Anyone experience Anger and Rage during a Migraine?

During my migraines, anger and rage have become more frequent. Yesterday, I kicked 2 laundry baskets across the kitchen, and words that would be a sailor blush came out of my mouth. My poor husband stood there speechless, wondering what happened to the soft spoken Christian woman he married. I took Phenergan (the only thing the doctors will give me that makes me sleepy) and went to bed, got up to eat, and went back to bed.

This morning, I'm at a 1 or 2 pain level with the head, but I'm as calm and collected as a sleeping cat.

Does anyone else experience these types of Mood Swings during a Migraine?

LL

PS. Through my new doctor, I am scheduled for a evaluatuon with a pain management group, as well as a nueropsychologist to have test run for my cognitive and memory skills. All these doctors and therapist are so prompt and so quick to get with me to schedule an appointment I'm amazed!

LL - are you on a preventative?

I know in one of your other posts you had mentioned something about topamax or depakote and I know these can mess with moods.

Personally I haven't noticed anger...if someone is doing something to make me more miserable I might think about locking them in a trunk but I've not acted on it as tempting as it may have been.

migraines do change your brain chemistry and so I do have mood swings - mostly consisting of lots of tears and the desire to just hit something!

My daughter realized she was getting a migraine when she all of a sudden became irrationally angry about nothing. So she took her preventative and we aborted the pain part but the Alice in Wonderland stuff was still there (her legs were not attached to her body, eeeee!)

I know when I get angry and frustrated for no reason... an attack is on the way. Sometimes the feeling stays into the migraine but usually abates as the pain escatles.

Alli

Are you by any chance on Topamax? I quit it cold turkey because this was one of several other side effects that to me were unacceptable.

When I was on Topamax I was in an incredibly crappy mood, with rages, major irritation and absolutely no patience for the first three months... then it mellowed. But that is one of the side effects that you have to work through. I told my bosses I was on a new med and to be aware that I was being beyatchy! They were so great, just rolled with it till I mellowed out. Unfortunately Topamax did not give me enough relief to stay on it.

Alli

i'm on diamox. Which has the same carbonic base and chemical make up as topomax. Could be!

I know that I can't be given compazine for pain because I have a severe psychotic mood swing. When I was 13, i was in the ER and they'd given it to me to stop a migraine and my Mom said one minute I was fine and the older lady that was in the bed in the next curtain was saying what a sweet child I was, and the next minute I was grabbing my mom by the shirt collar telling her "GET ME OUTTA HERE NOW!" and I ripped out my I.V. I wonder if Compazine and Diamox are related at all...I'm going to check.

Unfortunately, the doctor that started me on the topomax is the nuerologist that said he couldnt help me anymore and when I saw the new headache specialist he didn't say anything about it, or I forgot to ask one of the two. Memory is bad lately.

As a part of my new treatment program with the headache clinic I am to be evaluated my a neuropsychiatrist to check my cognitive, concentration, and memory...should be interesting.

It's funny - I was just thinking about posting this same question to the forums this week. When I have a really bad migraine, my moods go out of control. I usually swing between intense rage and hysterical crying. I think I just can't emotionally deal with the pain that I'm in. I always wish for more grace in how I handle the bad ones because my husband (poor sweet man) is usually at the brunt of what I am going through. I always remind him to try not to take it personally, but that is a much bigger request than it seems at face-value.

The less bad migraines just make me irritable and depressed, but nothing like what 10/10 pain can cause me to go through.

My husband and I were talking over dinner and we really think that the mood swings (mostly rage) are a combination of the Diamox and the pain. He's noticed a lot more foul language (I don't realize im doing it) and less patience (I'm a Kindergarten teacher, I'm usually the picture of patience). Luckily I guess I'm not teaching right now, because I can't imagine those poor sweeties dealing with me in a migraine.

My husband is so sweet, He says "You mean those mood swings that I haven't noticed at all?" He knows I don't mean any of it, and that I can't be held responsible for the angry things I might say.

Yesterday I had myself convinced that I was quitting all my medications this morning, that I just wasn't going to take them anymore. Luckily I woke up in a clearer state of mind.

I desperately want a baby, and last night I started on a rant about how it wasnt fair that I couldn't have a child right now. I'm on facebook and everytime one of my female "facebook friends" announces she's pregnant, I get really upset. My husband keeps reminding me that we will have a baby, in God's time. But sometimes, I just get set off. Of course, what kind of situation is this that I'm in for a baby? I know that I have to wait until I'm stablized until we even think about having a baby. On a more personal note, he also reminded me it takes a certain act to produce a baby, and with my migraines, there's none of that act taking place.

Thank you all for sharing. It feels good to know that I'm not the only one having these feelings. I just know that I'm hopeful and in constant prayer that this program I start in 2 weeks with the Headache Clinic produces results. I know they wont be fast, but I'll take anything at this point.

Memory loss is also a side effect of Topamax and may well be from the diamox. A drug would have to be making a huge huge positive difference in my life for me to take these kind of drugs. They obviously do help some people though.

On a more personal note, he also reminded me it takes a certain act to produce a baby, and with my migraines, there's none of that act taking place.

I remember when we were desperately trying to get pregnant with my second child. At that point we had had several miscarriages, and I was working with only one ovary. On hubby's birthday he looked over at me and said "for my birthday, could we NOT do it?" Poor guy.

I have a "runt sperm" theory on my son's disability. We were doing it so much, a runt sperm that normally would have not made the swim had a chance. Hey, after years of beating myself up and a whole boatful of mother's guilt, I decided to throw the ball in hubby's court.

I used to fly into rages, to the point I would throw things. My son has vivid memories of me throwing a handful of straws and how pretty they looked fluttering down. I would throw what ever was in my hand. I finally quit doing doing it when I threw a giant container of garlic salt. We were crunching on salt for months.

Now, I just get very withdrawn and quiet, with tears thrown in for good measure. I haven't had a good mad on for ages.

I cut and paste your post in an e-mail message and sent it to my patient, caring, lovely husband.
I feel the same and I'm on no preventative. Migraine just irritates me because I cannot do things as well and quickly as I would like and because I know what expects me (abortive, nausea, dizziness, vomit, weakness...).

My husband is very understanding, so I sometimes feel guilty for my "crazy" moments when I become pessimistic, nervous, depressed and too irritable.

I have to say that some of you folks have a lot more energy during a migraine than I do! Getting angry takes too much energy, more than I have at such a time. I couldn't work up a mad even if I wanted to. I just want quiet and dark.

Chris

No. Nope. I'm a hopeless wreck and I know that getting angry makes it worse really fast so I'm careful to try to stay calm. I try not to cry, not to get angry, not to get frustrated, etc.

-Debi

TheBookworm411 wrote:No. Nope. I'm a hopeless wreck and I know that getting angry makes it worse really fast so I'm careful to try to stay calm. I try not to cry, not to get angry, not to get frustrated, etc.

-Debi

Exactly...last thing I want to do is get into it with anyone. Head for the cave, hide out and try to relax or sleep...all that helps.

I'm with you there. When I'm plummeting into a mega one, I can start feeling resentful and frustrated, taking the anger out on myself. I know the stress is only going to make things worse, so I tell myself to accept it but it's hard. Once, it's got a hold though, I haven't got the energy for anything.

I'm still smiling at Charlotte's husband's birthday wish

Liz

That is usually my only warning that a big one is coming. I get irritable and angry. REALLY angry. I am not grumpy by nature. But right before a nasty migraine I start being grumpy and loud and angry. I will find the littlest problem and blow up about it. I am so used to it and so is my hubby, when it happens I just take a pain pill or an abortive and then lay down. I hate that almost as much as the pain.

M

Absolutely!

Especially when the meds seem like they are not working and I'm running low. Luckily I'm not a violent person by nature so I internalize my anger, which just compounds the headache!

But I do find myself snapping at people, then apologizing later. Usually It's best to just leave me alone and be by myself.

I joined this site just for this article. I was looking up to . I love my wife dearly but I get in this extraordinarily temperamental mood right before a migraine. Extreme anger where I want to just beat a car to pieces with baseball bat. And then as quickly as it comes, I cry, and then it's as if someone shot me in the head. Extreme migraine.

I have just had a migraine attack after not having one for a few years, so at the moment not on any medication from the dr. Every time I had a migraine I used to suffer from hysterical rage and that's not changed, so its not the medication for me that makes me not the calm person I usually am.

Like you Claire I am usually very easy going and calm person, but I know M is coming when I start slamming the doors, boxing my towels, or kicking the bath mats out of the way with some force.
I don't even know I am doing it, but I think it helps to release the frustration I feel.
Does it help you Claire?
Thank God I have never progressed to smashing the glasses, or kicking the cat.
Mini

lol just had an awful image of a cat flying in the air. Mine get awful rage wise, just makes it worse but its like something takes over and you just cant control it. Luckily my rage seems to be taken out on more vocally and at light things.