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[branta]

I've only posted a couple of times, about the very frequent migraines I have been getting. I had a few weeks off in march, and I started feeling like I was through the worst. How wrong was I? In the last week of March a migraine started, and since then I have had migraines on most days. The night sweats have got worse - last night there was a frost, I had the window open over my bed, with just a thin cover over me, still sweating away. Woke up with a migraine again, rushing noise in my head, terrible low mood, I can't stop crying. I feel permanently exhausted, absolutely no motivation, I feel as though I have lost any strength that I had, just had to have a cortisone injection for tendonitis. Added to this, my eyes and skin are so irritated, I'm taking anti-histamines to try and control that, beta blockers, painkillers, antibiotics - I'm just sick and tired of this, I am so worn out.

Last GP I saw said to me 'I promise you this won't last, it will go', that was before it reached this stage. Does it ever stop? I can't have HRT because of the migraines. I take vitamin supplements and try to walk when the headaches aren't too bad. I had to stop working because I can't be consistent due to the headaches so we only have my husband's wage which is not enough to live on so can't afford expensive alternative treatments. I read that some women go to menopause specialists but just getting a GP appointment is practically impossible these days. The GP just thinks that I should weather it out, but I feel like my life is just rushing away in a blur of chronic pain. I always thought that peri-menopause was the worst bit and that things would improve once I reached actual menopause. For me, it has just got worse, and it's really getting me down. Does it ever end? I'm sorry to sound so depressing, but I just feel so low :-(

[samweller161]

Hi there branta, really feel for you, its horrible isn't it?

You can see the menopause specialists privately - or get a referral from your GP.  I paid about £90 to see mine as they are much more knowledgeable.  Even though you get migraines, I think possibly you could take some brands of HRT but the specialist will be able to tell you exactly so they are worth seeing. 

Sometimes I think its amazing we are still upright during all this!

Good luck
SP x

[MicheleMaBelle]

Hi Brantley- agree with Smirking pixie. You could also try e mailing Dr Currie for a donation to the website and if she recommended anything, you could print off her e mail and take it along yo your doc x

[babyjane]

You poor woman, I have been where you are (minus the migraines) and yes, it does stop.  However it can take several years and every day seems interminable when you feel like this. I feel I lost a decade of my life. 

I, too, had to let go of a job I loved and we had some darkish times.  I did not go down the HRT route and tried all sorts and eventually we muddled through but I would not want to go back there again.

I hope some of the other ladies can offer you help and advice.

[CLKD]

 

Some headaches can be due to the body being dehydrated.  As oestrogen levels drop off the body may become dry : skin, nostrils, deep in the ears, vagina as well as muscles might become lax = aches and pains  .  Do you keep a mood/food/symptom diary?

Have a browse.  Make notes.  Is there a Practice Nurse you could speak with who might be more useful although some Practices do seem to have a 'no menopause treatment' policy  .  Don't give up there's plenty of advice here!

[branta]

Thank you to everyone for responding - it is much appreciated, just to know that there are so many women out there who are going through their own personal struggles with this transition, and finding ways to cope.

Smirking Pixie - how many times did you have to see the specialist? My husband isn't particularly supportive and I don't know how to broach the topic with him as he is a bit resentful about being the only wage earner - if I can present an approximate overall cost he might be more accepting.

Stellajane, I have always been a migraine sufferer, they became more frequent when I was pregnant, then about 6 years ago when peri started they increased. I really thought they would stop once I had gone through menopause :-(

Sparkle, I had my last period in February 2016 - so 14 months ago - and it seems like once I hit the 12 month mark everything seems to have got worse. I'm so pleased that things have improved for you :-)

Babyjane - I'm sorry to hear that you lost so many years - it's just not fair is it? I was talking to a woman the other day who said that she also went through years of headaches, but they stopped when she was 'about 60' and I was thinking Oh great just another 7 years then.... I hope you are in a good place now :-)

Michelemabelle - thank you - I will think about contacting Dr Currie - this is a wonderfully informative website, so I will spend some time looking around :-)

CLKD - I have cut out alcohol, chocolate :-( I've been veggie/vegan for years so no dairy/meat, very little sugar. Next thing to go is bread, which I crave. There doesn't seem to be any pattern, I just seem to have more headache days each week now. You're right, I'm going to increase my intake of water though, I probably don't drink hardly enough - particularly with all the nocturnal sweating that goes on!

Thank you for the support, some days it feels like such an uphill struggle and those day seem to be happening most of the time for me currently, so I really do appreciate the benefit of everyone's experience x

[MicheleMaBelle]

Hi Branta- I paid £150 to see specialist and prescription on NHS. He was happy to refer me to his NHS clinic but I'd have had to wait 12 weeks. Only problem with that was that subsequent follow up appointments would be between 9-10 months.
I've wasted a lot of time with GP and it got to the stage that I couldn't put a price on my health. So you could suggest the same to your husband so that you get that initial consultation quickly. Alas, a lot of have struggled with our GPs although some women seem to have fabulous doctors who are willing to listen and try different things x

[Mary G]

branta, I would definitely consult a menopause specialist and I would not rule out HRT.  You will probably have to seek help privately but believe me, it will be worth every single penny.

I only started suffering from silent migraines (migraine aura without headache) when my oestrogen levels starting falling, I didn't have them pre-menopause.  The combation of low oestrogen and the synthetic progesterone in the Mirena coil (I had one for contraception purposes at that point) triggered those migraines.  Do you know whether your migraines are triggered by high/low oestrogen or progesterone?  It is really important to find out because that way, you can ensure that you take the right type of HRT. 

You don't have to suffer in this way, there is help out there.  I am a patient of Professor Studd but there are plenty of other menopause specialists around who will be able to help you.  You could also consider a consultation with Professor Anne MacGregor who is a migraine specialist.  Please let us know how you get on. 

[Elizabethrose]

Hi branta,

You and I have spoken before and I don't want to bore you with a repeated response so I'm going to post a link to your previous thread, which I responded to in detail.

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,34893.0.html

I posted some relevant migraine threads, which included some migraine links. Have another browse through.

I think you're looking for some hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. I've seen a number of very well considered specialists from a number of disciplines who worked tirelessly for many years to try to assist me in my battle with hormone driven chronic migraine. The only constant was the belief that all would improve for me once through meno. Miraculously this has happened.

The hormonal instability can last, varying between women, for a few years after the FMP. I haven't ovulated since October 2015 but continued to have anovulatory bleeds, following extreme oestrogen highs, until the final bleed in Sept 2016. Since then my hormones have flat-lined and after a few very tricky months, the migraines have dramatically calmed. Obviously I cannot be considered in meno until a full year has passed, thus Sept 2017.

Despite the fact that you are formally in meno now it is the absolute norm that your hormones will be surging and falling and it could well be this that is still causing you the problems. It was the roller coastering that caused me problems and when one was triggered it would then continue to rebound for anything up to 13 days, often just in time for the next lot to start.

Branta, I understand high blood pressure prevents you from taking a triptan because as I mentioned previously, Frovatriptan is the best for hormonally driven migraine but do try the diclofenac suppositories as they will allow the bypass of the gut which is in stasis and therefore may offer you some relief.

I clung to the frequent reassurances from these docs that all would improve for me post meno, it really was the ‘light' for me, and my experience was horrendous. Your time will come too!

Migraineurs need to be creatures of habit, especially with sleep; same time to bed and to rise if at all possible. Obviously the night flushes cause sleep disturbance, which is a terrible trigger. Do be careful about your diet, that you are eating enough carbohydrate. One of my specialists suggested little and often as the removal of carbs can also be a trigger.

I wish you well sweetheart, I know how debilitating and isolating migraine is and also how misunderstood it is too. Hopefully all will calm very soon x

[Kathleen]

Hello branta and welcome to the forum.

I can relate to so much of what you say and often wonder if I'll  make it through this horrible time with my sanity intact! I don't have migraines and never had  headaches until my periods stopped when I was suddenly plagued by them daily. After six months they disappeared and have never returned so perhaps the same fate awaits you and they will fade in time.

Many of us are also struggling so take heart, you are not alone.

Wishing you well and keep posting.

K.

[branta]

Thank you, It's really helpful to be able to hear other women's experiences -

Michellemabelle - it's interesting that your specialist also has an NHS clinic - I don't think my husband will go for the cost of private treatment at the moment, I might just start ebay-ing everything to raise the money! I'm going to make a GP appointment to see what they suggest, and whether there is any NHS resources in this area. Well Woman clinics seem to have disappeared, sadly.

Mary G - I haven't got a clue if my migraines are caused by high or low oestrogen - I had migraines (normal and ocular) in the third trimester of pregnancy and assumed it was high oestrogen causing them. Now I'm thinking it must be low oestrogen as I haven't had a period for 14 months. I used to get headaches and migraines in the first few days of a period so they could have been low oestrogen ones. I hope things are improving for you, I looked at Professor Anne McGregor and some of the papers she has written. I'm not currently in a position where I can see a private specialist but I will go back to my GP and try and get a referral to anything that is available on NHS.

Elizabethrose, I am so pleased that your migraines have calmed down - I hope they go away for good, it really is draining and depressing to have chronic pain in the head and all the debilitating symptoms that go with it day after day. You're absolutely right, I just want to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that this isn't 'it' for the next 20-odd years. What you say about the rollercoaster seems to fit - the migraines just go on and on, swapping sides every day or two, I had a full 3 weeks without one, and fooled myself into thinking they had gone away :-( I just looked back at my first post on this forum that you responded to, and it was only a couple of months ago, yet I thought it was about a year ago, so am also a bit worried about losing my marbles. Glad to hear you are doing well :-)

Kathleen, hi :-) that is interesting that you had six months of headaches, and I'm so pleased that you no longer have them - I hope that mine disappear at some stage soon, preferably tomorrow! It really is 'challenging' isn't it? I remember reading that someone had said that menopause was like having never-ending PMS and I thought 'ha ha they must be joking' but now I don't think they were, it really is vile. All those years of horrible periods and PMS then we get this as a prize? I hope things improve for you soon x

[samweller161]

branta

I have seen mine twice so far - first time to have a chat for an hour and she prescribed me the Elleste Duet which I am on currently and then again when I went through a bad patch and it was nice to chat and reassure myself that I wasn't going mad.  She increased my dosage and nagged me about my blood pressure!  Its money well spent quite honestly - in my opinion anyway.  Sorry to hear your husband isn't overly supportive - I am fortunate that mine is, he didn't really want me to go on HRT as he was scared of the risks but understands it better now.

xx

[MicheleMaBelle]

Hi Branta- if you had a broken leg, your GP wouldn't expect you to weather it out, so your hormonal upheaval should be no different. Read about the HRT preparations on this site, print them out, book a double appointment with your GP and discuss your options. You should not have to suffer in silence.
It may take a few tweaks to get right and also ask for a referral to a menopause clinic. Look at the specialist tabs on the top of the site to see what clinics are in your area. If you click on the clinic it will tell you if you need a GP referral or if you can self refer. You might not have to go but get the appointment booked. Let us know how you get on x

[Elizabethrose]

Good morning branta

As Mary G says, the migraine does not disclude you from HRT. Specialists tried to treat my migraine with HRT so I know that to be the case. In order for them to be able to identify what your hormonal triggers are they would request a detailed history. Be regimented, start keeping a daily record of how you feel, whether you have any cervical mucus, are your breasts sore, bloating etc These could indicate roller-coastering hormones. Whilst you are at it be aware of what you are eating, what the weather is doing, whether you had less or more sleep than usual, exposed to strong fragrances, smoke, dazzling sunlight, loud noise, traffic fumes all of these things and so many more can be migraine triggers. At the moment the tree pollen levels are desperately high, they are a huge migraine trigger which may well be why you are particularly struggling at the moment. Don't spend copious amounts of time on this, five mins each day, but I promise you very very quickly patterns start to emerge. Your brain is disengaged in migraine so there is no way you'd recognise a trigger or even remember what it could have been if you don't write it down.

My allergies kicked off big time at the beginning of peri and the headaches were a constant. After tests, allergic rhinitis was diagnosed and I was prescribed Triamcinolone which I take daily as a nasal spray. After a few weeks it stripped out all of the allergy headaches and just left me with the migraine. I was with friends last night, the host has a cat. I took a Zirtex tab which are brilliant for cat allergies, but she also had lilies in the room, my worst flower trigger. Woke with a migraine this morning. I knew I would. If we can recognise what is going on and why, it helps us feel much more in control.

If I were you, and I have been where you are with knobs on so I really feel your pain, I would insist on a referral if you are unable to pay privately. Try HRT, I was told that migraine sensitive women tend to do better on gels which are easily adjusted and vaginal progesterone. It may take some jiggling and juggling to find the right amount for you and it may well be that you can't take it, that it won't work but you won't know unless you try. I tried so much and on top of all the medical treatments the specialists also recommended many natural or alternative remedies. They were very open minded about everything.

If your docs are utterly useless and unsupportive, see if you can somehow raise the cash for one private consultation and then transfer any further treatment or prescriptions back to the NHS.

I really wish you well xx

[branta]

Morning ladies, and thank you again for your responses :-)

Sparkle, I try and eat every few hours, unfortunately I seem to have developed a persistent hunger! For carbs in particular... and cravings for chocolate which I avoid in case it is a trigger. I eat vast amounts which probably isn't so good as it will cause blood sugar drops, but god I'm so hungry these day! And unfortunately getting fatter :-(

Smirking Pixie, I'm pleased to hear that you have found something that suits you and is helping - my husband is I think like a lot of men and just doesn't understand how women can be completely floored by menopause, and that we are somehow putting it on or that we could just go for a 10 mile run every morning and that would do the trick! I broached the topic of paying for a specialist yesterday, and he did say that if I wait until the tax returns are in, we could think about it then. I'm not holding my breath about any tax returns this year though, but at least he has agreed in principle.

Michellemabelle you are so right - if symptoms are interfering in such a negative way, GP's should take hormonal transitions much more seriously, but very few GP's have any specialist experience of it. I live in an area where every surgery has been sucked into a massive coalition, and the receptionists insist on being told why you want an appointment, getting any appointment can be an obstacle in itself. When I feel like I have the strength I will be making that double appointment and won't take no for an answer. I did get patches a few years back when I was in peri but didn't get on with them, the GP I saw was really helpful, but I never got to see him again, which is one of the drawbacks of these 'super' surgeries. It's a poorly resourced area, think the nearest clinic to me is Oldham (I'm south Lakes/North Lancs) and will have a look again in a minute as I had no idea that you could get NHS referrals :-)

Elizabethrose - hope your head isn't too bad today - that is so interesting about allergic rhinitis, as I suffer a lot before migraine starts with itching in the inner corner of the eye that ends up with the pain. I have been self-medicating with anti-histamines, not sure they are compatible with the beta blockers though. I also have strange reactions to certain things - alcohol, marmite, strong chocolate, all make me sneeze. All contain histamine. I'm really sensitive to lots of things - I can't be in a room with anyone wearing perfume (a common migraine trigger) and hugely sensitive to side-effects of medications, I always have to have a very small dose of anything so that I don't react. The itching in my eye makes my nose run, and my skin often flares up very badly also, it was diagnosed as ocular rosacea but no GP can ever explain why it coincides with migraine, and I can only think that it is an inflammatory vascular reaction.  Has the nasal spray made a noticeable difference to the amount of headaches you are getting? What percentage would you say are caused by allergy?  I also get this buzzing/vibrating or rushing in my head with the headaches.

I don't seem to be getting too many physical signs of hormonal changes apart those mentioned, in fact around 6 months ago I completely lost my libido, energy and motivation. I have started getting flushes during the day recently, and have been getting night sweats for several years. Everything feels like a huge effort. At the same time I started feeling much less moody, I had been having some severe mood swings before.

I didn't realise that you could get a private consultation and then transfer further treatments to NHS. Nor did I know that you can get an NHS referral to a specialist. This website and the women who share their experience and expertise are fantastic. Thank you x