Antibiotics to treat CH?

[JBH]

Has anyone ever tried antibiotics to treat cluster headaches? 

So, I thought I had sinus infections when I first started getting CH about 10 years ago.  I wasn't diagnosed.  I was in my 20's and I think my stepfather would get sinus infections so I came to the conclusion I had them too. I have none of the symptoms of sinus infections however, aside from the splitting headache.  I also get migraines so I would confuse my CH for migraines, but the CH lasts for days, even about a week or longer.

So I was going to a doctor about 1 every 2 months for these "weird headaches" other than my migraines.  They would give me antibiotics and other meds.  Unfortunately (and fortunately) they've stopped prescribing me the antibiotics because they didn't want my body to become immune or to form a dependency, BUT after 2 days on antibiotics, my CH is gone, dead, stopped in its tracks.

Now, I DO NOT recommend this type of treatment because I believe I'm suffering some of the effects of this homemade "therapy", but has anyone ever heard of this?  Tried this?  Know why this would work so damn well?

Thanks

Jaymi

[CHfather]

10 hours ago, JBH said:

the CH lasts for days, even about a week or longer.

Do you mean that you have the headache continuously, or nearly continuously, for days, a week, or longer?  If so, that's not really consistent with a diagnosis of CH.  I'm not arguing with you, but if you don't have CH, then the effectiveness of the antibiotics might be more understandable.  I've never read of antibiotics being an effective treatment for CH.

[JBH]

The headache lasts for days.  The intensity might range from a 3-8 on scale throughout those days but it can go on for up to a 5-7 days.  Hey, I don't might being told they are not CH!  I'll take this problem elsewhere if it's something else.  I'm interested in the treatment.

Thanks!

[CHfather]

JBH,

You might look up hemicrania continua as a possible alternative diagnosis (which is effectively treated with a medication called indomethacin -- nothing I've seen about it being responsive to antibiotics, though).  Symptoms of HC are very similar to those of CH, except that HC pain goes on for days.   https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Hemicrania-Continua-Information-Page

[JBH]

Thanks for the information.  I'll look into this Hemicrania Continua and Indomethacin as a treatment though because antibiotics is just not good as a long term. 

My neurologist isn't very good, I'm shopping for a new one.  I'll see what they think.  I'll post again with any new information.  

[xxx]

Hey JBH,

I suspect you're vitamin D3 deficient (<30 ng/mL) and that deficiency is contributing to the frequency, duration and intensity of your headaches like it has for over 75% of 600 CHers taking the anti-inflammatory regimen.  Baseline 25(OH)D lab results for 25(OH)D from the online survey of 215 cluster headache sufferers (CHers) taking the anti-inflammatory regimen to prevent their CH are illustrated in the following normal distribution curve.  25(OH)D is the serum level metabolite of vitamin D3 that's used to measure its status... 

The 25(OH)D normal reference range is 30 to 100 ng/mL (75 to 250 nmol/L).  Most vitamin D3 experts contend anything less than 50 ng/mL is vitamin D3 deficiency.  Better than 80% of CHers who have started this vitamin D3 regimen since December of 2010 have experienced a significant reduction in the frequency, intensity and duration of their CH from an average of 3 CH/day down to 3 CH/week.  Better than 50% of CHers starting this regimen experience a complete cessation of CH symptoms as long as they remain on this regimen.

I'm also confident the anti-inflammatory regimen CH preventative treatment protocol will work to prevent HC just like it does for CH...  Accordingly, either way, this regimen should help prevent your headaches.  You can pull down a copy of the latest version of the treatment protocol from the following link at VitaminDWiki:

http://www.vitamindwiki.com/tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=7708

Be sure to take a copy of this treatment protocol to your PCP when you ask for the lab test of your 25(OH)D.

You can also scan the following QR code with your smart phone and it will download a pdf copy of the treatment protocol to your phone as a ready reference.  The QR Code scanner app is free.  It takes less than 10 seconds to download and install.

Take care and please keep us posted if you decide to give this regimen a try.

V/R, Batch

[Dallas Denny]

G'afternoon JBH!

I have to agree with Chf on looking into hemicrania continua!!  The good news is that it is very treatable with indomethacin!!

I've never heard of antibiotics being used as an effective treatment for clusters either.

DD