Migraines Options

[deew99]

This is to Buttercup and Maggy: I experienced the same thing with Climara. I was on it a year and then boom! The migraines started and they were kickers. I had the aura and everything. I did notice that they were pretty on schedule about every week or so. It was making my life a living hell. I got rid of the Climara and they went away immediately, within days. I now take Tri-est and a progesterone and testosterone cream. So far so good, lets hope it stays that way. But in my book, Climara is nooooo good.

[Crey]

I am 45 and having perimenopausal symptoms (sweats, weird periods) on and off for about 10 years.  I remember having bad headaches around the onset of my period (11yrs) and now, they have returned!  I read that it is common to have them at both ends of your fertile life - Mine feel like sinus but come  on in the middle of the night.  They were diagnosed as migraine for the first time last year - I take a 60mg decongestant and 2 advil every 3-4 hours til they go away - This last one is just subsiding on day 2.  I also experience lots of dizziness.  My husband and I met dancing and we still like to go but I can't turn fast anymore as it makes my head spin (unpleasantly).  I also get these weird, out of body feelings that I remember as a kid - although I thought they used to be fun!  Are these typical symptoms?  Do they eventually go away?  Help!!

[Sherry3]

I am new to this site and find it very informative. I'm 45, have had terrible pms for the last ten years. With-in the last year I have gone into peri ( irregular periods,night sweats, shakes,neck and muscle tension always on the left side,headaches and migraines and a long list of other symtoms). My headaches average daily about 20 to 23 days a month(10 to 12 of them migraines) They usually start 10 to 12 days before my period, stay through it and last untill about 2 to 3 days after my period. Then I usually have 7 to 10 free days (as I call them). Some months are not as bad as others. I know it's a hormone imbalance. Dr. had me on prozac for a while, didn't work, didn't want to take it, stopped taking it. Wanted to put me on birth control, but refused because of family history of breast cancer and I am a smoker. I've had every test done,except for saliva. CT for head negitive. Nuro has just started me on preventive for headaches and migraines with 25 mg of Topamax for the first week (once a day) and will raise it to 25 mg twice a day starting the second week. Anyone out there tried this? I havn't found a lot of info on topamax for headaches on-line.  I have also started a daily vitamin regimin with extra B's,calcium, magnesium and c. amoung others. Have started natural progesterone cream. I trully belive that I am estrogen dominant. Have cut out caffiene and hope to find some relieve with-in the next couple of months.

[TerryT]

Sherry 3, I would love to hear how your new regimen works. Like you, I have only 7-10 "free days" from migraine each month now, and I haven't found anything that really helps. It's got to be hormonal, since migraines were a fairly small part of my life until perimenopause, and now they're the one thing that has really knocked me out of the game of life. Thanks for your informative post!

[ZSharon]

Oh Migraineland. I visit you once or twice a month, for 4-8 days. I have this fantasy that something intensely spiritual occurs during visits to Migraineland. An extra piece of karma is being paid off or the gods send special messages in between the pulsating pain. Otherwise, what possible use could they serve? Since becoming perimenopausal, they've become more hormonally aligned, but I'm told they are not hormone related. I can only surmise that a hormonal event occurs that inspires the blood vessels to play power games with blood flow. I started on the massive B remedy, but haven't taken much during this last round of puking.

Maybe there's a creative way to look at Migraineland so that we don't feel so debilitated. The 2 days before and after are sometimes worse. The pain isn't there, but neither is the ability to think or feel without getting nutso. Hmmm. Think I'll keep working on this.

[Kalanie]

Your post was so clever I had to respond, ZSharon, even though I have not been blessed with these great spiritual events in my life.  I am just wondering if Migraineland takes "E" tickets?   :biggrin:  

Seriously, I really feel for those of you who are plagued with this, and I just keep knocking on the ole wood for myself.  My daughter has suffered with migraines since she was a teenager and I know they are no picnic at all.    

(Edited by Kalanie at 2:56 pm on May 4, 2002)

[TerryT]

Yow!  i understand Lewis Carroll was a lifelong sufferer of migraines, and maybe he created "Wonderland" as a way to morph "Migraineland" into something meaningful for his fellow adventurers. As for me, I am absolutely counting on escaping this place after meno! I don't know what I'll do if I'm still stuck there post-meno.

[Suzie]

Have you ladies tried 500 miligrams of magnesium at the onset of a migraine? I read somewhere that it helps.

Suzie

[TerryT]

Thanks, Suzie.  I personally have tried the 500 mg of magnesium regimen--in fact I used that much every day for quite some time, as I had seen that recommended in an article in "Prevention" magazine. It has not seemed to help me, but it might very well help some of us.

[Blueschick]

Here's a little insight/background into the whole migraine experience. A couple of months ago I saw a neurologist for my almost daily migraines, which were obviously hormonal in nature since I had been about 3 months with no period. (I always had the pre-period migraine, too.)

I asked him why I was a migraine sufferer, and others weren't. In other words, I asked, "what is wrong with my brain?" I've had migraines since my teens, which I learned were brought on by chocolate, meats with nitrates, red wine, stress, hormonal changes,etc.

The neurologist explained that there is a tiny "body" deep in the brain stem that "over-reacts" in some people when certain stimuli are present. This little area apparently perceives certain things (like chocolate, hormonal changes) as problems, and sends a message to the blood vessels surrounding the brain. The blood vessels react by dilating, thus putting pressure on the brain and voila -- the pain of a migraine.

I also learned from this doctor that many of the headaches I thought were sinus headaches were also migraines. Apparently these nasty things can disguise themselves. When my peri-menopause kicked in for real about a year ago, I experienced 3-day-long headaches that felt exactly like a sinus headache, except I got violently nauseous and would vomit for 2 days. It was just like having the flu. I only learned they were migraines when I finally took an Imitrex in desperation and the headache went away.

In my case, I've also learned that the little part of the brain that starts all this perceives both an increase and a decrease in estrogen to be a problem. Not only has peri-menopause brought on non-stop migraines, but when I was pregnant, I had nasty headaches that went on until my 5th month. And when I started natural hormone replacement recently, I had a low-grade migraine for about a week. Then it went away and life was great.

I know this information doesn't help with treatment, but it helped me understand what was going on with my head. For me, as long as my estrogen stays at a certain level, I'm migraine-free for the most part.

Hang in there, fellow sufferers -- I know how life-disruptive these things can be!

[barbiegirl]

I thought I would ask a couple questions. When I was on the bcp I used to get migranes the third week of the month usually. They lasted anywhere from a day-three days. I went off the pill last July. I started natural progesterone in October and uppped the dose(100mg 2x a day on day 8-28) in January. Anyway, I re-tested my hormones on Wednesday and had to go off the pro. for 36 hours because I use sublingual lozenges, and I did the test  and started up again Wed. morning and by Wednesday night I had a migrane and I still have it. I wonder if it is because I stopped the pro. for that period and hormones got too low. But shouldn't it be okay by now? Just curious. These headaches are a pain. I missed work yesterday and struggled thru today. I do have MVP and take corgard 20mg a day. It does not seem to help migranes, though. Just curious if I may have gotten this headache from stopping hormones. This is also the time I used to get them on the pill(today is day 23). Thanks!

[Blueschick]

Barbie--

I'm not a medical professional, but I can tell you from my experience that a drop in hormones always triggers a migraine for me. When I still had regular periods, I would get a killer migraine 2 days before my period would start. Nothing would make it go away. Magically, when my period started, the migraine stopped.

I attribute this to the fact that progesterone and estrogen drop off sharply just before a period. So if you discontinued progesterone, it seems like this would have the same effect. I just had my tri-est prescription upped because I went almost 2 weeks with a migraine every day. I know my estrogen level dropped because I had hot flashes and night sweats at the same time as the migraines.

So I would say yes, it's very possible that stopping progesterone could be causing your migraines.

[barbiegirl]

Thanks Linda! That is what I thought. I had a two day headache that I guess it took that long for the hormones to catch up again. What a pain!! I hope they figure this all out soon. It is so hard to get the dosages right on these, isn't this? Take care and thanks!

[CSugarGrove]

I've been reading everyone's posts on this topic, because I've wondered if migraines are caused by too much estrogen (HRT) or not enough.   It seems like you are experiencing headaches in BOTH situations.  I've been on HRT for three months.  My last period was in January of 2002, so I've nearly completed the first year.  I feel so much better on the HRT, and I've had no problems at all, except for these faint, threatening headaches once a week or so.  They never become the pounding ones I used to get when I had my period, so what are they from, I wonder.  Are they caused from taking the estrogen, or because the estrogen isn't strong enough?   Maybe they are just from menopause itself.  They get worse when I get hungry, and I can get rid of them with three Extra Strength Excedrin.  However, they sometimes return when the aspirin wears off.  If anyone has any info, please write......

[Blueschick]

Hi CSugargrove --It sounds like you are experiencing similar migraines to mine (these days). I can go for several days with no migraine, and then suddenly one pops up. Sometimes, like yours, they're low-grade and go away with 2 Exedrin Migraine. Other times, they start with extreme dizziness, which goes into an aura, then the real thing starts.

Like you, I am on natural HRT (tri-est/progest/testosterone). My last period was in Oct. 2001, but I started the HRT in January 2002, and I'm on  a continuous regimen to avoid monthly migraines. So I don't know if I would have an occasional period otherwise. Sometimes I do have light breakthrough spotting.

The HRT has been a godsend for the other myriad peri-menopausal symptoms I was living with, but the migraine thing is persistent. My theory is that my own hormones are still in flux, so when they go up or down, it upsets the nice balance of the HRT, and thus, I'm in migraine mode. When my hormones are steady, life is great, and my head feels great.

I'm not sure how to deal with this other than use Exedrin as needed, and Imitrex for the bad ones. Overall, I feel so much better with the HRT, I don't want to stop, but the migraine thing can be very disruptive to my life. I don't know what else we can do, except try and ride this out. Maybe someone else has some insight on this.

Somehow we'll make it through this mess! :wink:

[barbiegirl]

Just a note. On *** website discussion board under estrogen and migranes was an interesting article from ABC News. I have hard time figuring it all out too. I had a bad headache this month when I was off the progesterone. I am glad I re-test my hormones this month. I have a feeling I need estrogen too though when I was on the pill I got migranes a lot and they had to change them a lot. Take care!

[CSugarGrove]

Thank you, Blueschick and Barbiegirl, for the info.  What a relief to have people out there who give me helpful insights.  If I try to discuss any meno stuff with friends, I get a stony silence.  Why is it that this subject is so taboo?  It will happen to all women if they live long enough.  I have a new respect for older women now.  I'd see a woman in her sixties, and I did not have the respect for her that I now have, because now I think to myself, she made it through the menopause nightmare, and she probably didn't have the support that I have.  This website, and the Internet itself, didn't exist 30 years ago.  What did women do, I wonder, when we were still kids?  They must have felt really isolated, if the subject was taboo with friends and they had no website like this.  Read a few books at the library, if there were any?  

Anyhow, as far as the migraine, I got up this morning  and no headache so far.  My head is clear and I feel pretty good.  So I guess if you have a few bad days, the good news is that you will feel better.  You're right, Blueschick, we will somehow make it through this mess, but it's a lot easier with all of the moral support here.  

(Edited by CSugarGrove at 12:49 pm on Oct. 28, 2002)

[dc121]

Wow. It's not just me !!! I have been having awful headaches for the past 5 years, and they are getting worse in the last year. My husband who is a doc (sigh) says that he notices that they are emotional, and if I would deal with the emotions differently they would likely get better, I would laugh if it didn't hurt my head so much. He really is trying to help but he just doesn't get it that it everything is emotional these days and I'm dealing with it the best i know how.

I guess I'm peri because except for slight spotting a couple weeks ago I haven't had my moon time since this summer. Am I nuts for missing it? I do. Good sex used to help my headaces but I'm not interested imuch any more. I uses Progest cream qd and I don't know if it helps much any more. I haven't been to a docter to discuss the whole balanceing hormone thing...denial I guess. My sister is younger and my mother died when I was young so I haven't ever talked to anyone about all this really...It's wierd. I've been figuring out stuff by reading, but it gets confusing. Like figuring out how to use a tampon by reading the directions, but I'm trying to contain the flow of my life so I don't figuatively bleed out all over the place.

I'm open to suggestions. What a great thing to not have to be so alone in this. I have alot to learn!Blessings to all.I just joined this site today, found it during a meltdown. Truly a blessing

[kamie]

One of the best effects of having my ovary removed was the END of 20 + years of migraines and general head pain. I have often related my headaches to an automobile accident but the hysterectomy made a huge change. My allergies too are much better. totally changed.However, just recently, things started going wrong again in my body.And following the body trouble the migraines arrived again.I'm having my other ovary taken out in January.Not because of the migraines, but because the new doctor read the pre surgery report, the post surgery doctors report and the Pathology report and he has come to the conclusion that the right ovary should have gone with the total excavation job back in April.And, right now, I can't disagree.From June until October my head was finally clear.It was a good feeling.I hope I can find my way back.Kamie

[Seti]

Hi, Kamie and DC121,

I'm even more convinced than ever now that my terrible migraines for the past 3-4 years have been hormone-related--because they are finally starting to go away!!! I've also been through a million and one possible explanations for this awful few years of crippling migraines, but none of them really makes sense. Take the "your emotions are causing your headaches" theory. If this were true, mine would still be raging out of control, because I never ever was able to accept these migraines. The more they happened the more upset and distraught I became.

My view now is that this whole headache cycle was never under my control, and that it simply had to run its course. It's probably well worth trying Imitrex, Caffergot, whatever your doctor or neurologist recommends. But even if these things don't help you (and they didn't help me) I bet you'll stumble your way to the end of the migraine tunnel eventually anyway.

It's a hell of a rough ride, but hang in there.

[kamie]

Thanks Seti. Yep. you are so right. It is a rough ride.I've gotten the whole get a hold of your emotions lecture too.I definately think it's the imbalance of the organic unit that makes for chaos and the mind can help straighten it out if we could only find it during a blinding haze riddled migraine episode.HORMONES!!!!!!yes, but which ones?And that to me is the fascinating question.I've got my female/male hormones doing the post hysterectomy/PCOS thing.And then I just found out that my pancreas over produces Insulin, another hormone.A new player in the hormone juggling act.No one, in all the doctors I've seen in this year alone (we are now at 13!!!!!)figured that Pancreas thing out until I visited the endocrinologist recently.And the Endocrinologist is the one and only endocrinologist that I have ever seen.So maybe just the field was the answer.

DC, your story about your husband being a doctor and not understanding your plight reminded about a sad story one of my doctors told me this week.We were talking about hormones and he admited that he didn't know thing 1 about hormones that hormones were a whole other science area and how it was very difficult for him to deal with his ex wifes hormones because it wasn't his medical field.So the doctor was in the same boat with all the other husbands who scratch their heads and wonder when the crazed woman will transform back into someone they recognize.So hang in there.Like Seti says, it's a rough ride.And it can be.I want my head back!Kamie

[CI]

There hasn't been alot of activity on this message board lately, but I will post this in the hope that it might help someone in the future.I have had hormonal / menstrual migraines for 23 years.  I get a mild migraine mid cycle and the stronger one just before my period.  I am now 46 years old.  In the past two years I have had the beginnings of arthritis and my migraines have gotten worse.  None of the sumattriptan drugs (Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig...) worked has they had for years.  The migraines got worse after I had surgery on my neck.  It took me 3 1/2 months to figure out that all of the different pain pills  and muscle relaxants that I tried after surgery had made an already present stomach/ gallbladder acid/ diverticulitus/ acid reflux problem much worse.   I was in pain of one kind or another all the time.  My arthritis doc wanted me to up my tramadol from 50 mg. to 200 mg per day.  I am glad now that I didn't.  I had a prescription for Prilosec and that is the only thing that kept me from getting a bleeding ulcer.  I am now on Protonix once a day at 40 mg (like prilosec...cuts out acid produced in the stomach).  I have only been on it for about a month.  I stopped the prilosec and the tramadol cold turkey and ended up feeling like I had the flu.  After that I cut back on the tramadol over  3 days and was able to stop with no withdrawal.  I have read that ulcerative colitis can mimic the symptoms of arthritis.  I haven't had any joint pain yet.    I had myself tested for H. pylori bacteria, but it wasn't present.  Almost wished it was, because there have been several articles saying that it contributes to migraines.  I started using the progesterone creme also and I think that helps me.  I think that I will still get the headaches as usual.  But they will be much more manageable.Since I have given my stomach lining ,and who knows what else in the digestive system, a break from all of the irritation.   I have found that I can once again get rid of the migraines with sumatriptan and a little bit of sugar to get my blood sugar up if it is low.  As I did for many years before all of this happened.Prevention magazine had a small article about it in their February 2003 issue on page166.I was attending a seminar put on by a local neurologist and he said something that I thought was interesting.  He said, did you know that there are people out there that never get headaches.I hope that someday we will join them! I hope this help someone out there!Good luck to everyone.

[AmazinGrace2day]

Hey all,Well, I've read through some earlier posts and it seems that many of you have related migraines to hormonal changes which may be true.  I 've had them since I was a teenager and am now 51.  I had a complete hysterectomy this past June, was on the the estrogen patch and estradioal for 6 months.  I haven't taken any hormones since Dec.  and I am sorry to report it hasn't helped.  I still have almost a daily headache.  Hardly a day goes by that I don't have to take something.  I'm seeing a neuorologist and have taken every preventative, and medicine know to man.  Of course night sweats are usually at 4 am and I suppose the lack of restful sleep may contribute to these headaches.  I wish all of you out there an answer for this problem.  If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them.  Thanks for listening.

[CI]

I have talked to several people that have had hysterectomies and they still get migraines.  I tried taking continuous birth control pills with no period and still got the migraines as usual.  My neurologist said, of course!  The message still comes from your hypothalamus...or was it the pituitary gland.  Oh well, you get the point.Ask your doctor for some prilosec or  something like that.  What have you got to loose!    Only stomach acid!  I would take about 20 - 40 mg a day for a few weeks or more and try to cut back to nothing on the pain pills.  Don't go cold turkey like I did.  Made me feel like I had the flu!  I am sure the doctor has told you that you can get rebound headaches just from taking aspirin, ibuprofen...too often.    Excedrin migraine was the worst for me.  Really did a number on my stomach.   Which in turn gave me a regular headache everyday.    Read the warnings section on these pain relievers.  Some of them actually list headache as a side effect.I will also add that you might need to refrain from certain foods until you get everything back to normal.  The flavored carbonated waters with 0 calories give me a headache the next day.  I rarely get a migraine right after eating the wrong thing.  I  have to avoid citric acid until I am sure my digestive system can handle it.  Which is hard because it is at the top of the list of ingredients in almost all of the juices at the grocery store.  Oranges,  coffee, alcohol and the list goes on.  Look up ulcers or acid reflux and you will get the idea.  I have been able to drink coffee and diet cherry coke with no problem.  Go figure!I hope you find the answer that helps you.Hang in there!

[GinaC]

I love this site. I am a 43 yr old TVH W/BSO Dec, 02. I have suffered from Menstrual Mirgraines for some time but never really paid attention until after the birth of 3rd child in 1998.  Now I am taking Depakote 500mg ER from the neuro, who doesn't know what to do with me. My GYN told me he thinks my body may not be absorbing the estrogen or is metabolizing it too fast. Blood work drawn waiting for the results. I am using the Esclim patch (Big bad Bandaid looking thing) .1 and when I changed it on Tuesday I got a major h/a!!! Today is Wed. and the h/a is still here but not as bad. GYN thinks I may need more estrogen. Will talk to him again on Friday. My ? to any of you is what do you know about Esclim????  Thanks feel free to email me if you want.  ginagery@hotmail.com

[GinaC]

I just posted above and realized that I put my age as 43what was I thinking,,,,,I am 40yrs old. Definitely a menopause thing :-)

[MaryO]

LOL, GIna - I often forget my birthday, but I usually make myself younger not older!

[GinaC]

Hi MaryO  Thanks for the reply. I just found this site and am trying to extract as much information from it as I can to be armed when I see my Dr. again. It seems that he just doesn't know everything he should. Call me crazy for expecting him to help me! I think my next step will be to try some of the progesterone mixed in and see if that helps.  Thanks again.

[freakofnature]

Is anyone familiar with or tried Biofeedback to alleviate migraines?  I know it's been around for a while, but I just recently started seeing a bunch of stuff about it.

[MaryO]

Quote: from GinaC on 12:01 pm on Mar. 12, 2003[br]Hi MaryO  Thanks for the reply. I just found this site and am trying to extract as much information from it as I can to be armed when I see my Dr. again. It seems that he just doesn't know everything he should. Call me crazy for expecting him to help me! I think my next step will be to try some of the progesterone mixed in and see if that helps.  Thanks again.

Definitely check out these pages then (just click on the links to read what Dearest has provided for us)

There's so much valuable information on the Power Surge website. For example, there are some basic introductory articles, such as Power Surge's Menopause Survival Tips, and What's A Hot Flash? and About Your Hormones. and a simple explanation of menopause in the Menopause Primer, Midlife Sexuality, Relationships / Vaginal Dryness, and many, many others including, of course, Being The Best You and the ever popular Recommendations Page.