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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> do flu shots cause headaches?
        
(Message started by: PaulL on Dec 22^nd, 2004, 10:20am)

Title: do flu shots cause headaches?
Post by PaulL on Dec 22^nd, 2004, 10:20am

I've been on 25 mg of Topamax and 9 mg of melatonin with very good results, no CH for 5 days, just some shadows. I then got a flu shot two days ago and got hit with two kip 7 headaches that night. Last night I just had a kip 5 close to dawn, not a my usual time. Anyone else have a similar experience with flu shots during a cluster?

As an interesting side note, I usually get CH attacks every other year but this is the first in six years. But for the last six years I was getting a flu shot in the fall, before CH season. I'd never gotten flu shots before. There was the vaccine shortage this year so I couldn't get one early this year. Could there be something in the vaccine that kills clusters if taken preventatively?

Title: Re: do flu shots cause headaches?
Post by becky8 on Dec 22^nd, 2004, 10:26am

Speaking form someone who's chronic I don't know, but I did get the FLU right after I got the flu shot one year! go figure????

Title: Re: do flu shots cause headaches?
Post by floridian on Dec 22^nd, 2004, 1:15pm

The most common side effects of a flu shot include localized swelling and slight fever - the immune system gets cranked up fighting a (non-invasive, killed) virus. Activating the immune system could make clusters worse for some people - but better IMHO to get minor immune activation from a shot than major activation from the flu.

Becky, it takes a few weeks for the body to develop maximum resistance after receiving the vaccine. Even then, it is not 100% effective because the flu virus is constantly mutating and may not match the vaccine. The vaccine itself can't give you the flu - maybe the nurse sneezed on you?

Title: Re: do flu shots cause headaches?
Post by becky8 on Dec 22^nd, 2004, 2:28pm

floridian, you're so smart, glad you're here! ;)

Title: Re: do flu shots cause headaches?
Post by BangYourHead on Dec 24^th, 2004, 9:57am

Histimine is a CH enemy.. sometimes !! Anything like a flue shoot that boost that level can contribure.. To many bug bites, Posion Ivy ect.

Title: Re: do flu shots cause headaches?
Post by Bethany1 on Dec 27^th, 2004, 7:47pm

Nothing worse than injecting yourself with a dead virus in hopes that you will not get sick. [smiley=hurl.gif]

Title: Re: do flu shots cause headaches?
Post by forgetfulnot on Dec 29^th, 2004, 12:07am

no, not normally.