Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Got a story to tell for the magazine? Get in touch with the editor!

media

Pages: [1] 2

Author Topic: Newbie with debilitating migraines  (Read 1731 times)

Lolafraola

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 25
Newbie with debilitating migraines
« on: October 28, 2019, 01:45:54 PM »

Hi,

I've been reading many of these posts over the last couple of years and think they help many, many women who sadly haven't had the same level of help and understanding from their GPs. I'm amongst the more fortunate, definitely in terms of having a brilliant GP who listens to me and we make HRT decisions together. My meno symptoms (post meno since June 2018 - age 53 now), were the worst migraines ever - had them before too but not like this. 4/5 days each week can hardly lift my head off the pillow, eyesight blurry and terrible nausea. Last year, I went onto Evorel Conti 50 for a few months (cut patch in half so a low dose of 25mg) worked fine, headaches went. Stopped the HRT, headache free for 6 months then last week (maybe due to oestrogen spikes), migraines are back. Can't get the Evorel Contis (overseas right now) so just started on a half patch of Evorel (Oestrogen) and Utrogestan 100mg every other day. I want the lowest dose possible of either because I just want to avoid the headaches (also previously had endometrium hyperplasia) I'd be really interested to hear if there are other women out there who have suffered with these maddening headaches and how they are managing them.
 :beat:
Logged

CLKD

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 73977
  • changes can be scary, even when we want them
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2019, 02:25:17 PM »

 :welcomemm:

Maybe put the product names into the search box and make notes? 

Browse round. 
Logged

Lolafraola

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 25
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2019, 04:50:02 PM »

Yes, thanks, will def try that and have a good old browse too.
Logged

CLKD

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 73977
  • changes can be scary, even when we want them
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2019, 04:55:28 PM »

We talk about lots of stuff including menopause  ;)
Logged

Lolafraola

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 25
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2019, 04:21:54 AM »

 ;D Yep...and a mine of extremely useful info there is to...
To be clear, it's the meno that's causing the headaches and only HRT that seem to calm them down. Hoping my new regime will do the trick though not sure how long that will last :beat: LF
Logged

Rainy kelly

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 32
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2019, 08:06:45 AM »

Hi there..I'm a newbie.but saw your post about migraines..these are not an isuue with me for meno but had them for years before .....magnesium tablets are brilliant for it..I never used to be able to lift my head off pilow for days and would have to lay in a dark too even with strong meds....this is something I researched myself out of desperation in the end but spoke to a brain specialists once and he confirmed indeed magnesium or lack of it can be a big contributing factor to migraine ¡!!! any magnesium will do ..about £2 in asda \tesco \ savers ....I always take  at the onset then a couple more during day if needed ...never had a severe one in 6 years..
Hope it helps
R x
Logged

Lolafraola

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 25
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2019, 08:12:21 AM »

Hi RK,

Ok, I'm off to get Magnesium pills, I will try anything...I'm in constant pain and it seems a bit daft to have to take HRT just for the headaches (would prefer not to given past endometrial issues and familial breast cancer). I've been on the Triptans but they make me sick as a dog, nausea like you would not believe...
Thanks very much for the suggestion, I'll defo try them out and report back.

LF x
Logged

FionaR

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 14
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2019, 08:39:35 AM »

I had migraines through puberty and again through peri-menopause. Never at any other time. HRT has pretty much eliminated the migraines unless I get very, very tired. I am on 1mg Femotson and, before that, 1mg Elleste duet.
Logged

Hurdity

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 13801
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2019, 09:24:22 AM »

Hi Lolafraola

 :welcomemm:

Sorry to hear about your migraines.

I only started to get these for the first time during late peri-menopause just before my period - so I think due either to progesterone withdrawal or the oestrogen crashes. I didn;t know they were migraines until many years later ( something like 15 years!) as I had never had them before and just thought they were horrible persistent headaches ( ie 3 days). Fortunately the headache part was not that bad - just sharp and needling and going around different parts of my head - but the other symptoms - fatigue (utter exhaustion), light and sound sensitivity, and some nausea (again only mild) would get me down - it was just that they just wouldn't go for 3 days and wake me in the night es the painkillers wore off.

Relatively recently (maybe a year or 18 months ago?) I went to the doc and got sumatriptan which some had recommended - never hadbeen suggested before even though I had been to the doc with them!! Fortunately these work for me although i think it can make the migraine last a day longer after the withdrawal (from the triptans).

I'm sorry to hear they don;t work for you because I do regard them as magic pills!

Really have no other suggestions but maybe long term migraine sufferers may be able to offer some ideas? Yours sound absolutely horrendous - so I hope your new regime works for you. The lack of patches is appalling so really sympathise about that.

Hurdity x
Logged

Rainy kelly

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 32
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2019, 10:42:18 AM »

Awww fab..let me know....the instructions will say one a day normally .. but they are pretty harmless ....but you could ring boots pharmacy just to check no i nteraction with any other meds your on...but I swear by them and aslso ibuprofen with lysine in ..same meds as feminex but you can buy the asda / savers/wilko make for a quarter of the price..
Give em a day to kick in

Keep me posted ...fingers crossed for you xx

R x
Logged

Mary G

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2418
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2019, 11:35:29 AM »

Lolafraola, sorry to hear about your debilitating migraines.  This is my story.

I started getting silent migraines (migraine aura without headache) when I reached the menopause.   After many years and many consultations with specialists, I know now that my migraines are caused by hormonal instability and particularly oestrogen spikes without the protection of progesterone.

During my reproductive years, I didn't have any migraines because my own produced hormones protected me from extreme hormone fluctuations and spikes.

I began a continuous combined HRT regime just over a year ago and it's going extremely well.   

Logged

Lolafraola

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 25
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #11 on: October 29, 2019, 11:50:12 AM »

Hi Mary,

Your story is mine except that I suffered from Migraines previously too though not as often and not so long lasting.

Like you, it seems that the HRT is the only thing that eases them but will also take Rainy Kelly's advice and try Magnesium.

Will start the Magnesium alongside the HRT which I will continue with for a month and see how I go from there - 2 days now on HRT and no headaches...coincidence? ::)

Logged

Lolafraola

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 25
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #12 on: October 29, 2019, 11:59:41 AM »

RK - I'll start with less and build-up. I'm not on any other meds so should be fine - am a bit surprised that my magnesium rich diet has had little effect on the migraines

LF x
Logged

Lolafraola

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 25
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #13 on: October 29, 2019, 12:06:37 PM »

Hi Hurdity,

Thanks for your support and understanding...sometimes it really feels like you're cracking your head against a brick wall (not just metaphorically).

'so I think due either to progesterone withdrawal or the oestrogen crashes' - v similar to me...


'Relatively recently (maybe a year or 18 months ago?) I went to the doc and got sumatriptan'
- I wish they worked for me...not only do they cause me incredible nausea but they don't even work  :-\

'The lack of patches is appalling so really sympathise about that'
- I'm overseas and there's a shortage - so this is one thing that can't be blamed on  >:DBrexit!!!

LF x
Logged

Lolafraola

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 25
Re: Newbie with debilitating migraines
« Reply #14 on: October 29, 2019, 12:09:36 PM »

Hi FionaR,

It seems that the headaches can go either way - either they completely dissipate (v lucky if they do), OR they go bonkers (Unlucky). Just hope it doesn't last too long. I feel like a constant weight over my eyes and I can't see clearly.

LF
Logged
Pages: [1] 2