Sending good thoughts.

xoxoxo

And hope for strength for all of you. I can't imagine what you're going through.

As a chronic pain patient, I understand the suffering he is going through. It can absolutely break you especially when you don't get any restorative sleep. As he's being cared for, try not to neglect your own care. Easier said than done, I know.

When I was in a similar situation, I drank meal replacement shakes and ate yogurt since it was hard to eat. Later I found out that you should drink a lot of water too so you don't get dehydrated.

Chronic pain is absolutely brutal. I feel so damn helpless right now but I know it's out of my hands. I will give him all the love and support I have but I have to keep advocating. I hope you are taking good care of yourself.

In a chronic pain forum I belong to, there's always people, especially younger adults, who feel so lonely and forlorn because their friends and family tune them out. Pain is so mentally and emotionally isolating as it is.

In my case, a ganglion impar nerve block is coming up to bat so I'm hopeful about that. I have a good doctor and it sounds like your son's doctor is searching for solutions.

I think hope is tantamount in our situations. But we run out of gas at times and have to be renewed somehow.

Sending positive thoughts your way...

Edit: perhaps a sleep study?

I have been pushing for this. Hopefully they will do it.

he had a sleep study and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. The CPAP machine helped with both.

I know there are so many issues to consider, but surely they could at least give him some good nights of sleep so he could work with the drs. with a clearer mind in finding something that would work.

Good luck to you both. I hope we'll see a good report in the near future.

Let us hope that the doctors and other professionals can help.

Relief.

your son, Lotusflower

I know there is nothing worse than worrying about life-threatening health issues concerning one's child.

I do know someone who has had some success with botox for migraines. It's an avenue worth trying.

With our kids, no matter what age, we’re not ok until they are ok. I am thankful he is getting help. Please take this time for self-care. I know it’s a stress to be concerned about him but please try to get some rest so you’ll be ready to help when you can. I’m a real worrier and my therapist keeps saying “How is this serving you?” I think of those words often and then change my mindset. How is the worrying serving me. I hope you find some peace as he’s getting care. As I said positive thoughts and prayers are headed your way, Lotusflower.

and blessings are winging their way to you and your son. I don't have any advice, but my dear brother with whom I was so very close suffered from a similar condition, so I understand what you are going through. Much love to you both.

I'm glad your sons'Dr took him seriously.I'm glad the cops & EMTs got your boy to a safe place.

I've been dealing with some serious depression with my 15 yr old all year. Last week was basically a "home suicide" watch...ending in him getting 51-50'd and sent to a regional adolescent facility.

He came home after a few days, we're still on eggshells, today was his bday. I am hoping it was a wake up call but it's a long haul.

sending you hugs and support. feel free to message me if you wanna talk :hugs:

Thank you for your support. I am sending positive and healing vibes to you and your family. Walking on eggshells is about right. You want to be supportive and you don't want to smother or hover. Happy Birthday to your young man. Feel free to message me as well.

Hugs back at ya.

Thoughts to you both

i think a sleep study is a must here, and an mri and eeg.
hopefully they can get that done in the hospital. if i had a magic wand anyone dealing w depression would get a sleep study. it is the most treatable cause of depression, but it is often not explored because it is seen as more of a symptom than a cause. and often it is. but when there are so many ways to improve sleep, it is just dumb not to test for it when you already have someone in the hospital.

and btw, https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1151
is a great group for support.

Thank you very much. That gives me hope.

As a sufferer of depression, one word: positive, positive, positive. He has enough negative bricks on his back already. Even a small hint of positive from a friend some days makes a world of difference to my day, but that can easily be canceled by something bad. It's a daily balancing act. Good humor and music helps me as well.

Also, I think there's been some recent advancement in research on migraines, but can't recall where I read it (I'll look around).

Bless your heart for being a good, loving mom and that is huge to us boys, whether we show it or not.

......... .......

LotusFlower by DM, in case she can't access the Times articles.

I also sent some links by DM from the UK, where a lot of good migraine research has been done. I suspect she's going through a lot of stress now and will need time to digest any new info. Glad we could lend a hand!

.......

We have migraines in our family and they are unbearable....

I would look into cannibals/medical marijuana and acupuncture.

Take care.

I'm sorry both to hear the serious problems you face, and that I have no wisdom to offer. Not for the first time, or even the 100th, and for a different reason than usual, I am missing my best friend of many years, Helen. She was a mental health professional of nearly 30 years, and it was beyond a profession, beyond an avocation, it was her passion. I don't know what she would have to say, but it would have to be more substantial than what I have.

I truly hope for the best for you and your son.

I have them so badly that I vomit, hallucinate, etc. I couldn't sleep and this was every day for over a year. I was looking at a bridge and telling people that if I didn't get relief I was going to jump off. Finally when I went for my regular mammogram I told the radiologist and she saved me. This was before Botox commercials were all over TV. My regular doctor prescribed different things and nothing worked. The radiologist is a migraine sufferer and wrote down the name of her neurologist and I made an appointment and it took 3 months to get in. I started the shots and they have saved me. You need them every 3 months and it takes about 9 months for it to kick in 100%. I have the ACA and Blue Shield and they approved the payments to cover most of the cost (there is a Botox commercial,on in the background as I write this). They were reluctant and had to triple check with my doctor to make sure it wasn't cosmetic since it costs about $13,000 a year. I still get them a little every day but coffee, Sumatriptan/Imitrex and aspirin with acetaminophen makes it almost go away. Since then (2 years ago) I have had bad health for something unrelated but when I got the flu a few weeks ago migraines accompanied the flu for some reason. I brought the radiologist flowers for helping me. I still have insomnia but it isn't due to migraine pain. I suggest you get this info to your son. Also, smoking pot (indica) and ambien help with insomnia. Good luck!

I am so glad you had a radiologist to turn to.

And a committed, intelligent therapist might help. The fact he told the officers he had a plan is a little good news. It’s a connection and some trust.

You all are in my thoughts.

And ended up with severe migraines and unable to sleep and back spasms.

She was already Suffering with depression.

She did CanioSacral massage therapy, acupuncture, yoga, meditation. It has taken over a year for her healing, but it is finally getting better.

Get the depression treated first as themind needs to he healthy fir the rest of the healing to occur

All the blessings to u.

Sending you lots of healing and loving vibes. I’ve found that sometimes it helps to envision the color green. Think about green. Imagine it and see it in your mind’s eye. Green is the color of healing, renewal, rejuvenation, youth, health, reinvigoration. Of Spring - when there’s new growth and sprouting and flowering and the earth awakens and warms back up after the cold dark dormancy of winter.

When my mom had her first really bad heart attack, I did 2 things to keep focused: worked at my job much harder and with as much concentration as possible, and wore a lot of green. It helped me focus.

Yeah, a bit of subjective superstition and mumbo-jumbo for sure. But I found it helpful. And maybe it was a coincidence but my mom pulled through.

Here’s a great big hug and just know that you have tried your best. Don’t allow yourself to take this too much on yourself and make sure you get sleep and take care of yourself. Been there and now in a more stable place.

After suffering a pinched nerve she met with a chiropractor who found that she had some other spine alignment issues. After 5 session to correct the alignment the cluster headaches stopped.

Btw: She had fallen from a rope swing in her early teens and cracked her tale bone. That event was the suspected cause of the spine misalignment and the headaches.

I used to have migraines of the on-the-bathroom-floor-and want-to-die-type but they've gotten milder as I've gotten older, or maybe it has something to do with meds I take. Now it's mostly just blindness when I have them, and a sort of confusion that's hard to describe.

I was hospitalized the summer before last; locked ward, cameras in the room, the works. Got released too soon the first time, and had to go back again, which was really scary.

My current meds for depression, etc., work well enough, not great, but better than the alternative.

I know it's even scarier when when it's your own kid.

You have my prayers and positive thoughts.

I was reading this article at the New York Times immediately before reading the title of your thread
I hope maybe this info could be helpful:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/17/health/migraines-prevention-drug-aimovig.html

Excerpt -


“The first medicine designed to prevent migraines was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday, ushering in what many experts believe will be a new era in treatment for people who suffer the most severe form of these headaches.

The drug, Aimovig, made by Amgen and Novartis, is a monthly injection with a device similar to an insulin pen. The list price will be $6,900 a year, and Amgen said the drug will be available to patients within a week.

Aimovig blocks a protein fragment, CGRP, that instigates and perpetuates migraines. Three other companies — Lilly, Teva and Alder — have similar medicines in the final stages of study or awaiting F.D.A. approval.”

I do hope it’s helpful.

Know how difficult headaches, chronic illness and depression can be. Just read in today’s NYT of an amazing new treatment for migraines called Aimovig - a once a month infusion that is extraordinarily effective in treating migraines. Hoping that your son might be able to take this medicine and improve his health! Medicine was developed by Novartis and Amgen; they may have a program to help patients obtain the new drug. Will try to find link and post it separately. Sending prayers and love to you and your family. Peace, hannah

Not chronic as your son is suffering. By my medically induced (kinda) bout was brutal. I cannot imagine it with pain and depression. Sending good thoughts to you both.

(For what it’s worth, I went through a dozen sleeping pills. Most of them, I just laid in bed wide awake all night. Lunesta was the key and a godsend. No hangover. Didn’t make me stupid like Ambien or dizzy like others. And I sleep again. I’m betting you’ve tried it? If not, I’ve had a great experience with it - and weaned back off easily).

your son AND for you.

Not giving up is the way out.

Sounds so simple, but it can be the hardest thing you've ever done to say "I'll try again today, for another 24 hours."

But every 24 hours is a victory.

encouragingly,
Bright

for you. I’m in tears just thinking about it....I also have a young son and can’t imagine your heartache. I was thinking that there’s a reason that sleep deprivation is often used as a form of torture. It is torture! I had serious insomnia for many years. Prescription meds made me crazy...literally. When CBD products became legal here in Montana, it changed my life. Sleep is no longer elusive. If your son’s medical team approves, it may be something to consider?? In the mean time, peace to you during these hard days. Thanks for being a good mama to your dear boy.

I am so sorry to hear he is going through so much. Many people are sending love to you and your son

One foot in front of the other, one day at a time.

... being unbalanced caused seizures.

Is there any sleeping medicines that work?

I know I was at wits end a couple of times myself

I haven't read it but when I saw this OP of course I thought of you and your son right away!

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210627135

but the chronic insomnia can cause chronic migraines. I don't know your son's medical history and what kind of tests he's had done. This nightmare of suffering for him could be something as simple as a food allergy or something correctable like sleep apnea.

I've been labeled with fibromyalgia and with being gluten free for over a year, my chronic pain has significantly improved. Even with being gluten free I still have memory and concentration problems.

Sending healing vibes your way!

I have a grown son about whom I worry constantly because of issues similar to your son's.

But I have also dealt with chronic pain for almost 15 years. I finally found a doc who understood that my pain was migraine-related (big news to me at the time). So I do regular SPG blocks, sumatriptan and toradol when I flair up. My pain is managed much better now.

So, my advice (for what it's worth) is find a doc who is up on the most recent migraine research. Look into SPG blocks. (I started to post a link, but there is TONS of data out there on the subject. Just google "spg block".) And do your best to take care of yourself so you can be there for your son.

Keeping you and your son in my thoughts.

for your son and all who know and love him.

I absolutely love and appreciate all of you. Thank you so much.

and understand the significance attached to having a plan. Encouraging thoughts for you both. It's certainly past time for another real breakthrough in the treatment of depression. Take care of yourself also so you can stay strong and positive for both of you.

In the fact that now he is safe, getting the help he needs. And it will be getting better from here. I wish you the best

Glad he is getting help. Those thoughts and prayers are for both of you.

I get hospitalized from time-to-time and I know it wreaks havoc on my family. Honestly, I don’t mind being in a hospital. However, it is hell on my wife, kids, and parents.

I know you are obviously worried for your son, but as long as he is in the hospital, he’ll be taken care of. Just make sure to take care of yourself in the meantime!

Chronic pain that can never end is like an awful prison sentence. I know.

So, for your sake, I hope and pray that your son's migraines and insomnia can somehow be cured, so he will actually, in the absence of pain and the bloom of health, have a reason not to be depressed. May he return to robust and pain-free good health.

I only just now saw this and hope that your precious son is starting to get some relief. I will keep him in my prayers. As the saying goes, sometimes the darkest hour is just before dawn. Maybe this hospitalization will provide a safe space for his treatment team to find the right combination to manage his pain and depression more effectively. Good luck to you, to your son, and to all involved in his care.

May you and your son enjoy a long life together.

Cannabis can work wonders on migraines, insomnia, and depression all at once. A good CBD strain can have a plethora of benefits without any sort of "high"

I'm so glad your son got help! It can be such a struggle to ask for help when you are depressed because it feels like nothing can help. I have struggled with depression for many years and suicidal thoughts at times. I can tell you that finding the right medication can make a huge difference. It may take several tries to find the right one, but when he does it will be so worth it. In the meantime sending many positive thoughts your way and his. Be well

I can't imagine giving you advice because every situation is so different - I just hope it can all work out for all of you.

sending you all the positive thoughts I can.

Prayers for you both!!

As an adult in the 80's he tackled the problem by cutting down on monosodium glutamate (used in Chinese food), acupuncture and marijuana.

He's in his 70's now and seems to have conquered the problem.

Hopefully your son will rebound and find a remedy that will serve him into old age.

for all of you.

please keep us posted, and be very kind to yourself.

Deficiencies that are causing or contributing to his health issues. Normal physicians don’t get nutritional training, so don’t expect his doc to know about this. He could be deficient in magnesium among other minerals and that has been linked to migraines, sore muscles, sleep issues, and depression.

The mind and body are not separate, so a really thorough physical is always a good idea for people suffering from what presents as mental problems.

brilliant young woman - couldn't hold down a job much less function at any level due to her migraines. Her neurologist finally had her start with botox treatments, and she now has her life back - recently married, fabulous job, and she's so much better. I hope your son has the same success with this treatment.

and my prayers to the support of your friends here at DU.

Been there with my 17-year old. He had depression, suicidal ideations, insomnia, and ultimately was hospitalized 3 times. I learned a lot about the mental health system in this country and none of it was good. I remember just hoping that he would be alive tomorrow. It affected the whole family at every level imaginable. He is 21 now. He isn't cured, there is no cure. There are coping mechanisms he had to learn to survive.

My advice... You have to become his greatest advocate. Don't throw him into a dysfunctional mental health system and expect them to work wonders. They're not up to the task believe me. Get in their faces in an educated and informed way. Make them pay attention to both your son's needs and your concerns or else they will move on to other people. This is a fight for resources and you have every right to expect those resources go to your son just like everyone else has that right, the only difference in the end is that some advocates will keep up the pressure while others will leave the work to the system that is inadequately funded and severely understaffed.

You can't see it right now but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Keep walking, keep asking questions, keep demanding attention, and keep going. There will be setbacks, there will be good times again. Take 'em when they come and keep moving forwards.

My son graduates form college next month. That's a long way from wondering if he was going to be alive tomorrow.

Good luck.

For sharing your story. I am glad your son has come so far. That is a testament to the strength of both of you. And you are so right about the mental health system. It is complex. There are good resources and there are areas that need work. It's a matter of finding what works best and fighting for those opportunities. I will fight for my son because he deserves the opportunity to be free from pain. And I am going to do whatever I can to help him. That is my solemn vow.

Sending positive thoughts to reinforce yours....

and the nasal spray that my doctor prescribed gave me migraines. I am on many medications so I didn't relate the nasal spray to the migraines because I was also suffering with a couple of viruses that I was being treated for. I saw my allergy doctor in Feb and he told me to stop the nasal spray because they are known to cause migraines. I stopped and the migraines did too. Sometimes the doctors don't know what they are doing and treating symptoms with more drugs instead of stopping them instead.

My good thoughts and vibes are being sent your way. Hugs.

My therapist recommended checking with psychiatrist when she saw that my anti-depression meds weren’t working. I have PTSD, Major Depression and ADD.

I didn’t want to add yet another medication but I was just barely holding it together with the Depression. My psychiatrist added abilify (Aripiprazole) and it’s been a major miracle for me.

Wishing you and your son similar breakthroughs. 🙏🏾

Hello,
Your post about your son touched me so much that I signed up with DU just to reply to you. Debilitating migraine pain can be helped a lot with some simple things. Being chronically dehydrated is often a reason for migraine pain---your brain doesn't have enough fluid around it to be "cushioned". Taking natural. non-prescription CoQ10 and 5-HTP are often very helpful when done daily to prevent migraines. Qunol liquid is a highly bio-available form of CoQ10. 5-HTP is a natural product that helps with depression as well as headaches. Taking 5-HTP before bedtime can help with sleep, too. Soda and coffee are dehydrating, so if your son drank lots of water and took CoQ10 (responsible for energy production on a cellular level) and 5-HTP (natural anti-depressant), that could help him without side-effects of prescriptions meds. Everyone over 40 needs to take CoQ10 because natural levels decline with age, so get yourself some Qunol, too. Finally, a good quality fish oil can TRULY help depression and I recommend purified pharmaceutical grade Omegavia because it's what adults need---high EPA omega 3s, which get used up by the body, unlike high DHA omega 3s for growing kids and pregnant women. Omegavia has 3 times as much EPA as regular fish oil and that should truly help your son's depression. Omegavia is ordered by mail and you need it, just like your son. Warm regards, missdemeanor

Thank you for your post. I am appreciating the love and support but also the advice and hope. I am adding your ideas to the list.

I'm so sorry. I'm glad help got there in time.

Just a tidbit: 60 Minutes ran a segment on treating chronic extreme depression using ECT.