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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> Food Triggers?
        
(Message started by: SteveP on Dec 5^th, 2002, 5:19pm)

Title: Food Triggers?
Post by SteveP on Dec 5^th, 2002, 5:19pm

I know this is probably an ancient subject for most of you, but I wanted to find out if certain foods or drink trigger your CH's like they do mine.

I believe alcohol and caffeine are probably the most common triggers for most, but what about the following:

Ice Cream
Milk
Fruit
Basically, anything with fruit in it
Any kind of soft drink of juice
Some Veggys

I don't think I ever had a problem with consuming any of the above until I had my first CH thirteen years ago.

I can usually drink beer (I like beer ;)) between cycles, but the rest of the triggers are absolute no-no's.

Do any of you have odd triggers?

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by eyes_afire on Dec 5^th, 2002, 5:28pm

Hi Steve (wow, there's alot of steves here). I have 2 sure 'triggers': Alcohol and sleep.

EA aka Steve

BTW... Caffeine is GOOD, very good.

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by Drk^Angel on Dec 5^th, 2002, 5:29pm

Nope... No triggers for me... Except certain alcohols maybe.

PFDAN................................. Drk^Angel

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by cathy on Dec 5^th, 2002, 5:35pm

Wes has triggers alcohol and orange juice oh and kids but only if he eats a whole one!!!!! ;D ;D ;D

Cathy :)

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by Drk^Angel on Dec 5^th, 2002, 5:47pm

Ewwwwwwww... Kids... They're a bit stringy...

PFDAN...................... Drk^Angel

PS... And they have no flavor, kinda like veal.

DA

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by suzy617 on Dec 5^th, 2002, 7:08pm

No Drk... they taste pretty good if you slap them in the head with some mayo. LOL ;D
suzy

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by Jarvis on Dec 5^th, 2002, 7:28pm

Yep coffees good. Triggers same, sleep and alcohol and too much salt , msg, chocolate also relaxation or lack of stress. orange juice too. Any other fruits and veggies are good. Cant say I ever tried a kid though..

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by Mark C on Dec 5^th, 2002, 8:32pm

on 12/05/02 at 17:47:57, Drk^Angel wrote:

Ewwwwwwww... Kids... They're a bit stringy...

PFDAN...................... Drk^Angel

PS... And they have no flavor, kinda like veal.

DA

LMAO......
You have been in rare form today Dark...thanks!

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by SteveP on Dec 6^th, 2002, 1:35pm

Hey thanks for the replies! ;D

I don't know if the consumption of kids would trigger my CH's, but I know roadkill is a definate no-no.

Us Idahoans live for that stuff!

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by ave on Dec 7^th, 2002, 5:17am

Steve,

I don't think I share any of your triggers - yet I do get clusters.
Big trigger for me recently: liquorice!

O, and kids will trigger of any sort of headache going, if taken intravenously!

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by BobG on Dec 7^th, 2002, 10:21am

Hey Steve P

Do you have flyer-rabbits in Idaho?

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by kim on Dec 7^th, 2002, 2:41pm

Here's my 2cents on food triggers and clusters:

It's not so much the food being the trigger. Its the metabolic reaction to the food that "triggers" an attack. After you eat your body becomes more relaxed. The relaxation is what triggers the attack, not so much the food. When I am in a cycle I tend to cut WAY back on my food intake. It was instinctual and not based on any medical info I have ever received. Over the years, it became obvvious that every time I ate a substantial meal, about 1/2 hour later KABLAM!

No doc ever told me this, so take it at face value
when clusters are around, eat minimally and small portions. Drink lots of coffee (LOL). I consider this technique to be my own form of preventative and abortive jitterbuggin. I avoid anything that will induce a state of "winding down", cuz in my history, that's the big NO NO. .............. ???

docs give ya a huge list of foods to avoid. In my own personal history and experience, it is not really the food. Its what all food will naturally do that your body just don't like DURING CLUSTERS. Ya wanna eat chinese? Ok. Only eat a TINY bit. And then, swig a big fat cup of coffee. :D Don't sit down, put the tube on and blob out. That's what the trigger really is.

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by BobG on Dec 7^th, 2002, 2:52pm

100% correct kim.

I've been saying it for years............

Stay stressed. Never relex. Never sleep. Ever!

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by eyes_afire on Dec 7^th, 2002, 5:57pm

Rock solid post Kim, well said. I think you may be correct.

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by sueellen83 on Dec 8^th, 2002, 1:02am

Steve,

For me alcohol is a big trigger when I am in cycle.

However raw onions and MSG, don't trigger a CH but, will make the CH more intense.

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by HeadBang on Dec 10^th, 2002, 2:22am

Ready for this... CURED MEATS. I knw, i know..."cured meats, Tony?" you say. But yes, In 15 years i have learbed to avoid the peperoni, ham, salami (Drat i love that stuff) when in a cluster. Of course, wine, chocolate, and the others don't sit well for me either, but the cured meats thing was not yet mentioned.

So, I am a new user. Just found this site tonight while killing time until morning comes. Just had 3 rebound headaches from the Imitrex and have no desire to go back to sleep for a third. So, I got me a password, a log in and darned if I wasn't going to use it tonight. I am in the middle (I hope it's the middle or even the end) of another cluster after a 2.5+ years of remissions...then WHAM!- out of nowhere the BEAST, as you all call it, comes barreling though my door and declares that he is going to be hanging around for a while. I tell him to take a walk but he just pulls up a chair, kicks up his feet and starts messing with my head several times a day. My problems are many these days, but the biggest issue is I was laid off in OCtober, lost my medical insurance and have no way to coverage for the expensive meds. By God's mercy my Wife, kids and I are maiking it work, but I pray for this nightmare to end soon. No need to tell you all about the pain...you live it with me. That is what makes me so grateful- to have a haven to go to where I am on common ground with others who know this life disruption. I have a lot of humility, however, after reading something last night on another website that I did not know before...there are those, and maybe many are members on this web site, who suffer from Chronic Clusters with a remission NO greater than 14 days a year! Oh my Lord. My heart just sank when I read that. How grateful I am that my remission was a glorious 30 months and 20 the cluster before that? What a life event for these poor men and women. I consider myself fortunate knowing that soon, maybe even tomorrow, these incredibly painful headaches will go away, but for many that tomorrow is a long way off and only last 2 weeks. That will keep me humble for sure. Peace Out friends.
-Tony

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by suzy617 on Dec 10^th, 2002, 4:39am

Hi Tony,
Welcome aboard. Please post a message about yourself in the General Posts. More people will see that post and give you the Big Hello. Sorry that the beast has found you again.
Good luck,
suzy

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by SteveP on Dec 10^th, 2002, 11:20am

Bob, no flyer-rabbits in Idaho, but we do get an occasional jack-a-lope.

Headbang, welcome to the website! I am a newby myself and this website is absolutely wonderful. You will learn a ton of information here.

Regarding your triggers: I have heard or read somewhere (probably on this site) that nitrates can be a trigger for CH's. I may be stating the obvious, but it may have some truth to it.

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by SteveP on Dec 10^th, 2002, 11:30am

Big trigger for me recently: liquorice!

Ave,

I'm pretty sure liquorice would probably trigger a CH for me as well. I just don't remember the last time I had a piece. Oops, that didn't sound too good.

Fruit juice isn't a trigger for you?

Maybe its the speed at which certain sugars get into your blood stream?

I think one thing that we all have in common is how uncommon and mysterious these damn things are. There is definately not a sure fire way of attacking them.

SteveP

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by sueellen83 on Dec 10^th, 2002, 12:28pm

Hey, Tony,

Welcome to the site. Sorry to hear the beast found your address again.

I have also heard of nitrates and nitrites triggering headaches. Canned and processed meats are full of this stuff.

Hope you have a short cycle. PFNAD.

Sue Ellen

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by Opus on Dec 10^th, 2002, 8:49pm

I tried to eliminate these with no success. Opus :P

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by talitha on Dec 11^th, 2002, 4:19pm

okay y'all, I'm really serious when I say no sleep-no relaxation, until I can't hold my head up another second. This is not a healthy way to live-and I'm gonna feel like a real idiot if y'all were joking about the "don't sleep, don't relax" stuff.
Alcohol used to trigger-but didn't cause the ch-haven't had any alcohol since 1998. used to try to trigger ha's with the chocolate, nuts, aged cheese thing (tryamine?)
never triggered one.

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by talitha on Dec 11^th, 2002, 4:20pm

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by BobG on Dec 14^th, 2002, 2:58am

talitha,
Stay stressed. Never relax. Never sleep. Ever.
Yes it was a serious suggestion.
Most CH sufferers report they get attacked an hour or so after falling asleep. That's about the time you enter the REM sleep mode (the deep sleep mode). Not much stress going on at that time.
Also. many, if not most, sufferers say the pain starts after a stressful day. Maybe when relaxing, watching the tube, kicked back in the La-Z-Boy.
It has to do with the serotonin/nerotonin chemical changing going on during the relaxing time.
Of course the suggestion is impossible, sooner or later you're going to fall asleep whether you want to or not. And, speaking for myself, becoming over-tired is a trigger for me. Damned if you do, damned if you don't :(

And alcohol does not cause clusters. The cause is a malfunction of the hypothalamus. Alcohol is only a trigger, probably the most common trigger.

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by hdbngr on Dec 30^th, 2002, 10:56am

I know wine red wine and orange juice will kick my butt for sure, but the worst cycle I ever had came on after eating at Boston Market. I can't eat there, smell the food, or even watch there commercial without remembering how bad that dance was, and it was five years ago! Memory trigger? :-X

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by Brassbear on Jan 1^st, 2003, 3:01pm

So far the food triggers that I've been able to identify are:

Dairy products, especially whole milk and aged cheese.
Chocolate
Strawberries
Beef summer sausage
Red wine... even a whiff of it!

Unfortunately ALL of those things are among my favorites. I eat a lot of raw veggies and so far that has not bothered me. I can eat grapes and melon ok, but haven't tried peaches and such yet.

Good luck Steve.

Michael

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by Summer on Jan 1^st, 2003, 11:47pm

Hi

I don't think red wine is a trigger - I believe its the sulfites in the wine itself that is the trigger.

Regarding licorice - licorice is made with Anise and Anise is an herb that will increase one's blood pressure - this makes the CH worse.

My take anyway - any thoughts?

Summer

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by JoeyT on Jan 3^rd, 2003, 10:31am

I'm really surprised that some of you do not have food triggers. During my 20 year chronic phase I absolutely identified food triggers. Mine are (in order of how quickly they'll trigger a cluster):

1. Alcohol - an ABSOLUTE
2. MSG - 20 minutes from mouth to headache
3. Chocolate - even white
4. Aged cheese
5. Nitrates/Nitrites
6. ANYTHING-cured, aged, fermented, pickled
7. Citrus Fruit/Juice

I'm sure I will think of more but these are the top ones.

Good luck

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by Bob P on Jan 3^rd, 2003, 3:46pm

From Dr. Peter Goadsby, one of the world's most renouned cluster experts:

"Alcohol, nitroglycerine, exercise and elevated environmental temperature are recognised precipitants of acute cluster attacks."

You guys are sure naming off a lot of migraine triggers. May want to get another diagnosis.

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by Lenny on Jan 3^rd, 2003, 8:28pm

I can eat anything i want ( and it wont trigger a cluster ).
My only triggers are hot or muggy weather,diesel fuel,excessive exercise. After reading all of those triggers ( i am very hungry ). I think i will go to this great deli and get some aged cheese,sausage sandwhich, and wash it down with some chocolate( should i get milk or dark???). I think i will go for the dark.PFDAN to all !!!!! ;D :-* :o ;D

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by bozzie on Jan 5^th, 2003, 9:02pm

glad i found this site, i am not a cluster headache sufferer, but my husband is. I was wondering if any of you have ever gone 4 years without headaches. My husband has been headache free for 4 years and as you say, they have found his address. He is suffering so terrible with them. all of the things mentioned about the triggers, fit him. especially the alcohol. really bad for him.

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by sueellen83 on Jan 5^th, 2003, 11:11pm

Hey Bob,

Extreme changes in temp. will definatly trigger my ch if I am in cycle, in fact that's how my cycles usually start. IE: coming into a hot house after being out in the cold.

Bozzie, Sorry to hear your hubby is being visited by the beast. I usually have 2 to 2 and 1/2 years between cycles. I think the longest time between was when they first started and that was about 6 years apart.

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by NDC on Jan 11^th, 2003, 12:19am

In my case, I've had CH for about 12 years now and only thing that seems to trigger on CH during a cycle is alcohol... Staying busy doesn't seem to help either. It would just hit me at odd times. I ust received new med "Axert" and praying to god it will work. If you have any opinions on this med, please post here...

http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=meds;action=display;num=1042265454

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by b.bop on Jan 15^th, 2003, 4:36pm

I almost died when I read that alcohol is often a severe trigger, being 21 drinking is still a big part of my social life, but thankfully it doesn't affect me in that way.

I find sweet things (candy etc...) is the worst for me. Mainly the little fruity bon-bon type ones, a few seconds after putting them inmy mouth I can feel the pain starting to spread up the side of my face.

Hope you're all as well as you can be :)!!!

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by brain_cramps on Jan 15^th, 2003, 4:49pm

b.bop

so you get a CH from candy, but not alcohol?

you might want to get checked out again by a different neuro. (that or re-read your post in a year or two!)

just my opinion!
Grant

Title: Re: Food Triggers?
Post by b.bop on Jan 15^th, 2003, 5:04pm

Thanks for the feedback. It's not really an opinion, its just my experience as to what affects my CH's. I know alcohol affects alot of people, I guess I'm one of the lucky ones :)