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        New Message Board Archives >> February 2002 >> Historical Cluster Heads
        
(Message started by: Katherine on Feb 14^th, 2002, 10:57am)

Title: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Katherine on Feb 14^th, 2002, 10:57am

Mental noodlings:

So a few months ago I saw a piece on the Elephant Man. Part of the show was spent trying to figure out exactly what disease/condition Joseph Merrick (the E man) suffered from. You would think that because they named a disease after him that they would have known what it was that he had, but it turns out from a modern autopsy on his remains that he probably had something called Proteus Syndrome, a condition so rare that only about 100 cases of it have ever been reported.

But the process of forensic diagnosis was interesting to me and it got me to thinking. My mom had Menieres disease, which is characterized by vertigo attacks and tinnitus, ringing in the ears. (Menieres sometimes also appears in clusters). I know that Menieres sufferers have spent some time trying to find out who else through out history has had Menieres and have come up with a list that has included Van Gogh and Julius Ceaser.

I wonder what famous people throughout history may have suffered from cluster headaches? Does anyone know of anyone, other than Lewis Carol who we think had migraines, who might fight the diagnosis?

And the other thought was, if not why? Is it because Cluster Headache sufferers are too debilitated to do enough things in their life to fall on the famous people list? (Something I doubt). Or, at the risk of starting a fight about creation versus evolution, is it a possible recent evolutionary change? Or rather, a recent evolutionary mutation? (If I was Mother Nature I would bag on the concept of extra cells on the hypothalamus. As an evolutionary advantage it does not seem to be working out very well.....)

I would be curious to hear other people's thoughts.

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Jack on Feb 14^th, 2002, 11:12am

Frank Capra seems to be the most famous clusterhead anyone can come up with. The Hollywood director ( It's a Wonderful Life ) definitely had clusters.

The second most famous, talented, intelligent and accomplished clusterhead that I can think of is - ME ;)

I would also like to find out who the others are.

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Charlie on Feb 14^th, 2002, 3:27pm

This is always interesting stuff.

Thomas Jefferson had terrible headaches. He died in 1826, published very little but in his countless letters it's mentioned. We still don't know if they were clusters but his body type (tall and thin) fits the profile, if that's really much help. If they were migraines, they were very bad. He was a stickler for exercise....makes ya think, donut?

There is an obscure Civil War General, who almost certainly had clusters...damn! I forgot the name but I know Ted recognized it when I posted it once.....He is said to have committed suicide because of them....at least it was a contribuing factor, said Steven Abrose in one of his recent books, although he didn't use the term "cluster headache." There must be others who won't admit it.

Charlie

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Kirk on Feb 14^th, 2002, 6:58pm

The only one I can remember in recent years, was the commander (USA) of the forces in Bosnia. He had a CH start during the change of command ceremonies. Fortunately one of the aids had a Imitrex injector and stopped the attack. Imagine having a CH in front of a bunch of Croats and Serbs.

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Katherine on Feb 15^th, 2002, 9:15am

So Charlie,

The Civil war general... Was he Union on Confederate? And which Steven Abrose book did you read it in?

The historian hat is on... looks like I have another obsession.....

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Jayne on Feb 15^th, 2002, 9:38am

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA97/halnon/capra/capra.htmlhttp://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA97/halnon/capra/capra.html
This makes a small mention of his CH's

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Jayne on Feb 15^th, 2002, 9:39am

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA97/halnon/capra/capra.html
Let's try that again shall we

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Jayne on Feb 15^th, 2002, 9:46am

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA97/halnon/capra/capra.html

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Charlie on Feb 15^th, 2002, 6:01pm

:)The general was Union, and I thing maybe retired as a major general. The name will come to me but I think Ted knows it....Damn thing is in a 2000 post...late 2000.

Getting old Kathering..... :'(

Charlie

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Ted on Feb 15^th, 2002, 10:56pm

I can't remember his name now either. That's why I stayed out of this thread. You just got to keep on drawing me out from hiding my absent mindedness, don't you buddy? You MUST be a liberal! ;D

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Charlie on Feb 17^th, 2002, 12:23am

I think the General is Upton. Upton's brigade comes to mind.....I think

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Ted on Feb 17^th, 2002, 9:41am

That's it, Charlie. General Emory Upton the tactician.

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Cin on Feb 17^th, 2002, 12:33pm

Hello Katherine,

Thanks for the info, my ears have been ringing for about 3 mos, I got dizzy, and went to er they said I had water behind the ear drum, well just about a mo. down the road I start with these clusters, so now I wonder if I don't have menieres, besides these awful CHs, guess I'll be putting up with the ringing ears.

Thanks again for the info
and have a great day!!

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Katherine on Feb 18^th, 2002, 12:18pm

Hey Cin,

It was thought that I had Meneires for a while too since I got viscous vertigo attacks and my mom had Meneires. I just kept getting told I was "too young" for Meneires. Eventually they stopped. Then I started getting CHs. Moms was related to hypothyroidism, but my thyroid always checked out ok.
Hmmm.. makes you think, eh?

Anyway, thanks for the info everyone! Esp the Capra link and Upton's name. And Ted? You are not old...

Title: General Emory Upton
Post by Katherine on Feb 18^th, 2002, 12:32pm

Well well well, lookie at what we have here:

http://www.multied.com/Bio/UGENS/USAUpton.html

In case you don't want to click it tells you that Gen Upton was "plagued by violent headaches, and became increasingly discouraged and disillusioned in the years following the war." Presumably having violent headaches make you discouraged and disillusioned. In the next sentance the page tells you that he shot himself at his post in 1881.

Title: Capra Quote
Post by Katherine on Feb 18^th, 2002, 12:54pm

Found on: http://www.headaches.org/educationalmodules/completeguide/cluster.html

Frank Capra, the famous film director and producer, described a cluster headache he had while sitting in a hotel:

"Suddenly a huge phantom bird sank three talons of its angry claws deeply into my head and face and tried to lift me. No warnings, no preliminary signs. Just wham! A massive, killing pain came over my right eye. I clutched my head, stumbled out to the broad lawns and over the hedges to the deserted tennis courts and then, there in the dark, I moaned, I panted. Ballooned my cheeks, blew out short bursts of air, licked my hot lips, wiped tears that poured out of my right eye, and clawed at my head trying to uproot the fiendish talons from their iron grip. One racking hour later the talons let go. The paroxysm eased as suddenly as it had convulsed. Euphoria set in. It’s gone! Whopping headache, but it’s gone!..."

Quote from Frank Capra, The Name Above the Title
(New York: Macmillan, 1971)

Katherine's Note: Of course Capra's Autobiography was such a work of fiction, it is hard to tell if this quote has any merit, but I can't see any reason for him to lie about the paid he was experiencing, besides, our own experiences validate his description.

Title: Re: Historical Cluster Heads
Post by Ted on Feb 18^th, 2002, 12:55pm

on 02/18/02 at 12:18:13, Katherine wrote:

And Ted? You are not old...

Nope, I'm not. But my memory sure likes to act it sometimes.