|
|
Veteran
Posts: 165
 
| Does anyone else on here suffer from menstrual migraines? I get them every month and they are the worst! They completely debilitate me for up to 3 days at a time and I simply cannot function at all, anything that stimulates my brain will make me sick to my stomach, noises, light, even just moving my arm or leg. All I can do is lay still in a dark room with an ice pack pressed against my head and concentrate on shallow breathing because breathing even hurts and sometimes I get these crazy adreneline rushes that start in my toes and go right through my whole body into my fingertips. I can't seem to tolerate a lot of drugs. I've had scary reactions to a couple of the rx headache meds, some antibiotics, I'm even allergic to alcohol, so needless to say I'm a bit leary of trying any of the new headache meds. I can tolerate ibuprofen and tylenol, but they don't even touch my headaches. I am currently taking supplements of magnesium, b2 and coq10, but they aren't helping either. I eat a very healthy diet, rarely any processed foods, a variety of vegetable and our homegrown meat. I try to avoid wheat and dairy as much as possible and live a fairly healthy lifestyle, working around the farm... I drink 1 to 2 cups of coffee per day, that is my only vice. Have talked to gyn about hysterectomy and they say they don't recommend it, sometimes it makes headaches worse... I guess most people stop the headaches with menopause. I am 45 yrs old and I would gladly take the hot flashes and whatever else comes with that if it meant I didn't have to deal with these headaches anymore. I've been getting them since I was a teenager, but they are getting much worse in the past couple of years.
Is anyone else dealing with this? Any tricks or suggestions? |
|
| |
|
Cold hands and Warm Heart
 
Location: oklahoma | I could have written this :). I take 3 excedrin migraine, seems to help as much as an rx, dark room, cold compress on my eyes and sleep it off. I've been getting them for 30 years. Wish that I had something helpful to add. I'll be watching this thread  |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1930
 
Location: Not where I should be... | Has your GYN mentioned an IUD? I suffered with them for years, even contemplated a hysterectomy too even though I was only in my 20s. I didn't care... I just wanted the pain to stop. My mirena IUD leveled out those hormones and eliminated that awful drop in estrogen that causes the headaches. It changed my life. |
|
| |
|
With God all things are possible
Posts: 3917
| look up chronicmigraine.com has a lot of info |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 639
Location: God's country...aka TEXAS | I take a migraine prevention medication everyday and it significantly reduces my migraines, even during my period. It is called Inderal. Not sure if you would have a reaction to it tho :/ I have no problems with it. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 225
| My neurologist put a steroid block in my head directly on the nerve because mine were always on the right side of my head it seems to have helped quite a bit! I feel your pain I get them too! They are awful!
|
|
| |
|
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| I get migraines A LOT, I have the IUD and it made them worse, every time i am in the states i get Exedrine Migraine and the tension migraine pills. Recently I tried botox for migraines- it helped but the one pill that i find works best is called Relpax. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 31
| I had the same type of migraine an neurologist put me on low dose of atenolol daily an gyn dr. Put me on birth control pills. This really helped. After menopause started they just changed birth control pill to half a hormon replacement pill daily an continued the blood pressure med atenolol. This has worked great an I only
Get Migraines every once in a while. When I get one I take Maxalt which is presc. migraine med.
|
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 653
Location: Quinlan, TX | My Doc prescribed me 5mg Zomig. It comes in a spray or a pill. I used to get migraines on a weekly and sometimes daily basis and now I rearely get them. |
|
| |
|
 Ima Fickle Fan
Posts: 3547
Location: Texas | You need to get in with a doctor who will refer you to a neurologist. Most neurologists will only take new patients on a referral basis.
Right now you are treating the symptoms and not the actual problem. The best long-term solution is to determine what is triggering the migraines. If it is hormonal, find a doctor who will address and resolve that.
You also really need to get a MRI. I used to get really bad headaches. They were pretty much a daily problem. Long story short, it was due to bleeding on the brain. This was discovered because I had a stroke. I know my situation may be more extreme, but it's better to fix a problem rather than treat the symptoms. Good luck! |
|
| |
|
  Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4553
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | You are magnesium deficient.. Magnesium citrate 400 mg. It will take 3 months to be fully in your system so don't give up on it. Also be sure to drink plenty of water. This will give plenty of relief if you have no other issues. It can be bought at any grocery store. |
|
| |
|
 The Vaccinator
Posts: 3810
Location: Slipping down the slope of old age. Boo hoo. | aggiejudger - 2014-01-28 12:28 PM
You need to get in with a doctor who will refer you to a neurologist. Most neurologists will only take new patients on a referral basis.
Right now you are treating the symptoms and not the actual problem. The best long-term solution is to determine what is triggering the migraines. If it is hormonal, find a doctor who will address and resolve that.
You also really need to get a MRI. I used to get really bad headaches. They were pretty much a daily problem. Long story short, it was due to bleeding on the brain. This was discovered because I had a stroke. I know my situation may be more extreme, but it's better to fix a problem rather than treat the symptoms. Good luck!
I second this recommendation to see a Neurologist. I suffered for over 25 years with terrible headaches that were migraine-like. MISERABLE. They got worse as I got older to the point I was vomiting... taking days to recover. Anyway - after years of dealing with "regular" doctors who put it all off as just migraines.. hormone-related, etc., I ended up with a terrific neurologist who did all the right tests and determined the *real* cause. He started me on a very small dose of medication and I never had another headache - EVER. The end. That Neurologist is my hero. He took the time to do a full history... do the tests.. He actually LISTENED to me regarding all of the symptoms. He will forever be my hero. I have never had another of those headaches since beginning the low dose of medication.
So.... don't give up. Good luck. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 165
| I guess I need to try and get referred to a neurologist. I did see one a few years back and he wasn't overly ambitious to figure it all out, but maybe I'll have better luck this time. We live about 3 hours from the closest city that has any specialists, so it's a bit of a hassle, but the way they seem to be intensifying I obviously need to just make the time and go. I have tried so many things naturally, and as I said I have had some very adverse effects from some prescription meds that were prescribed to me in the past and that has kind of scared me off of going to the Dr and trying new meds, especially based on the fact that I'm not really near any hospitals... if I do have reactions. There's no feeling quite like having an allergic reaction where your tongue and lips are swelling, heart racing, numb hands and feet, And a terrible migraine all at once. Lol
|
|
| |
|
boon
Posts: 1
| I used to get migraines with aura pretty frequently, usually caused by stress, food (artificial sweeteners or cheese), or waiting too long in between meals. I was always worried about traveling because I never knew when one would appear.
I went to a neurologist and I now take 40 mg of Propranolol daily (beta-blocker like Inderal, which helps prevent them). If I do get one, I take Imitrex nasal spray, 800 mg of ibuprofen, put ice on my forehead, and sleep in a dark room. An hour later, I am 100% better.
I found that it is crucial to take Imitrex and lie down immediately. I keep it in my purse at all times. It starts to work quickly and the migraine doesn't progress very far. Before Imitrex, it took me a lot longer than an hour to recover.
I haven't had a migraine in over a year and they don't control my life anymore. I highly recommend seeing a neurologist so they can help you come up with the best treatment plan for you. Hope you find relief soon! |
|
| |
|
 Mature beyond Years
Posts: 10780
Location: North of the 49th Parallel | I don't usually get menstrual/horomonal migraines but mine are usually caused by weather. And I live in the worst freaking region of Canada for rapid weather changes. I have been on 75mg of nortriptiylene since I was 16 (I'm 20 now) and recently started taking 50mg of Topomax. I will probably cut out the Topomax because it's not making a difference except for the weight loss (YAY!). When I have a migraine I usually take oxycodone, maxoren (anti-nausea) and if it's really bad IM Toradol. If it's a slight migraine I can get by on tramacet or oral toradol. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 582
| I used to have the same problem. I was very estrogen dominant and I was suffering from recurring ovarian cysts, primarily on my left side. I had horrible menstrual cycles that would last for 2 weeks! I could not tolerate any type of birthcontrol, it made the headaches worse at best or at worst made me a crying moody lunatic. The only thing that helped was a hysterectomy. They left the right ovary so I would not need hormone replacement, that was 6 years ago and it is the best thing I ever did for myself. I still get a headache now and then but they are stress related and advil usually does the trick.
You don't have to live in pain, somewhere there is a doctor that will be willing to get to the bottom of why you are having these. Whether it is an endocrinologist or a neurologist, my OB was the one who finally figured my problem out. |
|
| |
Folks on-line