depression

20 February 2019

Is a “Migraine Meet-Up” For You?

Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting that you meet-up with a migraine. We’ve done that more than enough, thank you!

No, a migraine meet-up is a special kind of get-together that’s being promoted by our friends at The Migraine Trust.

Recently, the Migraine Trust ran a poll of 1000 people with migraine. 90% said that migraine leaves them feeling isolated – no surprise there, really.

However, 75% also said that they avoid committing to social events because of migraine. 5% said that they miss social events once a year due to a migraine attack, 41% said once a month, and 34% said once a week!

So not only is migraine linked to depression, not only does it make one feel isolated, it’s also keeping us from getting together with people – which further causes deterioration in health (including mental health).

So what if we turned the tables on our annoying Cousin Migraine and used migraine as an excuse for a get together? Well, it might not be for everyone. But basically the idea is to have a little party, giving people a chance to ask you questions about migraine. If you want, The Migraine Trust will actually provide you with a kit, and you can use the get-together as a fundraiser as well.

And don’t do all the prep yourself – invite a friend to make things as easy as possible.

The kit includes tips, a quiz (a great conversation starter!), baking ideas, even little cake flags. It’s a great way to go if you live in the UK.

If not – take the ideas and have your own meet-up wherever you are! If you want to give people a chance to fight migraine, suggest a donation to the Migraine Research Foundation – an excellent option worldwide. Just email them for information and templates.

If you’re doing a Migraine Trust Meet-Up, be sure to send a picture or two in for their special gallery!

Here’s what one woman had to share about her Migraine Meet-Up experience

“What I realise is that the Meet-up offered a really special opportunity to openly and honestly share the experience of migraine, to create something enjoyable and positive out of migraine and, importantly for me, to have a way of thanking those people in my life who really ‘get it’ and support me.”
Deborah Sloan

7 January 2019

Migraine and Suicide: Not What You Think

James Discoveries & Stats 0

A health professional once told me,”I don’t know how you couldn’t be depressed, with all your headaches.” I think the statement was well intended, to remind me that there’s no shame in being depressed.

The truth is that not all migraine patients – even patients with chronic migraine – are depressed. Many are not. But that being said, there is a clear link between migraine and depression.

Surprisingly, researchers aren’t sure why. It’s not a clear-cut case of “pain=depression”. Instead, there seem to be underlying biological/genetic issues that make a person with depression more likely to have migraine, and vice versa.

A recent study on migraine and depression has confirmed some previous studies, but may come as a surprise to many.

The study focused on patients that were hospitalized – obviously a specific subgroup. And yes, patients with migraine were more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, or PTSD. They were also more likely to have 2 or more co-morbid conditions – migraine usually doesn’t arrive alone.

And yes, patients with migraine were more than twice as likely to demonstrate suicide behaviour. Previous studies have found an increased risk in migraine patients, such as this meta study from 2009, and this study from Ethiopia.

So where’s the surprise? Well, the researchers went on to look at the risk for patients with migraine and anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Of course, you would expect suicide risk to skyrocket in patients with migraine + one of these conditions.

Except, it didn’t. It dropped. Patients without anxiety, depression, or PTSD were significantly more likely to demonstrate suicidal behaviour! The Ethiopian study found the same thing specifically with depression – when a migraine patient did not have depression, they were more likely to be suicidal.

Why? Does this mean that non-depressed people are more suicidal? Not necessarily.

The study explains:

Friedman and colleagues did not detect a link between specific psychiatric conditions and suicidal behavior among patients with migraine. They speculated this might be because patients with migraine with comorbid psychiatric disorders are receiving treatment that reduces their risk for suicidal behaviors.
Study Summary: Link Between Migraine and Suicidal Behaviors

It could also be that patients had not been diagnosed properly with depression (and hence weren’t receiving treatment), or that they failed to report these conditions.

This study and others should remind us of some important things. So let’s summarize:

Migraine patients are not automatically depressed.
Many are.
Sometimes it’s hard to see the visible signs of depression, or suicidal thoughts.

We need to recognize, again, that migraine is serious. If someone you love is suffering from migraine, they may rarely mention it. But when they do, listen. Take it seriously. If appropriate, help them find treatment, and encourage them not to ignore it.

Read more about the study here: Study Summary: Link Between Migraine and Suicidal Behaviors

12 January 2018

Migraine and Narcolepsy – Are they Linked?

James Information 1

No, narcolepsy is not a type of epilepsy that comes from narcotics. In fact, it is neither a disease related to narcotic use, nor a form of epilepsy. Narco in this case comes from a latinized form of the Greek word for stupor or numbness. And yes, someone with narcolepsy is a narcoleptic.

Migraine and Narcolepsy Narcolepsy is actually quite a serious chronic sleep disorder. Basically, sleep can sneak up and attack you during the day – for example, you may be extremely drowsy during the day, you may end up with muscle weakness/slurred speech/loss of muscle control, and you may even experience hallucinations.

Narcolepsy is related to other sleep disorders, so patients may have two or three disorders together.

As a result of sleep problems, many with narcolepsy also gain weight, and have sexual issues (such as a low sex drive, or even extreme sleepiness during sex.

We’re not sure how narcolepsy is related to migraine (although we’ve seen the link before), but a new study seems to show a strong link. Of course, migraine and sleep problems often go together. And fatigue and other symptoms of narcolepsy often accompany migraine, though usually in a different form.

This particular study focused on narcolepsy in children. The researchers found that migraine was indeed a risk factor for narcolepsy in children (for more, read Migraine and risk of narcolepsy in children: A nationwide longitudinal study).

It’s important to try to get to the root of the problem in children. Migraine, narcolepsy, and depression can all be related. And sometimes treating one can help with the other.

Read more a summary of narcolepsy from the Mayo Clinic. If you think that you may suffer from narcolepsy and migraine, this personal story may help you – Narcolepsy and Chronic Migraine. We would love to hear your comments if you’ve struggled with this chronic disorder.

16 November 2017

Yes, Fibromyalgia and Migraine are Strongly Linked

James Discoveries & Stats 2

Another study has confirmed the link between fibromyalgia and migraine, with some interesting side notes.

The study was actually comparing chronic migraine (CM) and chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) with fibromyalgia, to see which were more connected. There was a connection with both – over a quarter of the patients with CTTH also had fibromyalgia. But for CM, over 2/3 had fibromyalgia!

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Migraine Some patients are so focused on one condition that they don’t take the time to consider the other. It’s very important to realize that you may be struggling with more than one condition, requiring more than one treatment. (For more, see Is Migraine a â€œSymptomâ€ of Fibromyalgia?)

CM patients with fibromyalgia also experienced “increased frequency of photophobia, phonophobia, anxiety, depression, and insomnia”. Another reason why both conditions need to be taken seriously. This connection was not seen in the patients with CTTH.

Strictly on the fibromyalgia side, the fibro tended to have a higher impact on life if the patient also had chronic migraine.

It is very helpful to talk to your doctor if you think you may be dealing with more than one condition. There may be excellent treatments that can help with both. The more you know, the more you can choose the right treatment for you.

For more on this study, read: Fibromyalgia Among Patients With Chronic Migraine and Chronic Tension-Type Headache

2 October 2017

Light Therapy: Not Just for Migraine

James Discoveries & Stats, Treatments 0

When people think of light therapy, they often think of seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression that seems to hit some people during seasons when the days are shorter. And that kind of therapy makes sense to us – maybe some people just have trouble adjusting to seasons with less light.

But what is less known is that light therapy is something that is growing much broader. It includes various types of light, and various types of diseases and disorders.

For example, did you know what light therapy is being widely used to treat acne? Yup. And how about other types of depression? And psoriasis. And pain conditions. And, of course, migraine.

Light therapy is an important frontier in medicine because of the possibility of making it available to paitients at a very low cost, in their own homes.

Read more about the possibilities of light therapy, including the story of Donna, who has found relief from her migraine attacks through a certain type of light therapy: Testing the Healing Potential of Light