It’s only a headache 🤬

[Slim66]

Hi everyone, so this is me. Started with migraines aged 17. In those days I was lucky and would have only one or two a month. By my mid twenties four or five a month. At this point, no treatment but advised not to take the contraceptive pill. I became migraine free whilst pregnant with twins and after their all hell broke loose. I had 20+ a month, especially before and after a period but lots of other triggers. No longer able to drink even a drop of alcohol. Over the years I have tried all preventatives currently on the market, none worked and diagnosed by three different Neurologists. Had both MRI and CT scans. Last year I had an eight week ‘episode’ of severe dizziness and difficulty in walking, thinking and ‘loss of words’, general brain fog. Nobody at the hospital could find what it was but I believe it may have been migraine linked..anyone else had this? So I was told I should be migraine free once I went through menopause....although I have lots of triggers besides hormones. I had been period free for 18 months and blood test results gave a reading I had gone through menopause and I must admit my migraines had gone down to about 15 a month which I thought was great. My Naratriptan worked well if caught in time but I was suffering from anxiety and other symptoms and my Dr ‘very reluctantly’ gave me a low dose hrt patch which alleviated all my symptoms but I’m now having daily migraines AGAIN. Anyone out there in similar shoes? I’m 51 x

[Pinkcat21]

Dear slim 66

Im 54 and never suffered migraines before but at 51 started getting silent migraines and then they stopped only to return last year. I get as many as six a month down to three or less. I sometimes get mild head pain. This month has been pretty bad do you get the auras? Thats basically what I get.

[Slim66 in reply to Pinkcat21]

Hi Pinkcat21, I don't always suffer with aura, if I do it's usually dizziness/vertigo. I always have head pain, mostly behind my right eye but if the migraine is caused by a skipped meal or not eating at a regular time then it's always strangely on the left.

[Hidden]

Hi Slim66. Similar to you I started with migraines in my teens and since having children they have progressively got worse. First neurologist I saw diagnosed me with cluster migraines and told me to take pain killers. At the absolute worst I was suffering a migraine 21+days a month and no medication would touch it. Once the migraine settled, vertigo would start. The 2nd neurologist I saw diagnosed me as suffering chronic migraines and put me on topiramate- this worked for migraines but no meds touch my vertigo so have to just deal with that when I get it. Last ur I ended up in a+e as my left side went numb and had neck pain. Ct, MRI & lumbar puncture all clear. I have just had my first appt with endocrinology with a plan of going on progesterone only treatment despite my hormone levels being normal (I’m 35)

[Slim66 in reply to Hidden]

Good luck, hope that helps. How have you been with topiramate side effects. I lost weight, had weight loss, reduced eyesight and insomnia. They worked for about 8 months but I could only tolerate 50mg taken in the evening.

[Hidden in reply to Slim66]

When I first started taking it I got pins and needles in my hands, feet and occasionally parts of my face along with reduced appetite but now I only get pins and needles. When taking it I am on 100mg (was 200mg at my worst) as soon as I feel a migraine starting, I start taking them again and they seem to work! I think I have been lucky to only get take side effect but after years of meds not doing a thing I can cope with it!