Looking for Answers!!!! Help Please!!!!!!

I posted in drug questions but didn't get any feedback.

My question is: has anyone else have problems with severe headaches/or migraines when they are dissociative? I'm going to see my family doctor tomorrow because my headaches are becoming a problem. I'm not sure if it's from medication, something else, or therapy.

Does anyone have any input that I can relay to my doctor?
Anne

I have had Migraines for years, been under the care of a Neurologist for about 3 years, he did a total work up beause I get stroke like symptoms, one side weakness, slurred speech, loss of eyesite, fuzzy thinking..he put me on meds but they didnt help, I started therapy about two years after he started treating me, and when I went in and told him I was diagnosed DID, he stopped treatment, stating the symptoms were psychosomatic responses, and until I got the treatment for the root cause, he would only be placing a bandaid over the symptoms, to make a long story short, before therapy I was starting to think I would have to go in SSI, it was getting to the point I was not being able to drive or work, after Therapy started they lessened to almost 4 or 5 times a month, there has been times when I am in my therapist's office walked in with a horrid migraine, and all the neurological complaints, and he has interacted with an alter, and I walked out totally symptom free. I am not sure if this is what is occurring with you, but from what other DID comrades have told me it is one of the more common symptoms, but having your doctor rule out more organic origins would be prudent. I know they gave me so many CT scan and MRI's of my head and brain, I should be glowing in the dark, but thought I would share my own experiences with them. I hope you find relief and aswers soon.

I've had migraines from when I was young and I would term them to be a "normal" migraine.

Pounding head pain to the point where I'd have to hold my head when I got up to walk and sensitivity to light. I wouldn't be able to function.

Past few years though I started experiencing these strange headaches that would come on that were migraines as well with pounding pain, but would change into other problems. I would get so confused after so many days. Forget to eat, what day it was, where my son was, where is school was even. I would get pains as if you'd feel a brain freeze. A general sick feeling all throughout myself that I can't even explain.

I went to the neurologist and had mri scans. I have small lesions and went for neuropychological testing.

They have an extremely hard time treating me when I have the migraine, but got me on topomax for preventative.

I suffer with dissociate issues as well, which was further discussed with the neurologist and neuropsychologist when I was tested.

I'm not sure if this is helpful, but i think it hits some of the topics you are talking about ...so I put it out there.

I hope you can find what you're looking for and get some help. I know how frustrating it can be.

Eva

Headaches are common for those who dissociate. Sometimes it's when someone with DID "switches" aspects of themself to suit a situation.

Does your MD know of your psychiatric diagnosis? I would hope that the MD won't allow that to color all of his/her decisions.

What I would caution you of is minimizing your headaches. Don't try and sway the doctor in the decision about whether to follow up on the cause or not. It's always best to rule out physical causes, but only to a point with which you are comfortable.

I don't know about the med you have been trying, did you keep the informational insert to read on the side effects? Maybe google or yahoo the med and find out?

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I was just going to post to what SKY stated.... many people with DID tend to have headaches right before or during a switch (alter change) - I have suffered from migraines since I was 12 years old (doctors could never find a physical or medical reason as to why)..... but then again knowing what we know now - I have also had DID episodes since I was 12 years old.

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

I have always had headaches off and on and have read that they're common with us, as sky said.

However, I also have a physical condition that can spark headaches, so it's hard to tell with me.

I have realized that when I've had a really hard time fighting dissociation, it hurts more in the back of my head and neck.

gl! please let us know what they say?

kd

KD I have always wondered if that is more because of the tension we build when we dissasociate or if its directly related to some sort of chemical reaction in the brain , can thoughts hurt our brain? lol

Migraines from age eight to mid thirties..... they say I outgrew them...... ???

Yea I do. I found out its not any medication problem with me. Basically what happens when a person dissociates their body physically acts out the memory being triggered - this means that while the person is dissociated the persons heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate changes from the normal rate to those rates that are stored in the memory that has been triggered into acting out. sound complicated but this is what it looks like-

I am in my normal fully aware frame of mind. Im sitting talking with a friend and during the conversation we start talkng about something that contains one of my triggers and because I start feeling uncomfortable I start floating back and into my la la land. The trigger that is in the conversation matches with one of my memories so at my mentally leaving my brain starts rerunning that memory content including my heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, brain chemicals and so on that I had at the time that memory was seperated and stored in my unconsious level.

Mentally nothing has changed for me Im me floating in my mental safe place but physically my body is rerunning the mary memories (separated and stored at age 16). Thats a BIG jump for my body to go from the chemical balance, breathing rate, heart rate and so on of a 40 plus year old to that of a 16 year old. and then when I "come back" to full awareness those physically rerunning memories stop and my brain in a snap goes back on the 40 year old heart rate and so on. The side effects are dizzyness, blurred vision, and a headache. I get more of a headache (more like a migraine) when I have been in the Margo memories then I do the Katherine memories. Which is one of the ways I can tell when something has triggered the Margo memories. Katherine memories leave me with a dull ache that only lasts a few minutes where as rerunning the margo memories leave me with a major head ache for about 15 minutes.

Theres no medication for this its more recognizing your triggers kind of thing. You take care of the triggers so that your body no longer reruns the memories and the headaches go away.

I know that I can't control EVERY time I end up dissociating for sometimes it happens but I pay attention to my triggers and I know that certain activities like therapy there may be times when I end up dissociating sometimes unexpectedly like my last session one second my therapist and I are talking and the next I hear her say something like - you just went somewhere. and told me how she knew I was gone and then asked am I still talking to (my name). I let her know that it was still me. I can't figure out what the trigger was other than possibly the day... but anyway back on track here because I know certain things like therapy may contain a trigger or two or discussing things that may trigger me so I plan on having NO PLANS after things like my therapy sessions. that way I can sllep off the head ache, or whatever just give myself that time needed to not only mentally come back to full awareness but physically too.

Thank you all so very much!!! What you are all saying does make sense and correlates with what my T said.
What you all have discribed is very close to my symptons. I just haven't correlated them to my switching and mild dissociations.

My doctor does know about T and my history but not about DID because I'm fairly new with the diagnosis, although it's been happening for years. I plan on talking to him about it today. I hope he understands, I'm sure he will - he's an osteopathic MD. My T did warn me yesterday that even within the mental health community, DID is controversial - I guess only the smart ones get it Anyway, I hope he understands, I know he will also look at the medical side - my DO is really good, I'm fortunate.

So, once again, THANK YOU for the response. I KNEW I could count on all of you for answers. You're a smart bunch and EMPATHETIC. I love you all!

Anne
(I've got a headache)

My T told me that my headaches that range from moderate to severe are from my DID... I did not know.. I have had Migrane headaches since early childhood.. it make scence to me know.
Lilith

Thank you all so much for your help and confirmation. I saw my family doc today, he's ruled out all the bad stuff and we decided it is from my DID.

Next question: what do we do to help outselves when these headaches/migraines come on?

I have tried headache meds and it don't work. what helps me the most is locating what triggered me into dissocating which is the reason behind the headache. by taking care of the trigger I am also taking care of the headache because if I take care of that trigger it no longer causes me to dissociate and I no longer get the headache. Since I know my headache is just from my body switching from present levels of function (heart rate breathing, chemicals and so on) to the stored memories of the levels contained in the memories for me its just a matter of taking the time for my body to regulate itself . doing a relaxation exercise gives me something to do while my body regulates itself. Those that I do takes anywhere between 15 minutes to an hour to do depending on which tape or exercise I do. By the time Im done with that my body has regulated itself back to the present and the headache is gone.

Those that don't have DID or those that do but don't recognize the difference think about something that you did just a few moments ago that made you happy sad, mad whatever it doesn't matter. pay attention to how you are feeling after just a few seconds of thinking about that situation. You will find you are no longer feeling like you were before thinking about the situation but are feeling like you did when you were previously in the situation. Your breathing, heart rate and so on are those of when you really experienced the situation even though you are just thinking about it. Then it takes you a few minutes to return back to how you felt before thinking about the situation. This is what happens with DID only on a more extreme level instead of the body remembering an experience a few moments ago its jumping to years ago. The more extreme change the more painful headache.

Myself,
Thank you for your input. I'm printing out your post (I hope that's okay ) so I can take it to my T. I don't know how to take care of triggers and you have such great insight, I need it written down to help me explain it. If it makes you uncomfortable, I won't print it out. My next appt. isn't until next Wed. So, if it makes you uncomfortable, please PM me and I won't print it.
Thanks again, Anne

feel free to print this out.

I too share my posts and other posts here (and other on line support groups that I am a member of) with my therapist. In fact I tell my therapist what sites Im on and who I go by on them so that they can read the stuff anytime that professional wants.

What better way for therapists to know what their clients (in general and / or a specific client) goes through.

My last therapist and I would hold some of our sessions at the local library using the computers doing our research and therapy activities on line and sometimes I would check in to my on line support groups while she was with me. I always let those that were on line right then she was with me. Their reactions varied but most welcomed her and had her join right in the conversation.

as for taking care of the triggers. Thats actually pretty easy to do. Do you keep a daily journal? Well, its the same type of thing.

The first step is to start recognizing when you dissociate. My past therapist and I did this by keeping a journal - a regular notebook you can buy in a store for a dollor or less is fine. I carried that notebook with me. I also wore a watch. When ever I noticed I was doing something different like Im talking to someone and the next thing I know Im home watching tv but didn't know what happened in the middle. Thats called losing time. I would get my notebook and write down the date and time, and then what I was right then doing and the last thing I remembered doing before the time loss. The trigger is always something that happened right before the time loss. Keeping this "log" isn't going to make much sense to begin with, but as you keep doing the entries a "pattern" starts showing up - entries that have the same thing in common an object, person, situation and so on. That "pattern" (thing in common) is your trigger.

Once you know the trigger you can take care of it - for example if the "pattern" is that you dissociate every time you are in crowds. You and your therapist can now find ways to make you more comfortable when in crowds - it could be a relaxation technique or maybe carrying a small object for you to touch so you stay grounded (aware and calm). Then while not triggered you practice using those coping tools whenever the least thing upsets you or makes you uncomfortable. this will form a habit so that when you encounter that trigger - being in crowds you will automatically start using the new coping tools of relaxation or touching your grounding object.