Thank you for your post. I have suffered with them for around 20 years but they weren't that often and after a decent sleep, were gone. I am afraid I never kept a diary so have no idea if they were cyclical or not. But they ramped up just another level the same week my hot flushes started 3 years ago. They last 48 hours and are just awful. I last tried Triptans about 3 years ago, they didn't work because you couldn't take them too often and I was getting them for days at a time. They've given me Amitriptyline, Gabapentin, Topimirate...they seem convinced its nothing do with the menopause but surely they know migraines are linked to a drop in oestrogen?
Appointment went well today. She was very nice. She thinks my oestrogen levels are too low which could be causing the migraines (I'm on 50mcg Evoril Conti), she wants to up it but my blood pressure was too high for her to give it to me there and then. (I'm hoping because I couldn't find a parking spot and was panicking I'd miss the appt! She wants me to do a 24 hour blood pressure thingy and email her the results. So at the moment, she has prescribed me with 50mcg Evoril and 100mg Utrogestan capsules (1 a night). Also did a blood test to see what my hormone levels are, especially testosterone, as I told her my libido had been non existent for about 4 years, she will email me the results.
So great to just have someone really listening and telling me that one size does not fit all, migraines are complex, we may have to tweak a few things....etc etc......She definitely thinks body identical Gel is the way to go for me with the Oestrogen so I can control it. Not had one GP in 3 years do a hormone test or give me any other options apart from Evoril Conti and pain relief for migraines. Follow up appt in 3 months but will be in touch before that when I know my testosterone levels and when my blood pressure is back down so she can up the Oestrogen. At least I feel I am getting somewhere. Even if it is to eliminate things.
Not sure what I will do when I get the NHS referral through though. Not sure it will go down well if I go to the appointment and tell them I have already seen a private GP and she has prescribed me something. May get a bit confusing if they decide on a different course of action.
Hi heavenlyblue - I've edited out the nested blue boxes with my reply as I find it gets confusing with too many (my old brain...)!
Thanks for the detailed info about your appt and also about the migraines - I gave a brief answer to your Q about sex life in the private Lives section.
I hope you manage to sort out the blood pressure issue - and also could well be white coat syndrome - mine always measures higher at the surgery. Do you know if there is any reason for it to be high? Let's hope the home readings are lower?
If you have been for a private consultation - will the consultant write to your gP with the prescription recommending what you should be given? I think that is what normally happens. When I went to a private gynae to get testosterone four years ago, she wrote to my GP and when I ran out of T (three years later) my GP was happy to prescribe it as the letter was on my file. If that is the case you may decide not to take up the NHS appt. However I do recall someone on here doing the same and the doc would subsequently only follow the recommendations of the NHS gynae not the private one as the treatments were different...just sayin' !
Anyway all the best with it all
Hurdity x
Well they would always seem to take one when I was feeling awful, or anxious, or just had a 2 day migraine. So I was never surprised I had a high reading! Just hope when I have the monitor for 24 hours it will go back to normal. Do not want to go on BP tablets. She did ask me if I wanted to ask my GP for Evoril 50mcg (I'm on 50mcg Evoril Conti at the mo). Will obviously be cheaper but I said to her I'd rather she gave me the prescription, going on past experience, I doubt they will agree as I've gone private. I didn't want to waste anymore time. The Utrogestan is in tomorrow but I have to wait a week for the Evoril, chemist said it takes a bit longer as its a private prescription. I don't know if she is writing to my GP, she did ask me who it was. So still not sure what to do when my NHS referral comes through.
Be interesting to see if I feel any different changing from synthetic to natural progesterone. Looking forward to seeing the results of my testosterone levels. She said she will prescribe some if it's too low. Also looking forward to changing from a patch to gel with the Oestrogen, once my BP is down. I feel it would be much more controllable. NHS GPs never gave me that option. 3 years ago, I was a completely different person. I want that person, or some semblance of that person, back!
Thank you x