. When I stopped the iron pills, within 3 days the headaches abated. When I took the iron again, within 2 days I had a severe headache. I tried this several more times over the last 2 months with the same results. My doctors did not believe me.

Looking on the web I found 2 other forms of Iron. I bought some over the counter iron pills with Iron Glycinate (Ferrous bis-glycinate). So far, I have had very little reaction to this form of iron. I take a pill after eating breakfast, since it gave me a stomach ache and a very bad taste in my mouth when I took one on an empty stomach, but with a meal I'm OK.

When I purchased these new pills at the local pharmacy, the clerk told me she also had severe headaches when she took Iron. Frankly I was glad to hear that someone else had a similar reaction!

I do get migraines, and have been able to relate them to trigger foods. The headaches from Ferrous Sulfate were completely different, lasted days and barely let up even at night or after sleeping. I also noticed they made me tear up, get flushed, and have a runny nose when they started, which is not anything I have noticed with migraines. I used to get something like these clusters when I was a teenager.

Anybody else get an IRON SULFATE headache? Is the iron or the sulfate?f I think SULFATE.

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by Turts on Feb 11^th, 2007, 6:44pm

Quote:

Solvents of any kind appear to trigger many people

i have found this too.

Turts

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by kidfam on Feb 12^th, 2007, 4:47am

Anyone had exposure to drywall dust? I had and it seemed that this years was the trigger

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by drivin_blind on Feb 14^th, 2007, 4:53pm

Unfortunatly, and I don't think I'm the only one, the simple act of breathing seems to be a trigger. Seems that anything outside the norm, drinking..sleeping more or less than normal..vacation (relaxing)..smells..stress. Depressing isn't it. Anybody else out there kill to just be able to get drunk once and have a normal hangover? Dick

Title: Re: Triggers?
Post by midwestbeth on Feb 14^th, 2007, 6:24pm

Red wine triggered my first ever ch, had no idea what was happening. Haven't touched it since and would not even think of drinking any type of alcohol in cycle. Can't even be near cigarette smoke during a ch, and I am a smoker. Solvents, or chemical smells of any kind definately bring a ch.

Beth