I read years ago about how some men that turned 40 and were completely CH free from then on. I also read that most men start getting  Ch regularly after turning 25. I know people still get them after 40 but has anyone really been that lucky?  i started when i was about 14 and there was a break from about 17 until i turned 25 and have had them every years since and I'm 38 now.

Had headaches in my teens, some migraines, some other.  Diagnosed when I was 23 give or take a year or two.  Went chronic at about 47-48.  Now 56.  You just got some of that same old stuff like "women don't get CH"  (Course, that one is right :D. . .  running for the hills now)

Would you believe Henry?

What you read years ago is utter bullshit.

I didn't believe it either but my girlfriend is crazier than i am and she still has hope. I told her many times don't think that this will just end one day and we will live happy ever after ch's. I know my ch's are related to head trauma when i was young and not hereditary or just piss poor luck.

They MIGHT just end when you're 40, but probably not. They're not even sure what causes it yet.

I was asking for myself a little also cause I've been getting them sooo long and knowing that i may get them for the rest of my life has been hard to accept.  [smiley=worried.gif]

We live in an imperfect world, and aren't you glad you don't have a disease that's going to kill you?

Stick around, read, and read some more. Visit clusterbusters.com. There are ways to make this thing a mild nuisance at most.

What Brew said.

I doubt head trauma caused it.  That has been discussed, but there are those who have had head trauma and those who have not.  Doesn't seem to be a factor.  At the moment a malfunctioning hypothalmus (SP) seems to be our best guess.

Jerry

Edit to add:  My wife has MS.  CH won't kill me.  MS will kill her.  We don't have it so badly after all.  Keep your chin up.  You CAN learn to live with CH and do well.

your right on and i know i am very lucky. my kids are what really keeps me going and things have improved alot from just a few years ago. Thanks for reminding me :). That's why I'm here though to learn more so i can do more to improve my quality of life and not let it control the rest of it .

when i was nine i rolled a home made go cart over on a road head first and was knock out cold for a few minutes. i crashed a peddle bike also when i was 13 and was KO second time. when i was sixteen i suffered a seizure. i got ch's through my teens and they stopped maybe do to seizure meds i took till 18. i really don't know for sure if this may have caused ch but these were some bad hits to head and i still have a lump and a scar on my right forehead.

Had headaches as far as I can remember.
Had my first Cluster attack @20 in college.
Had them every spring and fall since up until 30 when I finally got diagnosed.
Have been chronic since 31. I'm now 37

I started getting CH at 34 yrs of age it's now 11 years later and still getting them.

My dad started getting CH's in his late teens early twenties and he's now 70 and still gets them.

My usual 2x a year 3 month cycles ended when I was 45 but CH in general did not.

Some years back a Doctor did a survey on this site.  He remarked on the frequency of head trauma in sufferers but couldn't actually tie CH to it.

Sometimes, episodic sufferers do "out grow" CH.  I've been told it's more in the late 50s-60s age range though.

>70% of sufferers develope CH before the age of 30.

I'm episodic, and always have been.  I had my first CH attack when I was 13.  I'm 57 now.

The frequency of cycles has decreased in recent years, but they're pretty much as bad each time as they ever were.  I went through a cycle just about a year and a half ago. 

I'm not holding my breath hoping that they're done and gone.  But Bill and Jerry are right--there are plenty of worse things to have.

Edit to add:  No head trauma that I can think of.

Best,

George   

Never give up hope, it's the one thing you've always got! ;) I've had CH since my late teens, I'm 50 now. My remissions have gotten longer, although so have my cycles! They've gotten less intense as I've gotten older, some of that is due to how I treat them, but I can't remember my last KIP 10.

You may outgrow them, some people do. But if you don't, by educating yourself, and always being ready to do battle, you'll be just fine.

Joe

I hope i don't sound insensitive or as if this is an be all end all condition. I am just stupefied by ch sometimes and i tend to get caught up in it's mystery and misery. ultimately all i feel i can do is pass on a little info to the next generation of ch and hope they get the help they need fast.

What Brew and Jerry said certainly puts things in perspective.  No matter how bad we perceive things to be there are always others who are suffering more, or have it worse.  If anything else I hope it let's us appreciate life more, especially during pf times. 

Hubby started CH at 29 yrs of age, 48 now.  1 cycle a year usually begins June and ends in September.  But huge variables, can start as early as March and this year didn't end until December with lingering shadows.   Head trauma?  Yep, football.

(Jerry, I'm sorry your wife is fighting her own battle.  I hope she's doing well)

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and thanks for the support. :)

Callico wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2010 at 11:32pm:

What Brew said. I doubt head trauma caused it.  That has been discussed, but there are those who have had head trauma and those who have not.  Doesn't seem to be a factor.  At the moment a malfunctioning hypothalmus (SP) seems to be our best guess. Jerry Edit to add:  My wife has MS.  CH won't kill me.  MS will kill her.  We don't have it so badly after all.  Keep your chin up.  You CAN learn to live with CH and do well.

Very true and powerful words, Jerry.  We can make a choice to not let CH win and keep on fighting the good fight.  Yes it is painful and horrible, but when it is over we can go on.  Sadly so many out there do not have the luxury of getting a break, no matter how small from their condition and my thoughts and prayers go out to them, you wife most definately included.  MS is one of the ones that I really hate, along with ALS.  They just make me question the fairness of the cosmos.......

;) i realize that ch's don't kill and i am not immune to the reality of life. I have family members living on the edge also. This is what makes life difficult being a ch and trying to deal with everything else and we all are doing it. I hope everyone here understands that you are not alone in that we are all dealing with ch and our families and everything else.   just in case i was misunderstood but if anyone wants to know more just ask cause we are all dealing with it all.

Will,get your weapons together. It may go away and it may not,nobody knows.

I never had a headache all my life until I hit 45.

Could always be worse. A headache is a pain in the butt,but it wont kill me..

mikstudie wrote on Dec 24^th, 2010 at 11:54am:

Will,get your weapons together. It may go away and it may not,nobody knows. I never had a headache all my life until I hit 45. Could always be worse. A headache is a pain in the butt,but it wont kill me..

I think you need an anatomy lesson! ;D  I'd kiss it and make it better, but I don't kiss anyone's butt!  LOL

Jerry

My episodic CH's started after a closed head injury at age 11.  I am now 42.  I have not had a cycle in over 5 yrs, since coincidentally another closed head injury.  Coincidental with closed head injuries?  I think so. 

I also think that age studies may have something to do with my good fortune of ridding the beast.  But I do not ever take a day for granted that they are completely gone.  Just very grateful

Mine started at 40, now 45 and my last cycle SUCKED. As all of them do!
>:(

I've seen a lot of folks who start in their early 20's or so report that as they age their remissions become longer and longer (as they have for me). Of course a lot of those folk won't be piping into this thread because they're off enjoying long remissions!  :D

I wish I could also say that my attacks have become less severe, but it actually seems the opposite so far.  :o

Quote:

i tend to get caught up in it's mystery and misery.

Well quit it!
all the best
the bb
first one at 19, 25 to 45 two a year 3 to 6 months a go. I doubt I have had my last one. longest episode...18 months.

I'm episodic and 24 years old.
My first memory of CH was when i was 17.
I don't count on these things leaving me; just find a way to live through them. 

I have had head trauma and been knocked out; a soccer ball knocked my head against a goal post at 14 years old, and again at 19 falling from a chair.  Does it mean anything?  I dont think so, but I'm not a scientist.