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lennycohen

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Triggers
Jan 6^th, 2012 at 6:08pm

Most of us the know the classics like red wine and aged cheese - please post your personal triggers to let others know of the wide range of possibilities, maybe it's something that never occurred to them - for me:

Alcohol/beer/red wine
Aspartame (Equal)
Soy Sauce
Balsamic Vinegar (which I love)

all of these will give me a CH within five minutes of ingesting when in episode, but like so many, when I'm out of episode I can eat/drink any of it to no effect.

Been in episode for about a month, working on breaking, still taking too much Trex ----

TTFN

Lenny

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Guiseppi CH.com Moderator CH.com Alumnus Offline San Diego to Florida 05-16-2011 Posts: 12063 SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA USA Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #1 - Jan 6^th, 2012 at 6:10pm Significant sleep disruptions. Extreme hunger. Alcohol, most especially beer and red wine. Sustained stress. None of which is a problem off cycle...thank goodness! Joe
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Mike NZ CH.com Hall of Famer Offline Oxygen rocks! D3 too! Posts: 3785 Auckland, New Zealand Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #2 - Jan 6^th, 2012 at 6:18pm A bit like Joe, apart from the last one which is the complete opposite, which helps show how individual some of these things can be. Significant sleep disruptions. Extreme hunger. Lack of stress.
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coach_bill CH.com Hall of Famer Offline "Dont expect me to lay down for this" Posts: 680 x0\|euclid\|USA\|\|0\|0\|OH,Ohio Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #3 - Jan 6^th, 2012 at 7:26pm Hello, Bleach, Vanillia, coughing, Daylight savings time zone change. orange juice. Set ur Feet, Coach Bill
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jon019

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"Ya gotta believe!"

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Re: Triggers
Reply #4 - Jan 6^th, 2012 at 8:41pm

msg (there are MANY forms, and not always apparent...e.g. hydrolyzed yeast)...aspartame....change in routine (any routine...sigh)....zinc welding fumes....too much sleep...not enough sleep...coming down from stress....alcohol (INCLUDING mouthwash...and no, I don't swallow)...omega-3 tabs...high glutamic acid containing foods (e.g. tomatoes).....low blood sugar (missing meals)....perfume (solvents not much).....HIGH barometric pressure....too much smoking (NOT the ganja kind....don't do that at all).......oddly, high tyramine foods seem NOT... (e.g. cheese, soy sauce, balsamic)...I don't like peppermint so don't know about that one.....

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The LARGE print giveth....and the small print taketh away. Tom Waits

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Cupper CH.com Junior Offline I Love CH.com! Posts: 49 Seagrove Beach FL Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #5 - Jan 7^th, 2012 at 9:52am Chocolate, Noise, time change, low pressure
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LasVegas CH.com Sponsor Offline Episodic CH since 11 yrs old, now 50. Posts: 2020 north of the 60th parallel Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #6 - Jan 7^th, 2012 at 3:18pm Sleep, cigarettes, extreme hunger, stress, excessive heat, beer/alcohol, smell of oven-off, smell of WD40,
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shadows1177 CH.com Newbie Offline Sick of this pain in my head! Posts: 20 Puyallup WA Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #7 - Jan 7^th, 2012 at 5:53pm Keep in mind that I am still very new to this but so far, being cold, perfume, stress, bug spray or any strong scented chemical, coughing, the weather (rain, wind, hail, snow), putting my head below the height of my rear (I do a lot of yoga).....
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IndianaJohn CH.com Hall of Famer Offline Into the jaws of the Beast Posts: 686 Decatur,Indiana,USA Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #8 - Jan 7^th, 2012 at 5:59pm For Me it's Alcohol, even a whiff soy sauce bacon any kind of processed meats or cheeses (anything that's cured) and here's a weird one: white noise or static on a TV or radio heavy perfume or cologne
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AussieBrian CH.com Hall of Famer Offline CH - It's all in your head! Posts: 3851 Cairns, Qld, Australia Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #9 - Jan 7^th, 2012 at 6:10pm Thirty years on and still I don't know.
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Mike NZ CH.com Hall of Famer Offline Oxygen rocks! D3 too! Posts: 3785 Auckland, New Zealand Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #10 - Jan 7^th, 2012 at 6:59pm AussieBrian wrote on Jan 7^th, 2012 at 6:10pm: Thirty years on and still I don't know. At least you know it isn't beer!
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lennycohen

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Re: Triggers
Reply #11 - Jan 8^th, 2012 at 2:38pm

Mike NZ wrote on Jan 7^th, 2012 at 6:59pm:

AussieBrian wrote on Jan 7^th, 2012 at 6:10pm:

Thirty years on and still I don't know.

At least you know it isn't beer!

Or maybe it is beer, and that's why it's been 30 years Wink

Thanks for the replies everyone, let's add another twist - is there anything you do (other than avoidance) to ameliorate the triggers? Special sleep or eating schedules? Do you substitute one food for another? Asking for any and all solutions!

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LasVegas

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old, now 50.

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Re: Triggers
Reply #12 - Jan 8^th, 2012 at 2:54pm

lennycohen wrote on Jan 8^th, 2012 at 2:38pm:

Mike NZ wrote on Jan 7^th, 2012 at 6:59pm:

AussieBrian wrote on Jan 7^th, 2012 at 6:10pm:

Thirty years on and still I don't know.

At least you know it isn't beer!

Or maybe it is beer, and that's why it's been 30 years Wink

Thanks for the replies everyone, let's add another twist - is there anything you do (other than avoidance) to ameliorate the triggers? Special sleep or eating schedules? Do you substitute one food for another? Asking for any and all solutions!

Everybody is different. Each cycle is different. The DRAGON will morph and a CH'er will need to morph with the DRAGON. With trial/error and documenting a headache diary, a CH'er will learn and better understand pattern about their cycle. With that, a CH'er will need to make changes to lifestyle while in cycle. Not recommending you allow the DRAGON to dictate your lifestyle, but to learn how to adapt while in cycle making required adjustments to your lifestyle accordingly.

i.e.
1. while in cycle, avoid triggers.
2. getting sleep when you can, day or night.
3. changing daily routines, perhaps with help from others to pick up slack.
4. remembering to take your meds at certain times and/or bringing meds/o2 with you when out of the house/travel/etc.
5. more water intake/more of an alkaline diet
6. preparing with backup plans for activities, vacation, etc

Again, everybody is unique and each cycle may change, but over time there are some things you will learn how to best cope.

Hope this helps and others chime in with their input Wink

-Gregg in Las Vegas

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PlayDoh CH.com Veteran Offline I Love CH.com! Posts: 116	Re: Triggers Reply #13 - Jan 9^th, 2012 at 12:18am Alcohol, and nothing else I've ever noticed. I'm sure stress may trigger a cycle for me sometimes, yet its impossible to tell.
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-johnny- CH.com Sponsor Offline theres no smoking on the dock Posts: 1642 fayette county ohio Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #14 - Jan 9^th, 2012 at 1:49am driving
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LasVegas CH.com Sponsor Offline Episodic CH since 11 yrs old, now 50. Posts: 2020 north of the 60th parallel Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #15 - Jan 9^th, 2012 at 1:58am -johnny- wrote on Jan 9^th, 2012 at 1:49am: driving I would expect to read that trigger from somebody from Los Angeles, not Ohio, interesting.
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-johnny-

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theres no smoking on the
dock

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fayette county ohio
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Re: Triggers
Reply #16 - Jan 9^th, 2012 at 3:27am

LasVegas wrote on Jan 9^th, 2012 at 1:58am:

-johnny- wrote on Jan 9^th, 2012 at 1:49am:

driving

I would expect to read that trigger from somebody from Los Angeles, not Ohio, interesting.

i used to drive in 48 states. never had an attack in L.A. but i did have 5 or 6 kip 8s back to back going through chicago once in a semi truck. every attack i had to pull over and scream it out. it was terrifying to say the least.

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billyjoe CH.com Veteran Offline Posts: 163 Berthoud, Colorado Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #17 - Jan 16^th, 2012 at 9:17pm Air conditioning blowing on my face does it every time. My family can't stand me in the heat of the summer when I prefer to have the windows open over the AC.
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LasVegas

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Re: Triggers
Reply #18 - Jan 16^th, 2012 at 11:28pm

billyjoe wrote on Jan 16^th, 2012 at 9:17pm:

Air conditioning blowing on my face does it every time. My family can't stand me in the heat of the summer when I prefer to have the windows open over the AC.

I am 100% opposite. A/C blowing on my face will often abort my attacks. While extreme heat is 1 of my triggers!

-Gregg in Las Vegas

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Purple (head404) CH.com Junior Offline clusterbusters.com Posts: 55	Re: Triggers Reply #19 - Jan 19^th, 2012 at 1:56am extreme hunger moments after any stress stops sleeping (so same as above actually) any alcohol a hot bath (that's a killer) that's all. Even smoking a little weed won't trigger and can even be a nice way to transition towards no stress... like sleeping, just a little though
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Matt Miller

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This too shall pass...

Posts: 36
NW Arkansas
Gender: male

Re: Triggers
Reply #20 - Jan 19^th, 2012 at 12:12pm

Hi all. I've been a lurker for a long while, and thought it was about time i joined up and started talking. 10+ year chronic CH'er, and have read enough of your posts to feel like i already know some of you!!

To answer the topic: All Alcohol, but mead and wine the worst. Tried mead at a Renaissance Fair and got hit with a Kip9 in about 30 seconds.
sleep disruption
I've noticed that if I am startled it triggers one (like someone sneaking up on me, or waking me up sharply when I’m asleep)
Relaxing at end of day (reading, watching tv)
vigorous exercise will usually trigger me once I stop but can also abort one if I start exercising at the begining of one...weird

Ways I work around these:
Don't drink any alcohol (i'm a 10Year Chronic, so that means no alcohol, ever Angry

, but at least my friends/wife always have a DD!!)
To avoid relaxation triggers i try to keep my moving some part of my body, feet or hands, until time for sleep.
My Startle triggers, i just work with my wife to not sneak up on me! maybe i should put a bell around her wrist or something.

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LasVegas

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Episodic CH since 11 yrs
old, now 50.

Posts: 2020
north of the 60th parallel
Gender: male

Re: Triggers
Reply #21 - Jan 19^th, 2012 at 12:38pm

Welcome aboard Matt,
LMAO at your bells around the wrist comment. In Alaska they sell souvenir "bear bells" to backpackers to bring awareness to the human while in bear country. Yet locals call bear bells "dinner bells" as an inside joke that the bear will be aware of human presence and eat the human. Wink

My guess is you don't go to haunted houses around Halloween where they startle you. Good to have you here and look forward to reading your posts.

-Gregg in Las Vegas

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Matt Miller

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This too shall pass...

Posts: 36
NW Arkansas
Gender: male

Re: Triggers
Reply #22 - Jan 19^th, 2012 at 2:56pm

Thanks for the welcome Gregg.

Yeah, i tend to stay indoors on Halloween! Love the Alaska story!! too funny.

There's a lot of good people here, and I'm just happy to be able to talk to people who really GET IT. My wife, love her to death, just doesn't really understand. She's been with me since they first started, so knows all about it, but no matter what she see's (my demon dancing at night, having to leave movie theaters, end dates, etc), no one can really understand the extent of CH's unless they live with them.

But, as I always tell myself while in the throws of the beast, this too shall pass. Sometimes its the only thing that gets me through them, but it's true. they will end after a few hours, and i've just learned to enjoy the time inbetween them. It's either that or give up, and that is NOT an option.

-Matt

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chewbaccamonkeylunch CH.com Junior Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 25 Weatherford, TX Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #23 - Feb 6^th, 2012 at 10:48am shoes that are too tight candles Parmesan cheese spring fall
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Mike Bernardo CH.com Veteran Offline I Love CH.com! Posts: 231 Chesterfield, NJ Gender:	Re: Triggers Reply #24 - Feb 7^th, 2012 at 2:53pm Wine (haven't noticed if red or white makes a difference) shellfish dehydration barometric pressure changes Thankfully, I think that's it.
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