What Causes Persistent Headache Along With Short-term Memory Loss?

Question: Thanks, Dr. XXXXXXX Yes, I remember when my periods started back up in February after two years of missing them that the first one was a bit heavier and lasted an extra day or two.

I'm relieved that one mystery has been semi-solved, as I'm on a separate quest to determine the cause of a persistent headache, spacey/shaky spells, short-term memory loss and tremors in my hands, feet and right leg, plus some other odd neurological symptoms. There are still 6-7 theories out on all that between my doctors here at home plus two neurologists that have given me their insight and recommendations here on this site. Possibilities range from Lupus to Parkinson's to TIAs to MS to a bad case of stress/anxiety/depression to migraines causing all of this. None of those sound like very much fun, but it will be good to get some kind of diagnosis so I can know what my options are for treatment.

It will be interesting to see if my headaches ease up now that I've started my period. The headaches, disorientation started about five weeks ago, and the tremors started the same week I should have had my August period that never showed up. I felt loopy and tired and emotional like early pregnancy, but I wasn't pregnant. My neurologist wanted to write it off to menopause, but we now know that's not the case from the labs plus the proof today.

I'll leave this discussion open until I get the printout of my hormone labs from my primary care doctor on Wednesday morning and I'll upload those, for information.

Thanks again for your time and your patience,
XXXXXXX

Thanks, Dr. XXXXXXX

1) I have never used injectable contraception. Never used the patch, never had an IUD or the hormone ring. I have not taken oral contraceptives since 2001. I had a slight stroke in 2001 and immediately stopped taking oral contraceptives.

2) The only chronic health problem I have is joint pain for the past 7 years since my son was born. RA was suspected as the cause, but not confirmed. My doctor drew blood for a rheumatoid panel last week, I'll get those results tomorrow.

3) Regarding the presence/absence of my cycle as it relates to my recent sexual history, I have a theory, but it will sound crazy. When I don't have a sexual partner, or when my sexual partner is a much older man or one who I don't consider to be good "breeding stock" for some reason, I don't ovulate. Conversely, when I have a partner who is young, has high T-levels and good genetic material for baby-making, my cycle returns. My libido waxes and wanes along with whether or not I'm ovulating. This started when I approached 40, almost like my body is conserving its remaining eggs for the best mating prospects.

During the two-year time that I did not ovulate, I was involved in a casual relationship with an old friend, a man of nearly 60 who I would never have a baby with. In February when my periods returned, I started dating a 27-year old man with very high T-levels and superior genes. My periods stopped right after we broke up in July. There is a new man in my life in the past month, younger than me, high T-levels and great genes. He's just a friend at this point as I have been leery about starting a relationship with all my current health problems, but we've been physically close enough for him to bring on my current cycle.

I'm pretty sure this is WAY more information than you wanted, and clinically it's probably an impossible correlation. I could make a great case study for someone whose focus is evolutionary reproductive medicine. My ovaries, it seems, are very Darwinian, LOL.

Thanks, XXXXXXX

Dr. XXXXXXX

I've been trying to upload the lab results and I keep getting a server error, so here they are. This blood was drawn at about 1 p.m. on Sept. 19, which is 14 days prior to the start of my period. When my cycles were regular, they were between 29 and 32 days long.

Total serum estrogen 576 (range for luteal phase 70-700)
FSH 11.3 (range for Mid-cycle peak 3.1-17.7)
LH 35.5 (range for Mid-cycle peak 8.7-76.3)
Progesterone .6 (there is no Mid-cycle peak range ----- listed for this one. Range for follicular phase ----- 1.9-12.5 and range for luteal phase is ----- 2.6-21.5)

On Sept. 25 I had a TSH test done:

3rd generation TSH 2.129 (range is .3 to 4.5)

My CBC was normal, my doctor wrote "excellent" on the printout.
My blood was negative for ANA and my Rheumatoid Factor came out a 9.

Hope this helps. My doctor today told me she can do nothing for my headaches, spells of disorientation or the tremors in my hands and feet. She suggested Excedrin (aspirin + caffeine). After I waited nearly two hours past my appointment time to get in to see her, she said I probably just have bad genes from my grandparents and told me not to eat anything that they didn't eat on the old TV show, "Little House on the XXXXXXX " She said nothing processed, no wheat, no alcohol, no caffeine, no white sugar, no food additives and nothing genetically modified. My son will love that, we can get a farm and raise chickens, hogs and dairy cows and live off the land. My frustration is showing through here a little.

I've got an appointment with a Pranic healer to get my chakras balanced and heal any tears in my energy tomorrow. Figure it can't hurt.

Thanks, XXXXXXX

Dr. XXXXXXX

Thanks for looking at the labs. The progesterone sounds like a very good plan. I have a feeling my OB/GYN will try to put me on oral contraceptives again. He's prescribed them three times, I never get the prescriptions filled. In case I can't talk him into the progesterone-only tablets, are the OTC progesterone creams sold in the health food stores just as effective? I looked one up online at it listed a dosage of 22 mg progesterone per 1/4 teaspoon. Would that be equivalent to the two tablets if I used 1/8 teaspoon in the AM and 1/8 teaspoon in the PM on cycle days 15-25? Or would I need to use more to compensate for less than the 22 mg being absorbed through the skin?

So disappointed I won't have to become a homesteader on Little House on the XXXXXXX That advice was on the heels of my neurologist here telling me I needed to pray more and give my headaches, tremors and all the rest up to the Holy Spirit. I did pray. I prayed that I would find one doctor who could offer some useful advice and a pragmatic approach to help me get better. You have done that and I cannot express how grateful I am to you for that.

Thanks again,
XXXXXXX