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        New Message Board Archives >> Jul-Sep 2003 >> Alcohol - Allergies
        
(Message started by: Heath_Hamby on Aug 8^th, 2003, 11:59am)

Title: Alcohol - Allergies
Post by Heath_Hamby on Aug 8^th, 2003, 11:59am

Hey everyone. I have been having clusters for about 5 yrs now. I usually have them every year at the same time around my birthday at the start of August. I only get them for about 2 weeks to a month and then gone. I was wondering with it being the same time every year could it be maybe a plant or something that blooms only that time of year or a certain rag weed that is only that certain time of the year? Anyway I'm going to see a professional allergist. Was just wondering has anyone gone down this path. Also, I drink alcohol pretty heavy I wonder if that could bring on these things. I know while I'm in a cycle I don't drink anything. Just a beer seems to bring them on.

Thanks for everyones help. This is my first message hope to hear from you guys.

Heath

Title: Re: Alcohol - Allergies
Post by Skoenig on Aug 8^th, 2003, 12:18pm

Heath, I am new to this board and to clusters, so I may not be much help, however, from what I have read and what folks have shared, do not drink during a cycle! I am not sure about the allergy thing as I said, I have only been experiencing this for 6 weeks now! Nice that you only get them once a year and for such a short time! Good luck if you are in a cycle now - we are here and definitely understand!

Susan

Title: Re: Alcohol - Allergies
Post by vig on Aug 8^th, 2003, 12:35pm

welcome,
when I first started the CH odyssey, I was pretty sure it was allergy related. It comes in spring and fall. Nasal congestion was certainly going on at the same time.

Now I don't think the allergies cause it but are an aggravating condition.

Being congested makes me ripe for an attack.

Title: Re: Alcohol - Allergies
Post by Kirk on Aug 8^th, 2003, 12:44pm

Alcohol appears to be trigger during cycle for most CH sufferers.
My allergies don't appear to affect my CH one way or the other YMMV.
Good luck. Sorry to hear you have these damn things.

TTFN

Title: Re: Alcohol - Allergies
Post by Patrick_A on Aug 8^th, 2003, 7:14pm

Yea, My 1st 15 years i was diagnosed as having Sinus Headaches. And it is so similar because of the way your sinus always gets congested when the CH comes on, and your eye will get watery.
But, My sinuses would be fine and all of a sudden the beast would start dancing and wham, The sinus on the same side as the head ache would clog and the eye would water. There is a Cluster survey on this site that will give you a good idea of what you are experiencing. Of course a good Neuro will also know it. "Good" being the Key word!

PFDANAWF, Patrick

Title: Re: Alcohol - Allergies
Post by smfaison on Aug 8^th, 2003, 8:14pm

Heath,

Sorry you are having a hard time. I have been episodic all of my life (47 years). Mine hit in late summer every other year. Years ago, I'm talking probably 20, my neuro sent me to an allergist because they thought that CH and allergies were somehow related. So I endured all of the allergy test shots, and weekly shots, and the whole 9 yards. I think their rationale for thinking that they were related to allergies was that the histamine levels of people who have CH are always elevated during a spell. Well, after getting the shots, and not much relief, my neuro told me one day during a visit that the thinking was that allergies have nothing to do with CH. You are on the right track with the alcohol. I stop all drinking of beer and anything while in an attack because it will bring a headache on within minutes. But I've had these headaches since before I was 10, long before I knew the pleasures of the grap, hops, etc. Hope this helps:)

Title: Re: Alcohol - Allergies
Post by jmorgan52 on Aug 9^th, 2003, 7:07am

Welcome to the new guys on this board, sorry you are also afflicted. I am 51 and have had this since I was a kid. Lots of headaches, migraines and the like all my life. Episodic with CH most years since my mid 20's.

I think I may have hit upon the reason for them last year. I got lots of flaming for posting my method but who cares! I have been CH free for 18 months and did not get my full blown cycle this year.

I reckon that for me at least, wheat (and maybe dairy?)is the major cause. I am not "allergic" to wheat as such as some people are, but I think that the glutens build up over a long period and affect my organs ability to cleanse the toxins from my body causing some sort of "overload". This I believe leads to the CH cycle starting. The cycle ends when the body has managed to excrete enough of these toxins to stop the headaches until the next build up.

Last May when I was at my ropes end I undertook a detox diet of mainly fruit and fresh veg with a little fish/chicken for a month. I cut out all fluids except water of which I drank plus 2 litres a day. I also used a detox "aid" from a health store to speed it up. I had a major detox headache and the shits for several days, but no more CH from then on. I tried to remain wheat free from then on but went off the rails many times, especially over Christmas.

In about March this year when my cycle normally starts, I started to get almost daily mild HA again, so I did another detox diet. Symptoms the same as the first one, with a 3 day nagging headache and the shits, but then they stopped and I have had no more HA since.

This may be bullshit, but I have helped several people get rid of migraines, daily HA and such like with this advice. I don't personally know anyone else with CH, but several guys on this board have communicated with me off the board and tried this. Some have had success. It is not an easy regimen, but may be worth a try.

I used to consume OTC painkillers all year round, and lots of Imigran injections in cycle. The past 18 months I have only taken a very few OTC pills.

John