Migraine

New thread.

As of today, it has been exactly five years since my health completely collapsed. I was down in Tampa on a business trip and went to bed feeling fine, woke up three hours later in such pain I couldn't move.

I had already been diagnosed with fibromyalgia but it hadn't been severe enough to interfere with my daily functioning. I also had already been diagnosed with migraines, but was only getting one or two a month.

But as of that moment, I knew I would never work again. I stuck it out two more months, working mostly from home, before I gave up and went on short-term disability, then applied for long-term disability, which my insurance company is STILL disputing, five years later. I did win my Social Security Disability case, so at least someone believes me!

It was the following January, 2004, that my migraines went bananas, increasing from one or two a month to an average of six a month. Then last October, after taking progesterone for a gyno problem, the migraines got even worse, increasing to an average of 20 a month. (Yes, you read that right.)

So I've been sick five years now. It's hard to comprehend. And the only way to deal with it is to just take it one day at a time. I haven't had a migraine yet today, so that's a GREAT day! Successes now get measured in very small terms. One good day.

Thanks for listening.

I think my body is trying to ovulate. I hope not. I want to get through menopause so that my migraines will settle down. We'll see.

Yesterday was such a good day. Not only did I not have a migraine, but my head felt rock solid all day. No iffy feeling, no twinges, no bruised feeling, no feeling like if I moved even a teensy bit that the water would overflow the brain bucket.

But this morning I'm feeling too good, so I bet I get a migraine later. Oh well, it is what it is. I'm just so glad I got one good day. It makes such a huge difference in how run down I feel.

I'm having lots of hot flashes. From 6am to 9am I think I had about 10 of them while I was sleeping. I was trying so hard not to disturb DH cause he works so hard during the week. But when I told him, he said that he thought I was moving around more than usual. I have to throw the covers completely off of me.

I get them during the day too. So far they're not too bad. I don't get drenched in sweat, just feel uncomfortably warm, like wearing wool at the beach. But I don't mind because each hot flash gets me one step closer to menopause!

That's it for now.

I was right. It was migraine prodrome that was making me feel so good. Ah, it's fun while it lasts. Mig hit about 4pm, but first DH and I took a short walk to a nearby building that has hundreds of pink tulips planted around its circular drive. Some light pink, some dark pink and some striped pink with the petals that curve out. All mixed together. Absolutely gorgeous. My favorite flower. Maybe because my grandfather's family was Dutch?! They emigrated to northern Michigan in the mid-1800's. We've tracked them back to the little town in Holland where they owned an inn.

So I'm back in bed. My head hurts. But I got to see my tulips.

LauraSue,

Sounds like time for long talks with your mama and your gyn! Talk with your mama because most women follow their mamas' reproductive histories, including menopause. Talk with your gyn because it sounds to me like you are in full-fledged menopause.

I'm also 54. I've been going through menopause for over 10 years, just a bit longer than this latest round of migraines. When I go back to my gyn in July, I'm going back on the estrogen patch. I'm currently taking a black cohosh root complex to help with the hot flashes. Oh, my mama started into menopause when she was in her 40s, and was still having hot flashes when she died at age 77.

I also have chronic fatigue syndrome, which was diagnosed about 5 years ago. I'm on a plethora of supplements for that! So, I can understand a little of what you are going through.

Wishing you a hot tub, a masseur, and a pleasant beach,

Rebecca

Hi there,

My mom didn't start menopause at 53 when she had a hysterectomy....I'm 46 and not really starting yet.....enough already!!

When my migraines suddenly erupted again when I started into menopause my doctor put me on a MILD estogen supplement which really helped. I stayed on it for about a year, then we v-e-r-y- slowly weaned me off. It was successful and the migraines didn't increase until I channeled the pain I had because I needed a hip replacement into migraine pain because mentally I refused to admit I had to have the hip done (thought I'd have to quit riding).

Tracie

LauraSue,
We are taking a walk tonight in some gardens in the hills to see flowers and a sunset. It's nice to hear you were able to go out and enjoy the flowers yourself.

I can't take any estogren or progestrone. I almost look at the bottles and go from a prolonged HA to a migraine so fast it make your head spin. It's not pretty. Dosages don't matter.

I did want to share though an experience a friend had using patches that her doctor worked with her to minimize symptoms etc cutting down the patch to the least amount needed to deal with her hot flashes and other symptoms, but get her through menopause. I don't know how unique he was but he was a board certified GYN who was also a board certified endocrinologist. She got great care during menopause. It is something you might wish to discuss with your GYN.

Take care,

Cindy

Hey everybody,

Thanks for the replies.

Rebecca, my mom had a hysterectomy in her early 40's so she did not have a normal perimenopausal experience. My sister who's 52 went through menopause four or five years ago with no symptoms or side effects to speak of, just kind of stopped having periods and hardly noticed. I have a really good gynecologist. My mig specialist actually suggested a low-dose estrogen patch, which we did try, but it was a disaster that I'm still recovering from. It made my fibroid tumors start bleeding and I had to take progesterone to stop it.

Nancy, yes indeed enough already!!

Tracie, I'm so glad the estrogen helped you. I know it helps a lot of people, which is why my mig specialist suggested it. I just seem to be the exception to every rule. Aren't I the lucky one!

Cindy, your walk tonight sounds lovely. Enjoy. As I said above, just like you, I can't take estrogen or progesterone without it triggering migraines or other stuff. I will keep in mind the idea of cutting the patches even smaller if we decide to try it again. But I have a feeling my gyno would veto it now. Oh well, it is what it is.

Again, thanks everybody, I really appreciate your concern. It means so much to me.

Have a great day!

LauraSue -- I tried hormones several years ago, and they GAVE me menstrual migraines. The migraine stayed after I stopped the hormones after two months.

I was one of the lucky ones who suddenly noticed that she hadn't had a period in a long time. A few sweaty times, but not severe enough to change nightgowns. So I didn't need hormones to control symptoms. Any mood swings were covered by my antidepressants.

My mom had a hysterectomy before she was 40. After 8 pregnancies and 6 kids, it was, in her words, "wore out and rotten." I was at college when her ovaries shut down, so I don't know what kind of symptoms she has. But at 77, she has "significant bone loss." They didn't quantify that.

I have osteopenia of the spine. My hips are fine, but I've got bone loss in my spine. They didn't give me the numbers. So I'm diligent about my calcium and Vitamin D pills every day, plus my once-a-week Fosamax D.

My mom takes regular Fosamax, which very recently went generic. A $4 copay instead of the name-brand copay.

Menopause didn't cure my migraines, by any means. They got a little better, but they certainly didn't go away. I hope yours do.

Gretchen in Mississippi

Thanks, Gretchen. That's interesting about the osteopenia. I'm high risk. My grandmother was so crippled by compression fractures of her spine that she was in a wheel chair. My mom has a bit of a dowager's hump as they used to call it, but since starting hormones and Miacalcin spray has stabilized. I had my first bone density scan about 10 years ago and get one every year. I was on Fosamax but couldn't tolerate the tummy problems because of my irritable bowel syndrome. So the doc switched me to the Miacalcin spray and I am now stabilized also. My numbers are still in the normal range thank goodness.

Well, my mig from yesterday came back. I thought I might get away with just a one day this time, but no such luck. It hit about 7:30pm. Mine almost always come late afternoon early evening. Don't know if that is still the letdown pattern from 25 years of 9 to 5 or what.

And our housekeeper is coming tomorrow and for some reason even tho she's the one doing the cleaning, I almost always get a mig the day she comes. I don't let her use many cleaning products with odors, but there's still some. Plus the noise of the vacuum and the general disruption of my schedule. She's really sweet and tries to be as quiet as possible, closing doors between us when she's vacuuming. She even turns the bed down for me after making it when I need to go back to bed, as I will tomorrow.

Under the new protocol from my mig specialist if the mig recurs again tomorrow, I'll take a full four day Medrol dose pack. Ooh, that reminds me I need a refill. LOL. I love living in the city where everything can be delivered.

Migraine blues have me pretty disgusted with the whole situation tonight. I have to hold on to the hope that I will get better someday. It would be nice if it was SOON!!

As I've mentioned, I am writing these posts mostly just for me. I feel like I want to tell the universe about all this. So any of you that read and respond are the icing on the cake! I'd be writing this even if no one read it but me. I guess it's kind of like a journal for me. I used to do them on paper, but this is working even better for me right now.

Speaking of cake, who wants a piece? It's chocolate layer cake with chocolate frosting (virtually of course).



I hope that's enough to go around. If we need more just let me know!

So, coming off a two day migraine, trying not to let it go to three. Third ice pack of the day. Just chillin'.

Mig blues pretty bad this time. Weather doesn't help. I can always take the depression inventory and do some cognitive therapy exercises. And can always have doc up the elavil to four again for a while. So don't need to worry.

MIL called to suggest that I change doctors. Just love it when that happens. Especially because I already decided to get a second opinion and DH told her that! I guess that makes this a MIL rant.

I want my life back.

Laura Sue--

Don't we all (want our lives back, that is)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so much more in control than you---I think of you every morning, whether I come on to post then or not. I was you before I got my hip replacement. Every day, at least a 4, and usually a 7 or an 8 or worse!!
It's definitely not much of a life. I made it through it and I pray (I actually do) that you will too. I hope you'll find the root cause, which can sure be something nobody ever thought of like mine, or you'll find the right doctor like I didn't. At least I found a doctor who's willing to let me take a more than 50% part in planning my care and who knows enough that he understands that my plan makes a lot of sense.

Still I hope my June appt with Dr Krucs will give us some better ideas.

Tracie

Hi Laura Sue,

Even though I am only 35 years old. I completely understand your frustrations with fibro--I had the misfortune of inheriting the tendency for it from both of my parents, and have been battling it since I was 17 and diagnosised with cfs. My fibro was made loads worse by the endometriosis I also inherited from my mom. I had a complete hysto in 2006 and entered into the world of automatic menopause. The hot flashes were insane , so the estrogen patch was the doctor's answer. The patch is probably responsible for the daily headaches, and the new diagnosis of migraines.

I was in my senior year of high school when I got sick with cfs and never recovered. I had full ride scholarships that I had to give up on in my third semester of college.

Fibro and cfs have made my life anything but ordinary! Today as I write this has been a fairly good day, only weakness and dizzyness no head pain above a 3. I say this is a good day because I am not severely depressed so I can be thankful for some of the things that are unusual about my life because of fibro.

One of the things I have learned from fibro is that by small successes great things are accomplished, just over a long period of time.

Mary in NM

Tracie, thanks so much for your reply, hon, and for your prayers. It means so much to me.

Mary, Welcome to the forum! And thanks so much for your post. It's bad enough getting this crud at 54, but at 17??? That is so not fair. It's true, fibro and CFS do run in families. My sister was diagnosed first. My mom has had migraines all her life, although back then the diagnosis was sinus headaches. So sorry to hear that the estrogen patch probably led to migraines. And I'm glad to hear you are not depressed right now. I battle that, too, but I've been depression-free for quite some time now, thank goodness.

As for me, I DIDN'T HAVE A MIGRAINE YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was hard work, but I did it. What worked:
ice packs all day
eye shade rest quietly
lidoderm patches
frova in am as preventive
anaprox 6pm
xanax 6pm
spider solitaire only on computer

But about 10:30 last night my head was hurting a little, and it's still hurting a little this morning. I think the beastie is coming to get me. I will try to admit it quickly if it does and take my Imitrex right away, rather than trying to pretend it's not really a mig.

AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

I have a mig ALREADY!

It was definitely lurking last night. Maybe the bed rest just held it off? Postponed it? I don't usually get them this early in the day and my head was already hurting when I got up, so maybe that was it. Hmmm, more info for the data bank to mull over.

DH said at least I got yesterday off! And at least I admitted it right away.