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        New Message Board Archives >> Jan-Mar 2004 >> Allergies
        
(Message started by: beepbeep on Feb 10^th, 2004, 9:45pm)

Title: Allergies
Post by beepbeep on Feb 10^th, 2004, 9:45pm

Today, as part of my many ways to determine triggers for my chronic headache, I went to the allergist to start rapid immune therapy. I am allergic to cats, dogs, mites, cockroaches, and trees. They premedicate you with prednisone, two allergy pills Zyrtec and Allega), and Zantac the night before and the morning of. In this therapy, after they discover what your allergies are, they start injecting you with diluted allergens with dosings slowly getting bigger (six shot per concentrate) starting with 1:10,000, 1:1,000, 1:100, 1:10, and 1:1 solutions. I made it to my third shot at 1:100 before I started to feel the pressure building. They cut the shots; I got a headache. Oxygen got rid of it because I hate to use injectable imitrex if it can be avoided

Could allergies be a trigger? I was also reading all day while getting the therapy. Eye strain? I am searching for the answer. I would to get so feedback on this topic and am I heading in the right direction?

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by Karla on Feb 10^th, 2004, 10:05pm

I have no allergies and get hit by the beast. It is my guess that it was just coincidence that you got hit at that time. I have found that the beast will come whenever he feels like it. I doubt if allergies are a trigger.

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by Mr.Happy on Feb 10^th, 2004, 10:23pm

on 02/10/04 at 21:45:01, beepbeep wrote:

Could allergies be a trigger? Eye strain?

Yes. And no. This thing is so mutant it's ridiculous. If we all lived in a glass bubble with the same cloned genetics, they might have a shot at an answer. Problem is, we're all a wild mix of heredity, environment and diet/life-style/ethnocentricity......this thing is a real crap shoot.. Granted........some folks are able to reduce the variables to a few important ones (for them) and cocktail their way to PF Nirvana. Others ain't so lucky.

Allergies and eye strain a trigger? Yup, for some.
A cause? Nope.

Taking meds as directed,
RJ

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by Renee on Feb 10^th, 2004, 10:29pm

I went thru 2 years of allergy shots and 3 years later my body tested negative to the previous allergens that i had been being treated for.

I started with CH prior to the shots and ended up with less allergy issues and still CH.

Never got a shot that i recall brought on a CH.

good luck
renee

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by justasound on Feb 10^th, 2004, 10:59pm

Spring time is when I can almost count on starting a cycle... I sometimes get sinus headaches, but that feels like I hit my forehead on something flat. Then theres the HA from actually hitting my head against something flat durring a CH. Don't know if allergies are a trigger or if it is some circadian rythm thingie or what... I thought my clusters were a motherf***er of a sinus headache at first, because of the stuffed nostril, and the watering eye....... This year I actually have some ammo to fight back with, thanx to this site! We'll see how it goes.

Lee

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by bobkip on Feb 11^th, 2004, 10:08am

Allergies? Uh, no but there is one place I had to avoid when walking the roads with the beast, it was loaded with night blooming jasmine and the ch would soar to a 10 if I got near it.
Kip

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by floridian on Feb 11^th, 2004, 11:23am

Quote:

I thought my clusters were a motherf***er of a sinus headache at first, because of the stuffed nostril, and the watering eye

The first doctors I went to diagnosed my clusters as sinus. My first bout stopped soon after I began antibiotics - but was that the antibiotics, or was it just the cycle ending?? I have had sinus problems most of my life. They have been less in the last decade (when the clusters have hit), but I still have allergies and sinus problems. I also have a deviated septum (slid down a hill on my face after going over the handlebars of a bike).

Some studies have shown that surgery to correct sinus problems like a deviated septum can help with CH. Histamine is released as part of the inflammitory process in a cluster headache. Some studies have shown that antihistamines can help. Clusterheads usually have increased levels of IgE antibodies (compared to 'normal' people and migraneurs), which indicates an allergic mobilization in the body.

None of this should be taken to mean that allergies are THE cause of clusters. But I believe they do contribute or aggravate the condition in many of us. And if allergies are making you miserable, why not deal with that problem? Desensitizing shots can be helpful for allergies (I'm not familiar with the rapid procedure that was mentioned, but haven't looked into it recently). Mast cell stabilizing drugs are also useful for allergies. Many foods (especially fruits and vegetables, some herbs) contain ingredients that stabilize mast cells and otherwise reduce allergies and inflammation. Antioxidants like vitamin C, E, carotenes, and selenium can reduce some allergic symptoms.

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by beepbeep on Feb 11^th, 2004, 9:15pm

I have gotten the sinus surgery. By the way I started this thread.

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by ZAIRA on Feb 12^th, 2004, 2:54pm

Oh Michael, how many allergies you have! I don't have an answer, just wanted to say hello.... take care, half Italian ;;D... LOL... hugs, Zaira

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by Belle on Feb 12^th, 2004, 3:04pm

Yeah, I to went through that same route with them blaming it on allergies. I pretty much have the exact same allergies as you do Beepbeeo. I went through a year of shots in the spring and then the damn things switched to late fall/early winter. Nice eh? Just when you think you might have a handle on it, it turns around and bites you in the ass! Jees!

Belle
::)

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by beepbeep on Feb 12^th, 2004, 6:44pm

Two days painfree!!!!!

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by beepbeep on Feb 14^th, 2004, 8:33am

still painfree

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by Mac on Feb 16^th, 2004, 1:42am

Before I was diagnosed last year with clusters I had an allergy test. All it showed was a slight allergy to mites. But then most of us do according to the guy I went to. The ironic thing is the allergist was the first person to suggest I might be suffering from a condition known as cluster headaches. Ironic and pathetic. :(

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by beepbeep on Feb 16^th, 2004, 7:10pm

it's not allergies.... got a real headbanger yesterday. Many thanks ZAIRA. The imitrex worked in 3 minutes. Thank you!

Title: Re: Allergies
Post by MarkV2 on Feb 16^th, 2004, 8:23pm

Yes, allergies are a trigger for me. Just like beer/alcohol are a trigger are.

I have been getting allergy shots for 4 years now and they have helped considerably.

Don't let anyone tell you differently.

MarkV