I am 41 years old and just started getting migraines, but didn't know they were migraines until recently. For about 6 monhts, I've been getting menstrual headaches but they went away after my periods were done, however this last month, the headache never went away. I've also noticed that the pain is only on my left side and nightly...however, now it's a 24/7 thing. I just had an MRI last week and doc says there is white matter on my mri and that it's indicative of migraines. My question is what is white matter and is this normal to show at the age of 40+? I've never had headaches/migraines and why would this be happening now? Will they get worse as I age, how can I treat them naturally? I don't even like to take tylenol or ibuprofen but the pain is getting the the point where I need to take the meds to function and take care of my family(I have 4 kids)...Please help and any advice would be great. I am scared and don't know what is happening to my life...I am also fearing that it may be related to cancer, tumors, etc...Thank you.
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Q: Menstrual headaches, white matter on MRI?
-:¦:-•:*'""*:•.-:¦:-•*Welcome to MyMigraineConnection!*•-:¦:-•:*'""*:•.-:¦:-
First, take a deep breath. Let me tell you a couple of things...
1) You're NOT alone, and
2) There IS hope.
Migraine is a genetic neurological diseae that is worse for some of us than others, but it CAN be managed.
I'm not sure your doctor explained things very well. Everyone has white matter. It's the part of the brain that contains myelinated nerve fibers. The white matter is white because it is the color of myelin, the insulation covering the nerve fibers. Migraines can cause lesions in the white matter. It's theorized that these lesions may mean that Migraine is a progressive disease, but that's not reason to panic. Proper Migraine management can mitigate such problems. You can read more about this in Is Migraine a Progressive Brain Disease?.
You say you've progressed to pain 24/7. How many days a week do you take something to relieve your Migraines? Taking Migraine abortive meds such as the triptans or ergotamines or any kind of pain medication -- prescription or over-the-counter -- more than two or three days a week can make matters worse by causing medication overuse headache (MOH), aka rebound. See Medication Overuse Headache - When the Remedy Backfires for more information on this.
Nobody can answer if they will get worse with age because everyone's experience varies.
Because of the possibility of Migraine being a progressive disease, it's recommended that anyone who has three or more Migraines a month discuss preventive measures with their doctor. I wish I could tell you that "natural" products have a great track record, but I really can't. I know of a few people who are successful with Coenzyme Q10, Magnesium, Vitamin B2, or Petadolex for prevention, but I know more people who need prescription medications.
As for aborting a Migraine when you get one, I know of nothing "natural" that will do that, but there are several prescription options.
The chances of this being cancer, tumors, etc., are slim, but talk to your doctor about imaging studies to put your mind at ease.
All in all, the best thing to do is talk with your doctor about Migraine management. If your doctor isn't able to help you, it may well be time to consult a Migraine and headache specialist. It's important to note that neurologists aren't necessarily Migraine and headache specialists. Take a look at the article Migraine and Headache Specialists - What's So Special? If you need help finding a Migraine specialist, check our listing of Patient Recommended Migraine and Headache Specialists.
I can absolutely empathize with you. At one point, I was in bed all day an average of five days a week with debilitating Migraines. I finally got angry enough to take charge of my health care and went to a Migraine specialist. Now, I often go two to three MONTHS between Migraines. If you want to read more about my own battle against Migraine disease, take a look at Excerpt 2 - "Living Well With Migraine Disease and Headaches".
I hope this helps.
Welcome again,
Teri
My wish is the same! I haven't given up hope and I hope I didn't paint such a dismal picture of things that you will either. It really is true as Teri said that you have to be your own advocate. Keep track of what you tried, a log of what you eat to detect triggers if you may have any.
I think learning to manage the pain has been trial and error - I know to be careful of not taking certain medications for extended periods of time for fear of the rebound headaches. I know to watch our for certain foods. I know that sometimes laying down and going to sleep is a reset button. Thank goodness the 2 yr. old still naps! And I know not ignore that persistent dull throb which could turn into a monster migraine.
My experience as yours is one of high pain tolerance. In fact I'd gone a really long time without getting treatment for my neck and mentioned to my neuro that when I went back to my chiropractor I had short term relief. He then referred me to do trigger points (injections into the muscle). It did stop my headaches for 2-3 weeks at first. The Dr. who did them was surprised by how many knots I had. The Dr. I recently saw told me that with vascular tension type headaches that trigger points will work for a little while but don't get to the source of the problem which is in the head and hence why he has put me on beta blockers.
I too am going to read up on Teri's experience. I have not seen a migraine specialist but maybe I should seek one out. Keep us updated. And don't lose hope. - Amee
I can empathize what you are going through and hope you find some consolation knowing there are others like yourself. It can be bewildering not to know what the source of it is. It can make you fearful and anxious.
About a year ago my headaches began out of the blue and followed a very similar pattern. Inflammation was detected on my MRI, but a later MRI and CT scan with contrast did not pick up anything at all. I went to a neurologist who without any further tests gave me a list of a few frightening possibilities that had me wondering if I'd live to see my 35th birthday or if my own 3 children would be motherless.
The good news is I've been through a gamut of blood tests that have yielded nothing. The bad news is while they used to be typical menstrual migraines which were scary enough, now they are a nearly constant headache with an occasional full blown migraine. On a good day it's a dull throb. On a bad day it's a stabbing pain.
This past year the hardest thing I've found is breaking the cycle once they start. Be wary of medication that could have a rebound effect. Find out what your triggers are (for me sulfites are a big one & I've learned to read labels - they are used as a food preservative in dried fruit, juice, and so many other things). If you can stay a step ahead of them you can sometimes stop them before they turn into a migraine. Today for instance it's a steady throb that won't let up- sometimes it's enough to put a cold compress on my neck or head, other times a strong cup of coffee & aspirin but truthfully those don't do much good and I usually have to resort to medication.
I wish there was an easy answer for you - I don't really know for sure but maybe the inflammation or white matter could be that it picked up on a migraine you were having during the scan.
I've come to the conclusion that I may have to live with them but they won't kill me and I can't let it disrupt my life. It does break my heart when my 5 yr. old prays for mommy not to have a headache. I've gotten much better at keeping it to myself which is a very lonely experience- it often feels like I'm a prisoner in my own head. It can be enough to make you question your sanity. Hang in there. Ask lot's of questions and listen to your own instincts. I saw a new Dr. yesterday who wants to start me on a low dose of beta blockers - a treatment I was aware of and even suggested to my own neurologist many months ago, and who dismissed them. Good luck.
Thank you for answering so quickly. I have tears in my eyes right now as I read your post. It's breaking my heart to hear how our children will worry about us. I know what you are going through and I guess I will just have to endure it and go on with my life. I was hoping there would be some hope for me and that it was just a phase but based on what you wrote, it looks like I will have to live with this dull pain in my head from now on. I told my husband today that I would prefer to have brain surgery today if I knew it would take away this pain that I've had for 1 month straight. Some days are okay but it's so frightening to have a headache EVERY single day of my life from now on...
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Thank you Teri...I will read all your links and hopefully will have some hope after I educate myself.
I guess I should have mentioned that I never thought I had migraines as the headaches that I currently have are pretty dull and persistent. I always thought that migraines were associated with not being able to function and blurred vision, vomitting, etc...but I was wrong. I do have a very high tolerance for pain and realized that the headaches I've been experiencing were actually migraines(localized pain to my left side only, frequent(started nightly, but currently seem to happen all day/night) Anyway, I am getting a second opinion on what was actually observed on my MRI and I will also make sure that I see a neurologist AND migraine specialist. I will keep everyone posted. Prayers to all...and thanks again. It's nice to know that I am not alone in this...it just sucks that we have to deal with this on a daily basis. My wish for the new year is a Healthy one for all with NO more migraines! Happy New Year! - Jennifer