Can migraines cause personality changes?

In a word - yes. Its a neurological thing: for me I always get head pain but some of my other symptoms include the inability to put together coherant sentances easily and sucking at math (which sucks, being a mathematical person) Basically if it requires a lot of thinking my brain will trip up at it. Its different for everyone.

Encourage him to see a neurologist. I'm a father - my son is 7 months old. I used to just live with migraines. They would alter my personality to a point but I'm a grunt, I tend to just lower my head and plow through things. When that kid came around that was my motivation to actually try and get this stuff worked out. Try and talk it over with him, that's about all you can do. Try and find a neurologist that specializes in migraines.

And I understand about the side effects... the only abortive medication I've found that works for me (Inderal injections... the pill doesn't work) slows me down for the next 3-4 days. What daily med is he taking? I'm on Topamax and I really haven't had any side effects after the first month.

best of luck
-philski-

Its not as "cock-eyed" as you might think, migraines are still a mystery for the most part. Some of the common treatments are antidepressants, Topamax (which is used to fight seizures) , and blood pressure medications (which includes Beta Blockers like propranalol/Inderal)... depressions, seizures, and high blood pressure!

Propranolol is a beta blocker, the commercial name is Inderal, a blood pressure medication. In the migraine world both are used as a preventative medication: you take them daily.

I've used both, together and seperate. Topamax is working better for me. I was on Inderal at first because (a) high blood pressure runs in the family and the doc figured i should start early and (b) the doc was a school nurse and knew nothing about migraines, when I told her my dad had fewer migraines when he started taking blood pressure medication she put 2 and 2 together...

Try another neurologist. Try to get him to have regular visits. Again, what your doctor said is right - there is no magic pill for migraine, your best bet is finding someone you trust and scheduling regular appointments. If the treatment isnt working then you have to try something new. Until they figure out the root cause that's what it is. Sucks but its true.

-philski-

"I had always thought that a migraines was by definition, a headache"

 

Boy did that rub me the wrong way, and that is not directed at you WaterMinky....that is just one of my "hot buttons" No, migraine is not by definition a headache. Migraine is a neurological disease and can consist of different symptoms which may or may not include head pain. There are different type of migraines including some that have stomach symptoms, neurological type symtoms that affect balance, vision and the abiltiy to walk and other are more focused on head pain.

 

I personally, have the type that always have head pain and generally have other associated symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound and different smells.

 

My personality is affected probably 85% of the time, I am more tired, I am irritable before and during a migraine, I am exhausted directly after an episode or attack-this may be due to the migraine itself and partly due to the medication I take to abort the attack. I can also be very emotional, when I feel a migraine coming on I try to rush and do everything I can to make it stop before it gets here with full force and I try to prepare myself and my household and job by doing whatever needs to be done in the event  that I am incapacitated for a few days, then I get very sad and whiny almost...and when I was in a relationship I wanted him to be around and take care of me and let me cry and be a brat (smile)

 

I think this affects everyone differently and it's good to understand where your migraineur is coming from and what they need when they aren't feeling well.

 

Hang in there and try to do what you can by learning what migraines are really all about and see what they really feel like to your husband.

 

Thanks for stopping in. post often and ask whatever questions you need to.

Sara

May I kindly add my two cents about guilt. I have so much guilt attached to my headaches / migraines that if someone added anymore it would send me over the edge causing me to withdraw rather than force me to do something.

I find that empathy and working together as partners is much more effective whenever possible. If your husband will let you be part of his treatment, visits to the doctors and research and education he may find your strength helpful in coping.

Just my perspective.

Hi Karen,

Welcome to the forum.

I have to apologize, but your message made me smile. It's not funny as I laid in bed all day with a migraine. But it made me smile because I know exactly what you mean about vomitting. Your description of your migraine today describes mine to a tee and I will also do anything to avoid vomitting, though usually feel a little better afterwards.

I share you aversion to throwing up and the only thing worse than throwing up is waking up to throw up. So hopefully your pain has subsided enough to share my smile.

If not, I'm sorry to hear about your terrible headache this morning. As I said. I get these types of headaches quite regularly. I take Gravol (in Canada) Dramamine (in the US) with whatever medication I take to stop the vomitting. I have become quite adept over the years at not getting sick. Cold is a good way - a cold pack, open a window, an ice pack, throw off all the covers. I don't let anyone get on or near the bed and I don't eat anything if I'm feeling that way. I drink water or herbal tea if I need something and lie very still.

If this is very unusual for you I would go to the doctor to check it's nothing more serious. It's always a good idea to get a headache checked out when it changes from your normal pattern.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

WaterMinky- when you talk to you husband about going back to a Dr for new meds. explain to him that no matter whet meds are prescribe there will be side effects. They will not be fun, but within time they will subside so he will be able to get back to his old self again (or as close as possible) That way he can play with his children again & enjoy his life with you again. As you can tell from reading this board people can give you names of different meds that he may want to ask about that seem to work well for different people. & you can see what some of the side effects are here on this board for him, or just do some web surfing to compare them.

Hi Everybody,

Thank you all so much for all your information and support. 

I was talking to my mother-in-law today,and she said that she has been taking Depakote for migraines/seizures since 1996. I was wondering if anyone knows, or has an opinion about this: is it at all likely that family members would find the same medicine effective for their migraines? I mean, are the migraines of blood relatives likely to spring from the same cause, and therefore would respond to the same medication?

I also wonder if Depakote would be effective for my husband because, two years ago, when the migraines had recently started and he was admitted to the hospital for a week of observation, he was found to be having some seizures --though difficult to detect -- he had to be monitored constantly for days before any seizures were picked up.

Sorry for the long post. Take care, all.

- WaterMinky