menstrual migraines

[tinylegacies]

I looked back through the headaches/migraines tag and the women's health: menstruation tag but didn't find anything that seemed to combine the two

Comments

[love2loveher]

Are you on a hormonal birth control? Those have a major impact on my menstrual migraines.

Not natural - but prozac, even if just taken for that one week a month, helps.

Prenatal vitamins have really helped some friends of mine.

[tinylegacies]

No hbc. I have been thinking about getting a mirena iud though.

And I'm on zoloft already.

[dangerous_beans]

As a form of birth control I love the mirena. I rarely have periods and cramps anymore (and the months I do get 'em, it comes as a complete surprise, but they aren't as bad as when without a hormone regulating that stupid organ). I remain bitchy, but I don't think that's entirely PMS. *grin*

Re: nausea and cramping, I found that candied ginger helped a lot for me. I used to eat ginger before and after I went dancing instead of dramamine.

[nabba]

on Mirena, my already disabling migraines got worse; nearly as bad as not being on any hbc at all. just a heads up.

you can try taking magnesium to see if that helps, prenatal vitamins are packed with stuff, so I usually buy those and then the others I need to take as a supplement (B and D) I have those as well. You can find a B-complex that would be the best bet vitamin-wise.

However if you're getting them often enough, you really should consider a preventative.

[audacian]

Coffee helps me when I don't catch them early enough to take my migraine meds (or can't find them, which happened once, yuck!).

They also got better for me when I stopped hormonal birth control, but if you're not on that that's not much help.

Feel better!

[tinylegacies]

see, the problem with coffee is that it tears my stomach up worse. same issue as pain meds.

and no, not on hbc.

[love2loveher]

The caffeine in the coffee is what helps - I find that Excedrin Migraine is fantastic for some of my intense headaches (nothing but sleep helps my little migraines) because it has the caffeine/aspirin/acetametaphin conbination. I think that regular Excedrin has just acetametaphin and caffeine, which would be more gentle on your stomach.

(I'm sure I miss-spelled all meds in this post. Sorry about that.)

[alasharia_la]

The caffeine ... is what helps
... and that is why I just drink a glass or ten of cola!

Interestingly, there is a migraine med now that is a combination of paracetamol, ibuprofen and caffeine, and apparently it works miracles. It still isn't available in Australia, so I just stick with bunny hoping the OTC analgesics and swallowing them with a glass of cola.

[druiaen]

I've read that magnesium is supposed to help, it was first recommended by a friend who also suffers menstrual migraines and she said it helped her a ton. I bought a bottle of magnesium pills last month (my migraine prescription is completely useless for menstrual ones). I've been taking one every day with my other vitamins, I guess I'll find out in about 8 days if it helps!

[tinylegacies]

what dose of magnesium are you taking?

[druiaen]

I take one 500mg pill per day. I've read that 100% RDA is good for prophylaxis, that's 400mg. 600-800mg for more serious cases so I figure 500 should be just right.

[wanderingstars9]

I began taking magnesium as well, and it has helped me a TON! Around my period, I take a regular daily dose of magnesium, and if I feel any head pain coming on at all, I take a double or sometimes even triple dose. I read some medical journals recently found that during a migraine, your brain magnesium levels drop a lot, and apparently taking it helps balance that out

[rasputin_fish]

I do not suffer from menstrual migraines but I do suffer from about every other bad thing that can happen to a person during menstruation - excruciating cramping, nausea, intense anxiety, hot flashes, mood swings, dull headaches that last 4 or 5 days, etc. - and my OBGYN recommended acupuncture. I go every week and try to go twice a week in the days leading up to my period. It has helped immensely. In my city there's a sliding scale clinic so even though my insurance doesn't cover it, it doesn't cost much for me to go.

[graced_life]

I second this. My premenstrual symptoms were becoming crippling and acupuncture has been miraculous.

[wanderingstars9]

Yes, acupuncture has helped me a ton with migraines (as I commented above), and also with overall relaxation and well-being. I think it is the best thing I have done for myself.

[kjames]

I used to get menstrual migraines but have successfully staved them off for about 2 years (with one or two thrown in there) by eating food with soy protein in it(Kashi GoLean Crunch cereal and Luna Bars, mostly) right around the time I know I'm going to be starting my period. The times I have gotten a migraine were times I wasn't paying attention to my cycle and forgot to be vigilant about it. I spoke with my Dr. about it and she feels this is an acceptable way of treating it. Good luck, migraines are Teh Suck.