Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: Asher on May 03, 2024, 07:30:10 PM
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Hi I’m new to this forum but not new to menopause, I’m 50 and have been going through this hell for 10 years now , been on hrt for 7 years at varying doses , it helps the night sweats but not a great deal more , what I struggle the most with is head pressure like a vague headache, heavy fuzzy feeling, and lightheaded hard to describe, almost like I’m drunk it comes in phases and can last months just horrible, debilitating and stops me enjoying anything.
Anybody else have similar and found anything to help ?
Had every test going all is normal, no dose of hrt makes a difference, actually thinking of just quitting hrt and see if that’s making it worse after 7 years I’m not really feeling any benefits.
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:welcomemm: my head feels fuzzy a lot and I don't take HRT. Why did you begin HRT initially?
A drop in oestrogen may cause a feeling of light headedness.
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Hi CLKD, thank you so much for your reply, I guess I could have this annoying symptom without hrt it may not be side effects.
I initially started hrt due to an early menopause my gp referred me to a gynaecologist and he said due to my young age ( under 45 ) I was post menopause at age 43 ,hrt was vital for my wellbeing under the normal age of menopause he said I was at risk of osteoporosis, and should take hrt at least until the so called average age of menopause at 50/52 but he said I could stay on it forever if it suits.
My first symptoms were hot flushes and severe anxiety, but I’ve had a million other symptoms even on hrt , I know it’s not a cure all but thought I’d feel better than this .
This drunk feeling is just horrible ☹️
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I believe that some ladies use 'stugeron' from the GP to ease those woozy feelings .
MayB list your symptoms, I am sure that many will be familiar to Forum members. It mayB that you require a hike or a different regime.
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Hey, I think I share this same symptom.
I'd describe if as a woozy wooshing feeling in my head. It's horrible. Often I get motion sickness and a poisioned feeling. I'm still peri and I think it's the estrogen spikes for me.
But the woozy vile head feeling can be separate. It's horrid.
Sounds quite similar to what you describe.
That's interesting that you're post meno and on hrt. Maybe try reducing rather than stopping???
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Thanks CLKD , will ask my GP about the sturgeon tablets.
Hi crispychick, thank you so much for your reply although I wish no one else had to suffer this symptom it is a comfort that someone else understands it , yes you describe it so much better than me it is a woozy whooshing type feeling and I can feel so sick at times with it, absolutely horrible, sometimes I just have to lie down.
I honestly thought being post meno my symptoms would calm down and the hrt would just give me a steady dose , but all my symptoms come in phases one calms down another comes back again, so sick of the rollercoaster, literally feel like I’m stuck in a perimenopause type state could this be the hrt causing it .
I think I’m going to reduce my dose and see what happens, thanks for your reply I feel less alone with this weird head symptom. X
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I honestly thought being post meno my symptoms would calm down and the hrt would just give me a steady dose , but all my symptoms come in phases one calms down another comes back again, so sick of the rollercoaster, literally feel like I’m stuck in a perimenopause type state could this be the hrt causing it .
I thought the same, but in reality one symptom goes and another comes. I developed horrible nausea and fatigue during post meno and it happened after my hot flashes and night sweats stopped. Such a relief! I had my night sleep back. But I didn’t enjoy it for long, then nausea with fatigue came, I wasn’t able to get out of bed in the morning. Post meno is really full of surprises.
I wasn’t on HRT that time, so in my case it was definitely my body made the changes. You can always stop HRT to check if it causes the symptoms.
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Hello Asher and welcome to the forum
I can't help you with your question but I understand how you are feeling.
My last period was in 2010 and I have been struggling with meno ever since. I tried to push through for three years but after six months of intense anxiety I decided to try HRT. Like you it has never really helped with all the symptoms and about a year ago a consultant said that I was definitely experiencing all the emotional and psychological symptoms of the menopause. Of course it's all very well him saying that but it doesn't really help my situation and he had no awareness of how debilitating this rollercoaster can be.
I weaned myself off all HRT a few years ago and the physical symptoms came back which just added to my problems.
I am currently on a low/medium dose of Sandrena gel and Utrogestan orally. I plan to stick with this for a while and hopefully my mood issues will sort themselves out.
It's a hard row to hoe and you have my sympathy.
Wishing you well.
K.
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Hi Kathleen,
Thank you so much for your warm welcome , I’m comforted to know I’m not the only one who hasn’t had the success I’d hoped for on hrt , like you I also suffer with ongoing anxiety it’s not severe like when it first started but I’ve never really been free off anxiety it’s like a background thing always there sometimes worse sometimes not so much I do take an AD , I’m still suffering the headache pressure and spacey lightheaded feeling which eventually leads to heightened anxiety.
I made the decision to reduce my dose in hope it will maybe improve that symptom I’m 2 weeks into the reduced dose and not feeling any improvement yet , I know I need to give it longer, you are so right it’s a hard row to hoe .
Thank you for your kind reply , I hope you get some improvement on your low/medium dose I’m hoping the lower dose works for me .
Take care and wishing you well.
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Hi - I've had exactly this. Not like a headache that you could take pain killers for but a horrible head sensation. Like a fullness/wooziness and I often feel it behind my eye and in my ear. Weirdly mine is always on the left side of my head. I also sometimes feel a popping sensation in my head/behind my eyes (very hard to explain and dr looks at me like I've lost it). I've been on HRT for 18 months but definitely had this before I was on it and it went for a while when I had a few months of feeling 'ok' last year. It's come back recently along with a load of other symptoms and I'm trying to figure out if I need less or more estrogen (although I think it could be the drop in estrogen rather than the actual levels). Anyway, sorry you are experiencing this and I haven't got any advice except to say that you're not alone. Keep up updated with how the reduction goes xxx
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Thank you joannfran for your reply,
It’s definitely nice to know I’m not alone with the strange head symptoms.
These symptoms are very difficult to describe and put into words, menopause is a very long and difficult journey with so many weird symptoms think I’ve had every single one of them on and off hrt .
Wishing you well and hope you find the right balance on hrt to make you feel well and happy, here’s hoping all of us struggling find that happy place we long to be in .
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Asher,
Are you still suffering with the head pressure? I’ve had it since July of last year. Mostly the pressure is on back of head and I always feel like I’m on a boat. I also have sore earlobes and warm tingling at times in head behind my ears. It’s hard to lay down on ears since they hurt and it makes my pressure worse. Almost like a sleepy feeling in my head. I’ve had Ct scans and MRI, and nothing. It definitely makes me question is they’re missing something. I also found out I have hashimotos in August so not wire of that can be a part of this, or even if the Metoprolol for bp could be. All I know is it is driving my anxiety sky high. It’s totally very debilitating. Does any of this sound like what you’ve dealt with or are dealing with?
Well, I hope you're feeling some relief by now.
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Dear cltk1972,
So sorry to hear you too are suffering this horrible symptom.
After writing this post back in may last year i eventually got some relief not sure how it eased I lowered my hrt , I also went on blood pressure meds as my bp was high and the doctor gave me a prescription for sturgeon tablets which helped a lot , but unfortunately since November I’ve had a return of the headaches, head pressure and lightheaded feeling and it feels worse than ever it’s been on and off but for the last 3 weeks has been daily and to add to the misery I’ve had zig zagging in my vision which I know is migraines, but never had them this frequent.
Saw my doctor on Tuesday and they think it’s migraines which I do get the classic ones with aura but they now think I may have vestibular migraines mixed with chronic tension headaches I’m not sure about that , I’m waiting on yet another CT scan and a referral to a neurologist.
My anxiety too is sky high again has the health anxiety has taken over all rational thinking and I’m convinced they are missing a brain tumour.
Funny you mention the warm earlobes and tingling in the head as I too have this, I noticed you mention taking bp meds I wonder if it’s something to do with that as I’m on meds for that too.
I wish I could tell you I’m cured and how I cured it sadly I’m still battling it.
Really hope you find some answers if you do please let me know .
Take care x
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I'm still battling it too.
You should both have a look at pppd - it's a continuous dizziness where nothing shows up on scans etc. Most common in females in their 40s.
It's a functional neurological disorder. And often people with it suffer with anxiety. Then one feeds the other...!
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Hi crispy chick ,
Thank you for your reply and really helpful information I’m going to bring it up with my doctor I’m so sick of having this just when I think I’ve found some relief it’s back again.
Agree about the anxiety I’ve got it and it definitely feeds the symptoms and the symptoms feed the anxiety just round in a never ending loop 😞.
Sorry to hear you are battling it too , I hope you find some relief soon it’s just debilitating having this everyday x
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I'm seeing neurologist shortly - I'll let you know the outcome.
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That would be great to know what your neurologist says crispy , I too will update when I get my appointment god knows how long I will wait for it though.
Good luck hope all goes with your appointment and you get some answers x
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Asher
Oh I’m so sorry to hear you had relief only to have it return. That is so disheartening.
You’re the first person I’ve talked to that has said they’ve had the earlobe and tingling as well. I’ve been told that I could have some occipital neuralgia going on, which I’m inclined to believe it is. I’ve also wondered if some of it is from the beta blocker, Metoprolol that I take. What do you take for your bp?
I also am a migraine sufferer, although I haven’t had as many surprisingly since all this stuff started. I’m in the US and I have t heard of sturgeon? Is it like an aspirin? Also, does your head pressure make you feel off balance? Please let me know what you find out from your scan and neurologist. I hope all goes well❤️
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Cltk1972,
I’ve recently just read about occipital neuralgia and thinking this maybe a possibility for my ongoing symptoms too I’m going to put forward a few suggestions to my doctor.
I used to take propranolol for bp and anxiety which it worked for both but during that time my head pressure and associated symptoms didn’t improve in fact I think I felt even more unbalanced, I moved to losartan which you may know as coozar in the US , I’m now on amlodipine which they said would actually help with the strange migraine but they said that about beta blockers, I’m only 6 days on amlodipine so will see if I get any improvement.
They also tried me on sumatriptan which was awful, I will never take that again.
Sturgeon is actually an anti sickness drug used for travel sickness but it also works for dizziness, you can also buy it over the counter in the uk but can only use it for 4 weeks at a time then need to have a break , maybe if you have a similar drug in the USA you could try it but speak to your doctor or pharmacist first to make sure it doesn’t interact with your bp med , I’ve looked at online forums about these symptoms and some say anti histamine’s work something I’m going to try because I’m getting desperate.
Reddit is a good forum to look at many posts about these issues on there .
Also I was on daily aspirin just 75mg and the dispersible type prescribed by my doctor it worked a bit for the pressure but couldn’t take it long term due to it potentially causing stomach issues so they didn’t want me on long .
I will keep you updated and I really hope you find some answers and relief, let me know how you get on .
Take care and wishing you good health ♥️ x
Ps forgot to say yes the pressure makes me feel very unbalanced hard to describe like I’m drunk I feel like I’m swaying or walking on a boat that’s rocking very unpleasant and makes me feel unsafe to go out alone ☹️ .
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Ps cltk1972
I just did a quick google and you can buy stugeron in the USA from pharmacies it is a type of antihistamine so don’t mix it with any other antihistamine it’s also known by the generic of cinnarizine it treats motion sickness and vertigo, might be worth a try but ask about taking it with your other meds before trying.
Wishing you luck x
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Hi CrispyChick!
I noticed you mentioned a poisoned feeling. That’s exactly how I describe the sensations I get I’m on the inside of my body. It’s like a rug burn, electrical shock feeling all over. Is this what you are experiencing as well? And the head thing is so bad. It’s really bad today. So off balance. Feels like this is never going to end.😩
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Hi.
My poision feelings this flu running in my blood. So not sure if that's the same?
Anyway. I've been ill for a very long time with this. I chalked it all up to hormones as changing hormones definitely made things worse. However, whilst I believe hormones are a contributor, I'm now going down a different route.
I saw the Neurologist. He has diagnosed me with PPPD - which is a constant dizziness with no known physical reason. It is a Functional Neurological Disorder. On top of that he says I have very many functional sensory sensitivities - like I get severe stomach pain on/off (no physical cause), strange tinglings, sore hair ...my list goes on. My bucket is so full, with the volume dial turned right up - so I feel sensations others don't. This is why I feel sick and poisoned all the time he says.
Anxiety now becomes a huge part of it and fuels the pppd. I acknowledge I now have a problem with anxiety.
His website is very good. I'll post it at the bottom.
So, I'm going with this now. Had my issues been hormonal, I suspect they would've changed over the years.
Solutions? Not many.
Ssri. I'm upping mine as I was on very low dose and it was doing nothing. But it's hell. Another symptom is medicine sensitivity. I'm really really struggling to get on it.
Psychotherapy to help retain your brain to dial down the sensations. I'm awaiting that.
So, that's my outcome. I don't know if you all have the same, or not. But it's worth looking at and mentioning pppd when you are seen. The website explains what it is. X
https://neurosymptoms.org/en/ (https://neurosymptoms.org/en/)
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Hello CrispyChick
I just wanted to thank you for updating the forum.
Hopefully now you have a diagnosis you can concentrate on finding the right solutions and strategies.
Wishing you well and take care.
K.
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Thank you for your kind words Kathleen. X
I hope indeed I can move forward and heal a bit. The last 12 months have been absolute hell as I've changed one hormonal thing after another. Still in hell with the AD start up.
It all shows how utterly sensitive my system is. I've created some of this mess with my hormonal tampering.
But yes, it was nice to finally feel heard. X
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I think sometimes we have to think of our bodies like a chemical factories. We have all these hormones - adrenaline, cortisol, estrogen, progesteron etc- all darting about and creating chain reactions. The almost daily fluctuations women get is going to have an impact. My doctor said that the impact of menopause sort of amplifies all our existing conditions.