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[moonbeam121167]

Hi
 its been a while but I need some advice, I suffer badly from headaches, I am on 4mg of oral HRT,  didn't really want the pills but my GP is a bit of a bully , I was on 100mg of Estradot but my levels were so low I needed to double it but he wouldn't doulbe the patch , he said the pills are fine, so he said I will top the patch up with 2mg of Zumeron (pills), I did and was not too bad , then had to go back to review it and get my repeat and he turned round and said he wasn't giving the patch,  I was to have 4mg of the Zumeron, that was in January but last week my headaches got bad so I went back to my GP and he told me to try Amitrplyine again, he said start with 5mg, but they make me feel A. spaced out, B. have no get up and go,  also afraid to put weight on as I have lost nearly 1 1/2 stone in the last 4 months , don't know what to do, been google search HRT and headaches and all I see is that the transdermal route is the best route to try but the GP just don't listen, he also thinks that 4mg is far too much but the consultant has said its what my body needs and I am to stay on that dose till I am about 50 to 52 yrs old, I have made an appointment for Friday with another GP but I am not sure if he help, what shall I ask for as my OH says that 2 patches is silly and to try the gel, I am so confused, I need help, these headaches feel like my head is too heavy for my neck, like pressure at the back of my head and a stiff neck, also feel abit sicky, so sorry to go on again but they are horrible headaches, everything else menopause wise are fantastic, sex is fab again, no hot flushes, I feel sort of normal again except for these blinking headaches x

[honorsmum]

Could it be muscular?
Maybe an osteopath would help?
I had horrible headaches with some visual disturbance and nausea for 9 weeks the summer before last - they were caused by muscle problems in my neck, shoulder and back, which in turn were causing sinus problems.

[moonbeam121167]

Hi
it could be, I have always suffered from headaches, they were every month, gp said they were hormonal, not sure what to do, continue on with the Amitrypline and see if it helps but scared they will make me put weight back on, or go to the GP and see if he will change the route of my HRT,  I am afraid to change the HRT as I said I feel like I am back to my normal self, also now down to a size 10 which is fantastic feeling but these headaches are horrid, my poor head feels heavy, my neck aches I have a tight band of pain around my head and it sometimes so bad I feel sick, I had physio and she did say my posture is poor but the physio never helped, someone did suggest Feverfew, just need some advice x

[Millykin]

I know this sounds stupid but I used to suffer headaches from hell, the last one lasted 10 days. I took all sorts of painkillers, slept, ate properly but wouldn't budge. I couldn't see out one eye the pressure was so bad. I bought forehead menthol stick and after using it for a day my headache went away. Now when I feel slightest twinge or sometimes before bed I use it. Don't get me wrong some painkillers required some times but I've never had a headache as bad again. My daughters friend swears by it for migraines we used to laugh at her but it's my savour now. No harm in trying it's only menthol x

[moonbeam121167]

HI I do have some , I will have to dig it out and give it a try, thanks, would you try the Amtrypline, I am only trying 5mg at the moment xx

[Millykin]

I have them under control at the moment so I wouldnt take amitriptyline for it. I was on it 10 yrs ago for depression and it was good at time helped me a lot. For me it is hormonal and I am on higher dose HRT and I've been fine. X

[purplenanny]

I recently had some bad headaches. I purchased menthol and eucalyptus inhaler which you put in boiling water and breathe under a towel.  It really helped to clear my head and sinuses
PN x x

[Dancinggirl]

I suffer with nasty headaches behind the eyes and across the forehead.  Sometimes I feel the pain is coming  from deep inside my nose.  I presume it is something to do with my sinuses. 
The nose is meant to produce a natural secretion(mucus) that filters the stuff we breath - it make sense that if this dries out it won't be as healthy or effective as it should be.  I assume bacteria and irritants like dusk can easily get lodged in our sinuses and possibly cause this pain?? Many of us seem to suffer with our noses swinging from dryness to being runny when we hit meno - I assume because the collagen is reduced so the membrane is less efficient. Inhaling steam is suppose to good. My headaches are triggered by the heating\aircon in the car, when the central heating starts in autumn or changes in air pressure depending on the weather e.g. when a thunderstorm is brewing. The smell of paint really gives me a bad headache. Since menopause my sinuses get really dry(even when on HRT) and awhile ago I bought one of those saline nasal flushes and I found this would relieve a headache.  I also bought a saline spray which I used regularly for a while and again I found I didn't get headaches.  I stopped using this spray and during the recent really cold weather, with needing more heat in the house and then going out in the dank and often icy weather, this seemed to trigger the headaches again.  I kept getting headaches on and off over 3 weeks.  Taking aspirin has caused my stomach lining to play up so now I can't take them.  I've just bought some more of the saline spray to see if prevents the headaches again.  I am not advocating using saline sprays - I know it's not good to use the decongestant nose sprays as these can actually make matters worse but I know saline is good to gargle with for a sore throat etc and is more natural and gentle so feel it is a safer thing to use.  I did check with my GP and she thought it was a good idea.
My husband is a professional singer and some years ago, when he was having vocal problems, he went to see a top ENT doctor who just told him to inhale steam from a boiled saline solution several times a day. These old fashioned methods are sometimes the best.
Hormonal headaches tend to be slightly different - I got these when I was peri meno or just before the withdrawal bleed when on sequential HRT and they made me feel nauseas.
Moonbeam - I did find that I got more headaches when I was on a higher dose of oestrogen but if you really need such a high dose then I would definitely stick to transdermal oestrogen if I was you.
DG xxx

[Hurdity]

Hi moonbeam

Sorry to hear you are still getting headaches and more to the point that you are still on 4 mg tablets.

If your headaches are due to the HRT then you don't need the ADs and you need to go back to what you were originally on asap - ie the patches and the tablets, or just patches or just gel. Your doctor cannot refuse this and especially as transdermal route is preferred for those that get migraines, as you know. I'm sure I posted this when you first started getting them - the info on this site:

Migraine   
    Migraine is often triggered by hormonal fluctuations and therefore may occur around the time of a period. Such migraine may improve at the time of the menopause. Some women find that migraine may be triggered by the daily hormone fluctuations which can occur with oral (tablet) HRT so the transdermal (patch or gel) route is usually preferred with a history of migraine

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/atoz.php#GlossM

It's a no-brainer - one doesn't need advanced knowledge to read this and follow the advice! Surely the doc should know this?

Even if they turn out to be due to something different - this would be the first area to try especially as you didn't have them before when you were not on such a high dose of oral HRT and as you suffered hormonal headaches in the past.

Really - go back to your GP and get your prescription changed - can you get your partner to go with you?

Hurdity x

[moonbeam121167]

Hurdity

would you think they are migraines, they do come and go, and I do get nausea, I am afraid to go back to the GP as they never take me seriously just palmed me off with Amitryptiine for which the last 2 days I have not taken, I feel they mask the problem and not going to take.  Today the headaches are not to bad and can be ok for a week or so but then bang I get them back.  My consultant said my levels are bang on and to stay on the 4mg until I am about 52ish, as I said I feel real good, sex is great, I have lost 2 dress sizes, I was not to bad on the patches and just wanted to double them but he (GP) told me to add the 2mg pill and then last time stop the patches and just use 4mg pills, think I should try another GP.  I am on Randitine and try stopping them thinking it was them causing the headaches but my stomach would get bad, but can't see how it was them as I have suffered from the headaches for years and only been on Randitine for about 10 monthish, I really appreciate all your help x

[lancashirelass]

Tablets are a real no no if you suffer with headachss.  Patches or gel much better. 

[moonbeam121167]

I did say to my GP but he refuses to listen, I have made an appointment for another GP next week , hoping he will listen to me, cause this morning I was ok but half an hour ago bang it came on and it was so bad I feel sick, my neck hurts pressure in my head, do you think its my hormones fluctuating, I dont have periods no more as I had a total Hysterectomy in Dec 2012 so would it still be the case. I use that 4 head all the time but no help,  I take my HRT, 2mg pill in morning with my breaky and then 2mg about 5ish with my tea, as I thought it would even the dose out and if I take the 4mg together it hurts my stomach, I also take Ranitadine in the morning about hour before my breakfast, was going to try stopping them to see if they are causing the headaches but according to the leaflet the chances of them causing headaches are quite rare and if i dont take them my poor stomach plays up, thats the only pills I take, I have ordered a herb called Feverfew which says helps migraines to try as I really dont think the GP will change me back and I am worried the different GP will tell me I should see my normal GP as he knows my history, just at the end of my tether with these headaches, need sorting x

[honeybun]

I know you don't want to do this but the only way to find out if it's your HRT tabs that are causing the problems is to stop for a few weeks and see what happens.
It's kind of like an exclusion diet. Cut out everything and then after a few weeks start adding one thing back in at a time.

You will really never know until you try.


Honeybun
X

[moonbeam121167]

Honeybun

I am stopping my Ranitidine as from today, I have made an appointment with a different GP for tomorrow and I am going to ask to change back to the patch, but not holding out any hope in changing, if he does say I can what patch size would I need, I am currently on 4mg of Zumenon pills, I am not going to stop my HRT , hoping if I can change back to the right dose of patch it will help, as I have googled HRT and headaches and it all says w0men who suffer from headaches should always use a transdermal route of HRT and go from there  x

[rosebud57]

moonbeam, many migraines are caused by food or drink.  I'm very caffeine sensitive and for years I avoided it completely.  Now I'm ok if I keep to a maximum of one caffeinated drink per day. 

Might be a good idea to keep a food diary to see if you have a trigger you can avoid.  Especially as you say you had one for about 10days.  Sounds like something you are ingesting?