Posted by Bill McCuistion (198.64.206.92) on September 29, 1999 at 02:04:29:
My current bout is going into its 6th week. I feel myself getting sucked into the "pain-depression-stress" vortex. I went there in 1990 when my migranes mutated into clusters. Since then I have managed, somehow, to keep bouts short, a month or so. I my despiration to break this bout I remember that when I shifted my treatment plan from headache-management to pain-management the cycle broke. The cycle goes something like this: Pain causes depression which causes stress which triggers headaches which cause pain.
Fortunately,Houston has a world-class medical center with easy-to-find pain management programs, usually around the cancer treatment teams.
Also to break the cycle, at the depression stage, my doctor boosted my wellbutrin dose from 75mg/day to 150mg 2x/day and then to 150 mg 4x/day for a two week period.