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[Witch hazel]

I only ever suffered from full blown migraines before when I was pregnant.  They were pretty intense then, but luckily I used to get the "aura" before hand (if they came on during the day) and if I took co-dydramol the GP prescribed, they often disappeared before the actual headache developed.

A few weeks ago, I was at work, luckily a quiet day, boss away when I found myself unable to concentrate on what I was typing, must have tried the read the same few lines over and over, and then realised there was a "gap" in my vision.  Quite scary to start with, but then occurred to me it was similar to my previous migraines.  Took a couple Ibuprofen and it subsided after an hour or so, and my vision returned.

Thought no more of it until last night, when I woke up around 2am, feeling really nauseous and dizzy, sat up and found my eyes wouldn't focus properly, but managed doze off again.  When I got up this morning I had a pulsing headache above my right eye, accompanied with flickering visual disturbances.  I also had sudden stomach cramps and had to rush to the loo ... ended up taking imodium as a precaution before I went to work - just Googled and diahorrea can be associated with some migraine attacks. Then took Ibuprofen which again took the worst of the headache away after an hour, although my vision still didn't return to normal until lunchtime.  Although the symptoms sound alarming, I am convinced they are exactly the same as my pregnancy related migraines, so not too concerned at the moment. 

Has anyone else suffered migraines around meno?  As mine were hormone triggered before, I suspect its a similar issue now, but just hoping they don't get too bad or more frequent than once a month or so.  Any experience/advice appreciated, thanks x

[Megamind]

I have started with bad headaches during peri and it's only from reading on here that I am starting to wonder if they are indeed migraines.

Elizabethrose is the migraine expert so hopefully she'll be along soon to advise you.

You are lucky the ibupofren works as it doesn't seem to touch my pain.

[Elizabethrose]

Hi Lesley

I'm really not an expert on migraines but I unfortunately have years of experience trying to manage them. I'm really sorry the migraines seem to have resurrected themselves, they are such pesky things and you are correct, they are often triggered again with the hormonal chaos of peri.

I've just read through your previous posts so can see that you're still in peri. It seems it's very common for migraine to be re-triggered at this time especially if you have shown a tendency to hormone migraine previously. At this stage they can vary in frequency and also in type. Some women struggle with silent migraine, those without the headache but with the aura, prodrome and postdrome symptoms. These can be especially scary if it's not recognised as migraine.

I've said it many times on here before, and I don't want to bore you with it if you've already read it, but my best advice to you would be to keep a daily record of your cycles, headaches, migraines, and any other symptoms of hormone change like sore swollen breasts, changes in cervical mucus, changes in moods etc. Don't spend an age each day on this, just a couple of minutes noting what has happened. Very very quickly a picture emerges of where you are in a cycle and what your body is doing and then it is also possible to start recognising any hormonal trigger. This mapping helps specialists and docs to treat you.

In early peri my pure menstrual migraine were triggered by the sudden plummet in oestrogen before a period, later in peri they were triggered by any rises and falls. Sometimes added hormones can prevent an attack though I have to say that it isn't as straight forward as adding oestrogen when an oestrogen plummet occurs as the migraine mechanism is complicated and still little understood. They certainly recognise that serotonin is involved in the process.

If you find your migraine start to increase in frequency and ferocity which is very common in peri, I would seek treatment. There are treatments that could help you, you may have to juggle a few to find one that fits but don't suffer in silence. Migraine are so debilitating and misunderstood, the more research you can do yourself the better.

I'm not your GP so obviously don't know your medical history. Let me tell you what I do to treat the migs. As soon as the headache stage starts, after prodrome and aura, I take a Frovatriptan tab and use a Diclofenic suppository. It is my best chance at aborting it or reducing the intensity.

Let me post some threads here on recent migraine discussions for you to peruse at your leisure. I think it helps enormously to know that what you're experiencing is common at this stage but also to read how other women have treated the condition. The thing to remember is that we are all different and react differently in peri and to treatments. It's not a case of one size fits all. HRT can help some women with menstrual migraine and can be hellish for others. Have a read so you can reeducate your docs if you need to!

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,32318.msg514732.html#msg514732
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,33983.0.html
https://menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,34816.0.html
https://menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,34847.0.html

Machair, another lovely member here, started a thread a year ago that discusses this stage your experiencing, late stage peri. The regular posters have very similar experiences to you. You may want to have a read and join in the conversation, you'd be very very welcome.

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,31902.0.html

Good luck Lesley, do ask if you have any specific questions you'd like answered, I'd be very happy to help in any way I can x

[Megamind]

  Elizabethrose. Apologies for calling you an expert however, I do consider you very informative on migraines x

[Elizabethrose]

Haha, Megamind, why on earth apologise? I'd like to be an expert though, maybe an expert on eating chocolate eclairs, or lobster, or an expert collector of Mulberry Bags. Now that's the sort of expert I'd like to be!! x

[Megamind]

Oh ok well i would also call you an expert cook! What's on the menu tonight?!

[Elizabethrose]

Tee-hee, that's something that I'm currently contemplating, hubby is no doubt wishing and hoping it'll be an expert night!! xx

[Megamind]

Chilli (made yesterday)for us but i don't like kidney beans, so i add chopped peppers and mushrooms and when served add a dollop of sour cream.

[Elizabethrose]

Add a dollop of guacamole to that and a grating of mature cheddar and I'll be over at eight! x

Sorry Lesley, we digress - it's our way of coping with this lunatic hormonal ride! x

[Megamind]

I don't eat much cheese but when I do, it gives me a headache! A lot of dairy gives me headaches.

[Elizabethrose]

Try avoiding aged or fermented cheeses Megamind, they contain tyramine which is thought to stimulate neurotransmitters. I've weirdly never had a problem with food triggers but one of the worst migraine days I ever had was following a champagne cocktail party one Christmas Eve. Haven't touched the stuff since!

There are many fallacies about food triggers as often people think the food that the migraines make them crave, are the triggers. See here for chocolate.

https://www.migrainetrust.org/about-migraine/trigger-factors/food-diet/

Have to say I sometimes get the worst munchies when in migraine and it's nearly always carbs that I crave.  I'll hoover anything accessible up! x

[Megamind]

Those bouncing boobs look exactly like mine! 

[Hurdity]

Hi LesleyA

Yes I suffered migraines for the first time around menopause - or rather some time before, but like Megamind's may be - I did not realise they were migraines until some years later as I did not realise you could get migraines without aura - I just thought they were horrible 3 day headaches along with other weird symptoms (the light and sound aversion, exceptional fatigue and heavy/foggy head, nausea and carb cravings).

Mine started during the late reproductive stage ie when my periods were still regular but pms started to worsen and I experienced mood swings, tearfulness etc.

I can't be certain that mine were due to the oestrogen dip - and I feel they were more as a result of progesterone withdrawal but that doesn't explain why I didn't get them earlier in my reproductive life although the progesterone plunges may also have been more severe. I continued to get them on the progesterone withdrawal phase of HRT when oestrogen was constant - which is why I thought the prog withdrawal was the cause.

Now I get them randomly for no apparent reason from all sorts of triggers - from alcohol, to doing sit-ups (exercise classes) to sleeping too long in one position, to driving for hours at night on motorway with headlights, prog withdrawal etc etc.

If you can pinpoint where in your cycle they are occurring you will at least be able to find a hormonal cause eg where were you when this one occurred? How are your periods doing generally re cycle length, frequency etc?

It may help to make sure your blood sugar doesn't drop too low so some changes to your diet may be beneficial eg cutting down/out sugar, sugary drinks and refined carbs and eating more lean protein, fruit, veg, nuts etc

Hurdity x

[Megamind]

Hi LesleyA

Yes I suffered migraines for the first time around menopause - or rather some time before, but like Megamind's may be - I did not realise they were migraines until some years later as I did not realise you could get migraines without aura - I just thought they were horrible 3 day headaches along with other weird symptoms (the light and sound aversion, exceptional fatigue and heavy/foggy head, nausea and carb cravings).

Mine started during the late reproductive stage ie when my periods were still regular but pms started to worsen and I experienced mood swings, tearfulness etc.

This is exactly like mine Hurdity.

I can't be certain that mine were due to the oestrogen dip - and I feel they were more as a result of progesterone withdrawal but that doesn't explain why I didn't get them earlier in my reproductive life although the progesterone plunges may also have been more severe. I continued to get them on the progesterone withdrawal phase of HRT when oestrogen was constant - which is why I thought the prog withdrawal was the cause.

Now I get them randomly for no apparent reason from all sorts of triggers - from alcohol, to doing sit-ups (exercise classes) to sleeping too long in one position, to driving for hours at night on motorway with headlights, prog withdrawal etc etc.

If you can pinpoint where in your cycle they are occurring you will at least be able to find a hormonal cause eg where were you when this one occurred? How are your periods doing generally re cycle length, frequency etc?

It may help to make sure your blood sugar doesn't drop too low so some changes to your diet may be beneficial eg cutting down/out sugar, sugary drinks and refined carbs and eating more lean protein, fruit, veg, nuts etc

Hurdity x
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[Hurdity]

Sounds like they are migraines then Megamind - sorry to say. Mine characteristically only respond temporarily to  the usual painkillers (I only use the standard ones) and always come back when these wear off eg in the middle of the night and disturb my sleep - usually for 3 days (whereas an ordinary headache would usually go after one lot of painkillers). I try to stay off the meds during the day unless I have to do something ( now I've retired fortunately I don't have to work which was hard if I had one). The headache was not banging except intermittently but needling and persistent like a nail boring into my head and the pain would eventually go to somewhere on my right side middle of the skull. Also sometimes get numbness in my right cheek ( never left side). Sometimes the scalp is painful to the touch and sometimes I get pain in the back of my neck too. I went to the doc about mine because my husband was worried there was something wrong but she said they sound like migraines and she wasn't worried so that's that! When they wear off it's like a fog has lifted - the fatigue disappears along with the headache and I am normal again 

I have taken HRT for 10 years and wonder how much this contributes to my still getting them - but since they started before I even considered HRT then it can't be that. Also have tried coming off, increasing oestrogen, starting testosterone and easing into the prog phase of HRT and I still get them. The only real test would be to stop HRT completely eg for 6 months - but I wouldn't do that at my age unless I was going to stop for ever and I dread the consequences. Sorry I digress - but this is just my experience of hormonal ( and now maybe other causes) migraines!

Hurdity x