How to find where the problem lies. (Triggers. Waking with pain)

I dont want to be a forum hog, BUT
At the risk of repeating myself. I have no idea why I have migraines (no triggers or history), nor what the cause can be now.
It was hormones we think, but 5 years into menopause, can it still be?

I have this weird cycle of 14 bad days or so, where I keep getting them every day, every other day.....
Then I can get 4/5/6/7/8 days with no migraine, just my "other" pain. Where does it go.....why does it go...why does it come back....

Possible causes.....FMS, IBS, Sinus, Hormones, Diet, Sleep. Stress.
What have I left out?
Oh my neck which hurts almost all the time.

No doctor has even tried to do anything but give me drugs.
But there might be a cause in there, and as it seems we have to do this ourselves, thought I would pick your probably tired and hurting, but extremely erudite brains.

So sorry to post yet again guys, but I need all the help I can get if I am to crack this thing.
~With apologies,
Pen

Pen, now you have made me feel like all the Drs. i have seen in 6 years.... by that I mean I dont know what to say or do next.

This is interesting to me because i have never thought of My or Our M from the Dr. perspective with they not knowing what to do next.

That is why I have seen so many Dr.s and others because they seem to run out of ideas of things to try.

From all the things I have read in these years I would think you that you are running high or low chemically or hormonally.

Im sorry I just dont have an idea.

Hey dont apologise, please. You arent supposed to have the answer. Come to think of it, me either.
Isnt that half the problem. I go to the Dr and I am running the show, I feel as if I have to give them all the info and they sign a prescription, often suggested by me from the Migraine association people.
Fills me with confidence....
The neuro is a little better, but it is all about drugs drugs and more drugs.
Oh I left them off the list didnt I?
Maybe they are the cause....
thanks friend.
P

Pen, what exactly did your doctors diagnosed you with, I am not sure?? if you don't mind me asking?

Risa

Bit long to re type.
See my post on Daily Pain, you asked me there and I put quite long reply
thanks

I know how you feel Pen because that's all we've done for about 7 years with my son - try to figure out WHY and it is exhausting. If you come up with something...let us know!

I most definitely will.
Just took a call from my osteopath friend.
He is going to address the fibro and trigger points.
I hope that might tel me how much is migraine and how much is "other" pain

Yes, having fibromyalgia on top of the migraine must just be horrible. I sure hope he can help.

My son sees yet another new neuro on Monday - just because I want more opinions - but my hopes aren't too high because they've been dashed too many times. I can't give up though and I'm sure you feel the same way!

I just can't accept the fact that there is no reason for migraine disease. There has to be something. It doesn't make sense that all these people would have this horrible pain for no reason.

ajr wrote:
I just can't accept the fact that there is no reason for migraine disease. There has to be something. It doesn't make sense that all these people would have this horrible pain for no reason.

I couldnt agree more. There is a reason, and it is probably something quite simple within us.
I dont think enough time or money is spent on research. They mainly go for things that kill you (rather than just kill your life quality) or if you are lucky you get a celebrity or two to shout about it.

There is a reason, it isnt unfathomable. But meanwhile I suppose as you say, we cant give up, we battle on.
The irony is the sick person has to drive the show...

I hope you find something for your son. My daughter is a lot like me and showing signs, I am not cheered.

I can't believe I could have so quickly totally forgot - sorry Pen.

If you were diagnosed with Migraine, then this is a primary condition, and there is no OTHER reason for it- as primary mean it is of and by itself.
And since M not necessarily have to be located in the temple on the one side of the head, practically any headache CAN be a migraine. IS a migraine. heck, you don't have to have a headache to have a migraine!

You can spend a lifetime searching, but until the science won't discover what causes M in the first place we will never know what causes it, either.

Only in this case - if by the twist of fate and by a miracle someday someone discovers something wrong with us which turned out to be also the cause of our headaches, M including. In this cause our M was not primary as our drs thought but secondary.
But good luck finding this something wrong.
Like you, when I first heard I have a M and there is no cure for it because nobody know what causes it, I rejected such diagnosis. I insisted there must be 'the cause', somebody just must be willing to find it.

27 years later, I am still here

What have changed - I realized the drs were right, and accepted that some things have no answer.


Risa

It can get very depressing. I am also at the point where I don't know where to turn. I have tried physical therapy, colon cleansing and supplements from a homeopathic doctor, chiropractic, antidepressants, beta blockers, diet (watching for triggers, heck I even gave up diet coke for 6 months), my neoro took me off of my HRT thinking that caused them, I about went crazy! Needless to say I am back on them again! Oh, I also had my silver fillings removed, to no avail! A woman at my church had hers removed, and discovered her migrianes were gone.

I saw on this forum a woman who found she had an infection from a tick bite, I am currently pursueing that now. I also saw the dr. in Cleveland OH is doing facelifts with some success, they are so busy, (but said they can help) I have been waiting 2 weeks for them to send me a packet. I will have to keep a 4 week log of where the migraine hurts, to see if they can help me.

I have litterly spent thousands of my own dollars and can't begin to tell you how much insurance has kicked in!

My pcp and neuro both say it is hormonal. I am soon to be 54 and have been in menapause and on HRT since I was 38 and I still need the HRT! So the menapause is not over yet. They say one day I will wake up and they will be gone, there are days I don't want to wake up at all!

I sypathize with you. I have "headpain" all the time, and have migraines that need treated about 5 days a week! I use Imitrex injection, Imitrex pills (now generic and not as good as the real thing) I also use Treximet, and Have suppositories for when I am about to vomit. I was just recently given Toridal vials and needles to give myself injections, that keeps me out of e.r.

I pray for all migrainers. That they would figure out their specific problems, obviously everyone is different.

Really, we all need a miracle.

Sincerely,
Sherri B!

I forgot to mention I had botox injections twice and all they did were make my neck so stiff I couldn't turn my head for a week! Also had other injections all over my head... didn't work either, I can't even remember what that was....

I wonder if someday they won't find we all share a similar genetic marker.

It just doesn't seem like migraine is given enough research attention--other than pharmaceutical.

It's so sad to think of the numbers of us suffering the debilitating symptoms and there doesn't seem to be any reliable treatment.

Becky

1. No one knows what causes migraines. You would be better off searching for an
effective treatment.

2. I am 5+ years in to menopause and finally getting some relief from intractable
migraine. There is hope.

3. HRT caused the worst headaches of my life. Hot flashes have got to be more
comfortable than migraines. Not to mention all the other side effects, like
higher risk of breast cancer. Give it up!!!!!!

Your migraine cycle is like what mine is on average. But sometimes it can be bad for 2-4 weeks.Most days I feel something even though it might be light. I`ve had these things for while now and have come to the conclusion that they will stay as long as they want to. The only way you can get rid of them is when they decide to go away on there own.

My mothers went away when she got older and I`ve heard other stories as well. But I`m not thinking that mine will but hoping so. Also, I was reading your other post and that Dr doesn`t know what he`s talking about. Many of them don`t. My headaches are all over the place. By my eyebrows, left side pain, forehead, back of head, behind my eyeballs( I get these more)and all over my head.

Prairierose,

If it were just a matter of hot flashes I would be off HRT. I've been on it for 19 years due to surgical menopause. I have gone off of it several times, several times for more than six months, but I couldn't live myself. The depression was horrendous, I was vicious to family and friends and despite using hormone creams I was unable to have a romantic life with my husband because it would tear me.

After weighing pro's and con's I went back on HRT so I could have some semblance of my personality. My aunt was nearly psychotic for five years while she went through menopause. My mother, who also went through surgical menopause, was unable to function without HRT.

My neuro has me on a HRT patch so I don't have the fluctuations of hormones, which he feels is the trigger. Not the hormones themselves. Each of us different and I'm sure each of our Dr's have their own opinions on it.

So, I will stay on HRT for as long as I can. It's more than just the discomfort of hot flashes. Though it is nice to not feel like crawling into the freezer on an hourly basis.

Charlotte

To answer if after menopause one can still continue to have hormonal M - yes, because migraine is not hormonal in origin, is neurological. Hormones are only triggers, not the cause. It could be not enough of a certain hormone that triggers them, or too much.
A hormonal M is still the same M as any other only the trigger is different, as instead of light or smell or noise it's the hormones that cause them (or more correctly - trigger).


Two-thirds of women's migraine improves within a couple of years after menopause, although approximately 10% experience worse headaches and approximately 25% notice no change.
http://www.healthandage.com/new-data-on-migraine-and-menopause

When migraine occurs in post menopausal women there a number possibilities that can be considered.

Migraine usually does not occur as a result of estrogen itself, but rather changes in estrogen levels. The fall in estrogen levels that occurs at menopause can trigger migraine.
http://www.menopausehysterectomy.com/migraine.htm

wonder if someday they won't find we all share a similar genetic marker.

Actually there already are some M genes discovered - for hemiplegic M and some other type, I think with aura.

Risa

As I've posted before, I am one of the ones for whom migraines got WORSE after menopause. In fact, I wasn't dx'd with migs until AFTER menopause; though I am nearly certain that the bad headaches, and nausea, that I remember from elementary school days onwards, were in fact migraines.

Hi Pen,
I also searched the CAUSE of migraine for 10 years. No matter what doctors told me, I was sure there was a CAUSE.
I think that I've required exams that only 1 person out of 1 millions does. No diseases. No abnormalities.
I've searched in my brain, in my lungs, in my stomach, in my blood, in my bones, in my kidneys, in my nervous system, in my methabolic system. Nothing came out.

I finally gave up and accepted that the CAUSE of migraine is still a mystery to science and that no one still knows where the problem is.
I accepted that I have a fault somewhere that can hit at any moment, apparently without a reason.
I have learned that there are situations/things that increase the chances to stimulate an attack and I try to avoid them.

I know that you desperately need an answer and that you would like the origin of this monster, but I'm afraid that the best thing that you can do is to learn to co-live with migraine and to prevent as many attacks as possible.

Bye

Maybe I am a strage case. I have migraine as a primary hereditary disease. But, I have had 2 other conditions that present with migraine as a symptom. Also,I had a near death car accident with severe whiplash when I was young. I believe these have all contributed to the severity and frequency of my migraines. The good news is that the Lyme and Celiac factors can be treated. Some others are more difficult. At one time we had a list of conditions that caused or worsened migraine. I feel like you should research each one to see if it might apply to you. Dont just ask your Dr. They dont know everything. Here is a list of some I can think of:

Lyme disease
Celiac disease (untreated)
Chiari
Heart and circulatory problems
Blood sugar fluctuations
Spinal issues

Feel free to chime in with other ideas or corrections. I am no Dr., just a long time sufferer and constant researcher!Of cpurse, most people just have migraine. But especially if you have other symptoms, its worth a try.
Hugs,
Cindy

Hi, as I started this post can I just clarify, I am not on a singular quest to find the cause of migraines....good Heavens I am not erudite enough for that. Are any of us??
Neither am I clueless about migraines. I have had them since 1998 at least, so I am very familiar with the beast within.

I just want to try to find what causes/triggers mine.
Something kicks them off, I have no idea what.
I also have other problems.
If I could improve some of them, I might have a better quality of life around the migraines.
I might even find they have been pushing the migrianes.

Thats all I want to do. And I am grateful for every scrap of clues.
Some of them just might concur with mine and help me, or even you...
Thanks

Risa,

Thanks for posting the research on the hormonal migraines. Seems like, according to that link, my neuro is correct for having me on the hormone patch. (not for having me on HRT, that's a very individual discussion with you and your Dr., but it sounds like he's correct about the hormone fluctuactions).

Sorry about spelling and disjointed thoughts. Really struggling for two days.

Charlotte

I was looking at the book called The Migraine Brain yesterday--mostly thumbing through the index. I was looking for things Anna has been diagnosed with that are, more than likely, responsible for making her brain hurt. None of them were listed in the index.

Believe me, anything we know about her has been through a terribly grueling process of traveling thousands of miles for ten years to get her diagnosed (but with no solutions).

But at least we now know clinically some of what is wrong with her and it has helped get her continued medical insurance, SS, and social services.

Cheryl

I have talked this over with my family. They all agree that it is worth continuing to find as much as we can regarding my particular problems in case we are missing something. I do not and will not spend every waking minute agonising over and searching for a cause or cure.

However I guess we are all different. It is not my nature to just accept things, perhaps I envy those of you that can. I am possibly my own worst enemy, but we are who we are. And this is who I am. Probably explains why I worked in the field I did too.

I have migraines and FMS and IBS. There are co morbid conditions, and there is a reason why I have them.
They have ground me to a halt. I spend most of my life sitting on this couch. To accept that would mean my life is over.

I will not and cannot accept that. I have a few years left I hope, and I intend to live it rather than exist which is what I do now.
I think the amount of research both into migraine and drugs for it is lacking.
I find it hard to believe the clues out there not having been analysed properly.
They may be erroneous, but many erudite people have some very sound ideas.
Most people with FMS have headaches. Many with IBS do too. I dont believe these are coincidences and neither do many far brighter people than me who give their time to this. Has everyone read Candice Peart?? Everyone checked their thyroid...

I do imagine there is something, as mentioned on this forum, that we all have too much or not enough of, or whatever, that links us. There is a reason, all the rest of the triggers etc are just catalystic I suspect.

We are all different, but in some way we must be the same.
Until the clever ones come up with the answer we must deal as individuals.
For some of you that is to accept and deal with it as best you can and I respect and admire that.

For me and others, we will keep searching, possibly in vain.
BUT there are those who do find something, often by themselves.
They are the ones that no longer visit the forums etc.
I dont want to risk not finding my something... And I don't rely on the medics being the first with the answer.

Anyway, with total respect to those of you that feel it is best to just make the best of it.
I do. But my life quality is now so low that I cant. I have to search on, and if I find anything I will be sure to share.

Peaceful night everyone.

Hi Pen,
I probably misunderstood your question.
You're not searching for the cause, but for the triggers. Right?
Normally, at a H/A center they ask you to keep a journal where you have to take note of your daily life. This includes how many hours you sleep, how well you sleep, what the weather is like, what you eat, how often you eat, what your hormonal situation is (for women), exerice you make, if any etc.

The purpose is take notes of as many events as possible for at least one month. You also have to take note of the time and intensity of each attack that occurs in that month.

When you have enough material, you try to interpreter the journal. You select the days of migraine and try to find out what they have in common (had a particular food, slept a certain number of hours, stayed too long on the couch, at the PC....). The trigger/s can be even the basic habits that we don't take care of and that seem correct for our health.

Finding out what is wrong is relatively easy.
Instead, finding out what's missing is not that easy.
For instance, some people need to drink more water or exercice more or add something to the diet, etc. You can only try in these cases and see what happens.

Take care
Bye