topic Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories in Anxiety

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Jezza53 — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 04:07:29 GMT

Gday guys, im a 30 year old male, life long sufferer of migraines and strong anxiety, which have become more and more debilitating the older i get. i had a very active life, and although i wasn't really well, i was able to actually go out and live my life. That was until my panic attacks caused my to lose my job, lose my ability to live on my own, to be away from home etc. I've been seeing therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists for the past year, and have tried 4 different medications, for the correct amount of time, all have which have either not worked or have made me much, much worse. my problem is i can handle anxiety, but when it turns to panic and im away from home, no amount of CBT or deep breathing or positive thinking can help, and i have to either go do things with people or suffer extreme torment until im able to get home and wait out the attack. im still trying new doctors and medications and therapy avenues, but i live in a rural area and cant physically travel to where the good help is without completely losing my mind due to panic.

I do my best to stay positive, but to do so while suffering migraines, constant anxiety and sporadic debilitating panic attacks that have quite literally ruined my life, its very, very hard.

im looking for people who have suffered through similar comorbid conditions, as the only thing thats worse than going through this, is going through it alone.

for anyone wanting to suggest change of diet, exercise, bloodworks, mri's etc, i have tried no sugar for months, no difference, no caffeine for two weeks, no difference, extensive mri on head neck and back, all clear, bloodworks, all clear, exercise generally makes no difference or makes me feel worse with headaches. i used to train for triathlons and being able to run 6km, ride 30km and swim 1km did nothing to quell the strong anxiety and flighty panic response to emotions.

i have breakthroughs, where im able to work on myself with healthcare professionals, start feeling good, going out on my own driving etc and like, feeling that im getting my life back, but its like when i get used to one form of panic, randomly, for no discernible reason, i will suffer a new form of panic that i dont know how to deal with, that postive habits and thought patterns cant touch. ive had about 7 such relapses in the last year, and now my only option is to cycle through medications at the risk of them hurting me again. cheers for any help, much appreciated.

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

jaz28 — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 05:00:28 GMT

Hi there Jezza,

I am sorry to hear you are going through this. I understand how stressful and debilitating it is to experience anxiety attacks in public. I know it is easier to say 'deep breaths' than it is to do, right?

I am young myself and have suffered health issues myself recently, and have even been hospitalised because of them. I do not suffer regular migraines, but I know how painful they can be - I'm sorry. Experiencing problems with your physical health and mental health is a struggle, and they do go hand in hand. I just wanted to let you know that you seem to be doing your best to cope and try to get the help you need, and that is all you can do. Good work!

I am glad you are trying to stay positive, that's all we can do when we experience these dreadful feelings. It seems you have tried to seek help, and my only advice would be to keep trying. Keep pushing forward. These days you must advocate for your health and mental health, I cannot stress that enough. The only person that is impacted is YOU! Look after you. You are important! Keep having those breakthroughs, keep pushing forward, and hopefully one day that breakthrough will last. Never give up! When my physical health was bringing me down, I refused to give up and now I am 100% healthy.

If you are concerned about being alone, would a support group be something you would be interested in/able to join in your area? This could help you feel less alone. Because you are not alone, so many of us go through similar things as you and finding those around you could be a massive help if you feel up to it. Or since you live rurally, could an online support group help? Or telehealth appointments?

Keep your head up.

Jaz.

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Sophie_M — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 06:07:38 GMT

Hi there Jezza53,
We’re really sorry to hear what you’re going through. That must be incredibly difficult and frustrating, especially when it feels like you’re having breakthroughs but then coming back around to a really difficult point. You’re right, there’s nothing worse than going through it alone, and just sharing with this community can help you to have a voice and find people going through similar difficulties.

Jas28 makes a really good point about how support groups can be helpful. Another potentially helpful option would be to call our Mental Wellbeing Support Service on 1300 22 4636 for advice and strategies to help you manage your wellbeing and mental health during this time.
Kind regards,
Sophie M

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Jezza53 — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 02:05:53 GMT

Cheers guys, thanks for the positive words. Yes there are very limited mental health services in my area, so 90 percent of things i do is done through telehealth with the mental health plan, the only good thing to come out of covid haha! i have recently found good support to get me help get me through this, and am taking baby steps to try and make my way to the city to go in, as an in patient, and really try and get to the bottom of how to get on top of this.

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Here2Talk — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 05:22:57 GMT

Hi Jezza,

Sorry to hear of your plight. For some people anxiety and physical pain go hand in hand - e.g., aches, pains... sometimes migraines... It has been like this for most of your life yeah? You sure have tried a lot recently...

I know how you feel living in a rural area - trying to see a doctor or mental health professional is tedious and the selection is very limited, and skills less than perhaps better regions...

I have always had bad anxiety but recently have started developing... weird sort of physical flutterings in the chest. Many specialised psychologists are not fully covered by Medicare so it's looking like atm saving up a quarter of a thousand dollars for each appointment and getting something like half of it back....

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Gabs_ — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 06:28:33 GMT

Hi Jezza53,

Sorry to hear what you are going through. I've been through something similar and I know how utterly rubbish it can be/feel.

Is it time to consider going to an in-patient facility? I was at a very similar point earlier this year where my anxiety (that usually fuelled me and I could keep going off the adrenaline) turned into something completely different and panic overtook my life. I couldn't read, write, watch tv, listen to music, leave the house, be around people, be around noises.... I went on extended leave from work (because the idea of opening my emails made me feel like I was drowning and my head was going to explode) and in the end, I had to check myself into a private psychiatric hospital.

The first week I couldn't even leave my room, I was too scared to open the door or even make myself a cup of tea, but slowly, having that intensive period of being in hospital and solely focussed on me and my mental health made such a big difference. It saved my life. Don't get me wrong, I'm not "healed" and I still have bad days, but the month in hospital just gave me the support and tools to focus on getting to the root causes of the panic.

Is that something you could talk to your GP, Psychologist and Psychiatrist about?

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Jezza53 — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 04:14:15 GMT

Yea mate ive suffered headaches and anxiety since i was a baby. it wasnt until i was like 22 that i realized that this isnt normal for most people. I was always able to push past both these things, my motto used to be when you feel like shit, go harder. that worked really well for a decade. right up until it didnt anymore hahaha.

yea my psychiatrist and psychologist telehealth sessions usually cost any where between 100 and 200 dollars depending on the service, the company they work for and the duration of the session. And you're right i average about half that back with medicare.

as for your physical flutterings, of course see your gp, but sounds like part and parcel of being anxious. even when my mind isn't anxious or panicky and i'm feeling alright, i suffer symptoms like labored breathing and tightness in the chest, numb/tingling extremities, hands an limbs clenching, forgetting to breathe, blurry vision like i'm looking through a mirage, dizziness, intrusive thoughts and involuntary obsessiveness over them, severe pain over my heart that extends up into my jaw and into my left arm, but i digress. i've been checked for all these things and get the same old "you're above average health for your age, its probably anxiety spiel" hahaha. even just writing this gives me heart palpitations, slight dizziness and involuntary clenched hands.

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Jezza53 — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 04:37:54 GMT

Man that sounds really frickin tough. Im sorry you had to go through that, i feel for you. But yea mate all of the people i see have suggested going to be an in patient. At first i was extremely hesitant after being prescribed medications that hurt me rather than helped me, but with time i have come to learn that my doctors are good people, they are well meaning, its just that most people don't know sweet FA about the intricacies of the huge and varied nature of chronic mental illness. I have since developed a good relationship with a few doctors who i have come to trust, we learn off each other, and i have learnt myself that for the one percenters like myself who are both sensitive to medications and have rare/unique comorbidities, its the nature of the game that if i want to get better, i have to take the good with the bad, and be prepared to suffer the bad medications to find good ones.

My particular problem is that my fear is based around being any distance away from home or my safe place. i have to travel 200 kms to somewhere that has an inpatient facility, and i currently struggle being 15km from home. its less about being calm and implementing thinking strategies, so much as my fear is ingrained in my subconscious, and still comes through and wrecks me even if i have a good day, forget there's anything wrong with me, it just happens, i have no more control over it than i do the weather.

I want to do this now, im ok with being an in patient, ive accepted this is going to go a long way to help me, but currently i wouldn't be able to make that distance, even if someone drove me, with out being anesthetized. the drugs i was prescribed, albeit low doses, don't calm the mind enough to overcome the strength of the anxiety and panic. and also i hate the way they make me feel. wild how some people love them, goes to show everyone really is different!

im currently trialing medications to help me with this, but if i get any worse, ive spoken to my doctor and we'll have to sort out something extreme like being strongly sedated and going in an ambulance whilst being monitored the whole way there, but they made it clear that is a last resort.

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Gabs_ — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 05:42:51 GMT

Gosh, you poor thing. I feel for you. The joys of bloody anxiety.

Have you spoken to your team about considering TMS? It could be another option. You can do it in-patient and out-patient, but that would still require you traveling. Could you do a pro's and con's list of going in-patient that would assist as a visual item to look at, so when you are more than the 15km+ from home, you could look at that list to see how much the pro's outweigh the cons of being that distance away? That might help temper the anxiety or give you something to focus on when the feeling becomes too overwhelming.

I'm glad you've got a good team around you. It's amazing how a good health team around you can make such a difference. And if they are happy to facilitate what you need and advocate for you, it goes a long way.

I hear you about the meds. I tried so long to not take them, but I've come to a point where I've accepted that I need them whist I keep working through all this stuff. Took me a bit to find the right ones for me too. Some I was getting such bad bruxism and had the shakes. It was awful.

When I was suffering severe panic attacks in hospital, they gave me quetiapine, which is something you could speak to your GP about (if you were to travel down to hospital).

I hope you and your team can figure out a plan. Sending you a big hug.

G x

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Guest9337 — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 19:04:14 GMT

Hi Jezza53, I’ve just finished reading over this thread and these are my notes and initial thoughts...
30 yrs male. Migraines anxiety more debilitating over time
active life, triathlons,
panic attacks away from safe places.
4 meds not much relief.
Handle anxiety but not panic.
Need help in moments of panic.
CBT. Medical journey continues. In rural area.
Already tried, diet, exercise, bloodworks, mri, no sugar no caffeine
clear head neck back blood
7 relapsed panic attacks from new non discernible reasons
grateful for help
motto, when u feel like s—t, go harder, don’t work no more.
Expensive telehealth.
Ok with being in patient.
***** Does those notes look correct in every detail?
Well my friend I love that you’re into Triathlons, I’ve done a couple of those and have several mates who enjoy them too. One was a copper who died some time ago but he was almost good enough for the Hawaii Ironman, the one thru the lava fields, he trained for it but wasn’t quite good enough.
I’ve had some experiences with panic attacks, sometimes for me nowhere is safe.
Meds change over the decades, meh, some good some bad, comes n goes.
Which CBT methods do you use? I use 54321 technique or similar, and grounding to grass/feet or grounding to my led lenser p7 torch taught to me by 1800respect counsellor.
Really great news about having clear head, neck and back for you, mine are all mostly naffed, but I’m old fart at 48.
Really sux those new triggers for panic appearing, man that’s a toughy to parse.
Gratitude for help and being an in patient is going to help you big time, spread the load man!
And that brings me to a coupla suggestions for a new motto.
When u feel like s—t, go gentler. Or something in your own terms that means the same.
Lower your pain threshold to give yourself a new optimality that isn’t pushed so “harder”.
There are plenty of graves of highly motivated people on Mount Everest, so maybe just calm down a bit. Is a joke I discovered on the topic!

So carry less, go easier, build an epic team, enjoy rest and recovery, aim for peace and comfort.

And to save u a coupla hundred dollars I can walk you few a cycles about your anxiety to panic attack spectrum.
How many tipping points do you have?
Like, oh I’m feeling unsafe inside my chest, but really I am safe, and I’m only 5/10/15 km from home?
Stuff like that, seek to more define your thresholds so you can anticipate anxieties rate of increase to panic attack and thus implement ways to calm down.

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

therising — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 21:41:22 GMT

Hi Jezza53

My heart goes out to you as you work so hard to find an answers.

Wondering if you've ever heard of silent migraine, migraine without headache. Sounds like you get the headaches which is extra cruel but when taking the headache out of the scenario, such a migraine can offer a slightly different view of things.

Some years ago I went to a GP as occasional weird sensations through my body were getting weirder. Doctor's advice, 'Panic attacks. We'll put you on medication'. My response 'No medication, just tell me what's going on'. Things got weirder to the point where, one night, I thought I was having a stroke. Called ambulance, went to hospital, everything turned out fine. Clever doctor there suggested 'Possible migraine without headache'. Went to different GP, as weird turns kept happening. Sent for brain MRI. Answer: Silent migraines. I was lucky enough to be having a migraine in the MRI machine at the time. Got put on blood pressure med and it all stopped. No longer on medication by the way.

I wasn't having panic attacks. The migraines were interacting with my nervous system. Looking back, I could tell you which parts of my brain the electrical glitches and changes in blood pressure impacted. For a start, the part that relates to the sympathetic nervous system, the parts responsible for movement and strength in the left side of my body, the part responsible for vision (hence the blurriness that would happen in mild form but with no aura), the part responsible for speech and so on. The change in blood pressure was never intense enough to cause headaches.

Been led to wonder about my mum lately, as she's having turns that brain scans and every heart and vascular test under the sun can't find reason for. She used to get aura migraines and they stopped. Perhaps they've taken on a different form. Research has led me to look at the benefits of magnesium supps and even probiotics. Maybe you've already tried these along with the change of diet you mentioned. Researchers have begun to find strong links between gut imbalance and migraines also gut imbalance and anxiety and depression, based on the kind of chemistry produced in the gut that impacts brain signalling. 'Vagus nerve' makes for interesting research. By the way, certain meds can worsen a gut microbiome imbalance.

Apparently, people who experience migraines have a very sensitive nervous system. Even barometric changes in the weather can be a trigger.

Hope you find answers.

🙂

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Guest9337 — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 22:53:16 GMT

therising said:
Apparently, people who experience migraines have a very sensitive nervous system. Even barometric changes in the weather can be a trigger.

Fascinating. I been wondering where my few migraines come from and some head aches too. Bright Light can do set one off, Loud noises and seemingly random stuff/times.

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Bibbetyboo — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 10:16:13 GMT

Hi there,
I’m sorry to read you are going through this and i can understand to a degree, I am also a life long sufferer of complex migraine.

I read a book by the late Oliver Sachs called “migraine” to help understand the type of migraine I have, i have had a few sorts and there are a few sorts all may require different interventions.
Oliver Sachs was the worlds leading neurologist on this condition. I understand how hard it is to get help with that condition. drs tried multiple anxiety medications treated me like an experiment and expected it to work however, the medications triggered the complex and made it worse, the attacks on medication were so severe i lost memory on one occasion and on a few others ended up blacking out from thirst i vomited so much i woke up in hospital.
the nurse told me it wasn’t a migraine or a mix of allergic reaction to the mild anxiety meds with complex migraine, she had never seen that before.
anxiety medications are dangerous with a type of migraine so are some antipsychotics and hormonal meds such as the pill.
comsider having your hormones looked at? Thyroid? Estrogen levels? My condition was a i product of a hormonal imbalance issue that has never been resolved.
its also advisable not to live in or rent a home with a gas heater.
i will respond with more when i put my son to bed.

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Jezza53 — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 09:07:47 GMT

Gabs_ said:
Have you spoken to your team about considering TMS? It could be another option. You can do it in-patient and out-patient, but that would still require you traveling. Could you do a pro's and con's list of going in-patient that would assist as a visual item to look at, so when you are more than the 15km+ from home, you could look at that list to see how much the pro's outweigh the cons of being that distance away? That might help temper the anxiety or give you something to focus on when the feeling becomes too overwhelming.

havent heard of TMS before looking it up now, but hey im open to anything, assuming i can find a way to travel without losing my mind haha. As for the medication you mentioned, i've literally just come off it, i was given it in an attempt to help calm me enough to travel. felt almost nothing for the first 3 days then on the 4th it hit and it was horrible. very bad brain fog, like i could still think very articulately and do everyhting i usually do, but it felt like i was in a permanent drunken stupor. also did nothing to help the anxiety and panicked thoughts, felt i was close to passing out at the shops haha.

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Jezza53 — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 09:27:59 GMT

gday david, yea most of what youve got there is bang on, save for the fact that while i trained hard to compete in triathlons, i was never able to compete because of work and migraines.

My cbt methods were deep breathing, hold breath in for 4 second, out for 4 seconds type thing, reassuring myself that what im feeling wont kill me, it just feels like death, reassuring myself that it will pass and ill be fine, its just anxiety, i can handle it, things like that. but they dont work on my own, i have tried desperately to make them work, but to no avail. Take for example in the midst of one relapse, i was feeling good, i was getting out and about without being anxious, driving around etc, so i thought id push my self a bit further, drive 15 kays outa town to get used to it. as i did so i felt my body screaming at me to turn around go home, but i assured myself ill be fine, im not far from i'll be sweet. so i pressed on, and my hands started cramping up on the wheel, I started feeling breathless with pains in the chest, but still i remained calm and began my deep breathing. my anxiety just spiralled from there, and as i was halfway home on the back roads out of town my face started to go numb, my vision started blurring and i was getting dizzy, my head spinning like it does when you lay in bedd after having smashed 10 beers. At this point i felt i was going to pass out, so i pulled up at an intersection and sat still breathed deeply, allowed myself to calm for 60 seconds but to no avail, head still spinning, vison blurry and very distressed, it was all i could do to stick to the speed limit as i drove home. and the closer i got to home, without even consciously thinking it, i just felt better, and better, to the point where i was completely feeling great again as i pulled into the driveway, even though not 3 minutes early i was prepared to pass out on the side of the road.

thats generally how it goes driving by myself, i get good and confident, stoked that my lifes getting better, then i get blindsided and hurt by rogue panic and my progress is set back by a month or more. i dont often drive by myself anymore because i don't know how many more times i can take losing everything ive fought months to work for.

i tend to push hard because it does more to distract me from the things i feel than slowing down and breathing. deep breathing actually gives me panic sometimes

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Jezza53 — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 09:38:09 GMT

therising said:
Hi Jezza53

My heart goes out to you as you work so hard to find an answers.

Wondering if you've ever heard of silent migraine, migraine without headache. Sounds like you get the headaches which is extra cruel but when taking the headache out of the scenario, such a migraine can offer a slightly different view of things.

Gday mate, i've known about silent migraines, but i've never thought that what i feel are panic attacks may be that. Definitely something ill look into. I've never had migraine aura, but my migraines are a whole body debilitating thing. itll start in the neck and head, and if im unlucky, i have pain in my eyes, head, neck and all the way down my back to my ass. the way i taste things changes when a big one is coming on, so i often know if its about to get bad. i used to get a lot triggered by stress, but ive lowered those down a lot with practice, now i average one day of debilitating migraine a week because i wake up with them.

Sorry to hear you've suffered extensively, i don't wish these thing on anyone.

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Jezza53 — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 09:43:55 GMT

Bibbetyboo said:
Hi there,
I’m sorry to read you are going through this and i can understand to a degree, I am also a life long sufferer of complex migraine.

I read a book by the late Oliver Sachs called “migraine” to help understand the type of migraine I have, i have had a few sorts and there are a few sorts all may require different interventions.
Oliver Sachs was the worlds leading neurologist on this condition. I understand how hard it is to get help with that condition. drs tried multiple anxiety medications treated me like an experiment and expected it to work however, the medications triggered the complex and made it worse, the attacks on medication were so severe i lost memory on one occasion and on a few others ended up blacking out from thirst i vomited so much i woke up in hospital.

GDay, yea i have had blood done for thyroid i believe, they did bloods before starting me on medications a year ago. im due to go back and have more bloods done, ill check to see if its on there

Migraines, Severe Anxiety and panic attacks. Looking for positive recovery stories

Gabs_ — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 02:17:30 GMT

Oh gosh - that sounds like a terrible experience with those meds!

Re the TMS - I've seen a few threads on here where people have found it really beneficial for treating anxiety. If you have a google as well, you can also find some good articles on it's effectiveness for treating anxiety. Not trying to peddle it to you, just something that you could explore if medication isn't working. I know when I was in hospital, there were a few people on my floor doing it, and they all had good things to say about it.

As you are regional, I think TMS Australia has a map where they show their treatment centres across the country (and some are regional). However, that's not the complete list, as some private psychiatric hospitals offer it too (not sure about public).