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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Depression accompanying episodes?
        
(Message started by: puppetonastring on Jun 1st, 2007, 2:55pm)
Title: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by puppetonastring on Jun 1st, 2007, 2:55pm
Well, I'm here. I've been a cluster headache sufferer since I was about 19 / 20....so for about 20 years.
They are episodic and for the last ten or so years recure approximately every 18 months and last for six to eight weeks escalating into living he__.
Imitrex is my friend (most of the time). I'll resist using it until the potential relief is absolubtly necessary - but I hate the way it leaves me feeling (and the cost etc...)
I also hate the rebound headaches - they're a real downer 'cause it usually means the imitrex will not contine to work (at least as well).
Question: I also experience depression during episodes. Granted, sleep is completely screwed up and this is also another problem. Anyone also experience similar depression?
It's really a double whammy, no sleep, debiliating pain, and deflation - really hard to get anything done.
HELP
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by Ray on Jun 1st, 2007, 3:03pm
Hello:

I'm with you on this one.  Depressed right now in a bout.

More when I can,

Ray
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by Guiseppi on Jun 1st, 2007, 3:09pm
I'm no doctor, but I suspect the depression isn't caused by the actual CH mechanism, but more the lack of sleep, constant pain, life disruptions, all the sh%$ that comes with the CH

You didn't mention oxygen. I use oxygen as my first line of abort. It will kill a CH for me in less then 10 minutes. I use imitrex but like you I hate how it makes me feel during and then the hung over after effect so I use it only on the rare occasions the oxygen fails me.

Do you use a prevent when you are on cycle? I'm about your age, 47, and I have been using lithium as a prevent when in cycle. I weigh 190, at 1200 mg a day lithium blocks about 90% of my headaches, 02 and the rare imitrex jab pretty much control the rest.

Hoping both the depression and the CH let go of you soon. If the depression starts to spiral you, seek help. We suffer one of the most excrusiacting pain there is, no shame in needing a little help with the psych part every now and then. Lots of understanding ears here also. PM me for a phone contact anytime.

Guiseppi
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by Racer1_NC on Jun 1st, 2007, 6:52pm
My depression tends to come at the end of a high cycle. Go figure.....

Bill
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by midwestbeth on Jun 1st, 2007, 8:48pm
Ditto to what Guiseppi and Bill said.  Hope the beast leaves you soon and your depression goes with it.

Beth
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by UN solved on Jun 1st, 2007, 9:07pm
I used to get extremely depressed just knowing that the next attack is just around the corner. But sitting and waiting for the next one is a torture all its own.

Anyone who can go through clusters without getting somewhat depressed is one tough cookie !

Goodluck & try to stay positive

UNsolved
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by puppetonastring on Jun 1st, 2007, 10:51pm
Guiseppi, all, thanks for reading and the input.

I guess I kind of gave up thinking anyone could relate... It's been a little frustrating trying to explain why I've had to walk around the parking lot 20 times in some cases or why the reason I'm dragging is because I was up three times during the night and these things really drain you.

it's not just about not getting sleep. CH's really mess me up, and it changes each time. So while you learn to predict and plan for the episodes and the pain, the side effects always doozie you.
Sometimes I feel as if I've just had a labotomy, other times I just feel stringy, like I'm stuck in a spiders web. This current episode has me dizzy, detached, and having a hard time visually focusing.
But according to CAT and MRI's, there's nothing physiologically wrong (which is sort of comfortiing?!)

Sorry, guess I'm venting a little.

I've not tried O2 as a mediator yet, I guess I should look into it. Regarding preventatives, I've not really had any luck with any of the standards - Not tried lithium either though. Doc's are usually hot on calcium channel blockers and MAO inhibitors.
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by ClusterChuck on Jun 1st, 2007, 11:16pm
OXYGEN OXYGEN OXYGEN

Has anyone mentioned OXYGEN?  LOL!

MANY of us are HUGE pushers of oxygen.  It is the safest, cheapest, and for most, the most effective abortive out there.  With none of the bad side effects that you mentioned with imitrex.  BUT, it MUST be taken properly, in order to work.  You need a non-rebreathing mask (or a ClustermasxTM ) at a high flow rate.  You need a regulator that will go to at least 15 LPM (litre per minute).  Some get results at 8 or so LPM, but most of us use it at 15 LPM.

If you have any questions about oxygen, ask, we should be able to answer them for you.

ALSO, depression is not something to mess with.  It is serious!  MANY of us have had bouts of it (myself included) and have gone on meds for that, for a while.  Please get it treated!

Good luck!

Chuck
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by kcopelin on Jun 2nd, 2007, 1:12am
Depression is a real disease, as opposed to being the product of a weak will.  If you think about it, your brain chemistry is totally messed up-then add on sleep deprivation and anxiety over the next hit, its already been said-it would take an incredibly odd person not to have some depression when dealing with CH.

Please get treated for the depression.  There are meds that can help stabilize the neurotransmitters and some of them may offer you help with the sleep issue as well.

Best wishes for
PFDAN y'all
kathy
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by Kris_in_SJ on Jun 3rd, 2007, 10:32am
Wow - sometimes the depression is worse than waiting for the next hit.  My cycle just started a full year earlier than I was expecting.  I'm more depressed than pissed off at the moment.  Am thinking about asking the doc for yet another med for my polydrug regimen.

Hang in there.

Kris
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by BMoneeTheMoneeMan on Jun 3rd, 2007, 4:38pm
I would definately say the effects of the CH lead to depression.  Absolutely.  
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by sandie99 on Jun 5th, 2007, 3:34am
Depression, you say? Been there, felt it. I call it "clusterblues".

A friend of mine is diagnosed with severe depression and she told me that she has never seen anyone "go so down" as I did with my first ch blues. Sad but true.

Depression can come when you don't know what you have. Then it's the waiting: what meds/treatment works. Then when you're PF you can get that "what-if-I'll-get-hit-again"- thing. Gotta give it to the beast; it's clever opponent. It creates madness!

PF days to all,
Sanna
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by puppetonastring on Jun 5th, 2007, 8:37am
Although the hit's are getting merciless, I'm ok with what's going on.
My last couple of cycles were "softer" and I guess I let my guard down - wasn't expecting this now - don't have time for it.
But the reality is that just got to deal with it.
Fight with better way's of managing the pain, and find med's which don't render me useless - then - never run out!
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by Guiseppi on Jun 5th, 2007, 11:18am
But the reality is that just got to deal with it.

And that's it in a nut shell! You live your life between the hits. Hoping ya catch a break soon.

Guiseppi
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by aprilbee on Jun 6th, 2007, 9:44am

on 06/05/07 at 03:34:41, sandie99 wrote:
Depression, you say? Been there, felt it. I call it "clusterblues".



I would say it just that way....clusterblues...clinical depression has physical and mental symptoms, I just get mad and sad when in cycle, I don't know if I would call that depression, I was diagnosed with depression as a teenager (not suffering anymore) and it was a totally different frame of mind being depressed, so is it depression or the blues?  is there a difference?  I don't know... :-/
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by Lotus on Jun 6th, 2007, 9:51am

Feeling the blues and getting clinically depressed are two very different things.

Feeling the blues means you are feeling sad but still functional and you can sort of shake/talk yourself out of the feeling.

Being clinically depressed means the chemicals in your brain are all messed up and you cant just shake/talk/snap out of it, often you cant function normally with it anymore.

Clinical depression needs to be dealt with by a professional, be it a doctor, a counsellor, a psychologist or a psychiatrist. People with real deep clinical depression rarely get better by themselves.

If you experience very deep sense of depression for more than two weeks straight you should seek medical attention.
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by Ray on Jun 6th, 2007, 4:42pm

on 06/06/07 at 09:51:55, Lotus wrote:
Feeling the blues and getting clinically depressed are two very different things.

Feeling the blues means you are feeling sad but still functional and you can sort of shake/talk yourself out of the feeling.

Being clinically depressed means the chemicals in your brain are all messed up and you cant just shake/talk/snap out of it, often you cant function normally with it anymore.

Clinical depression needs to be dealt with by a professional, be it a doctor, a counsellor, a psychologist or a psychiatrist. People with real deep clinical depression rarely get better by themselves.

If you experience very deep sense of depression for more than two weeks straight you should seek medical attention.


AMEN!

I was in the psych ward of the local hospital from Friday night until Tuesday afternoon due to depression.  This was the worst in 20 years or so of being a cluster head.  On the UP side, I'm doing somewhat better now.

Wishing you PF days and nights,

Ray
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by Guiseppi on Jun 6th, 2007, 5:52pm
Kudos to you for having the awareness of the problem, the smarts to know something needed to be done, and the courage to do somethin g about it. Hoping you catch some PF time really soon. [smiley=thumb.gif]

Guiseppi
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by LindsayLoo on Jun 6th, 2007, 6:12pm

on 06/05/07 at 03:34:41, sandie99 wrote:
Depression can come when you don't know what you have. Then it's the waiting: what meds/treatment works. Then when you're PF you can get that "what-if-I'll-get-hit-again"- thing. Gotta give it to the beast; it's clever opponent. It creates madness!

PF days to all,
Sanna

Oh God Sanna, Do I know this feeling. I'm going through it right now esp. since I am in the beginnings of this nightmare plus to make things worse, shortly after my daughter was born (10/04/06) I was diagnosed with Post Partum Depression (I don't think I had/have it *shrugs*) so now I have all these things in the mix. Believe me, I am at the end of my bearings adn trying very hard for a way to cope.
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by puppetonastring on Jun 9th, 2007, 6:42am
Ray,

I'm glad you're back - Fight on

Wishing you PFDAN
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by Ray on Jun 10th, 2007, 4:34pm
Hello Everybody:

All I want to say here is, if the alarm bells are going off that the beast is controlling you, seek help.  That's what I did.  Now the beast is back "crushed under my heel."

Wishing you PF days and nights,

Ray
Title: Re: Depression accompanying episodes?
Post by Guiseppi on Jun 10th, 2007, 10:19pm
As Cluster Chuck so frquently says.....attitude attitude attitude!!!! Way to wump some beast butt!

Guiseppi


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