Thank you Hurdity for the welcome
Glad to hear you aren't having regular migraines anymore, it's good to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I think I'm one of the unlucky ones who reacts to the slightest changes in hormones, I had a few when I was toward the later stages of pregnancy so thought they were caused by high hormone levels, and was proved sadly wrong during peri and now, as you say they seem to be caused by hormonal fluctuations and lows also. However, I haven't had a migraine for a full week - I had one last sunday and one a couple of days before that, they both went off by evening, which is a positive, as they can drag on for days. I'm hoping that now I have hit the magical year mark, they will become less frequent and more manageable.
I tried Conti patches a few years ago during peri, in fact I tried a fraction of a patch but spent a whole night jumping out of my skin, then developed a migraine, then had the period from hell, so was quite put off! Propanolol were prescribed as they are commonly used as a prophylactic defence against migraine, I think they stop migraines being caused by changes in blood pressure, if taken on a regular basis, but can cause apathy and tiredness, which to be honest, we just don't need! I get times when my heart starts rapidly beating, and I can often hear blood rushing into my head, not anxiety, it just seems to be a physical response to nothing, at those times I take propranolol, or when I am in a situation where I know I will feel anxious, as those are triggers for migraine. That's interesting about low testosterone - I have completely lost my libido over the past year, but also am capable of growing a beard and moustache and sideburns that would make any hipster proud!
I remember my mother complaining post-meno about the 'funny head', she wasn't a classic migraine sufferer but used to have days of low-grade headache and fuzziness. She also took HRT - she was absolutely crazy during menopause, and said that HRT calmed her down, she stopped due to the health scares. But she had a very different character to me, she was always very hyper, very fiery whereas I'm just indolent and lack energy, characteristics that seem to be exaggerated by menopause.
I can understand how difficult it must be having to work, I feel bad that my husband has had to shoulder the responsibility and appreciate how lucky I am that he does this, I can't imagine how other women cope when they have no choice - I've been signed off sick but could never cover the mortgage if I was on my own. It causes a lot of friction in our relationship particularly as we have a son who often says ' so and so has got a lovely house/latest xbox/new TV' etc and dad says 'well that's because both his parents work'....
I hope you're having a good day today - I always am if I'm headache free, although currently have tendonitis, another menopausal symptom apparently (rather that than migraine though).
Onwards and upwards :-)