Chronic migraines and depression
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struggling Christian
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:59 pm
I am 34 and have been suffering with debilitating migraines as well as ocd/anxiety/depression since childhood. I am on long-term disability from work right now. I am barely functioning. I was wondering if there is a connection between the migraines and depression. Anyone else suffer from these disabling conditions together?
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Grandpa Doggie
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2010 8:14 pm
struggling CHRISTian, I am 60 and in answer to your question I do not suffer from your disabling conditions but I have struggled with following JESUS but I find prayer(communication with the LORD) is a healing and peaceful use of our time, if you haven't tried prayer I recommend it. It may not take away your suffering permanently but you will find temporary relief and miracles happen everyday! Pray sincerely, and you may be one of God's miracles, just believe.
God Bless, Grandpa Doggie
God Bless, Grandpa Doggie
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struggling Christian
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:59 pm
Dear struggling Christian:
I used to suffer from migraines. I suffered from the migraines during the same time I was
suffering severely from anxiety,panic attacks, depression, stress, hopelessness and problems with several physical health issues. I don't know which came first in my life. Did the psychiatric episodes and difficulties cause my physical health issues, or did my long term physical health issues cause the anxiety/stress/depression that I was experiencing. Or is the answer to the question: BOTH ?
I had these migraines during a bad time in my life when I was at the hight of severe depression and I was having panic attacks and my life was in a "downward spiral".
( I also lost 60 pounds ). I once spent 6 hours in the Emergency Room waiting area with a migraine headache before I even got to see an ER doctor. That was hell to live through! I finally saw an ER doctor, they gave me a combination of drugs, my migraine went away, they gave me a catscan of my head, and then sent me home. I also tried Imitrex, but I did not like to take that.
My downward spiral ended in 2007 when I was hospitalized for psychiatric reasons and I was on Short Term Disability from my job. I got help at the hospital ( I was actually hospitalized 3 times until I was able to even start realizing what was going on, that I needed help, and started getting that help).
I started to see a psychiatrist on a regular basis and I was prescibed medicines. I know that this Program does not promote psychiatric medicines, but this Program is not really intended for Clinical or Suicidal Depression ( which I had ). I am still on the meds and still seeing the psychiatrist AND I am working on this Program because it can help ANYBODY.
I believe in this Program and it works if YOU DO THE WORK. It is a basic program that helps you to help yourself. Try to use the Program every day and try to stay focused on it, because it will start improving your life. It is not easy, it is hard work. Sure, there are ups and downs and everyone has those. But having more ups than downs is great. We are normal, we feel good sometimes and we feel bad sometimes. It is just the way we react to these changes that makes all of the difference.
I am on Session Six, but ALL of the Sessions so far have helped me and really made me think about everything that is going on in my life. This program, in addition to the help I am receiving from my doctors has made me feel that there is hope for me, that I can change the way I think and therefore change the way I feel.
Session Three and Session Four were the best ever. Okay, I was actually excited over Session Three when I read it was about changing your negative thoughts to positive thoughts, WOW. That was my whole life, thinking negatively. Session Four was great because it was about Expectations and boy did that speak DIRECTLY to ME. I suddenly saw what was going on. Duh, a lightbulb lit up and it finally made sense.
struggling Christian.....are you seeing a doctor while you are on disability? I would probably guess yes, because when I was on disability I kept getting calls from my employers disability people checking up on me to see when I would be returning to work ( I was getting 100% pay for 5 months ). Then I also got calls from my Insurance company people because I was frequenting Emergency Rooms, going to a lot of doctors, being admitted to the hospital. Of course I am sure the Insurance company wanted me to stop costing them so much money and that they wanted to know what was going on and if I was getting better and going back to work too. Like I wasn't having enough problems already with my breakdown and trying to get healthier the best that I could at that time.....I couldn't even think straight!! Good Grief!! There I was, mentally ill, and these people from the Short Term Disability and the Insurance company were bothering me all of the time...........of course this created more anxiety and depression, which is what I was being treated for!!! Ugh.
I got a good psychiatrist and some meds and got back to work, but not functioning at a very high percentage when I returned. I sure could have used the Long Term Disability because when I returned to work I was still working with my psychiatrist with what kinds and combinations of psychiatric drugs would work the best for me and my situation. Everyone is different.
I wish you luck on your journey and I will be thinking about you. Stay in touch with the Peer Support Group. I am not here to give you any medical advice whatsover, you need to get that from the medical professionals that are treating you, I am just here to listen to you and to offer you my own experiences to let you know you are not alone.
Belief in God is a very important part,for most people, in their "recovery" from their depression/anxiety/stress. I have found that the exploration of the texts in the bible along with conversations with the folks from these posts ( open forum or personal notes ) has really expanded my knowledge of the Christian faith and has made me think about what it means to keep my faith in God alive.
Love yourself. You are a strong and intelligent person. You can live your life to the fullest. You CAN feel better.
Lynda Lu
I used to suffer from migraines. I suffered from the migraines during the same time I was
suffering severely from anxiety,panic attacks, depression, stress, hopelessness and problems with several physical health issues. I don't know which came first in my life. Did the psychiatric episodes and difficulties cause my physical health issues, or did my long term physical health issues cause the anxiety/stress/depression that I was experiencing. Or is the answer to the question: BOTH ?
I had these migraines during a bad time in my life when I was at the hight of severe depression and I was having panic attacks and my life was in a "downward spiral".
( I also lost 60 pounds ). I once spent 6 hours in the Emergency Room waiting area with a migraine headache before I even got to see an ER doctor. That was hell to live through! I finally saw an ER doctor, they gave me a combination of drugs, my migraine went away, they gave me a catscan of my head, and then sent me home. I also tried Imitrex, but I did not like to take that.
My downward spiral ended in 2007 when I was hospitalized for psychiatric reasons and I was on Short Term Disability from my job. I got help at the hospital ( I was actually hospitalized 3 times until I was able to even start realizing what was going on, that I needed help, and started getting that help).
I started to see a psychiatrist on a regular basis and I was prescibed medicines. I know that this Program does not promote psychiatric medicines, but this Program is not really intended for Clinical or Suicidal Depression ( which I had ). I am still on the meds and still seeing the psychiatrist AND I am working on this Program because it can help ANYBODY.
I believe in this Program and it works if YOU DO THE WORK. It is a basic program that helps you to help yourself. Try to use the Program every day and try to stay focused on it, because it will start improving your life. It is not easy, it is hard work. Sure, there are ups and downs and everyone has those. But having more ups than downs is great. We are normal, we feel good sometimes and we feel bad sometimes. It is just the way we react to these changes that makes all of the difference.
I am on Session Six, but ALL of the Sessions so far have helped me and really made me think about everything that is going on in my life. This program, in addition to the help I am receiving from my doctors has made me feel that there is hope for me, that I can change the way I think and therefore change the way I feel.
Session Three and Session Four were the best ever. Okay, I was actually excited over Session Three when I read it was about changing your negative thoughts to positive thoughts, WOW. That was my whole life, thinking negatively. Session Four was great because it was about Expectations and boy did that speak DIRECTLY to ME. I suddenly saw what was going on. Duh, a lightbulb lit up and it finally made sense.
struggling Christian.....are you seeing a doctor while you are on disability? I would probably guess yes, because when I was on disability I kept getting calls from my employers disability people checking up on me to see when I would be returning to work ( I was getting 100% pay for 5 months ). Then I also got calls from my Insurance company people because I was frequenting Emergency Rooms, going to a lot of doctors, being admitted to the hospital. Of course I am sure the Insurance company wanted me to stop costing them so much money and that they wanted to know what was going on and if I was getting better and going back to work too. Like I wasn't having enough problems already with my breakdown and trying to get healthier the best that I could at that time.....I couldn't even think straight!! Good Grief!! There I was, mentally ill, and these people from the Short Term Disability and the Insurance company were bothering me all of the time...........of course this created more anxiety and depression, which is what I was being treated for!!! Ugh.
I got a good psychiatrist and some meds and got back to work, but not functioning at a very high percentage when I returned. I sure could have used the Long Term Disability because when I returned to work I was still working with my psychiatrist with what kinds and combinations of psychiatric drugs would work the best for me and my situation. Everyone is different.
I wish you luck on your journey and I will be thinking about you. Stay in touch with the Peer Support Group. I am not here to give you any medical advice whatsover, you need to get that from the medical professionals that are treating you, I am just here to listen to you and to offer you my own experiences to let you know you are not alone.
Belief in God is a very important part,for most people, in their "recovery" from their depression/anxiety/stress. I have found that the exploration of the texts in the bible along with conversations with the folks from these posts ( open forum or personal notes ) has really expanded my knowledge of the Christian faith and has made me think about what it means to keep my faith in God alive.
Love yourself. You are a strong and intelligent person. You can live your life to the fullest. You CAN feel better.
Lynda Lu
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Paisleegreen
- Posts: 1778
- Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 5:27 pm
Paislee