When I went to the GYN a couple of weeks ago, she told me my latest blood tests indicated that I ovulated again (happened this past March too). This is after 14 months without any period. Needless to say I have been feeling GREAT with all that estrogen floating around....energetic, focused, happy, NO hot flashes....(after months and months of 20 a day), just like my old self, more or less.

Yesterday, I went to work and within an hour got "the headache"-- the 3 day headache I always used to get before my period. There is NOTHING that helps it that I have found...it has to run its course. Well here I am today realizing that I am heading back to meno hell- and I am fighting mad. Mad as can be. I am also sad. When is this going to end?????

Does anyone out there relate to this headache? Have you found a way to make it go away other than time? I need help because I cannot focus on anything else.

I will try anything at this point to make the pain go away.

Help.............
Jan

(((JONESY)))

I just finished with the 3 day headache thing. For me, seems I have to ride it out. Extra strength Tylenol helps some. I also use a hot compress (one of the wheat bag things that you heat in the microwave) on my forehead, neck, on top my head (wherever it seems to hurt the most) and this seems to help.

Hope you feel better soon, dear.

Bella

Argh.....I just came in here today looking for someone with the same freakin' thing I have. The three day headache......it is so awful. Today is day one, so I have a few more days of this crap I guess. I'm still getting my periods, which are sometimes 27 days and sometimes 35 (oh joy) and three times I have skipped it altogether. Oh the joys of womanhood.

I also feel physically crappy on top of the headache. My mood is in the tank and my head is throbbing. I hate this and can totally sympathize Jonesy.

Bella,

Does it hurt so much that you can hardly concentrate on anything else, and do you sometimes find it hard to feel balanced?

Thanks for responding to me,
Jan

Oh Ladies, I can so relate. For me it is more of a head pressure and pressure on both my eyes...this is my third day and it seems a little better. I am still cycling (on bioidentical hormones but much reduced) so I think this may be more of an ovulation headache...haven't felt this bad for a long time. This is one of my peri symptoms that I'm hoping will cease once I get to the other side.

Yes, I find nothing really helps but just staying calm and praying it goes away soon.

Plumeria

Jonesy,

I also used to get the nasty headache before a period, mine lasted 2 days. I used to take either extra strength tylenol or extra strength advil, or a combination of the two. They never made the headache go away completely, but did take the edge off enough I could function. They are horrible, and I am sorry you are suffering so. I also tried the heat on them, seemed to be more soothing than cool.

I found Advil Migraine or Excedrin migraine worked best for these headaches. Or if I could get my hands on a family members' pain killers, they worked to. But they're hard to come by. Extra Strength Tylenol does absolutely nothing; doesn't even kill the slightest of pain. I think it's just a placebo!

Hi ladies - If you find yourself with this headache over the holidays and need to take some meds to try to alleviate the pain, then please remember to abstain from drinking alcohol okay? I know of someone that developed fatal liver disease from taking anti-inflammatories and then drinking wine. She thought it was harmless - she would only drink one or two glasses. Proved to be deadly. Please be careful.

Sincerely,
Suzanne

...not that you want to drink wine or whatever if you feel this way, but in a social situation, you may be tempted.

Dear Sisters in headache hell,
Thank you to each of you for your responses and sympathy. Also thank you SuzyP for the warning about the tylenol and alcohol. It is so true. I went to the beach (yes, it is cold out, but usually the beach sooths me)-- and I picked up some shells and then sat on a mound of them and listened to my menopause meditation on my ipod hoping against all hope it would bring me some relief. No such luck...I drove home off balance and found my way to the couch with a heating pad and tried to sleep.

The worst part of all of this is: I HATE TO WASTE A DAY! This is my day off, I wanted to decorate the house for Christmas...and perhaps do some cooking-- instead all I could do was struggle through.

I guess the one good thing about having NO estrogen for a while was NO headaches....is there any happy medium? I think I can take the flashes over the headaches...but the crazies....hmmm, maybe the headache is better. What fabulous choices we have....

Well today is day 2, and it is almost over (ok, it is only 3 p.m., but I can hope the night will come soon)- so tomorrow should be the end of it--

To my sister suffering this same pain, I send my thougths and prayers that you feel better soon too.

Jonesy

Jan:

I too cannot concentrate when I have these headaches. The balance thing does happen with my headaches and even without them. Since our symptoms are so individual we try to find what works best for us. One thing may work for someone while it may not work for another. Keep in mind if you are taking ADs that you should see if there are any drug interactions.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

(((HUGS)))

Bella

i read these posts with interest.my eye doctor diagnosed my problem,When i told him my symptoms he said'oh you have migraine headaches"i had trouble seeing,so thought it had to be diagnosed by an eye doctor.he told me to take two x-tra strengh tylenol,and not to wait until it becomes a full blown attack--take it at the onset.

My eye doctor just said the very same thing to me today also. According to him migraines come in all shapes and sizes with many varying worrisome symptoms including tingling hands and feet and lips and foggy perception vision (which was my main reason for seeing him) and other horrid stuff too that I suffer with. He said mine could either be from stress/anxiety or hormones or both, I'm thinking both caused by each other LOL. Mine have come on since I have weaned off the AD I was on for 18 months, some of the main withdrawal symptoms could be insomnia and increased migraine/headaches and dizziness which I have all three, lucky me.

I just hate the headaches but I hate the anxiety more and it's funny how eye doctors seem to know a thing or two more about peri and meno than regular doctors, have you also found this???

Rox

Dear Roxy and Libbyl,

I have had migraines for years...but I usually tell myself if I don't have the actual visual disturbances (wiggly lines when I am trying to see!)- that it is just a headache... but three days is three days, no? It MUST be of a different migraine type. I am going to see my internist in a month for my regular check up and find out if there is something he can give me for them-- as I said earlier, I just hate wasting a day.

Thank you to each of you for making me feel sane, and in the company of others who know how hard these days are--I would be lost without you.
Jan