C.P. asks from Jefferson City, MO on January 20, 2012
Menstrual Migraines/Headaches...What Do You Do?
I've started getting menstrual migraines. They usually start the day my period starts. I'll get them every afternoon for a couple of days. I can treat them with NSAIDS, but find that sleep is the best medicine. My period usually last 4 days.
I've been reading up on these and see that they are due to hormone fluctuations...the estrogen to progesterone ratios basically get messed up.
Before I call my GYN, I figured I'd ask other moms what has worked for them....if you get headaches like mine, what have you done? What did your doctor prescribe?
ETA: I forgot to mention...I don't take or use any hormonal birth control...so that can be ruled out. :-) (Yay, vasectomy!!!)
Thanks!
So What Happened?™
I have an appointment in a couple of hours...I'll let you all know how it goes! <3
So I went to my appointment and my doctor prescribed me a low-dose hormonal birth control. I've taken it all month and when my next period arrived, I didn't get any headaches.
Until the last two days.
So obviously the drop in hormones during the "sugar pill" week causes the headaches. Luckily I had the other pills she prescribed me...some benzo/tylenol/caffiene pills for the headaches, which dulled the pain a bit.
Sigh.
Featured Answers
K.S. answers from Detroit on January 20, 2012
I take Naproxen in the morning before work, and then come home later and get in my jammies and go to sleep. Sometimes I get my husband to stroke my head. Sometimes I put a cool washcloth on my forehead. I lie down and stay in a darkened room. I seek total silence. I breathe deeply and slowly. I drink a lot of water. I do all of these things.
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M.M. answers from Chicago on January 20, 2012
I used to get them for 7 full days at a time. Switching to a lower dose pill helped, initially. Then I'd only get them for 2 days at a time.
None of the migraine meds ever helped me, prescription or OTC.
I discovered through a lot of trial/error that my headaches responded best to Aspirin. Plain old aspirin. I'd take 3 at a time, and that usually did the trick.
Aleve works the same for me. It's the anti-inflamatory effect that I need.
And when it's really, really bad, I've got a stash of Vicodin. :)
1 mom found this helpful
S.P. answers from Birmingham on January 20, 2012
Excedrin Migraine (or the store brand of same)! They have saved me many headaches. I have bottles everywhere, purse, home, car. At the start of one, I can take one or two and usually it's gone with 15 minutes. For me, it's my life saver!
1 mom found this helpful
L.A. answers from Austin on January 20, 2012
Yes, I used to have to sleep them off,too.. Then they started happening more and more often as I got older. Now I am on a beta blocker. It has change my life. Very low dosage. Ask your doctor.
1 mom found this helpful
K.S. answers from Detroit on January 20, 2012
I take Naproxen in the morning before work, and then come home later and get in my jammies and go to sleep. Sometimes I get my husband to stroke my head. Sometimes I put a cool washcloth on my forehead. I lie down and stay in a darkened room. I seek total silence. I breathe deeply and slowly. I drink a lot of water. I do all of these things.
1 mom found this helpful
T.R. answers from San Francisco on January 20, 2012
I have found that getting adjusted by my chiropractor has helped my headaches alot. I used to get a terrible migraine the day before my period would start.
1 mom found this helpful
L.B. answers from New York on January 20, 2012
I suffer, have not found anything other than sleep that consistently relieves my PMS migraine
1 mom found this helpful
V.M. answers from Cleveland on January 20, 2012
I have to sleep it off if i get one. If i have been gettign enough sleep all along it seems to hold them off, but i know if i've been up too late i'll more than likely end up iwth one.
Tylenol never helped, Excedrine does.
Do you think you need to talk to your gyno about early menopause? I don't know just a suggestion.
1 mom found this helpful
J.J. answers from Denver on January 20, 2012
I get "ocular migraines" the week before my period. This is where the vision whites out and then I get a dull headache. I can also get slurred speech and everything.
Nothing is terribly effective, but I usually don't take medications. When I feel it coming on, I run and drink something with lots of caffeine, because this helps to constrict the vessels. I also try to close my eyes for about 15 min. Scary when driving! I have to pull over.
By the way, a GYN won't really be much of an expert on this subject. Where I live, there are "headache" centers which specialize in this type of thing.
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