Migraine

I actually never got a migraine until I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease about a year ago. Does anyone else have this as their trigger? Everytime my thyroid levels (T3) changes, I can expect a MASSIVE migraine to ensue....its so frustrating because it takes weeks for my blood levels to change so my head feels better. And what's even more frustrating is how to handle it- my endo doesn't know much about migraines and my migraine specialist doesn't know much about the thyroid...go figure! Anyone else run into this problem?? thanks!

HI Litlalex -

I don't have Hashimoto's but have been hypothyroid for about a decade now and on Armour Thyroid - T3 and T4. I always get more and worse Migraines when my levels change - my PCP insists I come off the hormones once a year so he can test my levels to see if I still need the supplement - and I have to plan for and expect it will be a bad several weeks as my body adjusts and readjusts to the changing levels. It stinks, but I don't really know any way around it.

- Megs

I'm not a Hashimoto's critter, but a Graves' critter, which is hyperthyroid, going in the other direction. But I've been both hyperthyroid and hypothyroid, so I've dealt with both. Yes, my migraines are affected by shifts in thyroid levels. As I got a good preventative regimen going, though, the affects of the hormone fluctuations on my migraines has settled down a lot. My endo doesn't know a whole lot about migraine, either, and she's very honest about that. But she rocks with the thyroid stuff. My neuro knew some things about thyroid, but he's not my doc anymore, having the nerve to up and retire in December. Currently, my primary doc is handling my migraine meds. She's not as up on migraine as my neuro doc was, but she trusts my experience and that I know what's working and that I'm comfortable with the current regimen, so for now she'll stay my go to migraine doc, unless that changes. When my neuro retired, he said I was doing so well I could easily get by with my primary doc overseeing things.

Sing it!

I went to my interist once with hopes of us "looking at the big picture" and considering all of the various icks as a whole, and how they might be playing off each other. I was told I was just too complicated to ever do that. It was pretty disheartening, even though I knew where she was coming from. She was just as frustrated with not knowing where to begin to sort things out in a more holistic way.

I agree that there are times it's obvious to the one living it that certain things are setting each other off, but I find that if the doctors have never heard of X interaction or seen anyone else have the same thing happen, they generally tend to be dismissive of the possiblity altogether and promptly pshaw it. There are a few out that relish the adventure and dare to ask "Why not?", but they're few and far between from my experience.

quote:

Originally posted by Orah_deb:
Does it bug you that we can't get just ONE doctor to oversee our entire health care regimen?? Arrrrgggghh. It does me. This kind of thing is EXACTLY why. I know that parts of my symptoms overlap and why, oh why, can't my doctors see that?? <sigh> The idea of having a primary care physician was supposed to make this kind of thing null and void. Right.
Btw, I am also hypothyroid--Hashimoto's--and I know my levels are not ideal. But my current endo likes to let my TSH run a little high. Another sigh here. I am a bit tired of trying to fight that. I don't know exactly what my personal ideal would be or what med would be the perfect one but I do wish my PCP could be my neuro/endo/all-in-one all-knowing doctor. Yeah, I know. That Dr. doesn't exist but I do dream about it....

Interesting topic ladies,

With all the various conditions and nonsense going on in my life I would love to have one doctor running the show. So when I found my "new" PCP a few years ago I had a serious conversation on my first visit with him. In addition to your PCP, I am looking for someone to be the "Captain" of this ship...so to speak. Clearly he doesn't know everything about everything. But together we try to manage or better stated, streamline my care and doctors.

Does that make any sense? But I have to tell you it is exhausting at times making sure the rest of the doctors are sending notes, test results and what not. So I guess I am the co-captain...as it should be?

That makes perfect sense, Nancy.

I'm always a little leery of new doc visits, particularly when they're reading over the inital reporting sheet I filled out. It tends to be packed, and probably more than a bit overwhelming at first glance. I'm always impressed when I don't get the expected "deer in the headlights" look from them after they read it. I'm always afraid that when they read it, they aren't going to be so gung-ho about taking on my collective pile o' goo, and that they will run away screaming. And twitching. The really good ones won't even flinch, though, and they're worth finding.

quote:

Originally posted by dragondroolHOST:
I'm always impressed when I don't get the expected "deer in the headlights" look from them after they read it. I'm always afraid that when they read it, they aren't going to be so gung-ho about taking on my collective pile o' goo, and that they will run away screaming. And twitching. The really good ones won't even flinch, though, and they're worth finding.

LOL! I had a doctor look over all of the meds and piles of chronic ick, and say "I don't think I want to get involved here. Looks like a lawsuit waiting to happen."

HOW RUDE, right?!


I also have thyroid triggers. Currently, we're cutting my dose of Armour thyroid, as the labs came back a little too hyper for our collective tastes. I'm like one big blob of blah, and my body's asking where the energy went off to. Haven't been at the lower dose long enough to see what's going to go on with my head. However, when I started taking the Armour Thyroid, it felt like I was getting Migraine after Migraine after Migraine with no obvious other trigger... Once it stabilized, though, things were fine...

Oh right, thyroid....

I am also hypothyroid, Hashimoto I think. When my levels are way off, I notice the hair on my arms is gone, hair on my head falls out, eyes brows are non-existant and my skin is even dryer than my normal Sjorgen's dry.

Those are the symptoms, as far as the triggers go.....I just think my hormones and immune system is nuts

I began with migraines after my 3rd child was born and that is when my thyroid went wack. I am on a med for hypothyroid. yet I wake to most of my migraines and if I do not wake with one there is usually one heading my way later in the day, early evening. rarely a day without them but it does happen. I feel like my quality of life has been affected. my migraine med works, but my doc wants me down to 8 per month and at this point that is not happening. Has anyone tried Petadolex(natural supplement)

Hi, Gretchen, and welcome!

Please take a few minutes if you haven't had the chance and visit our Start Folder, where you'll find info on our policies and how to get around the site.

I haven't ever tried Petadolex, but I had a naturopath once that encouraged me to try it. At the time, my own regimen was working pretty well, and was a lot cheaper than Petadolex, so I declined. As with any other supplement, you never know if it's a great thing for you unless you try it. Just be sure to make sure your doctor's on board if you do.

I have had horrible migranies for on and off for 3 years, and also for the past 3 years havd been on Levoxyl for hypothyroid. My endo and neuro both have told me that thy are not related, my endo just confirmed i have Hashimotos and my TSH test came back at 26. How can it not be related?

Hi, crmaz11, and welcome!

Please check out our Start Folder, where you'll find policy info and the like.

Another link you might find interesting, if you haven't already found it, is Migraine, Headache, and Thyroid.

So I just saw this thread and I find it very interesting. Probably about 4 months ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. The new doctor I've been seeing did a bunch of blood tests and noticed my levels were very high. I've been taking synthroid since that diagnosis. When she first discovered my levels were off she thought that that could be the cause of my migraines. I know that my levels are better now, but I'm not sure how much. She won't be checking my bloodwork again until September. Since we've begun regulating my thyroid I have not seen any changes in my migraines. So I really have no idea if they're related or not. It sure would be nice to know.

Meli