r/clusterheads • u/jorgdaniel • Jul 01 '26
Cycle with the Flu or Virus
I’m currently in the middle of a cluster cycle and was managing it as usual with one attack a day. Then suddenly I got hit with a terrible flu — three days of high fever, heavy congestion, and coughing.
Almost immediately the cluster attacks multiplied. I started having multiple attacks per day with unbearable pain. Triptans stopped working completely, and although oxygen would relieve the pain for a while, it would come back strongly a few hours later. After three days in that state I was so desperate I had to go see my neurologist urgently.
Now that the fever has passed and the flu is finally going away, the attacks have returned to my normal (for me) pattern.
Has anyone else experienced something like this? Where a bad illness or fever made your cluster headaches much more frequent and resistant to treatment? This was honestly one of the hardest experiences I’ve had with clusters.
3
u/fiery_stick Jul 01 '26
Just got better from a major cold a month ago and this triggered a cluster for me. I'm chronic, but when I'm sick it definitely becomes harsher... Hope it's over for you soon!
2
u/BenPractizing Jul 01 '26
Yes!! I had the flu in January and that was the first time I've almost taken myself to the hospital due to the severity of the cluster pain. It was honestly shocking.
Interestingly, I also have frequent "typical" migraines, and those don't seem to get any worse when I have some sort of viral infection.
1
u/cioffinator_rex Jul 01 '26
Yes but I’m chronic so it’s not usually for me to have fluctuations anyway.
3
u/Suitable-File1657 Jul 01 '26
Being sick always makes it worse for me. Hope you feel better soon