Posted by T. P. (152.163.197.208) on July 19, 1999 at 03:05:29:
In Reply to: TOXICS posted by Donald on July 18, 1999 at 04:05:52:
This is the kind of questioning we need more of on here, I think!
I, for one, experience my attacks within a couple of hours after waking. That makes me different from most of the sufferers here, and I believe comparing differences like this will help us find more of an understanding of this problem. For example, I have wondered if the difference between the time I get them and the time others get them is sort of like---perhaps my pain is caused by the switch turning off, whereas others' pain is caused by the switch turning on. I don't know what the switch is, or even if there is one. But I find the research pointing to the hypothalamus to be very very interesting.
I also have wondered if CH is caused by not one, but several things which are completely different in each of us, but when added on top of each other, produce CH as a combined effect. I think there is a lot to be said for toxicity and our modern way of "living". In a sense, with so many chemicals and synthetic substances in our lives, we are in effect removing ourselves from our natural way of life. Not to sound like a hippie here, but isn't the hypothalamus believed to be the part of our brain that keeps us "in tune" with nature (stimulating sleep, appetite, keeping us regular with the earth's cycles)? This also may be a factor in why it seems CH seems like a growing problem in the population, as we move farther away from natural survival.
Also, I wanted to add that I used to break thermometers open and play with the mercury (fun stuff) when I was little. I don't know, however, when my CH's began occuring. I remember always having them, but cannot remember a specific time of having them up until my middle teens. Also, our microwave blew up one day and filled the house with a grey smoke--I also found a hole in the back of it, at least the size of a quarter. I don't know how long it had been there, or even if microwaves can travel very far outside of the machine itself. But things like this could contribute, who knows? Also, I have a lot of other problems associated with CH by some specialists, such as bad posture, extremely fast metabolism (I can have Big Macs and beer all day and still lose weight on the walk o the bathroom!), slow circulation, slightly offset jaw, etc...
Anyway, thanks for the good question!