I've been fighting a losing battle with migraines for several years. Some days are better than others but I try to get through each day the best I can. I am not currently taking any meds ( the last set caused some very scary side effects that left me terrified to take even a baby aspirin) and of course the headaches are a part of life. This past week has been particularly difficult, the pain has been extrordinary, merciless; my energy levels are lower than they've been in a long time. I'm starting to have feeling of hopelessness and despair, it bothers me that my husband can't understand what I'm going through and I'm finding myself constantly coming up with excuses to avoid socializing with others. This is not me, and I'm wondering if this is a result of years of dealing with migraines finally taking it's toll (I can handle that, I know I can brush myself off and keep going, eventually) or can migraines actually have a physiological effect on my mental health?
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Q: Can migraines cause depression?
Dear Estella,
DURING a Migraine attack, one of the symptoms of the Migraine can be feeling depressed, anxious, panicky. That's because the Migrainous process in the brain includes messing with the levels of neurtransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine -- the same neurotransmitters involved in depression. Those feelings of depression should let up within 24 - 48 hours of the end of the Migraine.
Migraine and major depressive disorder (sometimes called clinical depression) are often comorbid conditions. That means that they occur simultaneously, but neither causes the other.
So, essentially the answer is that you can experience feeing depressed as a symptom during a Migraine attack, but no, Migraine disease cannot cause major depressive disorder.
I hope you don't mind, but I feel the need to address your Migraine situation. I can totally identify with having had bad side effects from medication. Been there, done that, burned the tee shirt. However, there is mounting evidence that Migraine is a progressive brain disease. In fact, a recent study showed that Migraines can cause brain damage. Migraineurs who have three or more Migraines a month were shown to be more susceptible to this damage than those with fewer Migraines. Please take some time to read:
• Is Migraine a Progressive Brain Disease and
• Yes, Migraines Can Cause Brain Damage.
For your husband, you might try printing and giving him the educational materials with this article, Migraine and Headache Education for Those who "Don't Get It."
Most importantly, Estella, you do NOT have to live this way. Please consider seeing a true Migraine specialist? If you need help locating one, check our listing of Patient Recommended Migraine and Headache Specialists.
I know you're going through a rough time. If you'd like some additional support, come join our discussion forum. You'll need to register again once there because it's a separate membership database, but you can use the same member name, email address, and password that you used here. You can find our forum at http://forums.healthcentral.com/discussion/migraine/forums.
Best wishes,
Teri
Estella,
I know exactly how you are feeling as far as your husband is concerned. I live with my boyfriend and he doesn't think that my migraines or as severe as they are. Unforuantely I am on several meds not only for migraines but also for Fibromyalgia. He always tells everyone that I am a walking drug store. He doesn't understand when I can't sleep at night and then I end up sleeping during the day or when I need complete silence and darkness because of the migraines. Of course the Fibromyalgia doesn't help either. I also have bulging disk in my neck and have some nerve damage in my right shoulder from an accident some years back. I haven't been able to work now in over 4 years and he doesn't understand that either. I lost my job due to my condition. I missed so many days of work that I just couldn't help it and I really loved my job and the people that I worked with. I have been trying for my disability and still haven't heard anything on it and I have an attorney. Please know that you don't have to deal with this alone. You can always contact me with you would like to talk about.
Vicky
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