Alcohol triggers me about an hour after I go to bed after having a few beers. Used to trigger me a lot quicker -- like right after drinking.

I get hit about 30-45 mins after alcohol too. I've just quit altogether now because it's easier. I'd rather not drink than deal with the beast!

One beef and 30 mins later I'm doing the dance.  I've learned the hard way to avoid it.

When not in cycle, I can drink socially with no problem.  During a cycle, it can take 30 minutes to a few hours to trigger a hit. 

Jeannie

thank you for everyone's opinion on this.  I haven't had a CH since Sunday, only a few shadows, and I had some beers last night, probably about 6 or so and nothing so far, it's a day later now and only a few minor shadows.  I'm really hoping my cycle is over but I'm not sure if it's the Lithium that is preventing headaches or if I'm done.  I'm going to continue on the Lithium for a few more weeks just to make sure.

Only once have I ever had a known trigger and it was beer.

The effects were immediate and severe in that just looking at a golden coldie in the fridge was good for bad shadows, hearing Denzilla rip the top off a frothy chop meant a Kip5, and being close enough to savour that aroma proved the Kip Scale should go way beyong 10.

Fortunately it lasted only 11 days so world economies were only mildly affected, and though three local barmaids were temporarily unemployed the overtime they later received more than made up for it.

I once made the mistake of admitting publicly here that I can drink what I like, when I like, subject only to availability, but after the hate-mail I got in return you must forgive me for posting this anonymously.

Cheers and beers,

Author unknown.

I love havin' a beer with me mates as much as the next guy, but when I'm in cycle? No effing way! I learnt that the hard way when I was a lot younger, and I couldn't even down one single beer before an excruciating kip10 would grab me by the bollocks for the next 2 hours orso. I'll make up for the loss when I'm off the hook again.
Other triggers for me include: perfumes and deodorants, spicey middle eastern and greek foods (which I love and am addicted too! But not worth the hell that awaits me after), terpentine and similar fumes, daylight (that's a horror for I love the sun), and some minor threats not worth mentioning.

When I was a practicing alcoholic, I'd get hit before I could finish a can of beer.

Out of cycle I could drink a fifth a day with no headach or than the hangover one.

I quit drinking 18 1/2 years ago and still get clusters.

Alcohol is an interesting one and the professionals still do not fully understand why it triggers an attack in some cluster headache sufferers, particularly episodics.

I've been looking at the role of nitric oxide (NO) in primary headache for quite a while now.  Nitric oxide is an important (gaseous) signalling molecule in our bodies and amongst other things is responsible for neurotransmission, modulation of the hair growth cycle and even penile erections!   NO that originates from the vascular endothelium, neurons and macrophages (inflammatory cells) is also an important endogenous mediator of physiological vasodilation.

Vasodilators such as nitroglycerine (GTN) are converted to NO, which may be why they almost ubiquitously trigger an attack in CH when in cycle.  Alcohol also increases NO in the short term suggesting a similar triggering mechanism, but long term alcohol consumption can markedly reduce NO levels, which may help explain its potential as a prophylactic amongst some sufferers (although not recommended for obvious reasons).  An alcohol induced attack can also be notoriously difficult to treat, but strangely enough, there have been reports over the years of alcohol being used successfully as an abortive agent, again perhaps suggesting suppression of NO release in the longer term.

Why only certain types of alcoholic drinks trigger attacks for some is a mystery to me but it obviously suggests that some other mechanism or even multifactorial mechanisms may be involved.  Red wine is almost always a trigger for me, and although I can drink most white wine, for some reason the Chardonnay grape seems to be a trigger for me, within the hour.  Limey-bird insists on buying me Liebfraumilch or Piesporter Michelsberg, which although is pretty nasty tasting stuff, is fortunately OK for me on the head front.

I initially put the trigger factor down to higher levels of sulphites (US = sulfites) in some white wines compared to others, but this is at best spurious.  Most red wines also have high levels of sulphites, but more white wines have more added sulphites (as a preservative). Of course, it could just be the varying levels of tannins in wine too.

Another possibility is that the higher levels of procyanidins in some red wine (the stuff responsible for making it "good for your heart") may also affect some people's CH.  Procyanidins suppress the synthesis of a peptide called endothelin-1 that contricts blood vessels but it appears to be a complex issue.

Phew! I need a beer after all that.  Your shout I believe Brian

-Lee

Fair dinkum mate

NO = bad for the bonce but makes your pecker stand as proud as a mere cat standing on top of Ayers Rock.

Mine's a cold one; but none of that VB crap

-Lee