Emotions during migraine

Since November I've pretty much had chronic daily migraine - some days worse than others. I've had migraine since I was 16 but never this bad or often and my symptoms have changed. I have seen an neuro, had an MRI (all clear) and all other tests are okay. Still working on trying to the find the right med combo.

I find now that before I get a migraine I have anxiety attacks and my ears ring really bad. This is new to me. Also during the migraine attack I have weird emotions - anxiety, depression, not wanting to be alone, fear of being alone. I dont think I'm suicidal but I can't read or watch anything sad or dramatic - I have to read upbeat magazines or watch comedies on TV. The thought of death or watching any type of CSI show, things like that, really bother me.

When the headache episode is over I'm back to my normal, upbeat self. I have been taking 30mg of Cymbalta and 20mg of Nortryptaline for a little over a month. I also have silent migraines - not much of a headache but tons of other neurological symptoms - ear ringing is the worst. Does anyone else experience anything similar?

I think that may be the seratonin drop that happens before and during the migraine. I get very sad or unhappy just before a migraine. That's about the only sign I have one is coming on.

Sorry to hear you're getting new horrible symptoms =( That sucks.

I understand that the cortex (outer layers of the brain) become variously excited and inhibited during migraine prodrome - when it's in the occipital lobe (visual centre) people get the aura. If your spreading cortical depression/excitation initiates in your prefrontal cortex it may contribute to difficulty regulating emotion for the duration of the attack - because those areas are involved in emotion regulation. It makes perfect sense to me that people who get aura are only getting it because that's where their deactivation happens to begin...We all know there are millions of prodrome symptoms other than aura. I wonder if the doctors just caught onto aura because it's easy to report. Easier than 'I feel woozy and giggly' or 'I need to eat crunchy salty things'.

With the ear ringing you might have some blood vessels which are dilating very close to your ear drums and causing feedback - or I wonder if this activation happens in the auditory cortex? I'm not sure where tinnitus originates. I have tinnitus all the time and blood pressure changes certainly make a difference to it. It can get ridiculously loud if a blood vessel decides to start pumping. I hope yours goes away soon!

I'm so sorry that you are going thru this daily migraine. *hugs* I really hope you find the right med combo by tomorrow or sooner you poor chook!

I have the same experience with mine. Mostly during my menstrual migraines. I can't stand to be alone and I find myself crying very easly. I know what ya mean.

My emotions too get a little out of wack before and during my migraine, like i am sooo sensative!! I've also notice new symptoms myself....Like my vision gets really bad right before a BAD migraine and sometimes get dizzy.

I hope this helps you to know that you are not alone!