Hey all,

I'm pretty sure stress is a primary trigger which can, ultimately, induce my cycles. What are your thoughts about stress and whether or not it is a key contributor. Also, I'm going through my second cycle in 4 months. I've never had back to back cycles before which is terrible - my CH switched from right to left and they hit me like clockwork, right before bed and as soon as I wake up. This has been crazy!!! Fortunately the Verapramil has elevated some of the pain and Im able to stick myself with imitrex when it's applicable.

Back to the stress question/s....
Could my level of stress taken me back into a second cycle like never before or am I potentially becoming chronic?


Thanks! :o

Hey Luna,

Stress is always a potential trigger for CH and many other disorders.  Being a switch hitter, (attacks changing sides) is actually fairly common.  According to the survey of 1134 CH'ers conducted by Dr. Todd Rozen MD and Royce Fishman in 2008, 30.5% of CH'ers are switch hitters.

Have you asked your PCP or neurologist for oxygen therapy?  If used properly, you can abort a CH almost as rapidly as an imitrex SC injection, but at a fraction of the cost and you can use it as many times a day as needed.

There's a lot of great info on oxygen therapy in the tab titled "oxygen info" at the left of this screen.

Check your PM inbox.  I've sent you some additional information.

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch

Stress and CH is an interesting combination which has come up several times however for those for whom there is a connection between the two it can take several forms:

• High stress as a trigger
  
• Low stress as a trigger
  
• Transitions between high / low stress as a trigger
  

Keeping a headache diary can help you identify which of these applies to you.

I know that for me the transition from high stress to low stress is a trigger for both CH and migraines, so what can help is to try to minimize the size of that transition, reducing the high stress and not relaxing too much on a weekend too.

As to what triggers a new cycle, I've not seen anything where this has been firmly identified other than for those who have a cycle aligned to seasons with spring / autumn (fall) being common.

Don't worry about being chronic or not. It is just a label, there is no difference in the CH itself and worrying won't help anything at all.

And, of course, stress is a response to an attack--

and to a endless list of experiences, situations which arouse our emotional and physiological systems.

In other words, beyond the experience itself, it doesn't offer much a of clue about source. Like an eleveated temperature, it serves as a signal to pay attention.

In times past these monsters have been know as Executive Headaches - the stress they suffer being known to start a cycle. They've also been known as Holiday Headaches as the sudden release from stress has been known to start a cycle.

Some CHeads need a stress-free existence for fear of it triggering a headache while others will tell to never relax, never unwind, and never ever sleep!

For myself I've twice had major cycles killed on the spot by the sudden onset of stress. Once when I was being shot at, then later when my dear father passed away unexpectedly. I can't recommend either as a cure.

It's likely one of the few things we all agree on - that stress, or the lack of it, may or may not be involved.

Gotta love democracy.

Yep, this is a two-sided coin.. Stress or lack of it????

My case - lack of it.. High stress level - no headaches.. Relax - wham.. I got hit.

Listen to Batch.. O2 (with the right mask) is great and so is the D3 regimen. It's kept me PF since Oct of 2013 (after being chronic since 97).

Wishing you PF days.. :-*

I've never heard of it referenced as the "Holiday Headache," but it makes perfect sense to me!  I have thought for years that low-stress is a trigger for me as I usually take two weeks vacation during the winter holidays and I am, at a minimum, having shadows by the start of vacation week two.  On the subject, my neuro told me on my last visit that he is starting to recommend yoga to all of his headache patients.  If I remember correctly, it had to do with regulating the level of stress in your life and keeping it constant.  While I haven't started yoga, I do know that when I walk for 30 minutes at least every other day on a constant basis, I have far fewer shadows per week and sometimes none.  This is also considered a stress maintenance technique, so it makes sense that it works.