Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> Jan-Mar 2004 >> Getting older
        
(Message started by: hatman on Jan 15^th, 2004, 10:07pm)

Title: Getting older
Post by hatman on Jan 15^th, 2004, 10:07pm

I think as I get older my CH's segments have gotten farther apart. When they started they would last about 7-8 wks I would get maybe 10 a day and they would return every year. They went to every 1 1/2 yrs. then 2 years. My last 3 segments over the last 4 yrs for the most part have been fairly mild by comparison to before.(only 1 or 2 a day all at night, not to bad, still about 7-8 wks) However, I find that at the end of a segment I get the Grand Finale its as bad as yesteryear. My head feels like it coming off, sick, fever, O2 does not help.
I do believe overall it is way better for me now then when I was younger( IM now 61). I sure there is not many people that can understand the pain that most of us have experienced with CH's. For all of you that are younger and envy me with milder and less frequent CH's. I wish I was younger. Love ya all

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by Little Deb on Jan 15^th, 2004, 10:23pm

Mine changed over time too. Used to get alot in a day, 10-12, but short lasting, maybe 20 min.

Can't remember the length of cycle if there was one.

But they have gotten less frequent, maybe 6-8 a day, and last 45-2 hours. And now about every 2 years for 3-4 months.

I also have experienced the grand finale. It sucks.

Weird how they change. In the early years, I never got sick. For the last 15 years, if
I get myself too worked up with it, I will throw up. The pain is just so severe. I hyperventilate. I just can't believe we can't put an end to this.

Wish I were younger too. Can't do anything about that either!!!

little deb

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by BlueMeanie on Jan 15^th, 2004, 10:55pm

Hatman,

Sorry to hear you've had sooo many years with the Beast. My own experience is every year for 25 years like clockwork I get a cycle. Some last longer, some shorter. Glad to hear you get a break in-between. It sure must be rough to deal with at your age. I can relate to the wanting to be younger again though.

Sending PF vibes your way Hatman.

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by paul_b on Jan 15^th, 2004, 11:20pm

I am also 61. Had a 4 yr. remission then a 6 month attack (June 2002-Jan.2003). Longest episode I ever had but also the mildest. Many have said that CH tapers with age. It seems true as far as I am concerned. Probably related to the fewer brain cells that are functioning ;;D.

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by TxBasslady on Jan 15^th, 2004, 9:40pm

;;D
Amen on the fewer brain cells...... [smiley=laugh.gif]

Age DOES seem to affect mine.........LMAO (brain)

PF vibes,

Jean

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by CHmess on Jan 16^th, 2004, 2:29am

I have talked to two people in their late 50's who have also suffered from CH's and they both say that the older they are getting - the better the headaches are getting!!! It looks like there may be an up side to these things................then you read something about an 80 year old who still suffers :'(

MAY YOU HAVE MANY PAIN FREE YEARS AHEAD!!! ;;D

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by Kevin_M on Jan 16^th, 2004, 2:42am

A headache pain institute opened near here lately and an article in the paper mostlly mentioned migraines, as much more people suffer from them and writing about them naturallly would draw more interest. The last paragraph had one sentence about a 64 year old cluster sufferer. I was depressed to read that. Man, coping at that age, not looking forward to that, am sure now I will need you guys quite awhile, though that was not the depressing point. I guess if I can cope 'til "when I'm 64", I should be grateful.
Kevin M.

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by Jimi on Jan 16^th, 2004, 5:29am

My story is similiar to Pauls. I had my last cycle in Feb. 2000. It stopped in July 2000. So if I last until next month it will have been 4 years. The longest that I have ever gone. I am now 55 and I had my first one at the age of 21. It was yearly for many years and usually lasted 4-6 weeks. Over the years they stretched to 1 1/2 to 2 years in between but the cycle would last longer.
My theory is that as we get older, our arteries harden and are not so quick to constrict and dialate as they once did. Which, in itself is scary.

One other interesting thing about mine, was that the length of the cycles seemed to correspond with the onset of the discovery of 02. When I started using oxygen to abort them, the cycle seemed to go longer. It was almost as if there were gonna be so many full blown clusters per cycle and if I aborted most of them, it just took longer for my cycle to end.

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by BobG on Jan 16^th, 2004, 11:43am

I'm 56 now. My last real cycle was about 4 years ago. But each year since I've had shadows from January to about March/April. This year the shadows didn't happen until the first of November and with them came a new cycle. Nothing serious, maybe 3 to 5 kip 5/6's wake me each week. Mostly just irritating.

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by taraann on Jan 16^th, 2004, 11:48am

My maternal grandfather was diagnosed with Histamine Headaches (aka Cluster headaches) Had them terribly for most of his younger years.....the just stopped one day. I don't think he had any from age 50-60 on (gonna ask my nonny when I call her, my grandfather passed a few years ago) I hope the same is true for most of us. What anice thing to look forward too, retirement and Painfree!

EDIT
Well the passing away part is not what I meant about "I hope the same is true with most of us" lol ok I have a morbid sense of humor shoot me! ;) ;;D

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by aprilbee on Jan 16^th, 2004, 11:59am

I have noticed mine get worse, more frequent and unpredictible the older I get...and you bring up a very good point! I never pictured myself being in my 60s and 70s dealing with this...gosh...I can't even imagine.

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by Giovanni on Jan 16^th, 2004, 2:48pm

I'm 56 and the cycles have actually gotten worse lasting 4.5 months last year and 5.5 the year before. This might be due to vast quantities of imitrex injections that I had used.

I have noted that I have fewer Kip 9 and 10s and more in the 7 and 8 ranges now. First five years of these headaches I used no abortatives and then discovered imitrex. The cycles were shorter then, but more numerous having several cycles per year.

I figure my time will be up soon having about 3 brain cells remaining.

;;D

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by Charlie on Jan 16^th, 2004, 5:21pm

Not sure age applies to me as I was 45 when they disappeared completely in 1991. I think there is an age factor but it's hard to understand.

Charlie

Title: Re: Getting older
Post by grumpett on Jan 16^th, 2004, 7:14pm

I'm 47 and had ch since age 17.
I had chronic right from the start for about 10 years.
Then went episotic for a few more and went 5 years pain free till about 3 years ago.
Now I seem to get them in late spring and they last through summer with the worst being late July.
around late October they dissappear.
The pain is about a kip 6 to 8.
They were much more severe and lasted longer when I was chronic.
I found that once I was diagnosted, I could tolerate them better so that might have helped.
I really hope that they do disappear fore ever soon because all the other pains are starting to set in and would even be worse if that is possable!

HERE'S TO OLD AGE AND PAIN FREE FROM CH'S
NOW I GET VISITED BY CHARLIE (horse) EVERY NIGHT THEN I GO SEE BEN (gay) AND WE TALK ABOUT ART (ritis)
AND AS WE ABORB (in junior) WE TRY TO VISUALIZE OUR "PAIN FREE" YOUNGER DAYS.

HA HA