CBT for Migraine?

Recently, I was prescribed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) by a very proficient neurologist a few weeks ago. She feels I have PTSD from the car accident (2004) that further aggravated my migraines and turned them into Hemiplegic Migraine (-like, we are still debating that diagnosis) and later causing non-epileptic seizures (NES).

I definitely deal with these migraines chronically and stress is a very BIG trigger for these events. With CBT, we feel I will be able to get these episodes under control by managing my stress levels and reacting differently to both physical stress and emotional stress.

What do I mean by physical stress? Well, when I am stressed emotionally (both good and bad stress) I trigger complex migraines, which is a physical reaction. If my migraine pain becomes severe enough to trigger a non-epileptic seizure, I have physically stressed my body to react this way. So it’s a catch 22. I have basically triggered the non-epileptic seizures physically by triggering the migraine emotionally. Talk about a double whammy!! Not all of my migraines are triggered by stress, some are triggered by physical movement or overactivity. Some by weather changes. I don’t know the effect of CBT in those cases, but if I could manage just one trigger, my life would substantially change.

For now I am keeping my migraine levels low enough to not trigger NES with Vimpat, BUT, I still have a migraine EVERY DAY. The goal is to not have a migraine at all, right? Right! SOOOOO, next step is to attack this thing at all directions. I am starting physical therapy, CBT therapy (ever wonder why we write “CBT therapy” when Therapy is part of the name?? yea me too!), stick to a strict low-carb diet (I chose the Ketogenic diet), and medication intervention. In my case, medication intervention includes Vimpat (originally an epilepsy medication, but really helps to keep my migraines under a pain level of 5 most of the time) and soon, Botox injections.

I recently stumbled upon an article about CBT and Migraine written by one of my Facebook friends for HealthCentral. I hope you take time to read through it. It gave me great insights to why my doctor felt this would be the best avenue for me. I look forward to my first appointment…which hasn’t been arranged yet. I found out my city and surrounding cities DO NOT have a certified CBT specialist. How sad is that?! With that in mind, my family and I are considering moving to a more populated area with more services for people like me. Migraine and it’s associated complexities have really impacted our lives. We aren’t free to live like a typical family of four. Anxiety is a major part of our lives when it comes to my symptoms, we just never know if one of my more sever events warrants a trip to the ER or not. It’s a delicate battle we all face.

Keep smiling 😊

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About Author

Erica Nicole Carrasco is a Patient Leader for the Migraine community and lives in Dallas, TX. Together with her husband, they are helping their two children, who also live with migraine, through the trials and tribulations of college life.

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