Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


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

        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> eating anything a trigger?
        
(Message started by: Radha on Jul 22^nd, 2006, 12:13am)

Title: eating anything a trigger?
Post by Radha on Jul 22^nd, 2006, 12:13am

does eating anything, and just a small amount, not a full stomach trigger a cluster for anyone? it does for me very often and makes eating very very hard and it wont let me eat til i am full so I am hungry alot!! its not about food allergies, i dont touch alcohol, sugar or fat, can anyone explain this? does it have to do with changes in blood flow maybe? since your blood starts going to stomach for digestion? any input would be appreciated, thanks
radha

Title: Re: eating anything a trigger?
Post by FRANKYT1963 on Jul 22^nd, 2006, 12:35am

:) hey, i eat anything i like, i do not seem to have any food triggers :) :)

Title: Re: eating anything a trigger?
Post by TxBasslady on Jul 22^nd, 2006, 1:12am

No triggers for me.

Jean

Title: Re: eating anything a trigger?
Post by Radha on Jul 22^nd, 2006, 1:15am

anyone know why or can give any explanation? thanks for your replies,
radha

Title: Re: eating anything a trigger?
Post by tommyD on Jul 22^nd, 2006, 6:45am

There has been talk about re-directing blood flow, but with the opposite effect. The body - the hypothalamus maybe - directs more blood flow to the stomach after eating, but some say this is more likely to stop an attack than trigger it.

I have had some mild attacks end by eating something, and when in cycle, gettiing off a regular meal schedule, say by skipping a meal or delaying a meal by a few hours or more, tends to act as a trigger.

The hypothalmus is tied up somehow with this cluster business, and it has a finger in all sorts of other things. Perhaps your hypothalamus is out of whack in a way that causes eating to trigger, and for other folks is out of whack in some other way that does the opposite. Curious beast, eh?

What to do about it? Sorry, I am, as usual, clueless.

-tommyD

Title: Re: eating anything a trigger?
Post by Guiseppi on Jul 22^nd, 2006, 11:50am

Alcohol is a big trigger when I'm on cycle. Letting myself get really hungry will also trigger an attack. If I stay away from alocohol I can eat until I'm stuffed with no problems. Good luck.

Guiseppi

Title: Re: eating anything a trigger?
Post by Karla on Jul 22^nd, 2006, 7:55pm

FYI

We learned at the OUCH convention this month that VIAGRA will trigger a cluster headache like alcohol or nitrogliceran.

Title: Re: eating anything a trigger?
Post by chewy on Jul 22^nd, 2006, 10:04pm

20minutes after I eat, no matter what I eat nor how much I eat, WHAM. Without fail.

Title: Re: eating anything a trigger?
Post by Radha on Jul 22^nd, 2006, 11:26pm

thanks for all your replies, chewy you sound like me!! sucks right?? cant even eat in peace!!
radha

Title: Re: eating anything a trigger?
Post by Guiseppi on Jul 23^rd, 2006, 1:54pm

Ummmm...Karla......... we need some more detailed information on the research that led to the discovery of Viagara being a trigger. Names are a must, photos are optional! ;;D ;;D ;;D

Title: Re: eating anything a trigger?
Post by Bingerboo on Jul 23^rd, 2006, 2:12pm

I have certain food triggers, but most of them seem to apply when I'm in the middle of a cluster, they will bring shadows into full blown attacks. Some things will bring out an attack even if I don't seem to be in a cluster. These are the usual for a lot of people---red wine is the biggest, I think chocolate but am to scared to give it a real trial, any kind of scotch, and cheap alcohol pretty much always does it (the expensive stuff I'm usually all right with---unless it's scotch) The things that get me while in the middle of a cluster seem like too much caffeine or salt, any kind of preseved food, or nasty sugar substances like corn syrup. I know I am a special case though, I have both migraines and clusters, and it seems like a lot of times the foods can trigger migraines that turn into clusters. A friend of mine who has food triggers has found great succes with a gluten free diet. (I have gone on the same diet and although I have been able to stop the seizures I have had for a couple of years, the clusters are still there.) It seems like she can eat chocolate, drink red wine, all sorts of things that would usually be triggers for her, as long as she's strict with her diet. As soon as she goes off the diet (even slightly) though, the headaches are back. One note----She has never been diagnosed by a doctor, and has always called hers migraines. From everything she has told me, I think they fit the mold for clusters. If anyone wants more info on gluten free info or testing, Email me. I would put it here but somebody chewed me out when I recommended a place for peppermint oil.

Title: Re: eating anything a trigger?
Post by mr.c on Jul 26^th, 2006, 10:46pm

I stay away from chocolate, aged cheeses and nuts... I am not sure if they really trigger my CHs or if they are coincidental...

I have noticed (on this cycle) that if I eat a lot of starchy food (especially toasted homebaked wheat bread with a little butter and honey) my headaches seem less severe.

... or maybe toast, honey and butter are just good comfort food. :)