Menstrual Migraines and Thyroid Disease connection?

[kym46]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if anyone also has a problem with menstrual migraines. I've been very ill for the past week. I've been tracking when I get the symptoms (which are similar to having food poisoning with a terrible migraine in my right eye). I noticed it starts a few days before or after my period and lasts for about seven days. After a bit of research, I'm fairly sure I'm getting menstrual migraines... simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/M...

I'm getting the impression that there may be a connection with Thyroid Disease and the production of oestrogen. Has anyone else researched this area.

Please let me know if you've any information. I really need help dealing with this issue.

Thanks in advance,

Kim

[K1k1_belle]

I think you can get tested for Oestrogren dominance and they balance it out with Testosterone, might be worth looking into?

[Gambit62]

I've suffered from hormonal migraines for decades - mine are triggered by both changes in hormones ... and the gut spasms are really awful when it is bad.

I don't have thyroid problems but I do have problems absorbing B12 and they certainly got worse in the period when I was B12 deficient.

[kym46 in reply to Gambit62]

Hi Gambit... how did you find out you were B12 deficient. We're you low on the blood test range... or under the low? Did you have to push to find out? The last time I had a blood test my B12 was on the low side... however I use B12 supplements. I've always had trouble with my stomach and suffer from low iron. My Endo said I had to take iron but then I get terrible constipation. When I told him... he just shrugged his shoulders basically as you either have one or the other... nothing else can be done.

Are you on B12 supplements or do you have injections of some sort?

Thanks

Kym

[Gambit62 in reply to kym46]

I had a fall in December 2012 at home in the middle of the night and broke my ankle - so had to be hospitalised to have it pinned - during the proceedings I was told my B12 was low - no idea what it meant and found it extremely difficult to find any information - GP was useless - took me 15 months to figure out what was going on - and part of that has been treating myself. I do self inject a bit ... and go back for maintenance shots - but mainly I live off nasal sprays. Things got considerably worse for me after loading doses and it wasn't until I started treating myself with huge amounts of B12 that I actually got better - within a week I'd gone from struggling to walk to being quite happy perched at the top of a ladder pruning a grape-vine ... and 3 months later I realised that the depression and anxiety I'd had for over 40 years were gone. My GP thinks it was caught early because I've never had any signs of macrocytosis ... I've actually had neuropsychiatric symptoms for 40+ years, neurological symptoms for about 30 years and the symptoms really got a lot worse in my late 40s which is probably when my levels started to plummet.

I did ask the hospital for a copy of the test results that had the B12 levels but they just sent me a copy of everything that was on the file and I never heard back on a request asking if the results were stored electronically so I really have no idea just how low the levels were.

If you really can't get through to your doctor I'd go with treating yourself - you'd get plenty of support on the PAS forum ... though get bloods monitored occasionally (mainly for folate). As you are iron deficient there is an increased chance of potassium becoming depleted should you start to use large doses of B12 so that's somethign to be aware of.

[kym46 in reply to Gambit62]

Gosh, you've been through a lot... Really good they discovered you were low in B12 early! I'm 48 and feel like things are getting worse. I just don't know who to go to anymore for help and have just stopped even going to the doctor. Maybe I should look into getting the tests done privately.

I'll check the PAS forum (not sure what PAS is... is it on HealthUnlocked?

Thanks

[thyr01d]

My Mum had menstrual migraine with vomiting but no thyroid problems I'm sure, she was slim, very active, intelligent, bright alert etc right into old age.

She did discover that if caught very early she could halt the migraines and also that they came on if she did not have enough starch, we used to take her toast when one was starting and that usually relieved it.

(She was prescribed ergot and had hallucinatory dreams)

[kym46 in reply to thyr01d]

That's really interesting. I have low blood pressure and was wondering if that could be contributing to the problem. They say if you have low blood sugar you should avoid things like potatoes, bread, rice and pasta. It's so difficult to know what to do...

[thyr01d in reply to kym46]

Yes, really difficult to know what to do. Somewhere I have a book that mentions a vitamin or something that corrects low b/p. If you give me a little nudge at the weekend I'll see if I can find it and tell you.

[ChelleBelleX]

I too suffer from Menstral migraine, above right eye. I usually get them day before I'm due on and lasts 2 days. Only thing that gets rid of them is 2 paracetamol and 2 Ibopurofen washed down with a pint of water. I've suffered with them only past year since I stopped contraceptive pill

[dina7]

I hadn't thought about my migraines being related to my thyroid problems, tho I had wondered about the adrenal/high cortisol. My migraines only started with the menopause and beta blockers seem to be the only thing that helps. My thyroid problems hadn't been diagnosed when I first had them, and they weren't great with my low blood pressure, but now I'm on NDT and have had to go back on beta blockers they seem to be fine. I think you just have to keep trying to find what works/helps for you. Sparkling water sometimes makes me feel better. Coffee sometimes does, but when I feel really nauseous I can't drink it. I've been really lucky finding an osteopath who specialieses in headaches. Good luck, they are truly horrible things to have.

[kym46 in reply to dina7]

It seems low blood pressure is common with thyroid disease... I have it too. It's so difficult to know what to do and so hard to find a doctor who really cares. I'm glad you've a good osteopath... maybe I should try to find someone who specialises in migraine headaches too. The search goes on... !

[elderflower2016]

I have personally linked my migraines to low thyroid hormones. I tend to get them more if my thyroid hormones are low in range. They disappear if I'm hyperthyroid.

The only thing that stops them in their track once I have one is taking a triptan.