My wife is convinced that playing video games during a bout can make the CH worse. Anyone have any experience or thoughts on that?

Actually I will use video games, specifically Tetris, to distract me while huffing the oxygen! I have not found it to have any effect, positive or negative, on my CH.

Not that I'm taking YOUR side over your WIFE'S. ;D I won't go there! ;)

Joe

One of the first things I do if at home when I get hit is to go to the computer and pull up Total Annihilation.  It gives me something to focus my attention and something to do with my hands to keep me busy.  I can use it to deal with a low level hit and not have to use O2 or energy drinks and save them for the k6 and above.  I'll still use it up to a K8 to help.  Beyond that I can't focus enough to make it work.

Jerry

One of the first things I do if at home when I get hit is to go to the computer and pull up Total Annihilation.  It gives me something to focus my attention and something to do with my hands to keep me busy.  I can use it to deal with a low level hit and not have to use O2 or energy drinks and save them for the k6 and above.  I'll still use it up to a K8 to help.  Beyond that I can't focus enough to make it work. 

I use it as the same principles I learned in LaMaze classes with my wife.  The idea of focusing one's attention outside of oneself.

Jerry

maybe till kip 3.from kip 4 and above i can't even save one lemming :D

I have noticed that if I'm in high cycle staring at the computer screen or TV too long will make the shadows worse...

If your wife is the one who gets CH's and feels more pain as a result of video games, then she's right.

If you get CH's, and she does not, take all her advice with a grain of salt. Do what I do, and politely "consider" the advice, and say
"I'll give that a try", or
"You could be right".
:P
Its human nature to try and solve problems, and advice is almost always a form of kindness. As such it should never be scowled or ridiculed, nor taken blindly for that matter.

I gave up trying to explain the intensity of a CH a long time ago, since pain so subjective.

I've tried to use video games to distract me, and although it was a bit distracting, it was also frustrating. Its probably one of the last things I'd do now, since my eyes get very sensitive during a bout.

Ok Guys and Gals!

I did play a lot of video games back in the day and I did think
that they started cycles sometimes.  Now was it just me
or was it cause I was playing and sleeping less?  who knows?
Maybe the light flashing, I still play but play by feel.  If
head says good I play if head sends any strange signals I
stop, JUST to be on the safe side....  If you know what I
mean.  Could be time of year, I could get hooked on game
and just play "Change sleep pattern"  No No  who knows but
I did wonder if it was the video games.  or just the monitor.
Big old CRT blasting you with radiation.  Well food for thought!!

Peace,

Boski

I haven't noticed that  (not that I play very often). 

There may be something to it though.  If the game has flashing lights and those are a trigger for you, that could do it.

It's been shown in children that leaving a television in their bedrooms, even watching tv in the 30 minutes before bed has a detrimental effect on their sleep.  It's thought that the lights somehow influence the hypothalamus.

Many non cluster adults have noticed that shutting off common sources of glare (computer, television) at least an hour before bed helps them fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.   This probably also has to do with the hypothalamus.

Sleep issues can also be part of a vicious cycle:  when you can't sleep well or on a regular schedule that can be a trigger that goes on to cause lack of regular sleep.

So...  assuming she lives with you and she's not the manipulative type that would make up the idea just to get you to pay more attention to her, she may have noticed it's a trigger for you that you haven't noticed yet.  Come to think of it, if she needs more attention it might be a good idea to humor her for a few days anyway.  The worst thing that can happen is you can discover she's wrong.  And if she's right, you can always put the video games off until this cycle is over.

Right or wrong, she's going to feel honored and respected if you try without video games for 3 days or so.    ;D

I agree with Kathrine, I noticed that aswell.

And I must admit I am quite a game addict, I played since my youth and still play. And quite a lot I must say since I was part of team that plays e-sports.

I do still play rather a lot and I must say unlike Boski that getting involved in action and focussing hard on game makes my shadows less.

But during normal kip it only lesses tiny bit, and its hard to focus with pain really.

I did play through normal kip once, till it reached kip8 and 10 minutes later I just couldnt, I basicaly stared at comp with closed eye moaning and taking deep breathe in holding it and then releasing and shifting position, was really hard, but I could say it took maybe just not pain but my perception.

I had one cycle where every time I started playing a video game I'd get a HA.  I don't play much anymore, but I've had cycles it didn't bother me at all.  But with me every cycle is different.

I've suffered from only three cycles of CH over my 40+ life.  The first set was back in college - I didn't know why, just thought I was studying too hard.

Then back in the early 2000's I had another cycle (the cycles lasting several months).  They were debilitating - with my doctor we decided that they were CH and that there was likely some trigger I would never discover - especially since the time between cycles was so long.  However, the CHs were so bad that I just started eliminating stuff - including the latest in video game consoles.  At the time nothing seemed to work, but about two months later they were gone and the cycle was over.  In the back of my mind I had associated that the video game had some connection with the CH, but it was weak at best.  I had stopped playing, but I had stopped doing a lot of other stuff as well.

Last month I sat down to a new game and played for about an hour.  10 day's later I had my first HA for a new cycle. 

I have no doubt that for me the video games are the trigger.

I noticed (since I was paying much closer attention) that when I was playing I simply didn't blink my eyes.  After about an hour my eyes were fatigued, so I stopped playing.  If I think back to 10 years ago, I recall being tiered after playing, but with age that seems to have accelerated. 

playing video games can be a trigger for me.

I have been trying to play games to distract me from pain but I cant even focus well enough through the bad pains to play a game....

Art S wrote on Aug 25^th, 2010 at 8:56pm:

I had one cycle where every time I started playing a video game I'd get a HA.  I don't play much anymore, but I've had cycles it didn't bother me at all.  But with me every cycle is different.

one thing i have noticed to be a sure fire trigger for me is lack of physical activity in general. which really sucks cause im a truck driver. when im in a cycle driving is pure torture. but once your hit your hit your hit. anything you can do to distract your mind from the extreme pain is a good idea