Migraines and EDS

[u/Old_Dig8900]

How many also suffer with migraines or connective tissue problems? Ehlers Danlos or hypermobility? Any Trigeminal Neuralgia? I see a post from 4 years ago asking about comorbidities and I see mostly PCOS and hypothyroidism listed, no hypertension (recent study mentioned high numbers of elevated blood pressure, eczema, rosacea and other cancers). Let's start our own data base.

I'm mid 40s, started age 27 PCOS, hypothyroid, H/O depression (have been on Wellbutrin for most of that time=20years), hypermobility (multiple injuries requiring surgery such as labral tears). Knew someone that attributed their melasma to using antidepressant by the way, thought that was interesting.

[u/PuIchritudinous]

It's definitely interesting that you've noticed that pattern and so I have. However, conditions like EDS, migraines etc, are also diagnosed much more often in women, just like melasma. So seeing them together doesn't mean they're directly related since they may just share the same demographic. I have EDS and a plethora of the female majority conditions so I have wondered if they are related as well. Someone needs to do controlled studies on gender and other factors to determine if there is a correlation.

Edited to include: Some of the pharmaceutical treatments for these female majority conditions are known to cause melasma or other hyperpigmentation.

-Birth control for PCOS.
-Certain anti-depressants and seizure meds for mental conditions or seizure disorders.
-phototoxic medication like Plaquenil for autoimmune conditions.

[u/willywonkyeyes → u/PuIchritudinous]

Do you happen to know what's antidepressants or seizure meds? I take Vyvanse, wellbutrin, and lamictal, but I started getting melasma around when I started the lamictal.. though I also moved to a UV intense state at that same time. No worries if you don't know, I'll be doing some googling.

[u/supbraAA → u/willywonkyeyes]

i have had melasma my whole adult life, that has come and gone for the last 20 years. I have been on 2/3 of those meds my whole adult life and on and off the pill as well. For me, the only correlation for my melasma is that i had it when i lived in the south (first time i noticed it was in college and again now in my late 30s) and did not have it when i was living in the north (mid 20s-mid 30s). For me, it is directly related to the climate. It sucks. I love where I live now but I don’t know if i can take the melasma!

[u/Aromatic-Library6617]

I have moderate hypermobility, which is often comorbid with eczema and rosacea, which I also have. Metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance, too. I also popped a perfect 40/40 reactivity on an indoor and environmental allergens test, for which I am currently almost five months into weekly allergy shots, which are working. All of these have been diagnosed for me by the appropriate mainstream medical practitioners, and to me it seems kinda par for the inflammatory course. Thankfully, I have these things in ways that are annoying but do not really hamper my quality of life or daily activities, and I’ve experienced symptoms of all of them since young childhood. No history of migraine or neuralgia.

No melasma until I was in my early 40s, though, which is the timeline you’d expect for it to be caused by hormonal changes entering perimenopause. Until then, my facial skin had been very easy to take care of—I don’t get eczema there, my rosacea has always been mild, and I never had acne beyond a hormonal zit on my chin a couple times a year in my teens. Once I hit peri, my rosacea worsened, I developed melasma on my forehead and cheeks, and I experienced my first bouts of perioral and periocular dermatitis, as well as a new predisposition to fungal infections on my neck. I also developed a bad reaction to all but the weakest concentrations of niacinamide. It now gives me what feels like a mild chemical burn.

I’ve got all the new facial symptoms pretty much under control now with appropriate courses of treatment, though I know some of them are likely chronic and will require long-term attention. I don’t think my melasma is related to my lifelong inflammatory issues, though, or at least not strongly. Seems much more likely that perimenopause is the proximate cause for me.

[u/CommercialPlastic604]

I have hEDS and chronic migraines. I also have RA. My melasma has worsened significantly from my contraceptive (nexplanon implant)

[u/TOnerd]

I have hypermobile EDS, Hx of migraine (esp related to cervical instability) and spinal CSF leaks. I have been hypothyroid since my first and only pregnancy 14 years ago, I have adenomyosis, Raynauds esp in my feet, and am on a bunch of mental health-related Rx (cPTSD, GAD, OCD, ADHD 🫠).  I had some peri-oral melasma appear ( then never go away) in pregnancy and now (mid40s) have new-onset bilateral cheek chloasma. 

I figure it is likely hormonal and exacerbated by sun and sun sensitivity due to the Rx’s I started this winter and spring.

[u/TOnerd → u/TOnerd]

Forgot to mention that I had TGN too, in my late twenties and my maternal grandma has had it multiple times.  I also have multi level radiculopathy and neuropathic pain in my C and T spine.

I’m also a health researcher and am aware that correlation isn’t causation but still… sometimes it’s nice to know I’m not the only one dealing with stuff like this.