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OCD and Migraine


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Thanks afmoon. Yes, I've recently restarted taking amitriptyline, but it hasn't made much difference so far.

I'd say my head is worse in the morning and when I'm concentrating, but it's there all the time really. Sometimes a tight ache, sometimes more shooting pains.

Do you experience migraines with your OCD?

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Hi! I have been suffering with headaches/migraines for a while now. Like Torsa, I have headaches almost everyday, but I do suffer with migraines at least once a week… For the headaches I just take paracetamol, but everynight, along with my ocd meds, I take Topiramate, advised by my psychiatrist, as what I took before could interfere with my meds. Prior to taking Topiramate, I took Gabapentine, but I had bruises showing up with no explanation and swollen hands. I also had to up my dose of Topiramate to 300, because I my migraines were still showing up every week. As for this new dosage, I can't still say if it's working. 

I started treating my ocd mostly because of my headaches. I just felt that the rituals and the compulsions were too much and my brain couldn't stop "working". Have you seen your GP? 

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Yeah my migraines have been with me since childhood (inherited from my mum who suffers greatly) so have tried a number of things over the years. Currently I'm suffering rebound headaches due to taking too much of the Triptan I've been taking for years (Zomig). If I don't take this medication a migraine will invariably progress into a full blown attack. Trying to manage this and OCD I find way too much. The anxiety certainly makes the migraine worse and  the pain makes it harder to deal with the thoughts so it just becomes a vicious circle. They are both neurological disorders and I'm interested in the connection - I believe there is one. 

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That sounds really difficult... I can empathise with you both... having OCD is difficult at the best of times, without having to deal with other chronic conditions.

Yeah, I'm sure there's a link between my head pains and the OCD. It's almost like the pains are a physical manifestation of the OCD. I'd probably say they're 'psychosomatic', because there doesn't seem to be a true physical cause of them (have had brain scans to rule that out).
Headaches/migraines etc seem a bit of a medical mystery in general. I'd love to be able to chat with a neurologist to get their thoughts on possible links between head pains, mental illness etc.

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21 hours ago, Torsa said:

Yeah, I'm sure there's a link between my head pains and the OCD. It's almost like the pains are a physical manifestation of the OCD. I'd probably say they're 'psychosomatic', because there doesn't seem to be a true physical cause of them (have had brain scans to rule that out).

I think the same. I haven't done any scans, as I'm a bit afraid to go back to my GP. It makes sense if there is a connection between them both, as OCD is a brain disorder. 

I've found some interesting things online. I'll linked them bellow if you're interested!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3452082/pdf/10194_2008_Article_69.pdf

https://blogs.psychcentral.com/overcoming-ocd/2015/10/ocd-doesnt-always-strike-alone/

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Thank you from me too for those links VNDO. I too have done a fair bit of research over the last couple of years and you're right there's not a lot out there. Below is some reading matter I found at some point along the line. It is probably similar to what is in the links you already sent but may be of interest anyway. 

Torsa I've seen a neurologist a few times and they never seem to make the link between the two disorders!

I've had occipital nerve blocks which sometimes have worked sometimes not. Bought a device called 'Cefaly' which I thought was helping for a time but then not.  I think because the OCD is so bad at the moment no treatment for migraine stands  much of a chance ? 

I am having  some acupuncture at the moment which seems to help ease both disorders...I think, I don't know!! 

https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/s10194-008-0069-z#Sec3

'According to the American Migraine Foundation, nearly half of all Americans living with migraine also have anxiety. Research also suggests that people who have migraine attacks may be up to five times more likely to have anxiety than people who don't'

I hope you are both migraine free today. I woke up in terrible pain but somehow managed to get my son to school. Haven't taken anything yet but am likely to later.

Sorry if the link doesn't work...doesn't seem to be working for me....

 

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18 minutes ago, afmoon03 said:

Thank you from me too for those links VNDO. I too have done a fair bit of research over the last couple of years and you're right there's not a lot out there. Below is some reading matter I found at some point along the line. It is probably similar to what is in the links you already sent but may be of interest anyway. 

Torsa I've seen a neurologist a few times and they never seem to make the link between the two disorders!

I've had occipital nerve blocks which sometimes have worked sometimes not. Bought a device called 'Cefaly' which I thought was helping for a time but then not.  I think because the OCD is so bad at the moment no treatment for migraine stands  much of a chance ? 

I am having  some acupuncture at the moment which seems to help ease both disorders...I think, I don't know!! 

https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/s10194-008-0069-z#Sec3

'According to the American Migraine Foundation, nearly half of all Americans living with migraine also have anxiety. Research also suggests that people who have migraine attacks may be up to five times more likely to have anxiety than people who don't'

I hope you are both migraine free today. I woke up in terrible pain but somehow managed to get my son to school. Haven't taken anything yet but am likely to later.

Sorry if the link doesn't work...doesn't seem to be working for me....

 

Thank you! I don't understand how I usually wake up feeling like my head is going to explode... I should be rested and so should my brain, but apparently that's not the case. 

It's 2020 and they still can't find any link between the two disorders. How is that possible? 

The link is working, don't worry ? So, most people with migraines also suffer with some kind of anxiety, which seems to make sense for us, as ocd feeds of our anxiety. I wish there were more studies on this ?

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You and me both VNDO regarding the studies, in fact everything, head about to explode etc. Have just taken my Triptan as head is getting worse. Anxiety awful?

I'm wishing you a good day. How are you at the moment? 

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39 minutes ago, afmoon03 said:

You and me both VNDO regarding the studies, in fact everything, head about to explode etc. Have just taken my Triptan as head is getting worse. Anxiety awful?

I'm wishing you a good day. How are you at the moment? 

Oh no... I hope you get better!

Woke up with an headache, as usual. I mean, it's like my whole brain is crushing against my skull... like pressuring. I don't even know... I haven't taken anything yet, as I can still bear it  but I might have to take some paracetamol later.

Thank you ?

Do you take any medication for your ocd?

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I hope your head is improving:hug:Will paracetamol do anything for your head?!

Yes I take a fair bit at the moment for the OCD: Prozac, Pregabalin and Quetiapine (a very low dose) at night as wasn't sleeping.

It may be that I try a preventative for the migraine again - one that doesn't interact with the Zomig and all of the above as well. Too many meds though ? 

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14 minutes ago, afmoon03 said:

I hope your head is improving:hug:Will paracetamol do anything for your head?!

Yes I take a fair bit at the moment for the OCD: Prozac, Pregabalin and Quetiapine (a very low dose) at night as wasn't sleeping.

It may be that I try a preventative for the migraine again - one that doesn't interact with the Zomig and all of the above as well. Too many meds though ? 

It is! It helps a little, but I have to take 1g twice a day, most of the time. 

I take Pregabalin as well. Because I also take Paroxetine, I can't take Triptans. My doctor prescribed me Gabapentin for the migraines, which I take every night. I started with 100mg and it worked for a while, but I am now taking 300mg. I feel like meds work in the beginning and then stop having any effect on me. On my next appointment I have to tell her this. 

Same here! I almost have a pharmacy at home ahah. I feel like I'm always at the pharmacy ? 

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Out of interest VNDO, what dose of Pregabalin do you take? I take 75mg twice daily.

I shouldn't really be taking the Triptan when on Fluoxetine but was put on it years ago...when I was on Paroxetine actually. There's a risk of Serotonin syndrome which is another reason of trying to reduce the Zomig.

My head has definitely worsened as my anxiety has increased today. 

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I used to take Triptans as well, but when I started with this medication, I read everything in the leaflet before and found out it wasn't advised to take them.

You're not taking paroxetine anymore?

 

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15 hours ago, VNDO said:

I take 50mg twice a day. Does it help you? I've only been on meds since October and increased the dosage in December, but I don't think it has helped much...

Oh no, I hope everything is okay! 

I don't know that it does a great deal to be honest but I did relapse this time after coming off it but I don't know if that was coincidental. So hard to tell with medication! Are you likely to be increasing it to 75mg? Think that is the recommended lowest dose for anxiety but I could be wrong?!

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15 hours ago, VNDO said:

I used to take Triptans as well, but when I started with this medication, I read everything in the leaflet before and found out it wasn't advised to take them.

You're not taking paroxetine anymore?

 

Yeah I shouldn't be taking the Triptan still but haven't been told to stop. I've been trying to wean myself off it for a while but hard to attempt that when dealing with OCD as well! 

I was initially put on Paroxetine years ago...about three years after the OCD started (though didn't have a diagnosis until much later). I found it helped the intrusive thoughts but didn't feel quite 'myself' on it. Weaned myself off that and went on to Fluoxetine after a relapse I think. All a bit of a blur now. I'm not sure the Fluoxetine is doing a great deal now. Don't know what to think!! Tried a couple of different antipsychotics whilst weaning off the Pregabalin last year but didn't like the side effects and read too many negative stories about them - I shouldn't have been googling though of course.

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2 hours ago, afmoon03 said:

I don't know that it does a great deal to be honest but I did relapse this time after coming off it but I don't know if that was coincidental. So hard to tell with medication! Are you likely to be increasing it to 75mg? Think that is the recommended lowest dose for anxiety but I could be wrong?!

I think so... I have my next appointment this Spring and I'm going to tell her that it's not doing much for me, apart of increasing my weight ? I've gained 22 pounds since November. 

 

1 hour ago, afmoon03 said:

Yeah I shouldn't be taking the Triptan still but haven't been told to stop. I've been trying to wean myself off it for a while but hard to attempt that when dealing with OCD as well! 

I was initially put on Paroxetine years ago...about three years after the OCD started (though didn't have a diagnosis until much later). I found it helped the intrusive thoughts but didn't feel quite 'myself' on it. Weaned myself off that and went on to Fluoxetine after a relapse I think. All a bit of a blur now. I'm not sure the Fluoxetine is doing a great deal now. Don't know what to think!! Tried a couple of different antipsychotics whilst weaning off the Pregabalin last year but didn't like the side effects and read too many negative stories about them - I shouldn't have been googling though of course.

I don't feel much difference, to be honest… Still have intrusive thoughts, although my mood has increased a lot. 

I do it to… I research about all the side effects and than have them (or think I do)… The first few days on this medication were the worst. I didn't sleep at all the first night, and my whole body was shaking. I honestly thought about quitting. 

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That's great your mood has lifted. Are you currently receiving therapy for your intrusive thoughts?

How has your head been over the last week? Sorry I didn't reply to your last post.

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1 hour ago, afmoon03 said:

That's great your mood has lifted. Are you currently receiving therapy for your intrusive thoughts?

How has your head been over the last week? Sorry I didn't reply to your last post.

No problem! 

No, not yet. I've been trying to convince my mother to book an appointment for me, but to no avail. She agrees, but never really does it. I see my psychiatrist every two or three months to try and get the medication right, but that's about it...

I feel like my OCD has been worse lately, to about the same as when I wasn't taking any medication.

My head has been alright. Just the occasional headache, but that's it. I think it's related to my sleep... if I sleep too little or too much, I wake up with an headache that progresses to a migraine. Just need to find the right sleeping pattern ?

What about your migraines? 

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Have you been referred for any treatment on the NHS in the past? If you are under a psychiatrist is there no one he/she can recommend or refer you to?

I feel the same, my OCD feels almost as bad as when I'm not on medication and that worries me.

Migraine wise, not good. Have had my triptan 3 days in a row this week. It's just ongoing. I rarely go a day without taking it. I should really let a migraine come naturally and see it through in bed but I have a young son to care for and also I can't face the pain right now on top of my thoughts. It's so hard?

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