migranes and depression

luvbug00 wrote: backround info, long story short. basically i have been depressed for as long as i can remember. I took meds in elementry school. stopped taking them in middle school and haven't since then. At any rate durring HS i was a mess. but i did some not so good things that kept it under control. After Mya i was good for a really long time. heck i was fine even after the whole brad ordeal. ( in fact, i was kinda happy). I just have been really depressed lately and with this depression has come thease major migranes. I must pop 6-8 IBprofins a day. it never leaves either, just is more tolerable. so i want to know how to get rid of the headaches. the depression..well no pill can cure that. But if anyone can reccomend a migrane med to ask the dr. about i'd appricate it.

luvmykids replied: I'm sorry Nadia! If I were you I'd honestly talk to the doc about the depression as well, if you haven't tried meds since elementary school you may be suprised at how far they've come. It's no fun to live that way

For migraines I use Imitrex and I have another headache med that does suprisingly well for me if I catch it early but I'm out of it and can't remember the name. I'll look for you.

Kirstenmumof3 replied: I know that it seems like there isn't a medication that won't help for your depression, but sometimes it takes 2 or 3 before you find the right one. I don't get migranes, but I think that this is something you should talk to your doctor about. He would know of medications to help with this!

Kentuckychick replied: I'm sorry to hear you're going through all of that. I tend to have the opposite problem with the migraines leading to depression, so I can't offer much advice in the other direction but I would mention it to your doctor. Some possible meds to try would be Imitrex, Axert, or Midrin. All of those are abortive meds that you take at the onset of the migraine.

It's also important to make sure that you're having migraines and not tension headaches, which can be caused by depression, as there are diferent types of medicines for those. The fact that you say the headache never really goes away would lead me to believe it's a tension headache rather than migraine. I get both and the main difference is that I can mark the exact moment that a migraine begins (with the aura) and approximately when it ends. A tension headache sticks around for days at a time and tends to make me feel like my head, neck, and eyes are just all too heavy and painful to stay on my neck. While the migraines are worse, the tension headaches are a real pain.

Something you could try would be Excedrin Tension headache and Excedrin Migraine to see if either one eases your pain. I have known a lot of people who don't suffer from chronic headaches to get good results from those

Jackie012007 replied: I get migraines all the time - it goes hand in hand with the depression for some (me too). I was on Axert but that stuff made me really loopy and I couldn't work when I was on it. I was then put on Paxil because it functions as an anti-depressant and also migraine treatment... it worked for a while until I got pregnnt and went off of it - it has a long half-life and it takes some time and patience to go on it and come off it - the side affects are AWFUL. I've since been switched to Citalopram, which is helping trmendously with the depression/social anxiety/ bipolarness... but not the migraines. I LIVE on Excedrine Migraine - it's great and it works quickly. I've heard that Imitrex is good stuff too but have never been on it. I hope you find something that works!

A&A'smommy replied: First of all

I get headaches a LOT, I get tension headaches and cluster headaches (I'm not sure if that is the right term or not but close enough).

It might be a good idea to talk to your doctor about depression first because there might be something new that could help you. And I would also try Excedrin migraine and Excedrin tension headaches to see which one works for you. Also if meds to work try couseling that might help...

Kentuckychick replied:
- Ditto on the Axert... I always feel like I'm walking around in a dream world or something when I'm on it. Not to mention it costs an arm and a leg! As for Imitrex, from what I've been told by my neurologist, Axert is just a newer stronger version of Imitrex. Imitrex didn't make me nearly as loopy, but it didn't stop my full blown migraines either.

- As for the anti-depressants being migraine treatment, been there too. Only they put me on Elavil and I have NEVER been so depressed in my entire life than I was when I was on that medicine. Anyone else had that kind of experience?

And don't forget the newer warnings that the combination of certain migraine medicines (triptans - imitrex, Axert, etc...) and anti-depressants containing serotonin are very very dangerous!

You'd be surprised the number of doctors who aren't neurologists that will still perscribe a combo of the two.

hawkshoe replied: Try taking Excederine instead of ibuprofin. I find it works better for migraines. If that doesn't help there are several prescription migraine medicines out there, one being Imitrex, that work well.

gotoneson replied: I've suffered from migraines for years. I tried many prescription pain killers but the only thing that works for me is plain old Excedrin Migraine. Which, if you've read the labels closely, is the same thing as extra strength Excedrin, but in a different package.

Anyway, that helps the pain for me. When I was pregnant and couldn't take aspirin (I cannot take ibuprofen and tylenol never helped my pain), my OB suggested I eat more protein and less carbs and believe it or not, that helped, too. Has something to do with stabilizing blood sugar levels. I was never one to go all-natural or holistic over a good strong pill, but more protein and less carbs really did help.

Good luck.
Got.One.Son

tammyhopkins replied: When i get my headache i take MOTRIN SUPER. they work fo rhte first while then when they no longer work i switch to Excedrin MIGRANE.

One thing that has worked well for a friend of mine that suffers Migranes is taking a daily dose of magnesium.

coasterqueen replied: First off you will pay dearly if you keep taking the IB's, especially that many a day. Believe me I'm paying for it now. This is what I was doing and it contributed to my ulcer I'm dealing with now. Stop taking the IB's as soon as possible. My doctor suggested I take anti-depressants to PREVENT migraines and gave me a narcotic to relieve the pain of them. So far it's not too bad. The narcotic reacts to me in the opposite way it's supposed to so I can only take 1/2 a pill, in turn doesn't do a whole lot for my migraines, but some. The key is to PREVENT them and I was told anti-depressants and arthritis meds are the best at doing that.

msoulz replied: I use Imitrex. Excederine and ibuprofen do not touch my migraines.

I hope you find relief soon.

momofone replied: I feel that way certains times of the month and find that soy milk helps regulate my hormones which also helps my moods too.

msoulz replied:
No kidding - how much and how often do you drink it?

momofone replied: Just like a cup or 2 a day few days before AF comes at 36 yrs old I was getting night sweats . It has weak natural estrogen properties in it. Estrogen levels drop right before AF which makes me moody

gr33n3y3z replied:

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: DH gets a lot of migraines lately and his doc told him to start drinking Coke. I guess its the caffeine. I thought that was amazingly strange coming from a doctor, but DH has tried it and it worked, temporarily of course. I'm not a pop drinker, so I really dispise seeing DH, who also has weight and low blood sugar issues, drink it - especially a few a day. But if it works, hey, can't really be worse than all the meds out there I suppose. BTW, I hope that doesn't come off sounding like I don't support med taking...I do. Completely. BTDT.

No one can force you to go to therapy or take medication for depression, but please know that it isn't something that you just have to live with. It is cureable (sp?). Not only with meds, but through exercise, hobbies, etc...You'll find what works for you, but just don't give up on finding happiness.