And thats understandable. Brain functions are also linked to oxygen levels. And low testosterone is also from lack of oxygen. When the brain does not recieve enough oxygen it does an interesting thing and shuts down all unessential functions and reduces blood flow to extremeties which interestingly enough can cause RLS(Restless Leg), low T, body aches, lethargy, ect. All of which are symptoms most CH sufferers have. It may be that we're either not getting enough oxygen or some chemical in our body is not allowing us to metabolize the oxygen as readily. Also the reason it could be seasonal is due to atmospheric conditions, humidity, sea level, pollen or allergens anything that could cause us to get less oxygen, that just what I think, but it does make sense. I live in Louisiana and i found that when I would visit my brother in Utah my clusters would get way more severe. Due to the lower humidity I think.

Another question i would like to ask is do you find yourself breathing shallowly on a normal basis? Or do you breath as deep as you should?

I myself, find that I breathe shallow.  I have to remind myself to take deep breathes and it feels great but I don't do that enough.  As for sleep apnea, I've not been tested but I don't believe that I have it either, my brother does as he is VERY over-weight.  These headaches have recently just started for me, the first week of May and the have progressively been getting worse for me as to the point where I never don't have one anymore.  My husband has been the Migraine sufferer up until now and he is so worried for me.  I would go back to the ER but I don't want their first line response, morphine; so I'll see my doctor tomorrow and see what she will do for me and decide from there if I should go to the ER or not.  My right eyeball is now swollen, right eye socket is sore to the touch (very sore)  and random spots all over the right side of the skull are also sore to the touch.  A CT scan has been done and normal results.  Blood work was normal.  I go to bed with this and wake up with this, I'm exhausted and had a 3 - 4 hour nap today and I'm still tired - sleep is leaving me exhausted.  Day 4 of the Vitd3 regiment.

I'm 130 lbs, do not have sleep apnea, and my testosterone level at my last check up was around 775 ng/dl (I'm 24 and the average for my age group is around 692). I almost never get hits after I've fallen asleep...although I do average 2-6 per day (varying at different times during my cycle).

Should I ask my neurologist for some 'roids and a CPAP machine to use during the day?

I do, on the other hand, have delayed sleep-phase syndrome. My body temperature also has trouble regulating...my average body temperature seems to be around 96.5-96.9. These are functions of the hypothalamus. I'm going with the more accepted, scientifically based theories that clusters are caused by abnormalities in the hypothalamus until more research proves otherwise.

Each person is different what works for one may or may not work for another. I'm just trying to help and gather info. If you are going to look down on what I ask and have presented and I might add not even actually READ what I wrote then please do not respond. Thanks.

That being said I'll say it one more time low O2 levels OR if your brain/body is not absorbing O2 correctly WILL cause problems in all areas of brain function INCLUDING the hypothalamus. Your basically saying NO when you havent even thought about it. The brain takes 20% of the total intake of O2 to function properly. If you cut off O2 for only 8 minutes you will lose ALL brain function. Imagine if it was only absorbing 10%. What do you think it would do? Like I said before, the brain itself will shutdown anything it deems necisary under those conditions, including the hypothalamus. These are known facts so ask your doctor if you don't believe me. I've had these for 20 years and a change in temp has never been a trigger for me.

Pierce. How long have you suffered from these? And what age did they start?

Also lizardqueen. Tell me every symptom, body temp, any tests and what results. Does anything relieve the pain at all?When did they start? Did you get in a car accedent recently?  Do you have a knot on the back of your neck near the base of the skull? Sometimes you have to feel deep to find it. Anything more will help.

Just wanted to add one more thing, yes studies have shown activity in the hypothalamus DURING a headache ONLY. NO proof has been given that it is the cause. Tell me what regulation of body temp has anything to do with pain when the hypothalamus is not a pain receptor if anything it would be the thallamus that is causing the problem due to the fact that the HT(hypothalamus) is controlled by the thalamus and the thalamus is the pain receptor in the brain.
Plus, what happines when your in pain? You tense up. When you tense up you create body heat/endorphine levels spike, endorphine comes from the petuatary to the HT, in turn activating the HT. This is the reason for hypothalamus activity during an attack.    The brain and nervious system is the least understood.

Two things. First, recent studies (results published here) on the effects of imitrex concluded the effectiveness was due to neuronal, not vascular, activity. Second, if O2 levels were the issue, it seems I would only get hit at night. Not the case. I am chronic, and when in high cycle, I will be hit regularly every two hours, waking or sleeping. There has been talk about sleep apnea and while there may be a connection, none has been demonstrated. blessings. lance

OK, so my headaches are increasingly becoming worse.  I cannot relieve them at all with anything, I am going to my fam doctor today where she is going to give me an intramuscular Toradol shot that I got 2 days ago as well and helped for a couple of hours, I'm not expecting any relief today.  In fact I am going to the ER after this appointment, hopefully with the help of her so that I can bypass the waiting, not sure if that is possible though.  Have to see. 

Haven't had too many tests as this is all new.  Neurologist at hospital ER last Thurs order CT scan and was normal, as well blood test.  During headaches my body overheats and I strip down to nothing on, I don't want any clothes on and as soon as they are done I am putting layers on and blankets as I cannot control my body temperature anymore.  I know it is due to my hypothalmasus is out of whack, don't know why.  As well, don't know why headaches are getting progressively worse.  Probably due to the incompetency of my doctoring skills and lack of them, my husband wants me to find a new doctor I just want a headache specialist or a doctor that understands them as she doesn't.

I've been constipated due to the narcotics that the hospital keeps giving me so I got some suppositories yesterday and got my system cleaned out for todays trip.  Like I've said my skull is sore to the touch and today I don't even have to touch it, it's just sore - it hurts to have my eyes open.  I'm tired ALL the time, I'm tired after a nights sleep (if not woken up) and after a nap I woke up 4 times last night and had such a hard time falling asleep each time. 

Kevin you say you want to help me but you have not been reading my posts carefully enough.  You would see that I have been healing from a major bunion repair surgery since March that had me elevating my foot for a long time that had siezed muscles up in back and neck which since then have been getting headaches.  THey started by coming and going very mild, then progressively built up to Cluster Headaches and constant Migraines that I get no relief from.  I am doing massage therapy but only have so many available with my insurance, and that is almost done already $300 a year is not much.

My doctor won't prescribe injections and the Triptan tablets are not giving me relief.  I take Topamax daily and have yet no relief with those, opiates have no effect on me either, I am also dizzy and nauseous with this constant headache.  My head is starting to hurt, my eyeballs hurt and are swollen, my blood vessels in my head won't stop playing their drum - I just want some relief.  Anyone?

If your doc won't prescribe O2, get a new doc.

If you won't get a new doc, get O2 yourself.

The thing is Brew, I was getting Clusters and now it's just a constant painful headache.  How am I supposed to think?  IDK what's going on and I'm confused like the rest of them!  I get periods of clusters in the headaches too.

Well, the doctor is sending me off to a Neuro he is schooled in headaches but not a headache specialist.  My doctor prescribed me some maxalt tablets, surprise surprise, they did nothing but shock me at the cost of them even with insurance they were still expensive.  So off I went to the ER, 2 hours later all they did was give me a shot of dilaudid because of the referral to the Neuro - oh the frustration. 

A question to all.  With the maxalts being so expensive, is the injections also very costly?  Are there any places that you can print coupons to save money on any of these things?  Any trials to take part in that saves you the cost?  I'm just a poor headacher, maybe I'll have to make a living on the street to support my new lifestyle of headaches LOL.

Sorry, Potter that is where you are very wrong.  Mine did.   I don't want to argue with anyone and dispute anyone, I know how my headaches started, what they progressed to and what they are now.  We all know headaches suck, so please don't disregard someone's post as that is very frustrating and demeaning it's also very difficult for women as it is.  So I'll say no more as today and everyday has been an extremely bad day and this is making it worse!   Comments like that....

Technically Potter is correct. People can and do suffer from multiple headache types. You may be one of those "lucky" ones. Which is why it's so important to work with a headache specialist.

Dr. Gordon Robinson
Works out of UBC, office on Laurel Street in Vancouver.

Headache specialist, there is probably no one better in BC.  He knows CH and he truly understands.  (he spoke at the OUCH conference in Vancouver.  2003?)

He has a terribly long wait list though. 
So get the referral and then call the office yourself, explain you have CH and maybe more.   Mention this web site and maybe you can get move up the list.

Good luck.