Does this sound like migraine?

[MoonMallow]

As a disclaimer: I used to get the big cataclysmic ones and have been on amitriptyline to try to stop them but now I'm getting something else. I did get these before too but it's becoming more regular. I'm 40.

Usually these headaches occur either prior to or during the end of my period. It's like a foggy painful pressure in the head (particularly at the front/around eyes and temples) that makes me feel exhausted. It can last for 5 days. Sometimes all of my nerves/muscles ache with it too. Painkillers won't touch it. I look white-faced, really washed out and my skin changes so it looks kind of spongey. Occasionally it will develop into something approaching the cataclysmic ones at which point a migraleve and ice pack will get rid of it.

But I don't know if this is technically a migraine because I am able to function and it is...days!

Just wondering if anybody else had similar symptoms and if you would class that as migraine? Thanks to anyone who responds :-)

I have had a similar headache now for nearly a week. Not sure what it is though.

Sounds like chronic migraines. Some people can have them pretty much all the time and it’s very debilitating as makes you feel so fatigued and wiped out. When I get them (fairly regularly) I feel spaced out and weird. I can’t stop yawning and can barely keep my eyes open and have a constant dull ache. I also get muscle pains too

It sounds like the ones I've had since perimenopause. I'm going through one at the moment - first in ages but I'm through the menopause now and hoped it was safe to hit the chocolates on valentines day! Thankfully the outcome wasn't a dramatic 3am puke fest but I'm foggy headed and clumsy and making a lot of processing errors eg cup of tea with no teabag in!

Migraines usually last for 72 hours max. You could of course be getting more than one in succession. Typically migraine is one-sided at the temples or behind the eye.

The only thing that shifts a migraine for me is a triptan. I wonder if you are suffering from cluster headaches? However, I am not a doctor. You can't and shouldn't be putting up with this - speak to your GP.

I'm having almost exactly the same as you. I'm on amitriptyline but it seems to be letting more and more through. The pain isn't quite bad enough to take a triptan (they give me a weird comedown so I try to only take them when I have to) but it's enough to make me feel very fuzzy and foggy. I'm 42. Sorry not to have any ideas but you're not suffering alone.

Thanks all this is really helpful, it's just good to know I'm not alone! @RunAwayNow I totally get you with the amitriptyline starting to let more through: that's how I feel too! At first I thought it was working but it seems less and less effective.

Yes to the fatigue, and YES to foggy headed clumsiness @PickAChew! Maybe it's our hormones, we're all early 40s. We will foggily make our way through peri together.

I often bring this up with the GP @IstandwithJackieWeaver but it's usually just a 'part of life, bad luck' response. PS I also stand with Jackie Weaver :-)

Frankly that's a shit response from your GP. Is it a man or a woman? You've got to wonder what the response would be if they had migraine. My GP is great and has recently prescribed me amitriptyline and we're trying increasing the dose if it doesn't work up to a max, at which point if it's not working he's going to refer me to the migraine clinic at a local hospital. I tried nortriptyline and it worked for a short time then stopped. Propanolol did nothing even at a high dose.

Your GP sounds great! I'm tempted to increase the amytriptyline myself but I think I'll go back to the GP and put a bit more pressure on - you're right, it shouldn't be the way life is. It takes 1-2 weeks out of every month!

If there's another GP at the practice try them maybe? Some are better than others/more knowledgeable.