Aura migraines

[MinnieMountain]

I’ve had occasional aura migraines since my teens. Ruddy peri-menopause means I’m getting my third one since Sunday.

Is there anything I can do to prevent them? I’m not allowed to take HRT.

I have also had aura migraine since puberty with three episodes of Status Migranosis when starting the pill and in both pregnancies .Everything settled down after having the kids .I am now 59 years old so in menopause for nearly 10 years . The last two years have been difficult though with frequent migraine and like you multiple episodes within a few days .My blood pressure was very high so was put on Antihypertensives for my blood pressure and Betablockers for migraine which has lessened the amount of episodes thankfully. Maybe get your blood pressure checked first and talk to your doctor .I was on HRT but stopped as I am obviously very oestrogen sensitive.

I take magnesium before bed for my heart and I havent had a migraine since I started it, so might be worth a go

Supplements - Feverfew and Magnesium

Avoid food triggers, poor sleep, stress (yoga and meditation are great for counteracting unavoidable stress)

Avoid alcohol, caffeine and dehydration

For chronic - more than 15 migraines per month - GP/Neurologist will prescribe a preventative eg Nerve Blocker (amytriptiline) or Beta Blocker (Propranolol) amongst others

For acute - less than 15 per month - GP can prescribe a Triptan which you take at the first sign of a migraine

I also find a Coke Zero sometimes knocks mine off!

There is a charity called The Migraine Trust which might be worth looking at for advice.

https://migrainetrust.org/

https://migrainetrust.org/understand-migraine/types-of-migraine/migraine-with-aura/#page-section-4

They also have a section on the site about migraine and HRT. For most women with migraine, HRT isn't a problem but I think (you'd need to check) that caution is advised with some sorts.

https://migrainetrust.org/live-with-migraine/self-management/migraine-and-hormones/#:~:text=Having%20migraine%20does%20not%20mean,your%20body%20time%20to%20adjust.

https://migrainetrust.org/news/migraine-and-perimenopause/

Thank you everyone.

I've been taking magnesium at bedtime for 4 years to help with sleep.

My blood pressure has always been normal and nothing significant has happened recently.

I'll try feverfew. Triptans get rid of the aura but leave me with a worse headache.

@JinglingSpringbells I’m not allowed to take HRT as I’m on Tamoxifen.

You are allowed to use transdermal hrt with aura migraines.

Edit: just seen you're on a contraindicated medication ignore the above.

I have them very occasionally, they got more frequent with menopausal symptoms. Totally went away when I was using combined HRT patches, but raised their ugly head again with utrogestan.

I'm sorry you're going through this OP. I had migraines in childhood and then none until I got into my 40s. I'm now firmly in perimenopause and get aura migraines. Triptans don't work for me either, the side effects were almost as bad as the migraine itself. I went to a nutritionist and changed my entire diet to low-histamine which helped a bit (processed meat, aged cheese and coffee are triggers) which include being gluten free and mostly dairy free. The diet is draconian so I have periods of not following it very closely and migraines get more frequent.

When I'm eating fairly healthily, laying off the wine and moving my body (any kind of mild exertion helps) they seem to improve. Stress and lack of sleep make my neck and shoulders tense but I haven't figured out if the migraine makes them tense or the tenseness causes the migraines. Either way, I've been given a dental splint to alleviate teeth clenching and it's helped the muscle tension.

It always bums me out that there isn't one magic solution to make them go away. It's been a case of trial and error, mostly without the help of mainstream medicine.