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        New Message Board Archives >> Jul-Sep 2003 >> New info from my neuro  >>
        
(Message started by: UnsolvedEquation on Sep 29^th, 2003, 1:20pm)

Title: New info from my neuro >>
Post by UnsolvedEquation on Sep 29^th, 2003, 1:20pm

My local neurologist said he attended a conference and they devoted some time discussing cluster headaches. He said a recent study involving 80 epesodic cluster patients revealed that over 80% had sleep apnea which was not previously diagnosed. During sleep, your oxygen levels may become decreased which may contribute to cluster headaches. Do you snore ? Have you ever woke up with shortness of breath or even gasping for air ? Well, I do snore softly but I never remember having trouble breathing or gasping for air. I am going to have a test in the 'sleep lab' at my local hospital this week to find out if I have sleep apnea. Treating sleep apnea may help with clusters !
Any thoughts on this ? Please reply :)

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by cathy on Sep 29^th, 2003, 1:30pm

Yeah I remember Wes waking up breathless and short of breath......he was okay once I took the pillow off his face.... ;D

Seriously though, I have heard this somewhere before, but it's like the chicken and the egg syndrome isn't it...maybe the CH causes the Apnea...just a thought....I also heard that for some people CH symptoms can be brought on by lack of calcium....

Cathy :)

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by UnsolvedEquation on Sep 29^th, 2003, 1:32pm

I don't know about the Calcium thing. I had kidney stones twice this year. Isn't that calcium build up ?

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by Hirvimaki on Sep 29^th, 2003, 1:45pm

When I was going through the let's-see-what-you've-got phase with the doctor, one of the things I was tested for was sleep anpea. No dice. Sleep apnea does not play a role in my CH. Although, like with most things in CH, I doubt you are going to find a consensus of "yeas" or "neas".

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by Amber-Artie on Sep 29^th, 2003, 3:10pm

Hi UE,

I have read a couple of reports about a possible relationship of sleep apnea and ch. My husband has ch and upon our request, his neurologist agreed to write a "prescription" to have him tested for sleep apnea. He has not gone in for the test yet, but I will be sure to post any useful info when he does.

Have you seen any reduction in your headaches since your RF procedure?

Best wishes to you!

Amber-Artie

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by Prense on Sep 29^th, 2003, 5:39pm

No, I don't snore...no, I don't wake up trying to catch my breath... I actually sleep pretty well. The vast majority of my attacks are during the evening... Interesting post though.

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by jonny on Sep 29^th, 2003, 5:59pm

If sleep apnea had anything to do with CH would I get CH when im awake, if so why im not sleeping.

...........................jonny

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by Charlie on Sep 29^th, 2003, 6:01pm

Never had sleep problems.

I know I snore but never short of breath.

So many new things all the time about this horror and some have to be right.

Charlie

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by Ree on Sep 29^th, 2003, 7:20pm

Dave snores so bad that... if he wasn't so cute I'd be sleepin in the guest room............Several times a night I am wacking him and trying to get him to flip over on his side............I have a sleep issue because of his snoring.. and yes sometimes it seems as if he is choking... I thought it was reflux........... very interesting information thanks U-E!...............love ree

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by fubar on Sep 29^th, 2003, 7:32pm

My neuro says the same thing... that a lot of patients discover the sleep apnea at a sleep clinic, treat it, and their headaches fade away.

-Fu

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by Ree on Sep 29^th, 2003, 7:36pm

I think they are referring to the sleep deprovation that people suffer from with the sleep apnea and the deprovation of 02 when you stop breathing jonny... its adding to the reasons why people have CH while awake. I have heard that before... Not true for everyone but true in some.......... it is very interesting ........... ree

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by UnsolvedEquation on Sep 29^th, 2003, 7:38pm

Johnny - I'm not saying that CH is caused by sleep apnea and I'm not saying that sleep apnea is caused by CH. I'm just saying that sleep apnea may just make CH worse. The depletion of oxygen during the night might be a trigger thats all. Oxygen seems to help alot of CH'ers so I thought maybe there is some connection with CH attacks at night due to the oxygen levels dropping.
If someone were to have sleep apnea and then treat it ... maybe they would have less attacks or less severe attacks. Maybe ??

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by suzy617 on Sep 29^th, 2003, 7:38pm

on 09/29/03 at 13:30:01, cathy wrote:

Yeah I remember Wes waking up breathless and short of breath......he was okay once I took the pillow off his face.... ;D

Cathy :)

LOL Cathy!
No sleep problems here except for the CH itself.

Suzy

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by BarbaraD on Sep 29^th, 2003, 7:40pm

If snoring has anything to do with these things - my exhubby should have them BIG TIME - NOT ME!!!!!

Seriously, I think the answer back before was about right - we did this survey back some time ago and it was mixed about 50/50.

Wish you luck with the sleep survey. Maybe you'll be oneof the "lucky" ones... Hope so anyhow...

Hugs BD

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by UnsolvedEquation on Sep 29^th, 2003, 7:52pm

Guess I'll let you guys know if I have sleep apnea too in the next few days and what the doc wants to do about it. ;D

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by ebk3 on Sep 29^th, 2003, 8:31pm

Can't imagine sleep apnea has anything to do with it. I'm very familiar, my Dad suffered from it, he never had a headache. I think you're on the wrong track.
Gene

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by UnsolvedEquation on Sep 29^th, 2003, 11:16pm

Gene ~ Like I said ... if you would've read my earlier post ... I don't think sleep apnea is causing CH and I don't think CH is causing sleep apnea. I want type all that again. Just read the above. Thanx

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by Callico_Kid on Sep 29^th, 2003, 11:30pm

My Neuro, Dr Freedom, works with sleep apnea, and has told me that he has found several CH sufferers also have apnea. He does not find a corelation between them, but tries to follow up on treating both. I used to have apnea before I went chronic, but have not had a problem with it since, maybe because Ihave forgotten what sleep is. ::)

jc

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by Turts on Sep 30^th, 2003, 7:03am

My first issue with this thread, is that I am CHRONICALLY SINGLE.

I dont know if I snore or choke in my sleep, and there is noone to elbow me in the ribs to let me know.

I guess I need a volunteer from the audience to help mewith this one. lol

;)( this wink id for the laaadies!!)

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by gmlevenhagen on Sep 30^th, 2003, 9:12am

8)I go for my sleep study this friday night 8)
I snore, wake up gasping for breath all of that.
but it does not seam to go hand in hand with the clusters.
I can have one with out the other. or both!!

Gena

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by Bob_Johnson on Sep 30^th, 2003, 9:58am

I've posted a few medical journal reports on this topic. There is enough experience to justify following through with the testing your doc suggests. One of those areas just starting to get explored.

Title: Re: New info from my neuro >>
Post by Zonie on Sep 30^th, 2003, 6:14pm

on 09/29/03 at 13:20:56, UnsolvedEquation wrote:

UE, Yes I have heard of this helping clusters. My sister mentioned this to me over a year ago. She had read it somewhere that people were being put on C-Paps or Bi-Paps for their sleep apnea and quiet by coincidence it had relieved cluster headaches in some of the patients. I had not heard anymore about this since my sis died August as a year ago, but my insurance won't even get oxygen for me so I'm sure that they'd never do a sleep study. I'm in a big black funk right now and have been for a couple of weeks, but I wanted to check to see how you are doing. You did not reply to Amber-Arties post and I don't feel up to looking through all of the old ones for the week right now.

I thought that you were doing really good. Has something changed.....or why are you having a sleep study done???