Hi - I'm new to the site, have had migraines for 5 years and over the last 2 years they've been considerably worse. I am going to start seeing a counselor because I just can't seem to cope with the daily migraines that last for 8 to 12 hours, or frequently 2 or 3 days. I haven't had a pain-free day in a long time and I just can't seem to cope with it and keep a positive attitude the way I used to. I feel like a terrible mom because I can't be as engaged with my husband and 10 year old son. how do other people cope with these feelings? I'm seeing a great neurologist and my employer has been very understanding, I'm on a LOT of medication and obviously things could be worse. We are still working to adjust all the dosages and get the right cocktail, they seem to stop working every 12 weeks or so. Any advice on how to work through the depression, frustration, and anger of debilitating chronic daily pain? I just want to feel normal, and if that's 3 manageable migraines a month and no more trips to the ER then I can handle that!
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Daily migraine and depression - any advice
everyone is different that is what is hard about finding relief from migraines. i have
been living with chronic migraines the last 8 years. the first year I made a list of every
type of doctor that might rule out a reason for my headaches. dentist, ent, eyes,
gp, several neuroligist until each gave up. the er visits stopped working, chiropractor,
massage therapist, i was pretty desperate. my job forced me to take medical leave, &
then of course & i was not allowed back until i could guarantee i could work 40+ hours
a week with out needing sick leave for headaches ended my career. i was horrified, depressed, & wanted my life back. i have been to two headache clinics & the nurse
of one of them told me things could be worse. i thought about it & she was right. i
am now on disability, i have learn to live very simple, enjoy the small things, & know
this is my life. its like yesterday, its gone, make the best of it & move on. there are so
many cocktails that work. i take topamax 2x daily for preventive. my headaches are
now 3-4 a week instead of chronic daily. i take bupropion for depression. it gets me
over the hump of being home bound so much. once i get a headache i rotate tylenol,
& aleve. for those special outings right now i take floricet. if you take prescribed pain
meds very often they will either stop working, or start causing more rebound
headaches. so the floricet is for holidays or special events only. i hope you find what
works for you real soon. the days will get brighter.
I hope that you have found a neurologist who is a migraine specialist, and a family or internal medicine doctor who are helping you find a better preventive and treatment program since you posted here in January. Recognizing that you are depressed, frustrated and angry is a place to start - I denied this for a while, trying to "tough it out," and make my condition as seamless as possible for my family and employer. This only made my migraines more frequent and more severe. I finally found I was not longer enjoying the things that usually brought me joy, like visits from my daughter, dinner out with my
I'm so sorry for the multiple truncated posts! My kitten ran across the keyboard and startled me - DOH!
Just to finish what I was trying to say is that I am on an anti-depressant now that actually also helps with my fibromyalgia, and am in counseling. I find it helpful to talk with an objective person, and seem to be answering many of my own questions, including finding ways to let my family help/understand what is going on with me, accepting that this condition is going to be unpredictable and part of my life, and how to relearn to enjoy the blessings around me while simplifying my expectations of myself. Just as if I had, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, I have to let my family and friends understand that I will have good days, better days, and days when I must be in bed. Its has been difficult to learn to pace myself, and learn not to dread the next interruption, migraine, or event that might trigger a migraine.
I'd love to hear how you are doing now, and if you've found some new strategies that are helping. Lynne
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Hello, and welcome to MyMigraineConnection.com!
I'm glad you've found our site, but sorry you have had to! We have lots of great information and support here I hope you will take advantage of.
Coping with a chronic illness is frustrating, exhausting and just plain unpleasant at times. It effects the entire family in ways we don't even realize. Seeing a counselor is a wonderful idea, I see one myself. This may help with depression, if not, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor about medication for it. Just admitting that this is a lifelong issue can be a process in itself. You see here's the thing, chronic means every day (you may not have a Migraine every day - but Migraine is a genentic disease) whereas accute means temporary, like a broken leg, it will go away.
Three Migraines a month is just about the limit for preventives. Did you say you are on one? There are many Migraine preventives available, please don't lose hope and despair. There is a treatment that will work for you. Continue reading this for more information: Migraine Preventive Medications - Too Many Options To Give Up!
If Migraine pain lasts loner than 72 hours without a four-hour, pain-free break while awake, it may be a condition called Status Migrainous and needs medical attention. This increases our risk of stroke, please read this article: Status Migrainous - The Basics.
Thank you for creating a SharePost. SharePosts are a form of blogging, and there are many things you can do with them. You can share an experience, suggest something that's helped you, use SharePosts as a Migraine and headache journal, and many other things.
We also have a discussion forum that you may want to check out. Especially if you have questions or are looking for information, you may find the interaction on the forum to be quite helpful. We hope to see you on the forum for more support. To get to the forum, just look for the orange box marked "Manage" and click on the Migraine Forums link. Because our forums are maintained by a third party, you'll need to register for the forum. You can use the same information you used to create your community log-in if you like. If you want to go directly to the forum, you can click HERE.
Along with your personal "My Home" page and the discussion forum, you'll find links to a great deal of helpful information and a spot to sign up for our free newsletter on the main page of our site, http://www.MyMigraineConnection.com.
If you have any questions, please feel free to post them to the forum or send me a message through my profile.
Welcome again,
Nancy BonkMyMigraineConnection.com Expert