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Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> depression and cluster ha http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1272481996 Message started by kristi456 on Apr 28th, 2010 at 3:13pm |
Title: depression and cluster ha Post by kristi456 on Apr 28th, 2010 at 3:13pm
My husband has cluster headaches. After this last bout about a year ago, he has suffered from depression. I am wondering if his depression has been triggered by the clusters. Has anyone else suffered from this?
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Title: Re: depression and cluster ha Post by TommyA on Apr 29th, 2010 at 5:33am
I get depressed each morning when I get my first hit within 30-60 minutes after waking up. My neurologist has been prescribing anti-depressants for me, along with other meds and I find that I am less depressed than when I wasn't taking the antidepressants. If your husband can't sleep because of the pain, taking them before bedtime can help. Have your husband discuss this with his doc. Best wishes,
Tom |
Title: Re: depression and cluster ha Post by LeLimey on Apr 29th, 2010 at 7:53am wrote on Apr 29th, 2010 at 5:33am:
What meds are you taking for CH? |
Title: Re: depression and cluster ha Post by black on Apr 29th, 2010 at 1:46pm
Hi Kristi
i ll tell you my experience in case it might help understand.I am chronic with the exception of 3 long painfree spreaded between them periods which have occured in a course of 16 years.Not the usual small pain free period of two maybe three weeks which happens every year for every chronic(not a rule with these things you can't never be sure but anyway).First two lasted 4 months,i think 2005 and 2007 if i remember well, and the third one last year from February till August.The longest one i ve ever experienced after a very difficult winter with hard hits. Now common sense(ok mine common sense :D) says that i should be happier with every pain free day.Instead i found myself with every pain free day passing, more depressed which i don't even feel during pain time!Even now that i am inbetwen hits,If you ask me i ll tell you that I feel melacholy and a bit blue but not depressed!Maybe cause it's this endless cycle of pain-relief knowing that i am gonna be hit sometime soon,that keeps on guard. So what happened last year? After some time (can't recall how much)i started feeling more comfortable?Meaning that i found myself started making future plans,which now is a joke during pain times.At the same time i was looking back at the past when i was in hurt looking for good memories,something good!something!and there was absolutely nothing.Just passing time anyway,anyhow day in day out. it's like the war movies,when you are in war you are too busy to get depressed(with ch is the invisible war). After it's done here it goes. (i dont want to hear any jokes about the example i ve been on paintball you know! :D) somehow like this maybe? thought to share if it helps understand or relate somehow but have in mind that i still have my own questions about last year.there were times i wished why the hell the next hit doesn't come to get over with it! human soul go figure! :( |
Title: Re: depression and cluster ha Post by Karla on Apr 29th, 2010 at 5:20pm
I have suffered from severe depression because I suffer from ch to the point of being suicidal. Please have your spouse talk to his DR. and let him know how he is feeling. Time to be honest. They can prescribe medicine and counceling for depression. There is help. I take effexor for my depression and also attend chronic pain support group. Helps me get over the why me syndrome.
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Title: Re: depression and cluster ha Post by FramCire on Apr 29th, 2010 at 8:27pm
I have depression but most of the anti-depressants have triggered a cycle for me so I am not on anything. Lexapro seems to work ok, but I will wait until I take it.
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Title: Re: depression and cluster ha Post by seasonalboomer on Apr 30th, 2010 at 6:46am
I don't know whether the two are intertwined but I too deal with depression symptoms. I feel that hopelessness and sadness have a way of burrowing a little deeper into the conscious and subconscious as a result of a life with CH (both on and off cycle).
Is he able to talk about it openly with anyone? If not, I found the freedom of a therapist to be worthwhile. Scott |
Title: Re: depression and cluster ha Post by wimsey1 on Apr 30th, 2010 at 8:12am
Hi Kristi. Your post doesn't indicate where you are regionally, but there are various neuros many here are willing to recommend who are "cluster friendly." Perhaps if you have difficulty finding a good neuro you might share that info and see if anyone knows of anyone...And as far as depression goes, there are a number of easy tests that can be given to evaluate the depth of one's personal depression, using only personal eval questions as the comparative. Again, a good neuro should have this available.
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Title: Re: depression and cluster ha Post by Cynde on Apr 30th, 2010 at 10:16am
The report by Dr. Rozen shows that depression and CH might be related, and that depression is the most common co-morbid symptom with CH. I think it's a reflection of our goofy brain chemistries -- the chemicals involved in CH are the same ones that get out of control in depression. So once they figure out exactly which chemicals we need to regulate, both depression and CH can be treated together.
And yes, I too get very depressed when I'm in a cluster, because I can't sleep, afraid that I'll be awakened at 2 a.m. This cycle cost me 19 nights of sleep in a row, and I'm still recovering from those awful impacts almost two weeks later. |
Title: Re: depression and cluster ha Post by Kevin_M on Apr 30th, 2010 at 10:29am Cynde wrote on Apr 30th, 2010 at 10:16am:
Question being, would there be other states associated that depression reigns among? |
Title: Re: depression and cluster ha Post by wimsey1 on Apr 30th, 2010 at 4:11pm
Bob wrote: Bottom line: looks like it may be possible to alter brain functioning to build in a permanent reduction of the anxiety which besets many folks with CH.
My goodness, yes. That we are able to habituate at all, or re-learn a good habit or way of thinking to overcome a bad habit or way of thinking has been the basis of other therapies as well. I'm thinking of Eric Berne's work, along with other Skinnerian's. Cognitive therapists, behavioralists, and to some extent Attachment theorists are all depending upon "brain re-wiring." In one study (can't remember which, sorry) but in one study it was determined that just talking to a sympathetic listener (sometimes called a therapist) had a dramatic effect on the brain's hormonal patterns and actually changed the physiology of neuro-transimitters and neuro-receptors. So...talk; to a sympathetic ear. Find a good therapist if you can't find someone who will give you hope. Find hope that there's a way out of this god-awful mess of a disease. And you might find it actually has an effect on how the Clusters operate. Blessings. |
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