Migraine and Psychological Symptoms

[youngamerican69]

I am a 42 yr. old male and was diagnosed with migraines 5 years ago. In hindsight I was having them since my early twenties but would just treat them as very bad headaches. What I have noticed in the past 2 years is that the headaches are sometimes accompanied by psychological symptoms. My latest episode is a good example. The migraine hit mid day after lunch on the left side of my head. Within a few hours I felt very depressed as if all of the good feeling chemicals had been drained from my brain. The depressed mood can last up to 3 or 4 days and can border on despair.  I will usually get better over a 3 or 4 day time frame. When not in the midst of a migraine I do not have any depression.  Because of this I do not see any reason to go on an SSRI. My question is is this symptom in the range of migraine symptoms? Another odd effect of the migraine is that my libido goes through the roof after the actute pain dissipates for a few days.  Could it be that the migraine is messing up my serotonin levels? If so what can I do to keep my self more stable around these migraine episodes? I have tried triptans but they leave me competely wiped out for the next few days. This is scary for me because a few years back I had a few months of constant migraines, exacerbated by the taking of daily antiviral, which threw me into a severe depression. Thanks for your help.

[Tadt]

Good morning,  I read your post about acupuncture and migraines.  I have been seeing a Pain Management doctor for a back injury for years acupuncture works well for pain management.  A couple of times I have entered his office with a migraine and he place needles in my neck area, to try to releave the pain, it didn't work, since then I have been scared to let him try again.  With my back and leg pain he is amazing.  Both times the migraine was bad, had been active for over 12 hours.  Is there a time limit with acupuncture like meds and it just doesn't works after waiting to long?

[Ailsatcm888123]

Migraine is a frequently-encountered disease which is difficult to treat. Intractable migraine produces severe pain during episode, and is dreadful to the patient especially when it become periodic. On the other hand, the fearful mental state usually induces the attack of migraine.


Traditional Chinese medicine holds that the head is the confluence of all the Yang meridians and acts as the house of lucid Yang. The essence and blood of five Zang-organs and the lucid Yang-qi of six Fu-organs ascend to the head. Therefore, normal circulation of sufficient Qi and blood in meridians is the guarantee for keeping a clear head. Invasion of the six exogenous pathogens or blockage by phlegm and blood stasis can give rise to headache likewise.

Acupuncture can exert the action of promoting a free flow of Qi and blood in meridians, so that lucid Yang can ascend and turbid Yin descend.

[Tadt]

Have you tried a drug like topamax, you take them everyday to prevent a migraine?  I also get depressed and confused after a headache, my vision get messed up, and I fall down or other weird things happen for about a week after.  Topamax has lessened the amount of headaches I get.  Have been on it for years now.  Had a few side effects at first but they went away within 6 weeks.  I also have to take my dose morning and night not all at once.  Talk to your neuro about a drug like this it may help you.