Ok, so I finally went for that sleep study.  Guess what other club I have a membership in?  Yup...

I have an appt with a sleep specialist on July 17th.  In the mean time I started doing some reading to prepare.  Look what I found...

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Headaches. Sleep disorders, including apnea, may be the underlying causes of some chronic headaches. In some patients with both chronic headaches and apnea, treating the sleep disorder has cured the headache, even the very severe and disabling form known as a cluster headache.

My hopes aren't high mind you, but wouldn't that be great?

-Dennis-

Had those same hopes, Dennis.

Had those same hopes dashed as well.

Both times I've been hospitalized for CH (DHE treatment), I brought my CPAP to the hospital with me.

Nothing beats the feeling of a great night's sleep, though. Almost like you're increasing your arsenal.

Hoping and praying you'll be one of the lucky ones. If not, I'm with Brew, can't beat well rested when you're going into battle. ;)

Joe

For a while, I thought that the CPAP was letting me get a full night's sleep, without visits from the beast.  Maybe it was.  If it was, the beast figured out what it was, and found a route around it.

It never stopped the beast fully, but for a while (a month or so) I got some GREAT nights' sleep, that I hadn't had in years!

Here is hoping you are one that chases the beast down the road, completely!

Chuck

My HA Specialist just sent  me in for the sleep study too - polysomnography I think it was called... my mother has sleep apnea, and I had skyrocketing BP while in cycle that wouldn't come down from around 140/100  :-[  until recently when we upped verap to 720mg, And I snore.   :(  
HA Specialist says there is a strong connection between CH sufferers and sleep apnea folks... eh, so I went and got a bunch of leads glued to my head, taped to my body.  bahaha What an small ordeal to get it figured out tho.  Will get results back Thurs me thinks.   ::)

Good luck Dennis!  Made a world of difference for my mother as far as quality of sleep.  Even if it doesn't "cure" CH, as was mentioned, ya might get better sleep and be better prepared to fight it, but I would not give up hope until I tried.  Just the type of person I am!!   :D

Val

my quack (sorry Dr) said the same thing, she thinks that i wake up mornings then get a headache dont think she listened to exactly what i was saying as i wake up middle of the night with the beast battering my head. allso im english living in germany so theres a small language barrier (i speak german) ive started my headache diary since march as facts speak louder than words (still in cycle but maybe coming out) and go back to see her in june so hopefully i can finally nail this thing and get all the goodies Im currently on triptan thats melts on the tongue takes around 15 min to knock the beast down and drink vast amounts of coffee to get through the day (redbull made me feel sick as it tastes like crap lol) and a sick sence of humour.

mark (wishing you pf days (and the rest off us))

Hey _Val, did they put those two wires up your nose too?  That was the only thing that really bothered me.  Damn things kept making my nose bleed  ::)

When I got there I told them there was a chance I'd get hit during the night.  They said it would take half an hour to get the paperwork done to turn on the 15lpm spiggot over the bed.  The bastards wouldn't even let me bring my e-tank in with me.  Well, I still had a statdose in my bag.

Well sure enough the next morning I woke up shadowing heavy and got hit right as I was leaving.  By the time I got to the parking lot and started sucking O2 I was in a world of hurt.  15 minutes later I had the beast on the run again though.

-Dennis-

DennisM1045 wrote on May 6^th, 2009 at 12:24pm:

Ok, so I finally went for that sleep study.  Guess what other club I have a membership in?  Yup... I have an appt with a sleep specialist on July 17th.  In the mean time I started doing some reading to prepare.  Look what I found... START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE Quote: Headaches. Sleep disorders, including apnea, may be the underlying causes of some chronic headaches. In some patients with both chronic headaches and apnea, treating the sleep disorder has cured the headache, even the very severe and disabling form known as a cluster headache. My hopes aren't high mind you, but wouldn't that be great? -Dennis-

Funny, now that you mention it.  I used to have a huge problem with snoring.  Well, more my wife than me, but that is a different story all together.  It was such a problem that it was discussed that maybe I should have a sleep study done.  The last physical I had it was no longer an issue.

Anyway, thinking about it, It has not been a problem for some time now.  The only thing I can think that has changed is that I had upped my dosage of omega-3 fatty acids considerably.  It is said that they posses an anti-inflammatory quality...maybe it has a link to decreasing the size of the tissues involved with snoring/apnea.  Just a thought, and maybe worth a try for some of you folks.

it is also probably worth mentioning that I have had a major decrease in CH cycles since being introduced to omega-3 fatty acid supplements.

Thomas

DennisM1045 wrote:
Quote:

Hey _Val, did they put those two wires up your nose too?  That was the only thing that really bothered me.

Yep they put the damn canula up my nose too, but no O2 - weird.  Just to monitor they said.  There was also another set of wires next to it and one hanging by my mouth.
Funny thing Right after I posted I got a call... they must have liked my visit so much they invited me back  :o  I think it was from the 5 night-time disconnects for lithium bathroom visits.  Bahaha  ;D  ::) I had to flag someone (in the dark mind you) that was watching me on night vision camera to come unhook me - basically ask permission to go pee.  :-?
Said I have Mild to Moderate (Moderate on the high end in REM sleep) apnea and my HA Specialist Peters recommends all his HA patients with moderate apnea get the CPAP O2 machine (I am seeing him tomorrow anyway).  SO they want me to go in another night without the canula - with a mask and O2 to be fitted by a respiratory therapist for the 'right flow' that stops my oxygen saturation from dropping at night...
Anyway - At the Very Least my partner will stop shoving me at night to turn over because I'm snoring and I'll get a better night sleep right???   ;D ;D  8-)

On a side note, When I went for my polysomnography tests I insisted that my O2 was a medication - brought a copy of the prescription (as I keep a copy in my car too) and the E-tank and mask came with me, as well as the trex.  I didn't get a hit until after I left either  :D  They made me sign a waiver that they were not responsible for anything should I use my O2 (that I provided)  ;D

Val

"We're from the medical profession, and we'd love to help you as long as you don't sue us."

I was once tested for sleep anea a few years back for something else and results came back negative. Thus, thats not my trigger

j0hnglist wrote on May 6^th, 2009 at 3:40pm:

I was once tested for sleep anea a few years back for something else and results came back negative. Thus, thats not my trigger

Not to worry ... After all, it is just in your head ...

DennisM1045 wrote on May 6^th, 2009 at 12:24pm:

In some patients with both chronic headaches and apnea, treating the sleep disorder has cured the headache, even the very severe and disabling form known as a cluster headache.

It's obviously worked for some otherwise they wouldn't have documented it. Hopefully you are one of the lucky ones Dennis and you finally find your silver bullet... ;)


Lefty...!

What I dont get is WHY DONT THE NUEROS AND HEADACHE DOCS KNOW THIS AND FIND OUT IF THAT IS WHAT COULD BE CAUSING IT???
Its crazy

My first neuro left Loyola and went to another hospital north of Chicago to head a sleep clinic there.  He had been treating several CH patients as well as working with apnea at Loyola.  He told me that he could not find a firm connection between apnea and CH as a causative agent, but he had found that of all his CH patients that had undergone the tests all but one also had apnea.  At teh time I had no insurance and couldn't afford the testing, so I didn't do it.  His reasoning behind pushing forward on the apnea is the quality of life issue in dealing with the CH.  He felt the better sleep made it more bearable.  I may look in to being tested now that I have some insurance.  

Keep us posted on your results please!

Jerry

I Pray that if work for you... My Nero; also my sleep therapist put me through the pace a year ago... I've had my c-pap machine for just about a year.. Use it faithfully...

Last year took it to my family reunion (Jacksonville, FL); took it to my OUCH Convention (Dallas, TX) and took it to LouieCon  in January of  this year.. I was in Cycle during all three and continue to have hits during all three.

The only thing good about my C-Pap is that I seem to be more rested in the mornings that I don't deal with the beast the night before...