Good Morning, I just learned from my Dad that my Grandmother may have very likely suffered from CH. She passed away about 10 years ago at age 97. My Dad can remember when he was a boy, age 10, that his Mom had episodes of very bad headaches, ate aspirin like it was candy, would sit in her chair for hours, rocking back and forth, crying in pain and often press her head against a cold window pane. My Dad is 81 now. So this was 70 yrs ago. It sure sounds like a good possibility to me.
           Haven't seen many posts about the heredity factors and CH. Any one out there know more about that? Or where I  might find more info on it?   
            
Just trying to learn all I can about this dreadful illness.

Thanks

Donna Mae

Hi Donna Mae;

Actually there have been quite a few posts on this in the past.  There are several here with relatives who have suffered or continue to suffer with CH.

My Dad has had CH for about 35 years, and I've had it for almost 11 years now. My son has had a few episodes that were cluster headaches instead of the migraines he was diagnosed with when he was 2yrs. old.  My son is now in his twenties and has seen much of what I go through, he's not looking forward to what might be coming for him in the future with regards to CH.

myself, my father, and his father all have CH

I am chronic and my son who is 24 is eposodic.  He developed ch in his early teens.  He also gets migraines.  His identical twin brother does not get headaches.  The OUCH stats are wonderful to look at.

There are 10 of us over a 5 year generation span.

It IS interesting, but not to anyone outside our family.  I was from a small town so everyone knows we have them, but we rarely talk about it to others.  They just don't get it.  Actually, we are about talked out in our family, too.  We are all so use to them that when someone starts a cycle, we just say we are so sorry and all move on.  We are certainly supportive and nice, but I guess we don't pamper one another as much as a family with only 1 or 2 affected members because most of us have seen it all our lives so much that it is just a part of life for us.  Everyone except me uses Imitrex and then just goes on about their business.  My sister has the worst I've ever seen, but I probably suffer the most because I am the one that is scared of medicine.  We have learned a lot from each other.  As of now, I am the only descendant that has not passed it along.  Time will tell.  Mine are 27 and 23 years old.

Yes, people say it is rare.  Seems normal to us.  Of course I am talking about a spread of 5 generations starting back with my grandmother.  So, there are still many without them.

*Clusters

My *Grandmother-She had 5 kids...only 1 with clusters, which was my *mother.  My mother had 3 kids...all with clusters...my *brother, *sister, and *me.  My sister had 3 kids...2 of them with clusters...my *niece and *nephew ...and that niece had 2 kids both with clusters...my *great niece and *great nephew.  My brother has only 1 child...my *niece with clusters.

In my immediate family (no cousins, aunt, or uncles)  that leave my 2 kids, my sister's 1 child and his daughter without clusters.  Wow, I never looked at it this way before.  Guess I was counting in-laws that don't have them as well as cousins, aunts, and uncles, so it didn't seems so bad.  Now, I think we are just really weird!

It is unlikely to be a single dominant gene that causes CHs, otherwise there would be many, many families with a large number of people with CHs.

What is more likely is that there are some combinations of genes that increases the chance of CHs to develop, with some of these genes being dominant.

There may be other possible non-genetic explanations, which could be environmental, or it could just be pure chance.

I found some interesting reading (via a link on this forum) at Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or .

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The 7% figure implies that there is not a single dominant gene, however the connection is more likely to be connected to multiple genes.

The 100% figure for the five sets of monozygotic twins is very interesting, however it is hard to base conclusions on such a small data set.

At least for these identical twins they each know exactly what the other is going through when they have a CH.

Migraines run in my family - grandmother, father, son and grandson... I got the CH... none of the others...