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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> A cold and CH
        
(Message started by: wildhaus on Mar 19^th, 2008, 2:48am)

Title: A cold and CH
Post by wildhaus on Mar 19^th, 2008, 2:48am

The cold has “over taken” me like a giant caterpillar, but that by it self would not be a problem,
every one has a cold once in a while……

What surprised me is that the cold triggered the CH in such a magnitude – I didn’t get a “moment” of PF time, only after the second Zomig in less then an hour and endless O2, I got some sleep……..
and that is what I do not understand….. what dose a cold have with the triggering mechanism of CH…… and how dose one get it under control……

I had to forgo work today….. first time in a very long time that CH has prevented me from
doing my job……. and that is extremely frustrating for me…… as I do not (under normal circumstances’) let this “plague (CH)” ground me!

Title: Re: A cold and CH
Post by brewcrew on Mar 19^th, 2008, 6:07am

Me too, Michael. Except my current cycle preceded the cold by about two weeks. Missed work yesterday. I have the added pleasure of CPAP therapy while I sleep (nasal pillow system), and a stuffy head makes that next to impossible. I finally started a prednisone taper over the weekend, so the CH is an afterthought for the time being. I picked up some pseudoephedrine yesterday, and it clears my head pretty well. For about 4 hours - until I can take more.

Title: Re: A cold and CH
Post by barry_sword on Mar 19^th, 2008, 6:52am

I also have caught a cold, first one in about three years or so. I am presently out of cycle but it was Angie who pointed out to me that when I catch a cold or flu it seems to trigger the odd CH. No set pattern, just once in a while a hit gets me. She was right, I got hit twice in the past two nights. Thankfully the o2 took care of them in a few minutes.

Another [smiley=thumbsup.gif] for our supporters, keeping track of things when we sometimes forget or let our guard down. Thanks Angie!!

My cold is a little better today so I pray I can enjoy some more PF time while out of cycle. Hope you two get feeling better soon also. :)

Title: Re: A cold and CH
Post by kcopelin on Mar 19^th, 2008, 7:17am

Maybe its the congestion that triggers a CH hit during a cold. I'm getting hit with seasonal allergies (everything is pollenating here now) and that means sinus congestion. If I try to ignore it-my hits increase. If I take my allergy meds, the hits stay stable (3-4 per day, two in the morning, one in the afternnon and one in the evening).
I've heard others say that Afrin 4-way nasal spray helps them. But you really should only use it for three days in a row as it leads to dependency...well maybe dependency is too strong of a word-it just causes you to be even more congested when you stop.

PFDAN
kathy

Title: Re: A cold and CH
Post by sandie99 on Mar 19^th, 2008, 10:15am

I must admit that back in my chronic days the only relief I got was when I had a cold. Back then, I wondered if the beast has sympathy for me or whether it wanted my whole attention and stayed away for that reason...

But now I know that it was probably due to Findrexin, the cold medicine drink, which I use every time I have cold or flu. That drink has 120mgs of caffeine per sachet and one can drink up to four of them per day. No wonder the beast was kept at bay... ;)

I also could tell when the cold/flu is about to leave, because that was when ch returned.

Sanna

Title: Re: A cold and CH
Post by Batch on Mar 19^th, 2008, 1:09pm

There are no silver bullets for the cold virus... Rest, push fluids, and Mother's favorites, good homemade chicken soup and chamomile tea all work as well if not better than OTC cold medications and there are no side effects. A mild saline nasal spray can help with the stuffy nose.

V/R, Batch

Title: Re: A cold and CH
Post by outofcommission on Mar 19^th, 2008, 11:09pm

i had a cold on my last cycle. i noticed that sneezing a couple of times in a row would trigger them and also if i blew my nose to hard. nasal spray helped somewhat.

Title: Re: A cold and CH
Post by Crappy on Mar 21^st, 2008, 4:26am

Sandie99: Please PM, if you have any opinion, on what may have helped transition you frm chronic.

wildhaus: Like Sandie, the last severe cold I had gave me 3.5 days of COMPLETE pain free time. My head hadn't felt so clear in 2 years, and hasn't since. My only symptom was the stongest nasal pressure and constant runny nose I have ever had. I bought stratht pseudophedrine from the pharmacy, and took those things way more than recommended, so maybe that helped.

As soon as the head congestion stopped, the CH came back within hours.

Since CH pain is vascular, I'd guess any change in pressure in the head, and inflamation due to a cold could shake things up.

It could also be due to direct stimulation of nerves by congestion in your nose and eye. If intranasal lidocane can abort some hits, then why couldn't nasal pain/congestion/inflmation be a trigger? I would defintely get some powerful decongestant and see if it helps. Pseudophedrine is the beet you can get OTC, but since its a precursor to meth you have to ask for it at the pharmacy count, show ID, and sign a log thanks to the Patriot Act.