To cry or not to cry - crying is a migraine trigger

Replying to Liz about laughter instead of crying, I have been reminded that a new friend recently asked me:
"I like a good cry, don't you?"
I was horrified and replied
"No, I hate crying I seldom do, it hurts my head too much".

I have noticed that connection ages ago, so I've trained myself and crying is a big No, NO for me: it is a serious M trigger for me. The moment I start crying I know that I will get a guranteed M, staring within few minutes.

It was always the same with me: even when I was little I have noticed that if I cry, I will soon get a bad h/a so I've been trying not to cry (unless I really could not help it). In the end without realising it, I have began to be very good at blocking the tears, even if I am in a great pain because the price for crying is much too high.
Crying will definitely trigger my migraine, so I will not risk it.

Besides I do not find that a "good cry" makes me feel better, anyway. It is always such a painful experince and for me twice as painful, it does not make anything better.
So even when I have to shed some tears I will not allow myself to do the howling, sobbing sort of cry since I know that I will never get any relief from it, only more pain.

I did find some other ways of coping with life's sadness or sorrows. I had to. Otherwise pain only doubles.
I wonder if anyone has the same experience about crying-migraine connection.

Senna

Senna

I do, but the other way round - migraine makes me cry. Uncontrollably. Something to do with the serotonin crash I think. Obviously I've got a migraine so I'm miserable, but it's more severe than that - my eyes just leak and I sob regardless of whether I'm actually that upset.

Pretty embarrassing when I'm trying to truck through the pain!

This is very interesting Liz, what you said made me wonder if there is this "chemical" connection about crying and M, like crying (too much, or too little) releases something in the brain and releases these reactions. I know for certain, that even though my M are much better these days I could still trigger a really serious M if I cry, since crying always triggered those absolutely worst kind of M for me.

I also think that I know what you mean about different kind of crying - some things are not easy to explain but M makes our bodies react sometimes in uncontrollable ways. Like sleepiness. Sometimes, as a predrome I get very sleepy. It is nothing like "normal" sleepiness - I feel totally, uncontrollably sleepy so much so that it is impossible to exlpain to others (doctors, family, friends)and when I try they say have rest, have a sleep and you will soon feel better you.
Well, it is nothing like this - if I do go to sleep, I can sleep deeply for 3/4 hours solidly and still feel sleepy and sleep heavily at night.

So I can imagine that your crying might be something like this; nothing that other people might understand unless they've experinced the difference.

It is good to check here how M affects other people. We learn something every day.

Senna

A bad and/or prolonged migraine inevitably reduces me into a sobbing mess, too.

The interesting question is:
do you think sobbing eases your pain, or makes it worse, I wonder?

Senna

When I don't have a migraine, I cry whenever I'm happy and something touches me. Happy tears, and it causes no problems.

However, when I'm in pain, especially have a bad migraine ---- tears plus migraines = worse pain. I have to be at the end of my rope before the tears come and I'm already in too much pain to care. Then my guys know I'm at my worst and it only last a few minutes because I can't take much more. Pity tears I guess.

I know what you mean about the deep sleepiness. I get it a week before menses. I just can't keep my head up and even have to go sleep in my car at lunch sometimes. No matter what I do, its like narcolepsy and I have to be so careful when I drive home from work.

Angela

I'm just plain overly sensitive. I cry when I'm happy and cry when I'm sad. I don't often cry when I'm in pain. The crying is something I have no control over--it seems like it has to be chemically or hormonally related. The sad thing is that it almost always makes the migraine pain worse.

If I sob for long enough I usually wear myself out enough to sleep for a little while, so I guess in that sense it relieves the pain.

Narcolepsy! This is the word I was searching for. Thank you Angela.
That's it.
I do actually walk into walls,and door frames and hurt myself, and do most stupid things when I feel like this.

BTW my GP's favourite explanation is: Neurontin - what do you expect.
It is not use telling him that I know the difference, and that it has nothing to do with N.

As far as the main question is concerned, it seems that jury is still out on this one.
I think we still need more evidence to see what is what, but already we know that picture is more complicated - and why should I be surprised, ha! ha!

Senna

i haven't cried for years and years. it causes ungodly pressure and pain in my head.

tearing up at beautiful words or music is common for me, but i'm very careful not to let the crying get beyond that stage, or i know i'm in for more pain. dianne

I hate getting really angry as I cry when angry, or emotionally or physically hurt for the same reason. Crying almost always triggers a migraine. It is adding insult to injury, especially when it is from anger or emotional turmoil. It's not bad enough that I have to deal with the emotions, but a whopping migraine too? Please help me.

I forgot to mention something else - if I ever cry I also get terribly red and puffy around my eyes and nose, and the redness lasts for a long, long time after I've stopped crying. This use to embarass me a lot, when I was little as anyone would be able to tell if I was crying. Also being blonde and very pale, my red nose and red eye sockets were really noticeable.
I often wondered if that redness and swelling were also "inside my head" and were triggering my M.

Diana I have much the same reaction, only I have really, really trained myself to stop before any crying gets out of control by distraction, relaxation methods and sometimes just will power.

Like Alli, I am also most likely to want to cry out of anger and frustration, but since the penalty is so great I try to "box the cushions" instead.
I must admit that as I got older I am much more calm so this gets easier. Maybe the reason is that since I've retired I do not have to put up with any difficult people at work, and also in other ways my life is more simple, and much less complicated then ever before, so I am no longer so stressed.

Senna

Crying is a trigger for me too! I'm ok if i'm just lightly crying but if I'm really upset, then a migraine is a pretty sure thing.

I too get migraines that make me cry. I feel crazy when I'm sobbing my heart out and other than the migraine, I can't explain why. I can't stop it either. Thankfully it's quite rare that I get this!

Senna,

A good cry? I don't think one exists!
On the rare occassions when I do cry, it seems like it progresses to me being a sobbing mess - major migraines always follow.
And, like you, I am fair. My eyes/nose are always red & puffy, impossible to disguise.
Crying Sux!!!

Beth

I agree, crying sux (fun word! I like it).
I suppose this might be just an English expression - people often will say here when dealing with difficult emotional situation:
I had a good cry and felt better, or
Have a good cry.

I do not believe any cry is good either, Nursebeth.

Senna

I know for me I turn into an emotional wreck the day or so before the pain hits...That's usually my sign that the M is coming. I feel like I have to cry...for no apparent reason. I roam around the house feeling lost, alone, and very sad. My hubby calls it the "pre-migraine blues."

During my off days where I'm not having a migraine, stress, anger, frustration, and crying definately gives me a headache...not a migraine...but calming down makes it go away.

Dawn

Senna - This was so interesting to read all the responses. I went to a new pain management doctor yesterday and was in South Philadelphia and got so lost...ended up in New Jersey, came out and had no idea where my car was! I was driving home so upset and just kept saying to myself, "You can't cry, it will make your head hurt worse and you won't make it home." I'm always doing that, talking myself out of crying because I'll get a worse headache, my nose will stuff up and besides, I'll look worse than I already do with a mig which is never good. It seems a lot of us have this same issue.