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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Sleep Apnea   
        
(Message started by: MR_FLOOR on May 19^th, 2007, 5:21pm)

Title: Sleep Apnea
Post by MR_FLOOR on May 19^th, 2007, 5:21pm

Does anyone know if sleep Apnea effects CHs.I have had it for the last 5 years possibly longer.I'm sure it don't help but how much does it hurt

Dave

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by Brewcrew on May 19^th, 2007, 8:49pm

Dave - I've been trying to establish a connection between the two, and I'm at a loss. I was diagnosed in 2001 and have been on CPAP ever since. I use it religiously, and I sleep better because of it. But I've had CH since the late 80's and the CPAP has had no noticeable effect on the CH.

One would think that the higher serum O2 levels resulting from CPAP therapy might help stave off the beast. But alas, no. When I'm in cycle I can still be awakened quite regularly about 90 minutes after I fall asleep.

I'll tell ya, though - the difference in my sleep now vs. pre-CPAP is like night and day. Literally.

I was really hoping there would be a connection, but I haven't found any.

Bill

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by MR_FLOOR on May 19^th, 2007, 8:59pm

Bill,

I'm c-pap intolerant so for the first couple of years I thought it was hopeless til I found a new doctor he turned me on to bi-pap.The air flow stops when you breath out.It was working pretty good til my munchkin broke the hose connector last week My appointment is in 2 weeks I will get a new one. Still I don't think either mach. works as good for me as it does for others.I'm glad it works for you. Stay pain free and prosper [smiley=sleep.gif].

Dave

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by rolo65 on May 19^th, 2007, 11:57pm

I have noticed my night attacks are worse when I'm stuffy and breathe through my mouth. I think the CH triggers are so different and varied for every one that it’s just not possible to make a clear diagnosis. If it were that easy the dam doctors might be able to help us instead of hit and miss so much. Better air flow can’t be bad in any event.

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by Denny on May 20^th, 2007, 4:49am

Dave
Im a new member to this fantastic site and reading through some of the stories.
I SUFFERED WITH SLEEP APNEA in 1996
Falling asleep at my desk sometimes at the wheel of my car but what was the worst part the snoring, it almost cost me my job, we couldnt have friends around I would just fall asleep and what my wife and kids went through is very hard to discribe probabley this contributed to the breakdown of my first marrage ?. After finally attending my doctors I was referred to Manchester hospital to a sleep Apnea clinic. where on arrival the first thing they did was to weigh me, I weighed in at 16.5 stones, yes I was well over weight, for my height of 5.10 for my height I should be around 12.5 stones, I was over weight, I first attended overnight observation and monitored through the night where it was found that I actually stopped breathing almost on 4 occations, I was then put on a home Cpap machine and ORDERED to loose weight
They explained to me that the excess fat I put on the outside I put on the inside and this was causing the main problem because when you fall asleep the excess fat that is around your neck and throat area relaxes when you sleep and restricts the air passage and that the constant supply of air from the Cpap keeps it open and that I had to get my weight down befor the would assist any further.
I did get my weight down to just under 13 stone and It was agreed that they would do surgury,bearing in mind that I was 48 years of age at the time and was warned that after surgery I would be in some kind of reabilition pain.
The operation consisted of the removal of my Larinks, tonsils and the lasering of 5 grooves in the upper pallet of my mouth as again this was all flabby to to the excess weight I had and as it healed it would shrink tight, the operation went well I did have the pain but it soon went and I made a full recovery and yes the sleep apnea stopped and I got on with my life unfortunateley I still snore a little.
I went through all this but Ididnt start to suffer with CH
it wasnt until 1998 that I had my first of 3 periods CH attack 1st 1998 2nd 2004 and my mostrecent which I am going through started 20th March 2007 but by reading some of the stories CH pain and I know is indiscribable.
Personally I dont think that there was a link between my sleep Apnea and my CH attacks as my Seep Apnea was weight related.
I hope that this has been of help should you wish to contact me please do on
richmond172003@yahoo.co.uk

regards Denny

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by MR_FLOOR on May 20^th, 2007, 12:06pm

Hey Denny,

What are stones, I'm over weight also,I'm 5-11 and weigh 225 about 25 to 30 lbs over weight [smiley=frown.gif]

Dave

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by cluster on May 20^th, 2007, 12:10pm

Hello Dave,

In 2001 I was diagnosed sleep apnoe and got the CPAP machine. I use it every night and that has improved my life a lot - because I am not so tired any more during the day. I think everybody who suffers from apnoe has to have this treated - CH or not.

The CPAP has had no noticeable effect on the CH for me.

pf wishes,
Friedrich

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by Brewcrew on May 20^th, 2007, 3:22pm

on 05/20/07 at 12:06:57, MR_FLOOR wrote:

What are stones

Dave - If you have to ask, all bets are that you don't have any... [smiley=crackup.gif]

I crack me up.

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by MR_FLOOR on May 20^th, 2007, 3:48pm

OK Brew,

I guess I set myself up for that one.

[smiley=bow.gif]

Dave

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by Brewcrew on May 20^th, 2007, 4:23pm

Yes, you did, sir.

All in good fun. ;;D

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by Ray on May 20^th, 2007, 5:14pm

FYI: 1 stone = 14 pounds.

Ever trying to be helpful.......

Ray

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by Denny on May 20^th, 2007, 6:30pm

Hi Dave

1st I must apoligise as I gave you some wrong information it was not my Larinks they removed it was (excuse the spelling) my epiclotice, that dangly bit at the back of your throat just above the back of your tonge.
2nd regarding my weight I was 231 lbs and had to get to around 175 lbs which made me around 56 lbs over weight.

sorry about the mistake

Denny

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by Bob_Johnson on May 21^st, 2007, 12:40pm

Headache. 2004 Jun;44(6):607-10.

Obstructive sleep apnea and cluster headache.

Graff-Radford SB, Newman A.

The Pain Center, Cedars Sinai Medical Center and UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.

A patient with cluster headache often wakes from sleep. The relationship to sleep apnea has been described. This study sought to confirm the relationship cluster may have with sleep apnea. METHODS: Thirty-nine consecutive patients diagnosed with episodic cluster headache according to the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria were sent for polysomnographic studies. All patients were in an active phase when they were in the study. Patients were told of the proposed relationship and were allowed to choose a sleep laboratory close to their home. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients with episodic cluster headache completed an overnight polysomnographic study. Twenty-three were male and eight female. The average age was 51 years (range 33 to 78 years). The average weight was 173 pounds (range 117 to 260 pounds). A total of 80.64% had sleep apnea (25/31). Average respiratory depression index (RDI) was 19.0 (SD 14.6) with 6 patients having no apnea, 10 having mild, 11 having moderate, and 4 having severe apnea (RDI < 5 = none; RDI 5 to 20 mild; RDI 20 to 40 moderate; RDI > 40 severe). Oxygen saturation decreased on average to 88.4% SD 4.5. Sleep efficiency was 76.2% (SD 13.4). CONCLUSIONS: The data closely approximate those of Chervin et al, where 80% had RDI > 5. The relationship sleep apnea has in the perpetuation or precipitation of cluster headache is still to be determined. There are some reports that treatment stops the cluster but there is no prospective study. The high incidence (80.64%) seen in this population suggests the cluster patient should receive a sleep evaluation and perhaps intervention with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or an appropriate dental device.

PMID: 15186306

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by SmoothSippin on Aug 3^rd, 2007, 1:19pm

I dug this up on a search since, I have apnea (not treated) and was "hoping" that there was something to this. Has anyone had success treating apnea AND helping CHs?

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by SoCal on Aug 3^rd, 2007, 6:14pm

I had sleep apnea and terrible snoring problems. I ended-up doing a couple of things...1) lost weight, 2) had surgery to remove tonsils and uvula (thing that hangs down in back from roof of mouth) as well as a turbanate reduction (cleared out some obstructions in my right nostril.)

Net result was a good improvement in the apnea and snoring problems but absolutly no effect on the CH problem.

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by George_J on Aug 3^rd, 2007, 7:20pm

Interesting citation, Bob. Thank you for posting it.

Far as I know, I don't have sleep apnea, FWIW. But I suppose I might not know if it's mild.

Best wishes,

George

Edited to add: Liz says "Nope".

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by Bob_Johnson on Aug 4^th, 2007, 11:04am

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by Bob_Johnson on Aug 5^th, 2007, 12:31pm

At this stage of research it's clear that you can't predict the degree to which CH is triggered by sleep disorders. The data suggest that people who regularly experience night time attacks may wish to consider sleep studies to see if apnea is present.
------------
Cephalalgia. 2003 May;23(4):276-9. Related Articles, Links

Cluster headache associated with sleep apnoea.

Nobre ME, Filho PF, Dominici M.

Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. eduarda@imagelink.com.br

This study of sleep changes in patients with cluster headache (CH) was conducted in view of the nocturnal predominance of this condition, the efficacy of oxygen and the fact that the attacks follow oxygen desaturation. Proposed mechanisms include impairment of carotid body activity secondary to hypothalamic vasomotor regulatory dysfunction. Sixteen patients with episodic CH and 29 healthy volunteers underwent nocturnal polysomnography. Five (31.3%) patients with episodic CH were found to have sleep apnoea (SA). Two patients with SA experienced two attacks during the study period. The attacks followed episodes of oxygen desaturation and were associated with REM sleep. In two patients with SA and CH, treatment with continuous positive airway pressure abolished their oxygen desaturation, sleep apnoeas and headaches. Our study confirmed the high percentage of CH associated with SA. We suggest that oxygen desaturation may be a trigger factor in some patients and play a role in the pathogenesis of CH.

Publication Types:
Comparative Study

PMID: 12716345 [PubMed

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by clusterf_ked on Oct 9^th, 2007, 4:46pm

Moderate sleep apnea here (RDI 25) and episodic CH. Tried the CPAP but I'm not very compliant. Looking into surgical options for SA, remain hopeful that it might help CH as a side benefit if I go through with it.

stevo

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by black on Oct 23^rd, 2007, 9:40am

http://www.encephalos.gr/42-3-03e.htm [smiley=huh.gif]

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by gore2424 on Oct 24^th, 2007, 12:45am

I had a sleep study done two weeks ago and I have sleep apnea really bad so this thursday I go again for the test with a cpap my wifey says it should help me big time so time will tell. Terry

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by echo on Oct 25^th, 2007, 3:56pm

Never noticed a change in my CH pre or post surgery for Apnea.

Major surgery - uvula, toncils, soft palet, nose. Holy shit was that painful.

Still chronic.

But I sleep great when ole fuck stick lets me.

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by Brewcrew on Oct 26^th, 2007, 11:26am

on 10/25/07 at 15:56:15, echo wrote:

Major surgery - uvula, toncils, soft palet, nose. Holy shit was that painful.

Wow. CPAP seems like so much less hassle and pain.

Title: Re: Sleep Apnea
Post by HeadhurtinMama on Oct 27^th, 2007, 2:02am

I know that my neuro sent me for a sleep study, as she suspected that apnea may be making my CH worse. But alas, all they found was that I snore lightly and am verysleep deprived, but I have two little boys, under 4 at the time. I also have fibromyalgia, which I think is the biggest culpret in my sleep issues