Any one out there have rogue hits ?

although I'm out of cycle for about 5 months now I've had constant shadows and on Wednesday night I got hit with a k 6  >:( . But other than the usual shadows I've had nothing since .
So is this a rogue hit , if there is such a thing , or should I be expecting more  :(

Slightly worriedly

Nigel

Hey, Nigel. Whenever I've been out of cycle I still get rogue hits. It's sort of like the beast saying, "I'm still heeere!"  They are disappointing but not a bad reminder to keep our guard up and abortives near. And who knows, if you are going into a fuller (or even permanent?) remission being on guard is still better than being caught. Blessings!

I don't get rogue hits out of cycle. (phew! :)) But there are others who have posted about the one and done's coming outta the blue. Hoping it's just a reminder he's around and not a new cycle firing off.

Joe

Even with "alternative treatment" keeping me virtually PF for a year now, I'll still get a one off every now and again, and shadows during weather fronts. 

It just tells me it's time to take further preventive measures ahead of schedule to not let the bastage get a foot in the door. 

Easier and less painful in the long run to head the beast away, than try to get it out once it's moved in.

;)

Nigel,

I hate to burst your bubble about being out of cycle, but shadows are headaches...  Out of cycle means pain free.

Even shadows should be dispatched with oxygen therapy ASAP.  The rationale for doing this is based on the accepted fact that CH pain is clearly associated with vasodilation.  There are also other factors in the pathophysiology of CH attacks, but most hold that vasodilation is a fundamental part of that pathophysiology.

That being so, walking around with a "shadow" means you're likely also walking around with partially dilated arteries and capillaries and/or inflamed trigeminal nerve bundles.  Allowing this to continue only results in these arteries and capillaries becoming more flaccid with loss of vascular tone...  and to my way of thinking, that's only going to result in heavier and more frequent hits as the loss of vascular toning makes these vascular structures more susceptible to the CH triggering mechanism when the cycle returns.

IMHO, rogue hits and shadows are a possible indication of a low arterial pH that also results in vasodilation.  A diet high in alkaline forming and anti-inflammatory foods might help.  The following links may help in developing an alkaline forming anti-inflammatory diet that maximizes the good stuff and eliminates the bad stuff:

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

The next two links cover anti-inflammatory foods:

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Hope this helps.

Take care,

V/R, Batch

I get the rogue attacks. Some are minor, just enough to wake me and gone in 5 minutes. Others ramp up to KIP 5 or 6 and last 30 minutes. I can almost alway trace the attacks back to stress/release-of-stress.

Hey, Batch...."IMHO, rogue hits and shadows are a possible indication of a low arterial pH that also results in vasodilation." 
This may be true for some sufferers but for me the attacks will almost always be the night after we take the grandsons home from a weekend visit. Damn little hellions anyway!  ::)

This is a strange, strange affliction. We all have the same, or "seemingly so" ...yet nearly each have a "somewhat different " experience. If anyone was interested in researching this...the above would make 'em crazy....

To my recollection...when episodic..never had a rouge hit. The "switch" was either on or OFF. Going into cycle the hits were "mild" and "sporadic"...I wouldn't call rogue...I knew what was coming, rapid build up. The end was signalled by diminishing hits...and a final "killer". I used to pray for that ending "killer" hit...I knew what it meant.

Chronic for the last 4 yrs...and while still going thru high and low cycles...there is no discernible "pattern".
Again, nothing that could be called rogue...could be hit ANY time....

Sorry I can't offer more...suppose it just means..."expect the unexpected"...and BE PREPARED!

Best,

Jon

Thanks people it's nice to know that this is normal if there is such a thing with CH and when I say normal I mean more than one other person has experienced the same thing and I'm not just weird .... well I probably am anyway but still.

I don't have O2 yet but it is top of my list when I go back to see my GP , but I do abort the more annoying shadows with a can of Red Bull....like the one in my hand right now!

Any how thanks again

Nigel

Nigel,

I'm far from being the oldest CH'er or longest sufferer, but from what I've experienced, the only thing consistent or predictable about CH is its inconsistency and unpredictability. 

I can't count the times we've driven off for a day visiting with friends not taking any oxygen or imitrex nasal spray along because I was in a low cycle with just a few hits a week while sleeping... only to be nailed with a heavy hitting head banger during an early dinner.

There's some compelling evidence on some of the factors involved that increase the tendency to get hit more while sleeping.  The simple reasons are we breathe less and our heart beats slower.  As a result, the brain receives less oxygen and CO2 levels climb.  Moreover, both of these respiratory conditions are well known as vasodilators.

Trying to nail down the leading mechanisms that affect the frequency and intensity of cluster headaches the most is like throwing darts a long list homeostatic processes that include oxygen-CO2 exchange, arterial pH balance, body temperature, respiration rates, heart beat, hormones and enzymes.  They all play a role at one point or another in the pathophysiology of the cluster headache and the abort mechanisms.

I bounced the following chart in front of several neurologists at the IHC 2009 14th International Headache Congress in Philadelphia last September and all agreed the three factors presented played a key role in vasoactivity as it applies to the cluster headache.

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

As you can see, when we're sleeping, we have three of these values in the red...  And yes, body clock functions clearly play a role.  My guess is that's where the unpredictability comes in.

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Quote:

Out of cycle means pain free

Really? Wish someone would explain that to my beast because I get rogue hits out of cycle all the time.

My problem is it's been less than a year since my first ever hit so I have absolutely no idea what to expect ( other than just about anything) from CH and that said shadows come and go at fairly regular intervals usually with little to no pain but I usually get one around 5 pm ish which will make a k3-4 funnily enough just as i finish work .

I've never had a night hit ,yet, but I guess I've got that to come at some time ,woo hoo.

so basically I have absolutely no idea what's going on with me at the moment so I just get on with my life and I'm never more than 1 minuet away from a can of red bull and my trex jabs so if said beasty comes to visit he'd better watch out ! ;)

Nigel

Hey Nigel, I'm really sorry to hear you're hurting.  I hope you become completely pf soon!

Batch thats some really interesting advice, thanks. 

I've had a couple of rogue hits this past week - never had a hit out of cycle before in my 23 yrs of CH... and if there is any sort of pattern to this - then tonight could be a doozy  :-/ 

But thanks to this wonderful place and all the fantastic people here (I MEAN THAT!! This place changed my life  :-*) I have learnt many many things that really help... first and foremost (for me) trying to keep calm during a hit makes all the difference!  and of course the only constant with CH is change.... mmm keeps us on our toes!

Kate

P.S. I get a fair bit of shadowing out of cycle but never full blown hits

Thanks Kate
I must admit I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever be pf without even a hint it's not still there , although today it's been nothing worse than my right eye being twitchy and watery , so that's good that I can handle .

I've got a really high tolerance for pain , what with a bad back, dodgy knees and tennis elbow ( you know, all the stuff that comes from working on a building site for the last 23 years ) if I took pain killers every time some thing hurt I would be overdosing every day, but these shadows really grind you down. Still better a bad day with the shadows than a good day ruined by full on hits  ;)

And yes this place is just fantastic ,THANKS ALL

Nigel

Had another bad night.... makes me think I must be back in cycle   >:(


I know what you mean about high threshold for pain.  I have fibromyalgia - which is pretty much a chronic pain condition.  So total pf days are a most unusual occurance around here!!  That said, often when I'm having bad shadows I do some housework or grab my son and the footy and we go over to the oval for a kick, that helps.

Kate