migraines after a hysterectomy?

happy new year everyone!

i have not been on in a while. my spouse is finally walking without a cane(mostly) since he mangled his knee, leg and ankle on 7/2!

so i went from being the patient to being the caregiver. a total flip of roles. keeping busy did nothing for my headaches and M. either!

anyways, i finally went to a gyno. on 12/17 for some ongoing problems and had a endometriel biopsy.
on 12/21 i got a call from the dr. and was told i needed a hysterectomy. because my biopsy results were def. not normal. i got referred to a gyno./onco(ogist) scary! but it makes a lot of sense.

in 2 weeks i will have the surgery. some well meaning nurses and others have been mentioning how i will find out that my headaches have been hormonal. as in the surgery will end the M.

i have been on dif. type of hormonal "therapy" before and the headaches never ended. so, i am not holding my breath.

what were you guys calling it? buttinitis? when everyone has an opinion about what causes your headaches. jeez, i thought that crap was over.

i promise if the operation cures/ends my headaches/M. that YOU GUYS will be the FIRST to know.

missed you all.
fingers crossed.

happy 2011

rose

Are you having a total hysterectomy? I had one about six years ago and still get the odd migraine and quite a few ordinary headaches, but I think it was partly due to menopause (I'm 62). Good luck, hope it helps you.

Incidentally there's a great support website that I used to go to for people having, or already gone through a hysterectomy. It's called Hystersisters, you might want to look it up, it's great for info. and if you have any questions. Somebody on this forum told me about it!

Hey Rose,

I had a complete hysterectomy 20years ago. I'm 51 now. I had the migraines in my teens. The older I get the worse they get.

I am on HRT, but all three of my neuros didn't feel it impacted the migraines. I'm on a hormone patch so I get a steady amount of hormone. Not the spikes and valleys that the theory is that cause hormonal migraines.

Good luck to you and hope your one of the lucky ones!

I had a complete hysterectomy due to endometriosis 11 years ago when I was 30. My migraines have gotten a lot worse..but, I have had two car accidents as well.

Praying, that if you need to get this done it will be your miracle. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.

One of my friends who suffered from really bad migraines over decades has much better times now.
She told me that immediately after hysterectomy she only had mild headaches now an then. Though this is against medical doctrine, she doesn't see any other reason. She still has both of her
ovaries. Sorry to say that it didn't work in my case :-(

Oh, I still wanted to add my very best wishes to you, Rose. You see, wonders can happen!

I had a complete hysterectomy on October 29, 2010. I have only had a handful of migraines since then, however I started taking a new preventative about 2 weeks prior to then as well, so we aren't sure what it causing the decrease in migraines. I am not willing to stop taking the preventative to find out if it is the hysterectomy or not.

I recommend the Hystersisters site as well. Lots of information there. Talk to your doctor about alternatives to an abdominal incision. I had my hysterectomy laprascopically and its much easier to recover from that.

Heylady,

What preventative did you start taking?

My mother had a hysterectomy as well. No more migraines after that. Then she was put on HRT and "bang" the migraines came back. She stopped the hormones and has been migraine free ever since.

Can't wait for the menopause.

P.

I'm taking zonegran as a preventative and it is working very well. Well, either it or the hysterectomy.

I tried topomax and couldn't tolerate it. Started seeing a new neurologist and she put me on the zonegran and I love it. I have an occasional headache and have had 2 migraines in the past 2 months. I used to have 3-4 a week.

When I was facing my hysterectomy my gyno wanted me to have it all out and start me on HRT. Was sure that would cure my migraines. I wasn't so sure.

Talked to my neuro. He said no way did he ever want me on HRT.

Had hysterectomy and kept ovaries. Mine was abdominal and I am very glad it was. Turns out that "benign fibroid" came back positive as a sarcoma. I really didn't want that chewed up in my abdomen. Can't have HRT due to cancer being hormone receptive. REALLY glad I didn't go tthat route!

As for migraines, I still have mine bt I do still have ovaries.

My aunt swore hers went away after her hysterectomy. Her daughter, however, says, "Mom isn't remembering correctly. THey actually got worse and when they finally went away she was so glad she credited the hysterectomy she had two years earlier."

So, there is anectdotal evidence to support either side. You have to weigh your options. Consider all of your health before you make a choice.

Best wishes.

M

hi,

so glad to hear from all of you.

i am having a hysterectomy removal of uterus, tubes and ovaries.

i had a endometrial biopsy on 12/17 and had a diagnosis of complex hyperplasia with atypia.

there is a 40% chance of cancer occuring. so the operation is the better choice than some kind of hormone therapy., esp. if there is cancer now and it is confined to the uterus. then the surgery is your cancer treatment. uterus out, cancer gone.

i am having "belly button" surgery unless my ultrasound tomorrow indicates otherwise.

the gyno-onco will be ready to do "washings" and "staging". everything sounds correct to me.
i just wish it was the 18th already.

i am in pain so, the 1st gyno, the gyno-onco have been talking with my spouse today and are referring me back to my primary where i have a narcotics contract (rescue inj.). i have been following 1st gyno"s
orders but alternating between otc acetometaphen(sp) and ibubprofen just is not working.
another long day as a chronic pain patient. looks like the primary's office is closing so no pain relief till tomorrow hopefully. my ultrasound tomorrow looks like it will really unpleasant.

god am i crabby.

i do not think the migraines will go away after this surgery, but i will have to think about hrt. i never wanted to do that, i just wanted to go thru menopause and then have a party, women only!!!!

i am so glad to have this site.

rose

Rose,

I am not on HRT and don't plan on going on it. My doctor said we'll play it by ear. I suggest you do the same. See if there is any change in your migraines after the surgery - if not, then see if you can handle the other changes having no ovaries brings about. So far, the worst I have had is trouble sleeping, but I read on Hystersisters about taking Magnesium and Calcium before bed to help with that and since I have been taking them, I have been sleeping better. I have been taking Magnesium for migraines anyway, I just take it at night now. I am lucky in that I don't have hot flashes - i just have heat waves and they are manageable.

I hope you can get a handle on your pain prior to surgery and that your surgery goes well. Best of luck!

hi,

thanks everyone. well after my post and a rant on the phone to my husband an email rant to my friend and multiple phone calls, everything has been handled.

last night my primary's triage nurse called me we got cut off, the on-call nurse got involved etc. etc.and in the end my primary told me i could have something to help my pelvic pain. he agreed to let me run to the town pharmacy. i use another small family? owned pharmacy exclusively because of my narcotics contract with my primary(i get rescue injections at his office). so i left my house to get some air and 1/2 hr later was taking hydrocodone apap 5-325. going to the town pharmacy saved me a lot of time. i saw my regular pharmacist today and warned him he might he "rumors that i was stepping out on him" he laughed and he understood. so great to have your primary actually call you himself, i am so lucky.

what a stressful situation. my pain was really reduced for that ultrasound today but now it is back.
i have had pain since the biopsy. so i was such a crabby person and crabby "poster" yesterday. sorry.

well wed. i will probably have another pelvic with gyno #1 and that should be it, at least with all my parts.
gosh, i am sick of people touching me!!!!

wish me luck guys, monday is my 53rd birthday and i am trying to think of ideas to do something (Migraine approriate-not too exciting) fun that will take our minds off this surgery.
life can really derail you when you are planning other stuff!




thankfully,
rose

hi, guys

i have been taking the hydrocodone and did not have a lot of relief. yesterday my husband looked at the pill bottle and informed me that you can take 1-2 pills every 4 hours. i was only taking one. and feeling lousy.

after all these years of headaches and M. and i can't even read a pill bottle. how embarrassing i spent so much time in pain needlessly. my primary graciously gave me a refill so i am going to treat myself well instead of trying to suck it up and live with the pain.

thanks, for the replies. i thought i would have more time to think about hrt during perimenopause but need to think about it now quickly depending on my body's reaction to surgery.

thanks again

rose

hi,

forgot to say thanks to heylady619. is that the correct number?

anyways i appreciated your comments. and i am thankful.

i recently found hystersisters and i am really loving it. another place like this forum where i feel part of a community.

rose

I had ahysterectomy 2001, kept my ovary. My migraines had become so bad that I could not stop the vomiting. ER every 2-3 months.

2006 lost my remaining overy trying to repair the damage of the laparoscopy. Idiot severed an artery didn't fix it now 20+ hospitalizations for bowel obstructions and 6 surgeries.

I had always refused to give the ovary up because BCP always cause severe migraines.
I got the Climara patch .75 mg and I have only been to the ER with mgraines 1 time since 2006. If everything is taken you don't need progesterone. It is to benefit the uterus.

My estrogen levels were checked before surgery and found to be very low so the paatch leveled me out. I hate to see what happens when I stop using it in 3 years.

I'm am pleasantly surprised at the out come. The sex is great to!

You have to take a lot of things into consideration before using a patch. Hint, don't get a generic patch. Good luck.
kathy

kathy wrote:I'm am pleasantly surprised at the out come. The sex is great to!

You little minx.

After my mother had her hysterectomy she reported the same thing - much to my mortification. Who wants to know what their mother gets up to?

hi, all

very informative postings from everyone. am learning a lot.

what is BCP? i found that i am totally clueless when it comes to acronyms concerning hysterectomies and various gyno-onco. surgeries and procedures.

my 1st gyno also told me my sex would be great after the surgery. my husband was in the room last week when i was making that statement to the wonderful nursing supervisor at my primary's office. he looked at me and said, rose, she is only a surgeon, not a miracle worker"!!!!!!!! boy did the nursing sup. have a hard laugh at that!

i am still planning revenge on my spouse!

also am in total agreement about tmi (too much info.) or any info at all when it comes to parents talking about their sex lives in front of their adult kids. really, we suffer so much with these headaches and M., thats just cruel

only 6 days to go for surgery, starting to feel anxiety at various times during the day and night.

really enjoying all the info. you are giving me.

unbelievable that you have had to suffer so much from a surgeon's mistake. that kind of mistake is stunning and sickening.
wow, am just in shock. i am so sorry. i am speechless from this news.


thanks again for the info. am looking forward to learning about bcp.

thanks,


rose

Sorry bcp...birth control pills.

EWWWW I don't want to know what my mom does either.

Sorry if that was to much info for some but I was told by every doc sex would be a problem. I want women to know that is not true.
I watch episodes of Roseanne and she was telling Darlene that she could have been having sex with David in the house and be quiet so no one would hear. Darlene said, Really? you and dad can't. Dan was griping about not knowing what was going on in his house and roseanne said prepare yourself the kids can hear us having sex! I love that show.

Have them get baselines on your hormone levels before surgery. They can follow up with testing to tweak the levels if you use HRT hormone replacement therapy.

Everyone is taught it is safer to have a laparoscopy than walk across the street, but it's not. Today is Ryan's 18th birthday and I have tried to stick to only liquids all week so I don't get a small bowel obstruction.
kathy

hey, folks


had my laproscopic hysterectomy (tubes, ovaries and uterus removed) on 1/18. left on 1/19
slow going but better than an abdominal operation.

had my first migraine on that sunday after. took 2 relpax.

had another on monday so, went for rescue meds at my primary dr.office.

had another today fri. so took 2 more relpax.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my older (24 years older) sister said that after her surgery she only had 3 more migraines and then never again.

my fingers are crossed.

again if they truly end, my friends here will be the FIRST to know.

just giving you the newest info.
any hyster. surgery infor. will be glad to pass on. super impressed with everything about it.

the best part, the surgeon said he read my post - op pathology report and his impression is that there is NO cancer!!!

got to go rest

be back soon

rose

Hi Rose, I am in the same boat as you, though I just had my biopsy two days ago. I am eagerly waiting for your next update, as a potential decrease in migraines post surgery is how I've been staying positive while waiting to find out if I have cancer. Heal well.

hi,


well, i think i have had 4 migraines since my laproscopic surgery on jan.18.

i went to my town clinic for rescue meds. (dilaudid and anti-nauseant IM) 2x and they were closed sunday when i went to the urgent care and had (morphine and anti-nauseant IM). i had 1 or 2 others where i used relpax, anaprox. and 2(x) used stadol. pulled out the big guns on fri. because my friend was flying in and we wanted to meet for dinner. sat. spent with her but headache was raging. that night i used stadol and went to bed. sunday 5:00 am up with M. took relpax and anaprox. so missed my friend as i had to go to urgent care. found out that morphine I.M. is helping me sleep deeper and longer than the dilaudid.

sad to miss my friend but will change my rescue med to morphine at my local clinic now.

my primary said he did not think i should go on hrt. and i have had such easy symptoms. very light hot flashes and night sweats. he actually thought i should try testosterone.

next week i will see the surgeon. he thought my M. would be gone after surgery. my sister said she had 3 M. after her hysterectomy. maybe sunday's will be my last. you never know.

glad i have this site. also am happy with hystersisters.

better health to you all.


rose

hi,

today is my one month anniversary. the pain really decreased in my pelvic area from wed. to today. unfortunately my dog tried to run and hit me there this am. the leash caught me, but the pain is so much better. i am so over this surgery. i want the pain to be gone.
i have warm flashes every evening. it would not be bad but i am still having daily headaches and weekly migraines. when the surgery pain was strong, it really took my mind off the head pain.

saw my gyno-onco surgeon on monday. had #3 of 3 days of migraine. my wonderful husband called my primary dr.'s clinic and got a late morning appt. for rescue inj. for the migraine. he drove me to the hospital and a few times had to speak for me, because i was so tired from the migraine and could not put the right words together. (nothing new for me)
we can't get the rescue injections at the hospital's e.r. because they have "a strict policy against opiods"......

no cancer!! good news. ladies i had some weird fibrous growth on one of my ovaries and (validation) had adenemysosis.
something related to endometriosis but you cannot see it until the uterus is out and you do a pathology report. the problem was in the muscle of the lining and causes bad pelvic pain and other things. that is why i never got a positive diagnosis for the tests we were doing. that is why i called my monthly cycle my "psycho". and it explains all the pain etc that i was feeling.

so, i have had numerous daily headaches and 7 migraines since surgery. i will follow my surgeons advice and watch and see what happens in the next 6 - 8 months to see how things play out.

darn, i had something else to tell you but, my head and pelvic areas really hurt, so i have to go now and rest.

miss you guys.

rose

Nice to see you back, Rose, and it is good to hear it wasn't cancer.

And I'm sorry for all the craziness in Madison. I talked to a mom yesterday who is bringing her daughter up to Madison for brain surgery at UW Hospital on Tuesday. They live in Arkansas, and they weren't following the news. I wanted her to know what is going on, and they are wondering if they should cancel the surgery. Hope things calm down soon.

Cheryl