My  Los Angeles  neurologist who specializes in migraines and clusters, reports an uptick in cluster patients  over the past year.  The theory is this could be caused by stress due to disruption in the film/tv industry during the recent writer's strike, or it could be a stress response to the current economic melt-down.

Has anyone else noticed a cluster surge?

m

Are you serious?

Or do I misread your post?
Coz of stress there are more clusterheads? Sorry, buddy, not sure of what to make of this post.

Greetings, Pascal.

Your neuro is a keeper, he knows the cause of clusters. ::)  The cure can't be far away now.


                 [smiley=smokin.gif]

So the decline in TV is what causes my CH i better improve my DVD collection as the writer's strike is really messing with my head ??

Sorry for my responce but there are children starving to death and approx 1.6 million people dieing violantly every year world wide and you think the decline in good TV shows is a cause of stress sorry but you live in a very shelterd world if thats the case

if there is a rise in CH i would say it is more down to the changing weather patterns all over the planet due to global warming.

And mabey the fact orginizations such as ouch and this wonderful site are finally getting the message out there so more GPs are diagnosing people correctly instead of people suffering for 10 years or so first

Regards
Brian

Mike_E wrote on Aug 16^th, 2008 at 3:32pm:

My  Los Angeles  neurologist who specializes in migraines and clusters, reports an uptick in cluster patients  over the past year.  The theory is this could be caused by stress due to disruption in the film/tv industry during the recent writer's strike, or it could be a stress response to the current economic melt-down. Has anyone else noticed a cluster surge? m

Hey Mike, just my opinion, but I think your neuro's theory is just that... a theory. I find it amusing, really, and I agree with Brian. With all the things that cause us stress, a strike in the film making industry? Ueli is right, a cure can't be far behind...

Probably the "disease of the week" syndrome. Which means word is getting out. This is the flip side of that. More people hear about it, they say, "Hey, that's what I have." They read the list of symptoms and then describe what they "have" to their doc. Since CH can't be diagnosed through means other than an analysis of the description of symptoms (unless it's observed by a doc), voila, more people have cluster headaches.

AlienSpaceGuy wrote on Aug 16^th, 2008 at 4:12pm:

Your neuro is a keeper, he knows the cause of clusters. ::)  The cure can't be far away now.                  [smiley=smokin.gif]

LMAO!

Thanx for that.
Pascal.

oh my...

I think your neuro's assessment of the situation is off base - but Gary's 02 supplier has seen a "very large" increase in the number of 02 scrips for clusters each year for the past five years.  I think this is due to neuros finally understanding 02 helps abort these things.  First neuro Gary saw never even mentioned it.

While stress may cause attacks some times and for some people, if stress caused clusters, everyone here would be taking valium and/or practicing yoga.

Laurie

I don't know about stress per se, but stress that causes sleep disruption has been a big factor for me in the past.  I am guessing that these writers/actors/cameramen/set-builders etc had a lot of stress in their lives before the strike and economic downturn.  If they became unemployed and their day/night cycles got screwed up because they didn't have to show up for work everyday at the same time, that could possibly trigger clusters in people who are predisposed.  

Srry and i am no actor, but your doctor putting us and them in the same boat is an insult in my mind.
I agree this site may bring closet suffers out for help and hypocondriacs something new to have. its a double edge sword.
no  i am not deminshing your pain or you but i have had it up to my neck with doctor's and the theories.
sorry doctor's are a sore point with me.
pf day's to you friend, i was just venting a little.

wrote on Aug 17^th, 2008 at 10:44am:

no  i am not deminshing your pain or you but i have had it up to my neck with doctor's and the theories. sorry doctor's are a sore point with me.

And yet it is these same doctors who hold in their hands the golden ticket to lower levels of pain for most of us - the prescription pad.

You may want to consider the logical fact that with the explosion of the internet as an instantly gratifying source of information could be the reason so many more cluster heads don’t go 10-15 years without proper diagnosis any more.

The people in LA are no doubt trying to put a class action law suit together so they can get work comp for their voluntary time off striking.

Rolo… ;D

Mike_E wrote on Aug 16^th, 2008 at 3:32pm:

... could be caused by stress due to disruption in the film/tv industry during the recent writer's strike, or it could be a stress response to the current economic melt-down.

Neither.  It's the carrots.

Why overlook the obvious...  A far more logical explanation is education on the topic of cluster headaches and a rising level of awareness.

CH.com is leading the pack in both categories thanks to DJ and Stephie

Mike_E wrote on Aug 16^th, 2008 at 3:32pm:

My  Los Angeles  neurologist who specializes in migraines and clusters, reports an uptick in cluster patients  over the past year.  The theory is this could be caused by stress due to disruption in the film/tv industry during the recent writer's strike, or it could be a stress response to the current economic melt-down. Has anyone else noticed a cluster surge? m

When you say "uptick," do you mean newly diagnosed CH, or a higher number of people reporting that they are in cycle to your neuro?

Statistics is a often a subject best left in the hands of professionals....

seasonalboomer wrote on Aug 17^th, 2008 at 5:04pm:

Statistics is a often a subject best left in the hands of professionals....

Now, that is a contradiction of terms.  ;)




edited because I can't format.   ::)

Garys_Girl wrote on Aug 16^th, 2008 at 6:46pm:

While stress may cause attacks some times and for some people, if stress caused clusters, everyone here would be taking valium and/or practicing yoga. Laurie

Well, I think what we all can agree on - at least from what I've read here on the message board - is that each of us has different triggers, cycles, levels of intensity, treatments and so forth. I also live in LA and visit a local neurologist knowledgeable about our condition. He's said nothing to me about clusters of clusters, whether strike-induced or not. He did indicate that he felt that stress was definitely a factor.

Again, I can only speak personally. But after 4 cycle-free years I had my first one again this past spring. It coincided, as I've mentioned in earlier posts, with a major event in my life - my brother telling me he needed heart surgery. Certainly this may not have had anything to do with my cycle and there will never be a way to determine it unequivocally. But I'm the worrying type, he's my last immediate family member, and... well, you fill in the rest.

Now, to the strike-induced cl. of cl. issue. I agree, it sounds preposterous and perhaps - given everything else people around the world are going through and the generally coddled nature of the film industry (at least at the upper echelons) - even insulting.

But I note that the poster lives in Santa Monica, which does indeed have a sizable population of movie and TV industry types. I also note that, living here and being a writer, and therefore having kept perhaps a bit more abreast of the strike than the casual reader of these posts, it did indeed cause great financial hardship for a lot of people. Understand, I'm making no value judgment about the causes of the strike or its resolution, nor its importance or lack thereof to world events. But people lost their homes, their health insurance and so forth, certainly stressful events. Coupled with the greater knowledge (I hope!) about our condition out there in General Doctorland, and maybe even teased a bit by people trying to get in the last hurrah examinations (and having time to do so, moreover) by their GPs and so forth before their insurance flew south for the winter...

Anyway one Santa Monica neurologist might well have seen an extra CH patient or two as a result and, voila!, a theory is born.

Of course I could be full of shit about all of this.

David

Great post balachine!

Hi;
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Stress.... ummmmmm   Guess I'm the oddball out here -- seems when I'm under a lot of stress Mr. Demon deserts me... go figure that one.

But unfortunatly I'm a pretty laid back person and don't get stressed out real often and when I'm "relaxed" is when I get hit the worst (I'm chronic and have noticed that at my most "laid back" times is when I hit a high cycle).

Right now I'm in a "high stress" area and the headaches are pretty well holding at a mild level.... so I guess the writers strike didn't bother me too much.

Hugs BD

clusterstopper wrote on Aug 18^th, 2008 at 6:30am:

Hi; START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE MIGRAINE SURGERY & SELFCURE VIDEO 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 You can see video of (doctor) who stole all my work!: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

You are just so darned cute when you're impersonating a doctor.

On the other hand...if a couple of really famous stars get diagnosed with CH...think of the opportunites for advancing our cause!

Guiseppi....

(Who is NOT wishing CH on a big star...but still ::))

BarbaraD wrote on Aug 18^th, 2008 at 7:48am:

Right now I'm in a "high stress" area and the headaches are pretty well holding at a mild level.... so I guess the writers strike didn't bother me too much. Hugs BD

Barbara, just you wait until the actors go out in a few weeks. Why, baristas in Starbucks from Brentwood to Malibu will quake! Porsche mechanics all over town will be cutting back on their Hawaiian vacations! We'll all.... we'll all... be forced to watch actual re-runs!

Of course the writers strike caused stress levels in LA to be higher.  There must be tons and tons of people who depend on the industry for a paycheck.  When steel mills close in Pittsburgh, one would guess stress is higher there.

With that said, I don't know of any evidence that stress causes CH.  My headaches seem to feel worse when I am stressed because I tend not to deal with pain as well when I am stressed.  

Also, my last 2 cycles started shortly after starting a new anti-depressant.  So maybe stress actually keeps them away???

Anyway, your Nuero seems a bit silly suggesting CH, but stress headaches are assuredly way up.

BarbaraD wrote on Aug 18^th, 2008 at 7:48am:

Stress.... ummmmmm   Guess I'm the oddball out here -- seems when I'm under a lot of stress Mr. Demon deserts me...

Far from it, Babs.  In times past, this horrible condition has been known variously as Executive or Holiday Headache because of its habit of appearing the moment long-term stress is suddenly relieved or removed.

Some-one here had a long-time tag-line, "Stay stressed. Never, ever relax".

To my mind it's more likely that, with the writers being on strike, the average viewer is getting to see far less garbage on TV so is much less likely to get upset and angry about the absolute swill the channels are shoving down their throats under the guise of entertainment.

Comfortable with re-runs? Happy and relaxed? No stress and  Whammo!!   It's CH-o'clock.



(There's also the matter of the carrots.)

I remember all the sites I visit saying quote " one percent of American's suffer from CH." I bet there are FAR MORE out there that have been misdiagnosed or have not been diagnosed at all. I know my doc didn't do anything to include me into that category. I would bet there are far more CH sufferer's than we know. Makes ya wonder huh?

Kim

Best estimates are far LESS than 1%.

Some articals say 0.03% but hey that dont matter noone atall should have to deal with this crap but we do so hey lets blame the carrots now give me COOKIES!!!

Regarding the stress issue i have also read articles about coming out of a stressful period can start a cycle i dont believe stress has much to do with my self it dont matter what mood im in there gonna hit twice a year and to be honest my CH is the only cause of stress in my life i thrive on the challenges life throws at me they defo dont stress me out

and from all the threads i read on here we are  all a strong bunch and i cant see stress being a issue with most people on here but i could be wrong would not be the first time

Kimmie wrote on Aug 18^th, 2008 at 4:31pm:

I remember all the sites I visit saying quote " one percent of American's suffer from CH." I bet there are FAR MORE out there that have been misdiagnosed or have not been diagnosed at all. I know my doc didn't do anything to include me into that category. I would bet there are far more CH sufferer's than we know. Makes ya wonder huh? Kim

1% on a population of 300 million seem a bit high to me, it would come to about 3 million people.
From what I've read, in my country there estimates between 8000 to 10000. With 6000 allready diagnosed, but the actual number quite possibly over that. Off course, this is a small piece of the world with just 16,5 million inhabitants.
Which means USA has about 18 times our population. Then USA estimates, if compared to the Netherlands, would in a high estimate come to 180, 000.
Just my (un)educated guess.

Regards, Pascal.

In my house, %20 of the people who live here have CH.  

If it is under 1%, then my house must be a bigtime anomaly.

Brian... the carrots.... get help, man.


D.

I know when I'm in a high stress period for a long period of time, when it's over, and I relax, I do tend to get hit. I also get migraines after these stress periods. But the hits... they just keep on comin'.

FramCire wrote on Aug 18^th, 2008 at 7:17pm:

In my house, %20 of the people who live here have CH.   If it is under 1%, then my house must be a bigtime anomaly.

How many people in your household?  If there are five, and one has CH, that is 20%.  That would make you the only anomaly.  8-)

It can sometimes run in families.  

monty wrote on Aug 19^th, 2008 at 9:06am:

FramCire wrote on Aug 18th, 2008 at 7:17pm: In my house, %20 of the people who live here have CH.   If it is under 1%, then my house must be a bigtime anomaly. How many people in your household?  If there are five, and one has CH, that is 20%.  That would make you the only anomaly.  8-) It can sometimes run in families.

There are 8 people in my family.   1.6 of us have CH.  :D

Balanchine wrote on Aug 18^th, 2008 at 10:24am:

BarbaraD wrote on Aug 18th, 2008 at 7:48am: Right now I'm in a "high stress" area and the headaches are pretty well holding at a mild level.... so I guess the writers strike didn't bother me too much. Hugs BD Barbara, just you wait until the actors go out in a few weeks. Why, baristas in Starbucks from Brentwood to Malibu will quake! Porsche mechanics all over town will be cutting back on their Hawaiian vacations! We'll all.... we'll all... be forced to watch actual re-runs!

OMG!!!! Maybe then I'll go into TOTAL remission...!!!  ;D ;D ;D

Hugs BD