I have suffered from clusters for over 10 years and have used Imitrex and Verapamil almost exclusively to treat.  After my last 2 cycles I have had a bout of bad depression and am wondering if the medication has some how affected my brain chemistry.

I never suffered from depression before and I am now on my 3rd antidepressant in a year and half and I am struggling a lot right now.

When using Verap a few years ago I also struggled with depression.  I cannot attribute it all to the Verap as I think a lot of it was also from the exhaustion both physical and mental that I was experiencing from CH.  When I got off Verap and Lithium and went to Kudzu is when I started getting a handle on the depression, but that was also when I was learning a lot more about this malady and how I was handling it.  

Talk with your Dr about it at length.  More than that educate yourself on Verapamil and its characteristics.  You have to take the responsibility for your own care.  Do your own risk/benefit analysis and decide if you want to continue that road.  BTW, when "they" decided I was depressed and needed medication and put me on Prozac I almost killed myself!  Be very careful with anti-depressants.  Be sure you have someone trusted that you can talk with about feelings and your situation.  Don't let it build up to the point that you can't handle it any more.

All the best,
Jerry

Yes.... I have.

Good question...

As an episodic I fought depression in OR out of cycle. Actually, moreso OUT, because while in cycle I was too "busy" to be depressed. Miserable stuff. Always thought being out of cycle would be a such a relief (and it was) that I would no longer be depressed. Wrong! Am thinking it relates to the chemical nature (at least partly) of the condition...and that just doesn't go away easily...

Always dreaded going "chronic (which happened 3 1/2 yrs ago). And while the hit levels are definitely reduced...the depression is WORSE.
Emotionally, I'd rather be episodic, intellectually chronic...go figure...I haven't figured it out yet. Not sure what I'm saying here...only that there is no "normal" in clusterville...

Talk to your doc...and best wishes...

Jon

This is just a theory but...

A lot of the medications we use for aborting, hit on serotonin receptors, right?

Isn't it possible that once someone's cycle is over, the effects of the excess serotonin stopping could make someone depressed?

(that made sense in my head, really, it did. I have no idea if it makes sense outside my head right now.)

Hope things get better!
PFDAN
Mystina

Just found this abstract a few weeks ago. The last section (in caps) suggests a tendency/disposition of people with a depression orientation to experience a greater burden of pain.

A depressive personality tends to be an enduring issue and so any variety of stressors can more easily trigger off a depession episode. Rather than depend only on medication to cope with the depression I'd suggest working with a clinical psychologist (rather than a psychiatrist or mental health counselor/social worker) who can test you (using the MMPI in this article), or other reliable tests, which give some insight into any depressive orientation you may have. If you tend to depression, then they can help you learn how to buffer yourself against future depressive episodes.

A core concept: anti-de meds will treat symptoms, often quite effectively, but long term improvement requires some good "talking work" to alter the personality which leads to vulnerability.
=================
Pain. 2009 Apr 24.  
Personality profiles and subjective perception of pain in head pain patients.

Mongini F, Rota E, Evangelista A, Ciccone G, Milani C, Ugolini A, Ferrero L, Mongini T, Rosato R.

Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, Headache and Facial Pain Unit, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy.

Little or no information is available regarding the effect of the personality characteristics of headache sufferers on the quality of pain perception. The aim of this study is to investigate, in head pain sufferers, the relationship between the personality profile, assessed by the MMPI, and the different dimensions of pain (sensory, affective and evaluative), as assessed by the MPQ. Three hundred and seventeen patients with Migraine and/or tension-type headache (episodic or chronic) and myogenic facial pain were included. The Italian versions of the MMPI-2 and MPQ were administered, and the pain level was measured by the VAS. Cluster analysis based on the clinical scales of MMPI identified four personality profiles closely corresponding to the MMPI profiles obtained by the previous researchers: "depressive" (Dep.), "emotionally overwhelmed" (Emot.), "conversive" (Conv.) and "Coper". Differences in MPQ scales between personality profiles were investigated by means of a general linear model (GLM), adjusting for sex, age and pain level and type. Results of GLM analysis showed that the affective dimension was significantly higher in cluster Emot. than in Dep. (p=0.027), Conv. (p=0.002) and Coper (p=0.003). Total PRI was significantly higher in Emot. than in Conv. (p=0.010).

THE FINDINGS OF THE PRESENT STUDY SUGGEST THAT A SPECIFIC PERSONALITY PROFILE (EMOT.), CHARACTERIZED BY A HEAVY EMOTIONAL BURDEN, MAY INCREASE THE AFFECTIVE DIMENSION OF PAIN WITH RESPECT TO A DEPRESSIVE PROFILE (DEP.), A CONVERSIVE PROFILE (CONV.) OR A NORMAL PROFILE (COPER), INDEPENDENT OF SEX, AGE AND PAIN LEVEL AND TYPE.

PMID: 19394764 [PubMed]

I've been experiencing heavy emotional upset with problems going on around me. My blood pressure went up so went to the doc a month ago.

I told him I wasn't depressed. He said it comes out in you as anxiety. I never heard of it put that way, or sure I totally understand what he meant. But I can relate to being anxiety ridden at times.

Now the shadows of the clusters have started. What really bothers me, not that they are coming back isn't enough, but it seems to be both sides. :'(

We have a disorder where our serotonin levels are all out of whack.

Depression and anxiety have this in common as well.

It is very possible.

I deal with all of the above.
When I went on a med for my anxiety, I definitely felt a change with the intensity of my clusters.

I say I am med free for clusters...but now that I think about it hmmm

Well I tried verapamil for a very short time because it gave me an iregular heart beat and short of breath symptoms.  However, I battled severe depression for years while I battled ch before I got it under control.  I think anyone living under the amount of constant pain levels we do is bound to ask why me?  maybe think suicidal thoughts, and wish they had a better quality of life at some point and time in thier life.  It can be very hard for someone to get a handle on these feelings if they are continual and more often then not.  Find a good dr that you trust and confide in him/her and ask them to prescribe something for your depression and ask to see a therapist so you have someone to talk to about all your feelings.  Good luck.  

Ref. reply #6:

About half of depression is diagnosed by signs other than mood of sadness. Other emotions, physical changes/illness--can point to depression. This is a major reason that it's so under diagnosed: in the absence of "down" emotions, the assumption is that the person isn't depressed.

I can relate to depression.  I've suffered from it most of my life.  Although there is no "AFTER" in my cycle, because I've been chronic for the last 22 years.

That being said, I am no longer depressed.  I'm on my bazillionth antidepressant and I'm out of a chaotic environment.  The two factors seem to have completely done away with my depression.

There is hope for you and the rest of us!

Wishing you well,

Ray

Thank you for sharing that Ray....

I rejoice at your accomplishment.

Best,

Jon

I very much did suffer depression.  I was on the same regiment, imitrex and verap. I didn't think much of it until I just read this post.  I felt tired, didn't want to do anything.  Didn't take care of my home, husband or 3 dogs like I did pre-CH.  I wondered why I was so listless.  I thought it was because I was so beat after the terrible bout.  I went through a terrible cycle July-Sept 08, I don't remember being so somber after a cycle.  I finally feel that I am getting back to normal.  A whole dam year!! I will definitely talk with my doc about this the next time I cycle (approx 1-3 yrs from then).

Thanks for sharing, angela

I very much did suffer depression.  I was on the same regiment, imitrex and verap. I didn't think much of it until I just read this post.  I felt tired, didn't want to do anything.  Didn't take care of my home, husband or 3 dogs like I did pre-CH.  I wondered why I was so listless.  I thought it was because I was so beat after the terrible bout.  I went through a terrible cycle July-Sept 08, I don't remember being so somber after a cycle.  I finally feel that I am getting back to normal.  A whole dam year!! I will definitely talk with my doc about this the next time I cycle (approx 1-3 yrs from then).

Thanks for sharing, angela

Yes.  I had my first CH episode in Summer of 1994.  A few weeks after it ended I had a major depressive episode for about 9 months.  Another CH episode in 1999 and the same thing happened.  I was basically untreated for my CH's at this time so I can't blame it on any meds.

I personally think that our brain chemistry makes us susceptable to things like CH and depression as both are linked to serotonin levels etc.  Just my gut feeling.

I've struggled with almost persistant depression since 1999.

I have been chornic since Nov. 1999 BUT since last Nov depression been really bad really really bad. I been going to VA clinic to get help. Today's  8:30 am appointment I was getting hit hard almost walked out was hurting sssssoooooooooo bad finnally the Dr and RN seen me at my worse so now going to try something new after last 4 meds havent helped me. Terry

Since I've been chronic since 97, I refer to depression as mood swings and just take it with a grain of salt most of the time. Sometime I don't really even realize I'm going thru it till it's pointed out to me that I'm acting "strange" again. Then I have a long talk with myself and try to get my act together.

If that sounds a little flippant - it's not meant to be --- it's serious and sometimes I don't want to get out of bed or see another living person, but I "force" myself to do so and somehow it makes me go on living a "normal" life even when I don't want to. (I'm like Mel - that made sense in my head and I know what I mean - just can't explain it very well).

But don't get me wrong - there are times that I go on a total pity party and stay in bed and don't answer the phone - the whole ball game. And then I come on the MB here and someone kicks my rear and I come out of it and get my act together and go on with my life again.

We all have to find "our" way to cope. Sometimes it just takes us a while.

Hugs BD :-*

I've noticed that I have a period of about two months of serious depression following my usual cycle, marked especially by emotional shutdown and complete apathy.

I don't take any Rx for my CHs, so it can't be any pharmaceutical fallout for me personally.  I always chalked it up to some sort of physiological rebound that your body produces after going through such ridiculous pain.

-Ken

Best cured by doing something good for somebody else in need - completely anonymously.

i am suffering a severe depression with the beginning of a cycle at hand.

gimme post depression any day!!!