Posted by DR (141.214.74.47) on December 09, 1999 at 09:59:46:
In Reply to: Serotonin posted by Bob P on December 08, 1999 at 17:29:30:
Hi BobP,
Thanks for the interesting theory. I hadn't thought about that. I can see how that might explain why using the restroom would stop an attack. However, 90% of the time, my trip to the bathroom comes after the headache is over. I guess you would say that the movements that got me ready to make the trip to the bathroom had released enough 5-HT into the bloodstream to turn off the headache. Maybe that's right...
The part that is strange to me is the high "correlation coefficient" that I have with the timing of the headaches and the timing of my bowel movements. Every single headache I've had over the last 4+ weeks has been followed by a trip to the bathroom for a BM, within minutes to an hour. When the headache is over, I know I'll be going there soon. I have not had a single BM without a headache first, until the end of last week, and I think this cluster is breaking up for me. I went 5 days without a headache, during which time I had "normal" BMs for the first time since the cluster started. I had another headache yesterday, but I think that's because I had to stay up until 3 a.m. Sunday night working on a project, and got up at 6 a.m. the next day, so I really screwed up my sleep cycle, which of course isn't good when you're in a cluster.
Anyway, I just wanted to share my experience and observation that each of my headaches has a BM that follows it, generally like clockwork. Again, as I said, it's the only thing I can tell you about the headaches that is a consistent occurrence for me.
Bob, like you, I used to take the Cafergot and when I would overdose it would make me nauseous and cause me to vomit. (Either that or the PAIN, I could never tell). I do remember once that the vomiting stopped the headache. Even this cycle, I had one where the pain made me gag and I was almost going to vomit, and that seemed to shut it down for awhile. So, I like this "serotonin release" hypothesis of yours.
I'll have to go look up the PET articles by Goadsby.... I hadn't heard about them before.
Anyway, best of luck to you and everyone else here...
DR