[JonB]

My pdoc tells me there's a connection between bipolar illness and migraines. Has anyone found this to be true? I'd never heard that before. How many of you also suffer from migraines and do you find that your migraines are worse when your mania or depression is worse? And if so, is it worse with mania or depression? I've started keeping track, and it seems to me that I get more migraines as I get more manic. Just wondered if this was true for anyone else. I guess I will add it to my mood chart and see if it holds true as time goes on. Could just be a coincidence.

[Bleufacez]

Not sure what migraines are... but when I was in my late teens/early twenties I used to get daily headaches. These years were my most hyper moments. I think I got like 2-4 hrs sleep/night. So I had to have a bottle of aspirin or ibu next to bed. It was 2 pills per morning. Suddenly headaches gone when hitting to my mid twenties. Of course, I've calmed down then.

Nowadays I try not to medicate and certain headaches can be cured with yummy Starbux Frappucinno.

[darkeyes]

I don't know or even heard about this connection, I do know that the anti-epileptics/seizure meds used for Bipolar, such as Depakote, and Lamictal are being used for migraine sufferers, such meds can have multi purpose use.
My entire life have only had 3 migraines (I'm 50 in Januaruy 2007)and know exactly why they occured, nothing related to being Bipolar was the cause.
If you wish, ask him were he or she read this, and if interested read it,even see who and what university/research center arrived at this idea and published it.
I personally would think that is too balck and white, or one should research every person in the world, for so many people, who have Bipolar have yet to be DXed.
Maybe those that get migraines,and happened to be Bipolar have been helped with the anti-epileptics used for their Bipolar, which then was mistaken for this, Bipolar and migraines? I dunno, but never heard of this being a definate fact.
New findings come out so often,making it hard to personally decide how much applies to some or everyone.
Duh, is me.
I think the being that you said, you seem to get more of them when you are manic, maybe cause most when manic or hypomanic, tend to sleep less or require more sleep, and that is what is causing the increase of migraines?
Minimal sleep can be the main contributor there, not the fact you are Bipolar. I know migraine sufferers and worked with a couple of women with it,one of their main problems was if they had poor quality sleep or very little, they were more proned than when they decent sleep.
Just a thought.
Cerain foods or lack of can also trigger this,certain meds,high blood pressure,etc. so I don't think that it's because a person has Bipolar, but the lifestyle kept at that time of mania is the culprit.
One way to find out, is for those to get stabilized,take their meds as directed,if they feel mania approaching,and meds aren't addressing it call the pdoc back.
An answer to this can be that simple and obvious to find out what is behind this finding.