Migraine and health anxiety

[Fighting-Soul]

Hello everyone! Im new here, although I was a regular member about 5 years ago. Long story short, my anxiety is back! And this time it's coming with migraines that make me feel horrendous, therefore kickstarting my anxiety and panic! I feel something is really wrong with my head and it terrifies me

[Hidden]

Hello

Did you do anything in particular to stop your anxiety before?

[Fighting-Soul in reply to Hidden]

Hello!

I don't think it ever really stopped, i started medication and learned how to cope with it a little better. But i feel myself slipping again and all i feel is fear. Some days are good and some are bad, my doctor diagnosed me with migraine's but my mind wont stop telling me its more

[Hidden in reply to Fighting-Soul]

Will you have to go back to the start again and use medication and learn how to cope?

[Fighting-Soul in reply to Hidden]

I really don't want to 😔 I've managed to cope so well, but if medication can help me live life again without the constant fear, then yes

[Hidden in reply to Fighting-Soul]

Maybe it would be worth a go so that you can feel better again.

I hope you manage to work it all out.

[Fighting-Soul in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much, and for taking the time to respond to me x

[Hidden in reply to Fighting-Soul]

You are always welcome...

[gajh]

Have you been to a neurologist? There might be something they could do to help with the migraines.

[Fighting-Soul in reply to gajh]

I haven't, il definitley speak to my doctor about that tho! I didn't know that was an option , thank you

[gajh in reply to Fighting-Soul]

I just went to a neurologist for double vision. He thinks it is caused by migraines even though I do not have a headache or any pain at all. He did a bunch of blood work to rule everything else out. He prescribed Magnesium 250 mg and Vitamin B 400 mg. Not saying that is what you should do. Just sharing what my Dr said to me. I have a follow up with him next week.

[Fighting-Soul in reply to gajh]

I really appreciate your response. I had an MRI scan and a CT scan back in 2019, both of which were clear, but my brother had an unexpected brain hemorrage a few years ago and that always plays in the back of my mind

[gajh in reply to Fighting-Soul]

I had an MRI and a CT scan that were clear and then got referred to the neurologist.

[dizzychar]

hi,it’s awful isn’t it, I’ve been the same had a really rough few weeks, can’t sleep hardly and when I do I’m waking up every hour, try not to worry too much easier said than done I no especially with what happened to your brother, is your gp going to do any further tests?

[Fighting-Soul in reply to dizzychar]

Hello! It is horrible! Ive woken up this morning really scared with a headache! Just the feelings of fear going through me. No there not

[jodary]

Hi, just wanted to say I really feel for you. It’s a horrible thing to deal with, I tend to be ok until I get a physical symptom and then it kicks off my anxiety because I’m convinced it’s something bad. Like you with your brother I had a similar experience when my dad had a bad back which we didn’t think was anything but a bad back and turned out to be cancer in his bones from undiagnosed prostate cancer. I think this is what triggered my health anxiety as there’s often a related experience in the past if you have therapy. It’s a vicious circle as the anxiety triggers the physical symptoms which then fuel the anxiety. I’ve had various medications and therapies and did find hypnotherapy helpful. I think we are a particular type of person unfortunately, my husband has never been anxious in his life and he’s had 2 heart attacks but is not anxious about his health at all . We are just built that way

[Fighting-Soul in reply to jodary]

Hi, thank you for your response & im very sorry to hear that about your dad! Im the same with you, it’s the physical symptoms that send my thoughts wild as i think in that moment that ‘this is it’. Ive been to the doctors and had tests etc but nothing seems to satisfy me. For a few years there it was ‘managale’ with just some bad days. But now its back and I've forgotten everything that helped last time. All i remembered was this group, All i feel is fear 😔 the headaches are like pressure headaches its horrible. Feels like my head is going to explode sometimes which automatically sends me to my brother and what happened to him, as he had no symptoms either he just woke up one morning paralysed down one side with a bleed on the brain

[jodary in reply to Fighting-Soul]

I am very familiar with those pressure headaches, ended up with a mri scan I got so worried about them. There’s a web site called anxiety centre and it helps me to go on there and read about all the physical symptoms you can get with anxiety. It’s like a kind of reassurance that it is anxiety. I also started getting ectopic heart beats and transferred my anxiety on to my heart. After numerous tests all was ok but I still get them and get anxious which makes them worse. I did find hypnotherapy helpful, it’s supposed to be able to change how you think but still when I get a physical symptom I start panicking. It’s in our makeup I think

[Goldfinger27]

Can you tell me if you can drink comfrey tea? I want it to help with pain and heal my joints and bones and I know this is excellent for it. I tried the cream but it is a dark bottle green and the mess it made was horrendous.

[Debee28]

Sorry to hear this. Just to note on migraines have u considered having your daith pierced? It's inside your ear and a pressure point. I was having 11 migraines a week, had my daiths pierced and they stopped.

[Fighting-Soul in reply to Debee28]

Thank you for your response! I forgot about that piercing, il definitely try that! Thank you

[Cb1963]

Awe I'm sorry you're struggling with these migraines, but try not to worry, you've had a couple of scans etc and this should put your mind at rest, now doctors aren't really qualified to give you expert advice, doctors will sometimes start you on a preventative type of medication, and the choice is normally propananol, I think it's a beta blocker, sometimes it works and other times you'll need to seek specialist advice like a neurologist, I was diagnosed with cluster headaches and these are truly awful 😖 headaches or migraines can affect your general well-being and if you haven't got a proper diagnosis your mind could run riot, rest assured I know you mentioned your brother, but I'm sure you'll find that you won't have the same complaints, there's numerous types of headaches or migraines and just getting a break from them will help with your anxiety, I was at the end of my tether with my headaches and they are known as suicide headaches, I had tried topiramate tablets from the neurologist at the first occasion and these worked for a year or so, then my headaches came back with a vengeance, even doubling up the dose didn't help, I tried nerve block injections in my neck, but things were so bad I was offered oxygen therapy, but I went on to sumaptrapyn injections to stop a full blown headaches and also verapamil tablets which finally stopped a bad cycle of 6 months of everyday headaches, I hope you find a cure and try and enjoy your life, best of luck 😊

[Fighting-Soul in reply to Cb1963]

Thank you so much for your response. I know i have had scans etc done but they way my mind works is crazy, i think because these scans were 5 years ago, that something may have appeared in that time? I was on propanalol a few years ago and they made me fell very ‘spaced out’ like my body would just stop if that makes sense? My doctor gave me medication to try but one of the side effects was ‘dizziness’ and that sent me in a spiral, i hate being dizzy! Its the fear i feel when i have these headaches that get me the most, the feelings like my head will just explode. I really hope so too, in glad you found something that works for you! Thank you so much x

[Cb1963 in reply to Fighting-Soul]

Try and enjoy your life, headaches and migraines play havoc with our emotions, I wasn't properly diagnosed for around a year, I had a scan when the headaches first started, and like I said it was getting the right medication, yes I admit I got worried when the headaches returned, because I thought the medication would mean I'd never get these headaches again, I was wrong, but I didn't let the next stage of treatment upset me, these headaches were absolutely brutal and I was ringing up the specialist nurse who run a clinic designed for people with cluster headaches, obviously these headaches are different compared to most headaches or migraines, and I had no problems with the propananol, however it didn't work much, that's why a neurologist is required they have a more specific idea and can try different medication that your doctor might not want to explore, I know how distressing this situation might be and even affecting your daily life, and unfortunately people look at folk who suffer with migraines don't show any visible symptoms, and the sympathy and compassion is lacking 😢, there's nothing visible and years ago my ex partner had migraines and yes I'm the first to admit I didn't think it was a big deal, how wrong was I!!! You have my deepest sympathy knowing how much a struggle it can be I hope you find something to help your migraines, kind regards 😊

[Fighting-Soul in reply to Cb1963]

I really am trying, its just so hard 😔 i remember how bad i was a few years ago and i really cant go back to that. I think il ask my doctor about being referred to the neurologist. I have a young daughter so i need to get better for her x

[Cb1963 in reply to Fighting-Soul]

Yes I totally understand, I hope you get some help, I know how frustrating and upsetting this difficult situation can be, all the best 👍