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Anxiety after hospital stay

Sorry for the long post but I wanted to get everything down.

I've had a rough couple of weeks and ended up with a 4 day stay in the hospital and an ambulance ride due to what was diagnosed as status migrainous. My migraines continue to worsen over the past year and no preventative has made any difference (on Inderal and Cymbalta right now which is med 6 and 7 I think), they are 24/7 with an average of 4-6/10 with 2-3 flares a week of 7-9/10.

I have needed about one visit per month to the local urgent care to get IV meds/fluids but this last visit we tried my usual toradol/maxeran mix - nothing, added imitrex and chloprozaine (or something close to that) - nothing, lidocaine in the nostril - nothing, steroids - nothing, morphine - pain worsened (also 6 hours into the visit). Doctor was out of options and got me transferred into the city by ambulance to our teaching hospital. I then got around the clock infusions of toradol/maxeran, hydromorph and then switched to scheduled doses (one drug each hour or two) of toradol, DHE (which I had a strong reaction too, I hate this med - vomited, fast heart rate, high blood pressure and anxiety attacks every dose and I got it for 3 days!) and maxeran for all together 4 days admitted.

I spent the past weekend at my mom's house (Friday to Monday afternoon) so I wouldn't have to worry about cooking, cleaning or taking care of my cats which she had moved to her house. I was on edge there but thought it was just the drugs coming out of my system and healing from the rough episode. Now that I'm at home its getting worse ... I am very anxious, cant settle and relax at all.

Did anyone else have emotional problems like that after a severe episode or hospital care? Is this normal and will improve over the next couple of days? I've never had to go to the ER before this migraines got really bad, let alone 4 day stay.

I think some of it is also coming from the fact I'm getting scared about how bad these migraines are getting, nothing is working at all - in fact they are getting worse and worse every month no matter what we try. Anyone have any tips?

  1. Hi Tamara,

    Thanks so much for reaching out to share your story and being a part of our community. Other members may be able to share more on personal experience with the emotional aspects of dealing with episodes and the resulting anxiety, but in the meantime, you may find these articles helpful:

    https://migraine.com/blog/migraine-comorbidities-anxiety/https://migraine.com/blog/relaxation-mindfulness-for-migraine-patients-living-with-depression-anxiety/https://migraine.com/blog/a-case-of-triggerphobia/

    Wishing you the best. Please drop in and update us on how you're doing—we'll be thinking of you!

    Take care,
    -Christina (Migraine.com Team)

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