can we talk about the headaches?

At 50 plus 5 months I'm well into my menopause journey. So far there haven't been too many outrageous changes I've noticed. A hot flash here and there. An unexpected crying jag (I had one this morning). A middle thicker and more stubborn than it's ever been. My period still arrives like clockwork but the intervals between have shortened. 23 days is the new 28. 

But the headaches. Some fleeting, some chronic. A pressure mostly on the left side that can last up to 3 days. At my temple usually, just below the skin. It hurts to bend over to stand up to fast. Tylenol barely breaks the pain. Then there are the ones at the base of my skull. Behind my eyes.  In my jaw. Subtle pressure. Throbbing pain. 

I've never been a headache person. When I was a teenager they plagued me for awhile - looking back perhaps it was hormones then too. But this is intense. Scary sometimes. I can understand the appeal of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) if it made them go away. 

Not knowing what's causing them, how long they'll last, how long this will go on is frustrating. Infuriating. Challenging. When I try to live my life as calmly and healthfully as I can and then this keeps showing up sometimes it's hard to hold onto zen.