Posted by Dan on August 28, 1998, at 3:01:56
Hi
You sound to be going through a great deal of pain mentally and physically. A number of studies have shown that Migraines and Bipolar Disorder often accompany each other. That is to say people who suffer with Bipolar Disorder often also suffer from Migraines. What you have described, I have heard in my office more times than I can count. I am a clinician in the Department of Psychiatry at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. One approach has been to discontinue all medications for the headache except for one to be used only during a severe migraine. From there, The Bipolar Disorder is treated aggressively until mood stability has been reached. At that time, a maintenance medication for Migraines is started (such as Verapamil). This has worked for nearly everyone who I have had an invovement in their treatment.
FIRST control the mood. Once the symptoms from Bipolar Disorder have gone into remission, the number of migraines drops dramatically. Some medications you may ask your doctor's opinion on for alternative treatment to lithium are Depakote, Tegratol, Klonopin, Verapamil, Tofranil and Sinequan. A combination of several of these could control both Bipolar Disorder and Migraine headaches.
Good luck.
Remember also, these medications sometimes take a while to work, so be patient and don't quit a medication until your doctor agrees you have given it a fair tial.
poster:Dan
thread:423
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19980801/msgs/423.html