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What is best anti-depressant for migraine sufferers?

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Posted 4/25/2009 5:31 AM (GMT 0)
I am currently taking generic Wellbutrin 300mg. and an over-the-counter 5-HTP / SamE supplement as regular anti-d's cause me to crave sweets and gain weight. I've tried every category of "preventatives" for chronic migraine and finally found something that is helping. I discovered that I had occular hypertension. Around the same time, a new neuro gave me the generic Inderal (high blood pressure medicine). Either one or both of these have helped me significantly. The issue is that I still suffer w/ moderate depression (situational). I went to a psyche to give me an anti-anxiety med to take "as needed" but she is stubborn like all of them and gave me ativan which is like a sugar pill for me and is insisting that I stop the 5HTP (even though she admits to knowing absolutely NOTHING about it and I have an appt. next week so she can prescribe a different anti-depressant.

I understand that while anti-depressants can help with headache prevention they can also "CAUSE" headaches. Is their ONE anti-depressant that is the BEST for us chronic migraine sufferers?

Thanks.
Posted 4/25/2009 5:48 AM (GMT 0)
It really depends on your severity of your migraines. How many migraines do you get a month? Is it before or after you take your meds and how many hours apart? Sometimes migraines can be caused by medication. You honestly need to be speaking to a neurologist. Considering you have more than one doctor, you also should consider signing a medical waiver to have all your doctors to communicate to each other. You need to find your triggers in order to find the best medication to prevent migraines. Try a diary of what you ate, drank, when a migraine comes, if you notice any auras with it. Look for common factors. Me, I trigger on too much cafine, and so on.
Posted 4/25/2009 6:02 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Smurfy and thanks. I am on Federal Disability now after a 15 year history of chronic migraine. Unfortunately, SSDI makes you wait 2 years and 5 months for medical insurance. I suffered. I suffered severely. I crushed my 9 immitrex into 1/4 and just suffered. I used to get a migraine 25 days of the month. I am now getting them about 15 days a month but they respond to medicine now which is a major milestone. What I need to do is "insist" on the medical waiver and that my doctors communicate. They don't. They don't want to! I come in with my health journals, highlighted and my questions and they don't want to even look at them or talk to me about them. They are practically worthless. I missed my neuro appointment today because I had a level 10 migraine (I do much worse in the mornings) and I have to wait til the end of May to see him. Being in the system (so to speak) is a part-time job. If anybody reading this wishes they didn't have to work...talk to someone first. I am single and self supporting. I live in bankrupt California and make the poverty income for the nation and receive absolutely no additional benefits as a single woman. It sucks. I want my life back. I feel for everyone on here. It seems that most of us chronic migrainers have co-morbid conditions. Meanwhile, some of the most undeserving people are pain free and abandon us when we can't be a little ray of sunshine for them. I need to talk to someone but of course can't afford the copay!

Anyway, I just want to be informed when I go to her. I don't want any drug that causes weight gain. Since I've been taking preventatives I've gained 40 pounds. Every new drugs side effects are the worst in the "beginning." I experience increased appetite and cravings for sweets. Having chronic pain makes it very difficult to pass up the small pleasure of food so I have decided that I can't counter it with diet and exercise and getting fat makes me DEPRESSED!

I wish that the Neurologists would care about our fear of weight gain. While they have a point "what would you rather have, migraines or weight gain?" my problem is that I get the weight gain and the migraines don't go away. I wish I could take Topomax...I'm so jealous of those who can and do. Not only has it been a God-send for some but I know people who have lost 60 lbs. since taking it. I have always kept a diary and it just didn't work for me.

Thanks for listening.
Posted 4/25/2009 6:30 AM (GMT 0)
You really really need to find your triggers. Start a book of what you eat and drink and when migraines accurs. Look for anything in common. Try to stay away from Msg in hidden forms... Ok here it goes.... Msg in hiddin forms: Natural flavor, monosodium glutamate, monopotassium glutamate, maltodextrin, malted barley flour, malted anything. malt extract (some cereals and white brine and saltine crackers carry these), broth, bouillon, beef base, beef flavoring, barley malt, autolyzed yeast extracted, aspartame (soda and other things), artificial flavor. Now...if you can find foods that dont carry that let me know cuz my neurologist just gave me that list and said to stay away from it for your migraines. Also, I forgot to menti9on, but remember now, sometimes migraines can mean a heart condition or a tumor, etc, there are some posts somewhere on this group of different reasons of why people get migraines. So see a neurologist. And yes you should be on a preventivie. Oh and if your hair is long, cut it. Tension migraines can be caused by the pulling and bounding weight of the hair. Its true, I went from my 16-18 a month to 6-10 with preventive medication, then after cutting my hair im down to 3-4 a month.
Posted 4/25/2009 6:38 AM (GMT 0)
WoW....the hair thing is very interesting! My hair isn't long...about 2 inches past my shoulders but who knows, migraine brains are extremely sensitive.

I have those hidden msg lists too and here is my dillemna. It takes so much time to read the lists on the packages and compare them to our typed lists. Sometimes I think that "obsessing" about my migraines makes them worse but what choice do we have? We can't just give up.

My known triggers are:

hormonal
weather changes
perfume
bright sunlight
neck/shoulder tension
eye strain
allergies
chocolate & wine


I basically stay away from the major food triggers because they are easiest to "control." However, those pesky hidden msg. I will tell you this. If I eat a McDonalds burger I will feel like crap and get a migraine....EVERY time. Fast food is loaded with hidden msg.
Posted 4/25/2009 6:42 AM (GMT 0)
You just explained my unknown migraine LOL! So far its a 2.5 but I couldnt figure out where I went wrong. I was in a hurry between doctor appointments and with being diabetic, my bloodsugar got low, so I went to McDonalds. I been sick since too, with not only a migraine but also a fever, bowel issues. Chocolate has caffine in it, do you drink a lot of soda? You so need a neurologist though.
Posted 4/25/2009 7:13 AM (GMT 0)
I can't get in to see my neurologist until May 27th. Is this normal? I'm not a new patient but every specialist is 3 - 6 weeks out. arrgggh!

I don't know what it is about Mc
Donalds but stay away. I do eat fast food and McDonalds (particularly Big Mac) gives me a migraine every time and makes me feel like crap. I'm not trying to slight McDonalds either cuz I love their yogurt parfait and value menu!

I need to start keeping a food diary again. I also track my moods, bowel movements, meds taken and activities. Believe it or not but sometimes a positive event like doing something social can trigger a migraine for me. I think that is because I have cervical disc problems and find myself holding my head in that "ready" position is a trigger. I dunno. I so wish that I had the luxury of looking for my own neuro who will care about me. I just have to be grateful that I even have insurance at this point, you know?
Posted 4/25/2009 9:20 AM (GMT 0)
I hear ya on that. Yes it is normal to have to wait that long. Its normal to even have to wait a few weeks just to see your primary. It just means they have lots of patients. I just realized you also said hormonal migraines. Have you considered getting an ultrasound? It sounds crazy, but I know there are disorders that cause migraines with mother nature and other symptoms. I have something called Polycycstic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). I would have really bad mother nature, cramps, abnormal times including sometimes a week apart, a migraine. The treatment is my diabetes medication and birth control believe it or not.
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