Greta Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I have an appointment with an OBGYN mid-April. Since it will cost me more than $160 out of pocket, I'm wondering if I should even keep it. I'm not sure there's anything she can do for me. I'm 41, and experiencing some perimenopause or menopause symptoms (FWIW, my mom had her very last period at 43, and my paternal grandmother went into menopause even earlier, in her early 30's!). Most of it is not so bad, very livable, except the migraines. The first two weeks of my cycle, I feel fine, perfectly normal. But from that two-week point on, I have migraines at least every other day and sometimes every single day - and since my cycles are getting longer that basically means a pattern of two weeks of feeling fine, and three or four weeks of feeling awful. I have a prescription which helps a lot with the pain, but doesn't even touch the other symptoms. So I'm still wiped out from the dizziness, nausea, and just sheer exhaustion. Here's the problem: I can't take estrogen because history has shown that it makes my migraines much worse, and I can't take progesterone because I am among a tiny percentage of people who get insanely dizzy and light-headed from it (even worse than the dizziness I get with the migraines). So I'm thinking there really isn't anything that an OBGYN could do for me. Except maybe a hysterectomy. At this point I'm desperate enough that a hysterectomy sounds like a great idea! For three or four weeks at a time, it's like everything goes to crap. I can't exercise (which is probably contributing to the problem), my house becomes a disaster area, I'm too dizzy to drive which means I can't go to church, and my sweet husband takes pity on me and gets us a lot of takeout so that I don't have to cook (not exactly the healthiest option, but I appreciate it anyway!). Homeschooling is the only thing that is still getting done, because that's all the energy I have. So I feel like my whole family is paying the price for my problem. But I'm thinking that a doctor is not going to give you a hysterectomy for migraies. It has to be something more serious and truly health-threatening before you get major surgery, right? And since HRT and BCP aren't options for me, is there anything a doctor could do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Go anyway since the symptoms are affecting your quality of life so much. Have you tried progesterone cream? I tried oral progesterone for insomnia and it helped that, but made me extremely irritable. The oral doses were much higher than I could tolerate. I switched to progesterone cream, at a dose 1/4-1/2 of what my doctor suggested, and now I have the benefits without the side effects. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I would get a month long saliva hormone profile. Keep a log of how you feel each day. When you get the results, you may be able to see exactly what change in hormone levels (or change in the ratio between them) correlates with your symptoms. Here are two different month long hormone profiles you can order yourself in most states: https://www.directlabs.com/TestDetail.aspx?testid=35 https://www.directlabs.com/TestDetail.aspx?testid=1482 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I have taken progesterone periodically in the past to induce periods (PCOS). I learned very quickly that I can't tolerate provera (synthetic and makes me ragey), but I do okay on prometrium, which is peanut derived. Just tossing that out there, although it may not matter in terms of lightheadedness and so forth. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 If you aren't able to take hormones, I see no point in testing for that. You could get something for the migraines though (something non hormonal). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevergiveup Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I used to get a lot of information from this website: https://www.womentowomen.com/menopause-perimenopause/am-i-in-menopause-2/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 Thanks for the replies! I've used both the progesterone IUD and OTC progesterone cream, and they affect me the same way. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Well, I may have been wrong about the progesterone and dizziness link. I stopped using the progesterone cream a week ago when I thought I had determined a connection. It got better for awhile, but now it's back as bad as ever. So maybe it's something else? The correlation between the Mirena and the dizziness was clear as day, though. Anyway, I'll keep the doctor's appointment and see what she thinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2samlibby Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I'd have your doctor check your Vit B12 level, folate level, and ferritin level. Low magnesium levels can cause migraines and the dizziness can come from low Vit B12 levels or from anemia. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I would definitely go if you were that affected and at least have basic blood work done and a once over. He may have other options for hormonal issues. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 I'd have your doctor check your Vit B12 level, folate level, and ferritin level. Low magnesium levels can cause migraines and the dizziness can come from low Vit B12 levels or from anemia. Thank you. I will ask about all of these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 I would definitely go if you were that affected and at least have basic blood work done and a once over. He may have other options for hormonal issues. I sure hope so. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 While you wait to get in, try magnesium (like 1200mg daily) for your migraines. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 While you wait to get in, try magnesium (like 1200mg daily) for your migraines. Will do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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