New here...my story so far...am seriously considering ECT in the very near future...

Okay, allow me to introduce myself. I am 41, married with three dogs and three cats, no children. I have had migraines since I was 12. For some unknown reason they got significantly worse in frequency in 2005 and I started missing so much work that I had to quit my very much loved job of 11 years and go to part time work. In 2005 I started trying the regular realm of treatment for migraines. I suffer from major depression and Topamax, the first line treatment around here, made me actively suicidal. All of the abortives that were given to me either made my asthma and allergies kick in to the point that I was afraid that I would have to use my Epipen or as in the case of Frova and one of the others did nothing at all. My GP gave up and I started the long line of neurologists and headache clinics.

Ultimately in 2006 when the business I was working at sold out and closed I had to admit that I was at the point where I really couldn't hold down any type of job that required making decisions or driving. I honestly think that I have tried virtually everything, medicinally and physically, that there is out there that I can take while taking my other conditions into consideration. Those conditions being my depression (which has always been hard to control), my blood pressure, my allergies to medicines and everything else on the planet and my asthma. I tried acupuncture which was wonderful and helped more than anything else up to that point but it was expensive and very far away. It was a several hour long endeavor and a day after day after day thing. I had endometriosis for MANY painful years and went ahead and had a hysterectomy earlier than I absolutely had to in the hope that it might help my migraines. No help. I had Lasix surgery (best money I ever spent) because my vision was so horrible I thought it might help. No help. Part of leaving my full time job was hoping that a lessening of stress would help. Not.

I have seen multiple neurologists ranging from the one who told me that there wasn't anything that could definitely be pinpointed as my problem but yes, I did have migraines and if the pain got bad enough take an excedrin. ( I wouldn't be at a neurologist's office if Excedrin solved my problem.) To the excellent one that I am seeing currently who is giving me nerve blocks in my head. He has also helped me find Relpax. For some reason no one had tried that particular triptan on me. I have no idea why. I also have no idea why it doesn't bother my allergies at all. Anyway, I'm only holding steady now. I'm taking the following on a daily basis: Tizanidine, Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, Depakote, Relpax when needed, Norco when needed, Restoril, Zonisamide, Singulair, Atenolol, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and a Cal-Mag-Zinc supplement. By the way, I have been officially diagnosed with chronic daily migraine. My head seems particularly fond of the 3-5 day unrelenting solid severe intractable type. Thankfully I do not actively get sick with them. I just feel nauseated. At any rate, I think that about covers it.

Anyway, I mentioned to my neurologist that I was going to try to find a psychiatrist somewhere near our little town (my neurologist is 3 hours away from my home) because my depression is getting so much worse. At that point he suggested ECT. He is associated with a psychicatrist who does ECT and the two of them have had some success in migraine treatment with ECT. The ECT is usually done about once a month under anesthesia in a hospital as an in or out patient procedure. His nurse actually asked me which I would prefer. My GP at home had already mentioned it to me about 8 months ago as a treatment for my depression because one of her other patients had had wonderful success with it with her psychiatrist. She no longer needed medication if I remember corrrectly. I don't know. I'm at my wit's end and it is not sounding like a bad idea to me. I have a consult with this doc in five days. Any thoughts from any fellow sufferers?

I am sorry but your post would be easier to read and reply to if you could break it up into smaller paragraphs - a lot of us have trouble reading large blocks of print.

Hmm, have you tried Biofeedback or Neurofeedback? I have found those very helpful and they are less extreme than Electroconvulsive Therapy.

Sorry to hear what you are going through!

SR

Jewishmother wrote:I am sorry but your post would be easier to read and reply to if you could break it up into smaller paragraphs - a lot of us have trouble reading large blocks of print.

Thanks. I tried to shorten it some and break it up into paragraphs. I hope that's easier.

I don't know much about Electroconvulsive therapy, but the whole thing scares me. I imagine its got more refined and safer than the old horror stories about shock therapy though. I'd want to see some published data that shows its likely to be helpful and unlikely to be harmful, not just one doctor saying they had results which honestly sound too good to be true. I'd make sure to ask lots of questions, and hopefully get more than one doctor's opinion that is familiar with this (and hopefully also does it themselves), as I would for most treatments like this. Best wishes.

I've been reading these posts for hours now, while my husband sits beside me cheering on the Pats.. Does anyone see an end?
I feel like I've come to just want an end.
I find myself watching show after show of "say yes to the dress" to remind myself that ill be seriously damaging three young women if I let this actually...get the best of me...
But I don,t see any, hope....I can't find any real help, and its so hard to keep looking

It can get better. You must not give up hope.
If you do, you will never get better, and that is not acceptable to me.
I keep trying new things till I am successful.

My latest venture is going quite well.
So far only 2 migraines in the past 5 weeks which is a major record!
I have averaged 10 migraines/month for several years now.
Too early to declare victory yet, but it does give cause for hope.

Don't give up!

Honestly I'd be very concerned about trying ECT. It can create headache problems. We all have quite enough of that!

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/BipolarTreatment/t/story?id=4360031

http://ihs-classification.org/en/02_klassifikation/05_anhang/07.09.02_anhang.html


The depression can be a side effect of the migraines. If you can address the migraines you may not need treatment for the depression.

ECT was reccomended by one of my Doctors but my Psychiatrist refused to even discuss it with me, my depression is based on my migraines, I can't speak for anyone else here but if I didnt have migraines I wouldn't be depressed or have suicidal thoughts. I think its the lack of having a normal life or giving most of your life for migraines. Atleast thats my case, I have missed many school events for my children, social events, work and so forth due to migraines..we don't really have a life!!! Who wouldnt be depressed. I'd be skeptical to try ECT.

Dont give up, sounds like u have a good neuro now and he is trying new things.

I've suffered with migraines for 12 years now, i had a complete hysterectomy last year at age 35 and migraines got worse after that and so did my depression. After i found this site it kinda helps me read everyones stories n feelings cuz they are so similar to mine and I'm not alone. I thought I was crazy and what i felt was just in my head ( which kinda of is, but i think u know what i meAn). Helps to talk about it with people that understand.

Angela

Thanks all for your posts. It is wonderful to know that there are others out there suffering as well and willing to share their thoughts, info and experience. I thought I was the only one without a life. It amazes me that so many people are able to keep on going and encourage others. I guess that's one of the benefits of knowing the pain that another is feeling. That's what I keep telling my husband. As sad as it is, it's good to know that I'm not alone. I already knew that but I mean on a much grander scale.

My depression has really been a problem even longer than my migraines and almost as hard to treat so I don't know what to think about the ECT and it. I'm super sensitive so it took years to find one major one that worked and we've had to add over the years.

I have been reading about ECT possibly causing headaches but they do seem to have had some success in treating/preventing those in patients (but we all know how that might go)but I wouldn't be getting anywhere near the frequency of treatment that would be standard for depression treatment so I don't know how much of an issue it would prove to be.

I also know that the 24/7 headache that I am having on top of my 3 anti-depressants is really making my depression worse too...As it is bound to do with virtually anyone, I think. My depression would definitely get better if I could get my migraines "beaten back" (my favorite phrase) a good bit. I have no doubt about that but I also know that I have yet again reached a plateau there doesn't seem to be any change in the future and I'm pretty miserable. I have a severe migraine about 18-20 days out of the month. I have a migraine of some severity every day. I don't know how long it has been since I didn't have one at all.

I'm really leaning toward trying ECT just once. One single, completely sedated, properly headache prevented treatment...I don't know...

I already watched the ABC news piece but I will go to the other link. Thanks for posting it.

Could the anti depressants you are on be causing the migraines?
We've all had problems with side effects causing as much or more problems than what we started out with.

I've had migraines for 10 years and now I'm averaging 25 migraines a month. I'm about to have an occipital nerve decompression surgery.

There are several other options to try. Have you had nerve blocks or botox injections? Both of those are in office procedures that aren't invasive. You might want to consider something like that first. I've had both and they aren't bad. They just didn't help me enough. For some people they are great and might be all that they need to get substantial relief and/or get their migraines under control.

I've had migraines for 10 years and now I'm averaging 25 migraines a month. I'm about to have an occipital nerve decompression surgery.

There are several other options to try. Have you had nerve blocks or botox injections? Both of those are in office procedures that aren't invasive. You might want to consider something like that first. I've had both and they aren't bad. They just didn't help me enough. For some people they are great and might be all that they need to get substantial relief and/or get their migraines under control.

I've had migraines for 10 years and now I'm averaging 25 migraines a month. I'm about to have an occipital nerve decompression surgery.

There are several other options to try. Have you had nerve blocks or botox injections? Both of those are in office procedures that aren't invasive. You might want to consider something like that first. I've had both and they aren't bad. They just didn't help me enough. For some people they are great and might be all that they need to get substantial relief and/or get their migraines under control.