I'm a bit of a newbie, but i've been CCh for a little over a year now and pretty recently i've noticed that whenever i go outside and enter the sunlight, within minutes i start to feel a headache coming on.  I've figured out that its that apparently i'm like ultra sensitive to light but not the way were i have to squint and block my eyes, more like after a few minutes were the sun is in my eyes i will feel a headache coming on and i just know it's from the sunlight.  I've actually been forced to were sunglasses EVERYWHERE i go (actually gives me a reason to were my sunglasses  8-) ) and notice with them on, that it significantly reduces how often i get these headaches and how painful they get.  By the way it isn't limited to the sun sometimes ill be on my computer or my iphone and even the brightness from those will cause headaches.  Also i had a full eye exam and everything was perfect... so i was just wondering is this just me or do have other people noticed this too?

Another thing i was just wondering... Does anyone else get headaches from overexerting themselves, mainly jogging/running/sprinting, even if its for less then 5 minutes?  Something else i've noticed and unfortunately had to give up football because of this... >:(

The light issue is not common with Cluster but has been reported. Don't know of any way to prevent this reaction beyond what you are now doing.

Running is not the issue but elevated body temperature from any form of exertion. If it's available to you, a 1mgSL ergotamine tablet dissolved under your tongue just before the exertion will often block the development of an attack. Your druggist can advise on availabiliy.

I have the sensitivity to light also. The transition glasses are awesome. Indoors and out keeping the brightness at bay. Living in a nice dark cool cave sounds really good. As Bob pointed out keeping the body cool is key. Exertion in the summer heat is usually when my episodes start. The high desert has hot summer temps with big swings from night time.
buhrly

267 CH'ers (23.54 %) out of the 1134 who took the Cluster Headache survey in December of 2008 reported bright lights and direct sunlight was a trigger for their CH.

I'm one of those who so reported. I have a longer list of triggers but I wonder if, being chronic, they are not so much triggers but rather just whatever I was doing prior to another hit in a string of hits. Whatever. lance

I'm also very sensitive to bright lights.  I wear sunglasses all the time, even on rainy days, in or out of cycle.   I hate riding in a car, on a bright day, when the sun flickers in and out of the trees.  Instant trigger for me. 

Exercise is a trigger for me as well.  Well, actually it's when I stop exercising.  I'll get hit within 10 minutes of completing my work out.   Even a brisk walk will do it I'm when in high cycle.


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I've only had light bother me when it's flashing - strobe like doesn't matter how bright.

@whimsey ya there are sometimes were i think that maybe its just a coincidence... but it happens too often and wearing sunglasses does help signaficantly.  Although i hvae noticed there are times were it (the bright lights) won't effect me at all.  So again its confusing.

@Jeannie mmhm car rides and bus rides are killers for me... kinda feel weird wearing sunglasses indoors but better than getting those headaches.  I do workout at the gym and there are times were i will get small headaches and ill just workout through it and usually after 20 minutes of working out through it, itll be completely gone. i have no idea why... but it's definitely not the same for running or even walking outdoors.

I don't have any problems with bright lights myself unless it is flickering and I'm having shadows. During an attack I can stair right towards the sun or a light bulb no problem. With a migraine I couldn't do that.

I used to live in a really dark house and that effected me to some degree I think. Do any of you who are effected by light seem to stay in dark areas as much as possible, like a really dark house?

I'm just wondering how much of it is "because your body is not used to it" type stuff. I know these headaches do weird stuff to me. For instance, I can't stand watching someone smoke a cigarette without wanting to hurl when I'm in cycle let alone smell one.  :D

I am extremely sensitive to sun/bright lights. It can trigger my clusters and migraines. Also if I get very overheated (as I'm thinking your running does).  My friends and family call my 'John Lennon' alot cause I rarely leave the house without my large, dark sunglasses which I guess reminds them of Lennon lol.  And for when I know I'm gonna be hot I carry my spray bottle stocked with ice and cold water.

Lior BD wrote on Sep 12^th, 2011 at 1:39pm:

...  Also i had a full eye exam...

talk about a hell of a trigger! I so dread going to get new glasses. The eye exam, the bright lights and the puff of air they shoot into your eye. ughh
I too wear sunglasses as much as possible.

I am definitely light sensitive , bright light when in cycle is a trigger.
Bright light during a hit is a killer.
my sunglasses are my best friend  8-)

As for not being use to bright light ,I work out side every day so that is definitely not an issue .

I find polarising sun glasses to be the best because they cut out glare making much more effective.

Nigel

Mottled light is often a trigger (like sunlight through trees) when I'm in cycle.

Also, I've never had exercise trigger me after only 5 minutes. It has however been one of my only triggers after about 30-40 minutes though. From May to July, any run can trigger me. I've chalked it up to the hypothalamus being dodgy in the thermoregulatory capability.

No real light sensitivity, other than always needing sunglasses, CH or not. I do find I become hypersensitive in high cycle, just about anything can irritate me, alcohol, heat, noise, going too long before eating, eating too much, interruptions when trying to get some quiet time between hits, all will bring on an attack. During marathon clusters (5+ months), the hypersensitivity extends to the medications I use, and I find I need to detox off all the drugs cause they are just making me feel "clouded up"... I revert to O2 and aspirin for about a week.
However in Low Cycle these same things are no problem. Exercise has always been a good thing for me, as long as I don't get overheated.