Hi, I'm new to the forum.

My cluster history consists of six-week episodes, 3-4 years apart. Every single one happened within 1-2 days following an airplane flight. (I've had three episodes total.) My last two bouts of clusters were managed with an oxygen tank and some drug I can no longer recall (prednisone, cafergot???) It is not 100% certain that the flights caused the headaches, but I've been headache-free since I stopped flying in 2000.

The reason I'm bringing this up now is that I want to take a one-day return-flight to test if I'm still prone to clusters. My motivation is that I've got three kids who've never been on a plane or traveled to an exotic destination. Has anyone else ever had clusters brought on by plane travel? If so, any thoughts or tips?

The only thing known to start a CH bout or cycle is CH itself. Many say flights can trigger an individual attack.

Can you please describe one of your headaches? One side of the head, other symptoms?

Meds for flying are Imitrex injections or inhaler, Zomig, Migranal, and there are others.

Long remissions are experienced by a few on this site. I hope yours is forever.

Good Luck,   Don

Although flying has never brought on an episode for me (so far), it definitely is a trigger for an attack while in cycle.

My job often requires me to fly several times a week and when in a hot phase and in order to avoid the wrong kind of "in-flight entertainment", I pop a Zomig pill on take-off.

Thanks for the suggestions. If my infrequent clusters are not the norm, I'll consider myself lucky.

Since my last episode was 10 years ago, my memory is a little sketchy. But this is what I can recall:

-Searing pain on the right side of the head.
-Pain focused around the temple and right around or behind the right eye.
-the feeling of pressure around the eye
-crying or wanting to cry (I haven't cried from pain since I was a boy)
-The incredible urge to gouge out my right eye.
-Banging my head against the wall to transfer the pain away from my eye.
-Prior to the onset of an episode, I'd experience a sense of foreboding. I can't exactly recall what it felt like, but it was an awareness that a cluster was about to kick in in a few minutes.
-each instance of a CH would have a peak and then gradually diminish in intensity
-Episodes would rarely last as long as an hour and I'd have 3-6 per day, any time of the day or night
-By the end of 6 weeks the clusters would be gone
-minor relief would be provided by a soak in a tub with a cold pack on my head

My doctor was the one who diagnosed them as CHs. Until then I'd never heard of them.

I'm actually surprised that it is not common for people to go into remission for years.

I'm certain they are CHs so the medications you suggest could be effective prophylactics.

John

Thank you John, sounds like CH to me. You're at the right place to learn lots about CH. I've heard of remissions lasting as long as 25yrs only to return.

It's an ugly thing we deal with but proper treatments keep it to a minimum.

Don

Hey Brown Rhino.  I was a professional pilot for 15 years.  While I have had too many cluster experiences to bore you with, I have never thought that flying triggered a cycle or an individual attack.  Flight attendant in the cockpit with too much strong perfume?, now that's a different story.

Everyone is different and circumstances can affect us uniquely, so maybe there is something to your thoughts.  For me, absolutely no connection between CH's and flying, in or out of cycle. 

Wishing you fun and margaritas in your tropical paradise! ;)

--Shaggy