There is a lot of information on headaches and migraine about and when I look at my own symptoms against what is listed I start to get very confused….and this increases my anxiety…..and my ability to sleep…..and I’m forever going around in a circle.

To cut a long story short, I have a hereditary hearing impairment which means I am partially deaf in both ears and have to wear hearing aids. This is not an issue with me.

However, when I was diagnosed being peri meno about five years ago I started getting very dizzy spells and the occasional headache. This worsened over time to full blown vertigo attacks and migraines with tinnitus in my right ear. Further tests were carried out and there is a possibility I may have meniere’s disease, although doctor and specialists are not 100% sure. Having looked into this further I believe my symptoms veer more towards Migraine Associated Vertigo (MAV) which is also linked to fluctuating hormone levels.

This last week I have suffered with continuous pressure on my forehead 24/7, blurred vision, dizziness, pain/stinging in my right eye, pressure sometimes above, below or in the corner of my right eye, fullness in my right ear, feelings of nausea, lack of concentration, poor memory……..and basically feeling like crap. I have been on annual leave from work so I should be feeling relaxed…..but I’m not.

My periods are all over the place so I’m not sure whether I’m due to start or not. My last eye test in February showed a slight deterioration in my long sightedness and new glasses were prescribed. I am also on a low dose medication for high blood pressure.

Can anyone help me out here? Is this a hormonal surge or maybe something more sinister I need to get checked out.

Luv Tiptoes x

If you're worried about the migraines you need to get yourself checked out for peace of mind. My migraines are hormonal but I still worry. I haven;t had a migraine for quite a long time but I've had one for the last 4 days. I am due in a period but spottng -- I have some anxiety, horrible dizziness and nausea and my co-ordination os a bit off -- ie I am bumping into things and dropping stuff --- I've had this before so I know it's hormonal but I can;t seem to think logically at the moment and my anxiety is kicking in. I know how you feel -- migraines are the pits and c an make one very ill.

Hang in there, Mrs Tiptoes - I love some of the usernames on this board

Ditto Evening Primrose! I notice now the dizzy off balance thing happens right before / post- PMS. Sometimes the whopping headache comes. Sometimes not. Haven't had a real severe headache since I stopped drinking caffinated drinks, tried to stop chocolate and eating banannas every single day!! One of the two we suspect were the main culprit. We think now it was the banannas (I love them) were the cuplrit - my migraine trigger.
C.C.

Thanks for the replies Evening Primrose and Chatty Cathy.

I too have often wondered whether food may trigger off my migraine attacks and I normally eat a banana each day for breakfast to keep my blood sugar levels stable. I seriously thing that chocolate could be ‘my’ trigger as I did have quite a lot last week when I was on holiday. Got to have some fun in life! I am going to try and cut choccie out of my diet during the next month to see whether this makes a difference but it’s gonna be hard work! I also love coffee so much….but I went on to decaf a couple of years ago to help my sleeping, not that it’s made any difference as I still suffer a lot with insomnia. Trouble is…..if we keep cutting this out and that out then we’ll end up eating grass like the cows!!!

Dear 'Mrs Tiptoes'
Good point by the time we have cut everything out there is nothing left to enjoy.I am sorry about your migraines.My sister-in-law suffers from them and spends a couple of days in a darkened room.
I gave very bad sinus headaches and have found that diet does not seem to affect them as I cut out this and that I am still suffering!

Good Luck,my dear
Warm Wishes
Elizabeth

Hi Tiptoes,

I am searching the headache threads to try to get a better understanding of my headaches. They started about 2 years ago, but seem worse now. I am peri-menopausal. I'm going to start a journal and try to track what's triggering them. I thought it was molds because it seems to happen more when it rains, however, I woke up dizzy and vomiting about 8 weeks ago and that lasted 5 days. I was diagnosed with benign positional vertigo. The day it happened was the day before a storm came in. I had a headache and pressure, like a band around my head, for weeks. All in the back of my head, some above my right ear and right eye. I get conjunctivitis in that eye too. It finally went away last Saturday and then Tuesday my eye swelled and I got a whopping headache that is still here. The pressure is back and the tenderness at the back of my head too. Wed. it rained! We don't get much rain and so it's easy to make that association. I'm still going to journal. I wish it were food triggered, that's more easily controlled.

Does this sound familiar to you? Hope it helps you to know that we have similar symptoms!

mvarrin

I just wanted to add that I joined today to say that I too have been experiencing the same as explained here. It started a year & a half ago with a strange snapping sound in my left ear along with skipped periods followed by heavy periods something that was way abnormal for me who was always regular. (3 days, first day medium flow, next 2 light flow & then pretty much over.) Started to miss & continue today every 8 to 10 weeks(still waiting since 12/11) & then when it comes I flow very heavy for 5-10 days, with PMS, something that I dón't remember having in my younger years. I have never bore children. I just turned 50 this Jan. GYN wants to perfoem D&C to rule out cancer.
However, along with this I also started having migraines that last 6 weeks with a horrible,unexplainable feeling of dizziness/imbalance. I've been put on Topomax a year ago to reduce the incidence of migraines, started off at 25mg increased to 50 then to 75. Had MRI, VNG testing all normal. Also have been for about 5 years now on low dose BP meds, had all my heart & veins thoroghly checked last year as well, CT scans, high level tests, etc. Also been on thyroid meds synthroid which keeps changing the past year (have been on it for 15 years with no change until the past year).This Dec 8th started with a migraine that has refused to leave, along with severe imbalance issues. Changed neurologists & GYN & had retesting done this past 2 weeks MRI, VNG. MRI normal, waiting for VNG results. Had hormone test, back normal, DHEA a little off, thyroid off AGAIN! Wnet for another panel yesterday. Had a pelvic sonogram, found small broids, will repeat that in 6 weeks as well. GYN i meantime put me on a vit regimine & diet which I've been trying all along & can't sustain , I am overweight, by body refuses to cooperate, I know there is something wrong. I am NOY MYSELF in so many ways. I am convinced this is related to perimenopause but hormones aren't off enough to prove it although doctors speculate that as well. Topomax increased to 100 mg, givm Maltamax for headaches which make me ill, stopped that. So here I am. Same thing, no change & frustrated & loosing LOTS of work!! So you are not alone! What's next??? What Dr. do I visit next? OH I do see an acupuncturist who does help but when it got this bad it wasn't relieving me either. I have read Dr Northrup's books, I read Dr Oz's books but there is just too much out there it's confusing. Anyone have suggestions as to who the next medical area is to visit. Apparently this dizziness thing is hard to decipher in the medical community if it's not related ot ears or eyes or brain. or so they think. I want my life back, so does my wonderful husband & my fur kids!



it's just an ordinary day
and it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day, you've still got to say,
it's all right... ....GreatBigSea