b.g. Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Is there anyone who posts here that have had CH switch sides of the head? Is there any notice, or does it just happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bejeeber Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Have I personally had it switch sides? No. It's hard for me to even imagine. Do I know other headbangers who have had it switch sides? Yep, definitely, leading me to believe it's not uncommon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b.g. Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 I hope and pray it's not going to happen to me. I don't think I could handle it. I've had some weird stuff going on the past couple of days and I'm a little scared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadacheRelief Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 B.g. Like what? Can you explain please? Maybe someone, or several someones, have had similar experiences and can relate their experiences and help put any concerns you have to rest. I hope so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b.g. Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 B.g. Like what? Can you explain please? Maybe someone, or several someones, have had similar experiences and can relate their experiences and help put any concerns you have to rest. I hope so... Hi Gail [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif] As with anything CH related, it's difficult to explain I guess. The symptoms continue today as well. This would make it nearly 4 straight days now. I am normally a "righty" .... but for the last few days the hair on the left side of my head hurts and everything is tight. Very vague I know, but thats about as good as I can explain it. It's only on the left side, and it feels like every one of my hairs is a needle stuck into my scalp. If the wind blows my hair, or I rub my hand through it, I can feel each individual "needle" moving back and forth in my head. And the entire left side of my face/head feels "tight".... like my skin is slowly being shrink wrapped around that side. It's something that I have only experienced on the right side before (usually in the aftermath of an attack) and I was just wondering if that could be a warning that things might be switching sides? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoxieGirl Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Mine does, all the time. the left side of my body is more sensitive, and more dominate. When I get hit on the left side, they are always 10 times worse than on the right. But thankfully 70%, maybe 60% are on the right. Sometimes I'll get hit, have a very short pause as the pain eases, then get hit on the other side worse. Or it'll start behind my ear, move through my temple to my forehead. Most of the time they are in my eye socket, but not always. Temple, forehead, eye ball. I never know where, how painful or how long for. 1 minute, 5, 10, 30, an hour or any in between. Nor do I know the time of day, but rarely at night. 5 or 10% at night, maybe. One of the most random things in my life. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b.g. Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 Thanks MG. Ugh. I have always been a righty ..... I literally tremble at the thought of having a left side attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1961mom Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Yes. It's scary, I know. I was an left-sided episodic beginning at age 15. Average cycle return was about 12-18 months. I was diagnosed right away (contrary to many)...and had an old cuss for a neuro. He told me "The good news is you're young so you should grow out of these in you 30's or 40's." At age 39 I went through a 5 month cycle and when it was over, it was just like any other cycle ending. Nothing notable. Kaput, over. When it was time for my next cycle, NO SHOW! 9 full years of remission! I totally believed the old cuss was right. In 2008, it jumped sides but I argued with my updated neuro for months because I didn't have a single attack, just nerve pain or shadows from hell. It took nearly 5 months before I actually had an attack. I was a right-sided chronic up until 164 days ago. xox I think it was a standard "hope" line they fed many back in the day, who knows? Updated neuro wouldn't confirm when I asked. Good old boys club, I guess. This place is far more hopeful, IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b.g. Posted April 18, 2013 Author Share Posted April 18, 2013 In 2008, it jumped sides but I argued with my updated neuro for months because I didn't have a single attack, just nerve pain or shadows from hell. It took nearly 5 months before I actually had an attack. I was a right-sided chronic up until 164 days ago. Thank you very much for sharing. But unfortunately your experience leads me to believe that it could be switching on me If I switched to the left and went episodic that might make it bearable .... but if I stay chronic and go to a lefty??? Brings tears to my eyes. :'( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defectiv Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 I have only experienced a switch one time and it was for just a single cluster. May I ask why it matters if its one side or the other. Have i missed something. steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b.g. Posted April 19, 2013 Author Share Posted April 19, 2013 I have only experienced a switch one time and it was for just a single cluster. May I ask why it matters if its one side or the other. Have i missed something. steve Did you have any notice, or did it just switch with no warning? I am right handed, right footed, right side CH, horners with the small right pupil..... I am definitely more right side dominant all the way around. The left side of my entire body is the "sissy side". After 2+ years of chronic right side attacks, I have accustomed myself to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunGuy Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 My personal experience: I have always switched sides since onset 37 years ago. Always episodic, I used to get 2 cycles a year like clockwork and they would usually alternate sides but I never knew for certain which side was coming next. Have had several cycles start on one side and shift to the other mid-cycle and once even changed back to the side of onset, all in my typical 10 weeks cycles. Recent years have seen a dramatic decrease in frequency of cycles and I'm currently in a 2-year remission (and counting!) which I attribute to regular preventative treatments. I have never found much of a difference for which side they are on, the cycle duration and frequency and intensity of each individual attack remained relatively the same. As did my ability to abort an attack with oxygen, regardless of which side they were on. In the last 10 or so years there are slightly more cycles on the left but I don't think it's significant. For me, it doesn't seem to matter and I try not to worry about what could be as I can't change it and attempts at anticipation doesn't help with my 'tude. KWIM. Good luck. FG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdamm318 Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 During certain cycles in the past I have had them switch from one side to the other. The pain is always greater on the dominant side though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defectiv Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 no notice. just a sudden switch it was on the right as always it started to go away then it just hit the left real hard (6 or a 7) and that was it. when it went away its never recured Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b.g. Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 Thank you so much for the responses everyone. Very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1961mom Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 b.g. you might find the results of the recently posted Clusterheadache.com survey interesting.....seems you're not alone "This cluster headaches survey was conducted from May 23, 1999 thru Jan 20, 2013 and was completed by more than 12,000 cluster headache sufferers."Â Scroll down to "Click this button......" tab http://www.clusterheadaches.com/survey/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bejeeber Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Those are interesting results '61mama, thanks. So it looks like a good 19% of headbangers are switch hitters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shahooty Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 In my twenty five years of clusters, I've had one that switched sides. I think the pain level was just as high, but I could handle the pain a lot better. The analogy I used with my wife was to imagine I'd been carrying a bucket full of water with my left arm for five hours, that arm is all warn down and achy. Then I get to switch arms for five minutes. It almost feels good to give the left side a break. The switcheroo actually just happened with me. Along with a few other new symptoms that I've never experienced before. A constant pain at the base of my skull. Sore and tense neck and back. And two cycles happening with just a two week remission. Hoping I didn't just make the jump from episodic to chronic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.