On top of my Clusters, I also have daily chronic headaches (although they are becoming less daily, thankfully) and migraines (which run in the family). I'm also discovering I probably have mild Asthma, and that there is a strong link between Asthma and Migraines if one or the other is hereditary.

So, I've been doing some research on the link of Asthma and Migraines and found this interesting article: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

The bit I want to highlight is below. But basically it says that people with migraines are more sensitive to their surroundings. I've noticed, especially as my clusters have become worse, I am ultra sensitive to my environment. Light, temperature, sound, touch... Sudden changes can bring on extreme pain, and have triggered clusters or migraines, in fact I know for certain that sudden, unexpected, cold will trigger a migraine, if not a cluster.

I have to mentally prepare myself every time I sit down on a toilet seat because they are cold, and even that is a shock, albeit not enough to trigger pain, but enough to register a shock to my sensitive system. Every environmental change these days is acutely registered, from getting into and out of bed, and light changes in the seasons, and car lights, and and and... none of that used to bother me to the degree it does now.

So, just curious if this is common for the rest of us. Or if it is just a migraine sufferer thing.

Here's the excerpt from the article:

"People with migraine inherit a nervous system that is more sensitive to change than those without migraine. This nervous system evolved to be highly vigilant of its environment. When the migrainous nervous system is functioning well, this vigilance is often reflected in positive ways. For example, people with migraine are often well-organized, perceptive, and successful in school and artistic activities. This heightened vigilance may also be why migraine sufferers tend to be light sleepers and more emotionally vulnerable. However, if the nervous system perceives a threat from either the external or internal environment, the nervous system response can be an attack of migraine."

Renée

MoxieGirl wrote on May 14^th, 2011 at 4:57am:

On top of my Clusters, I also have daily chronic headaches (although they are becoming less daily, thankfully) and migraines (which run in the family). I'm also discovering I probably have mild Asthma, and that there is a strong link between Asthma and Migraines if one or the other is hereditary. So, I've been doing some research on the link of Asthma and Migraines and found this interesting article: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE The bit I want to highlight is below. But basically it says that people with migraines are more sensitive to their surroundings. I've noticed, especially as my clusters have become worse, I am ultra sensitive to my environment. Light, temperature, sound, touch... Sudden changes can bring on extreme pain, and have triggered clusters or migraines, in fact I know for certain that sudden, unexpected, cold will trigger a migraine, if not a cluster. I have to mentally prepare myself every time I sit down on a toilet seat because they are cold, and even that is a shock, albeit not enough to trigger pain, but enough to register a shock to my sensitive system. Every environmental change these days is acutely registered, from getting into and out of bed, and light changes in the seasons, and car lights, and and and... none of that used to bother me to the degree it does now. So, just curious if this is common for the rest of us. Or if it is just a migraine sufferer thing. Here's the excerpt from the article: "People with migraine inherit a nervous system that is more sensitive to change than those without migraine. This nervous system evolved to be highly vigilant of its environment. When the migrainous nervous system is functioning well, this vigilance is often reflected in positive ways. For example, people with migraine are often well-organized, perceptive, and successful in school and artistic activities. This heightened vigilance may also be why migraine sufferers tend to be light sleepers and more emotionally vulnerable. However, if the nervous system perceives a threat from either the external or internal environment, the nervous system response can be an attack of migraine." Renée

Get a heated shitter seat.  Nothin like a warm butt on a cold morning.

            Potter

Potter wrote on May 14^th, 2011 at 9:47am:

Get a heated shitter seat.  Nothin like a warm butt on a cold morning.             Potter

How poetic. LOL

Yeah, I thought about that, especially where I live. I'm in an 18th century Hall, it gets cold here in the winter (electric blankets are a God send). Shame all toilets in the world weren't heated.

You could always just go the adult diaper (nappy) route:

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

This could describe me. I have had some asthma symptoms in the past, migraines run in my family, and temperature changes are the most common triggers for my headaches, but I am very sensitive to a lot of noise, heat, cold, smells, everything lol
My parents are both very high strung and I would sometimes have the headaches kick in when they were yelling/stressed a lot, as well as just being at family gatherings with a lot of excitement.
I still think there has got to be some other factor like, reason why the 'sensitivity' of the nervous system becomes a problem, if that makes sense. Hopefully something I can change with my health or habits, I dunno....if that makes sense...

It makes sense...but it doesn't. :-/ 33 years of CH and I've about given up on trying to eliminate something environmental that causes my CH. On cycle I know to avoid alcohol, allowing myself to get really hungry, sustained stress, or major sleep disruptions. All are heavy triggers for me. Avoiding them by no means stops my attacks, just reduces the number. Something is wrong with my hypothalamus. I've accepted that, and find rather then a fruitless search for answers to the why, I stay constantly prepared to do battle whenever beasty raises his ugly head.

Joe

After I got done poking around the valleys of clusterville...and made the climb to talk to the wise man on the mountain top...

THIS is what he said:



Guiseppi wrote on Jul 7^th, 2011 at 8:05am:

It makes sense...but it doesn't. :-/ 33 years of CH and I've about given up on trying to eliminate something environmental that causes my CH. On cycle I know to avoid alcohol, allowing myself to get really hungry, sustained stress, or major sleep disruptions. All are heavy triggers for me. Avoiding them by no means stops my attacks, just reduces the number. Something is wrong with my hypothalamus. I've accepted that, and find rather then a fruitless search for answers to the why, I stay constantly prepared to do battle whenever beasty raises his ugly head. Joe

Yeh. I always keep coming back to "there's something I could do better...."
But the fact is, I've had periods in my life where I was an absolute health FREAK and honestly, there was little difference.
It's like ingrained in my head though...there has to be something I can do to be in control...but that's what you get growing up with parents who still believe you fake and overreact to pain, and tell you that showing any signs that you're suffering is weakness and selfish, and that if it IS something real, then you brought it on yourself by doing something wrong or irresponsible or lazy. Yep.

Which has also led to me not going to doctors when I should have in the past.

But it is true, when you know there are certain triggers, they DO reduce frequency and even one less spell is valuable to me.
Then of course there are things that no matter how brilliant you try to be, you'll never be able to control anyway. Like somewhat rapid jumps in temperature or changes in pressure systems sets off various breeds of headaches for me. Well, guess I'll just go live on the moon...see how I fare there. Anyone coming?

Or the many possible unknown causes/triggers/aggravators/conjurers of the demons, that may never even be identified in your lifetime.

Snurplebeans wrote on Jul 7^th, 2011 at 11:54pm:

Well, guess I'll just go live on the moon...see how I fare there. Anyone coming?

I thought of it, but there is no atmosphere.

Mike NZ wrote on Jul 8^th, 2011 at 3:46am:

Snurplebeans wrote on Jul 7th, 2011 at 11:54pm: Well, guess I'll just go live on the moon...see how I fare there. Anyone coming? I thought of it, but there is no atmosphere.

So there would NEVER be changes in atmospheric pressure.... a trigger for many...just sayin..... ;D

Joe

Yeah and you'd likely need a tank full of oxygen to survive up there.... Sounds like this would be a brilliant solution for some!  ;D

Mike NZ wrote on Jul 8^th, 2011 at 3:46am:

Snurplebeans wrote on Jul 7th, 2011 at 11:54pm: Well, guess I'll just go live on the moon...see how I fare there. Anyone coming? I thought of it, but there is no atmosphere.

BUT...the ambiance!...and if ya take your tin foil hat and vinegar sippee...the cheeeese (green/blue...same same) is already there...what more could ya need?

Quote:

Yeah and you'd likely need a tank full of oxygen to survive up there

An e-tank wouldn't last long enough to survive an hour or two  ::)

I'm with everyone else here. My quality of life ebbs and flows. I just upped my Topamax to 200mg a day again. normally that puts me in good shape. I've been getting side effects again, however. very tired, sleeping a lot, mopey. And I'm getting HA based on my typical triggers: Dehydration, stress, excessive heat, barometric changes (I'm like a weatherman). I avoid alcohol and shellfish.

So, bottom line, still sensitive at times. My HAs are on and off, but controlled with the Topamax. Good luck!!

Great to hear the topo is keeping beasty at bay Mike, here's hoping it continues!

Joe