Terrible hormonal headaches - anyone know anything that helps?

[BewareTheBeardedFatMan]

I get terrible hormonal headaches around my period and ibuprofen, paracetamol, drinking lots of water does not help.

Resting in a quiet dark room would help - but being a single parent to 4 young children that ain't happening. I also don't get enough sleep - which also doesn't help but is impossible to change right now.

Does anyone else suffer and have any ideas which might help?

I find soluble aspirin works a lot better than ibuprofen.

I get hormonal migraines.
I find sometimes the stuff you can get via the pharmacy helps but speaking to the dr and getting proper migraine meds
Was the only real answer for me.

Hello, sorry to hear you are suffering.
I get a migraine on the first day of my period every month without fail. Sometimes have them at other times but that’s the one I can count on arriving!
I take cocodamol for mine, along with a triptan. Only need one dose and it zaps it right away within an hour. Paracetamol and ibuprofen don’t touch the pain at all. It took a few tries of different medicine to get the one that works for me every time without fail so could be worth speaking to your GP if you can at the moment.
Even over the counter cocodamol might help you - I took this for the odd bad headache when I was pregnant as couldn’t take my normal cocktail.

Hope you get some answers and advice, headaches are bloody miserable.

When I get these I find the only thing that helps is co-codamol

I get the same anadin extra is the only thing that works for me! Soluble one is quicker but tablets work too

I get horrendous debilitating migraines at the tail end of my periods. I've been prescribed sumatriptan and they're brilliant, they work within 20 minutes of taking.

I'm sorry that you all have this too. I think I'll have to speak to the GP then because it's been going on for years. I'll try over the counter in the meantime.

I'd also suggest you ask your gp about sumatriptan. They magically cure my regular migraines in less than an hour. I couldn't be without them. You can also buy them over the counter in chemists too. Make sure you take them as soon as a migraine starts. God luck!

I was going to suggest anadin extra aswell or just plain aspirin when the paracetamol won't touch it

Other posters seem to have covered pain relief rather well, but a few months ago I did some reading online about pmt and headaches and I saw a recommendation to take a magnesium supplement. I started several months ago taking it before bed. It helps with my sleep and seems to have helped with hormonal headaches. Might be worth a try.

SYNDOL tablets! Amazing things, nothing else has ever helped with my hormonal headaches!

Do you get pain in neck area and down one side?

Thank you for all the ideas. I am now determined to stop gritting my teeth and bearing it, and do something about these bastard things.

Have you tried aspirin? I get migraines and I’ve found that 3 x 300mg aspirin really work and then I take more 6 hours or so later even if I no longer have it to prevent it coming back

I get them every day each month for a week before my period. I'm pretty sure mine are not migraine as get awful pain right across my head, face and neck. They really are quite debilitating and I feel your pain OP with not having enough time to deal with them properly around work and childcare!

Anadin extra often helps a bit but I find doing some face and neck massage really helps release the muscles.

Are you on oestrogen based contraception?.

I used to have a big problem with hormonal migraines too. I now take evening primrose oil every day and it's worked wonders for me.

I suffer greatly with these as well, I use -

Water

Tesco/Superdrug Co Codamol 8/500mg £2.50 (not to many as Codeine can make headaches I usually take 2 in a whole day.

And

Tesco/Superdrug/Wilko/B&M -
Ibuprofen with Lysine £2.00 ish.
Headache usually goes within an hour.

4Head stick to rub on temples.

Rio facial steamer (from Argos) with Lavender oil then inhale.

Lavender shower gel/bath creme.

Tisserand Lavender & Coconut facial spritz.

Subtle Lavender is very good for headaches!

I believe the NICE recommendation is no longer opiate-based pain relief, but an anti-inflammatory. I used to have a 2x 30/500 codeine and paracetamol prescription, but now have Naproxen for long term use. It may be different for occasional use. Good luck!

Solpadeine max is basically soluble co codamol. You can feel them starting to work really quickly. Also second a triptan but you'll need to get them on prescription

I buy ibuprofen 342mg from like asda, boots etc and take 2 of these

If that fails hours later I take 3 aspirin 30mg plus 2 paracetamol together

2 anadin extra and a cold can of full sugar coke. My trigger is stormy weather.

Syndol. Total gamechanger.

I'm not on any kind of birth control - I have never got on with them. Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I tend to get them for several days during and after my period. I get pain behind my eyes, and across the top of my head accompanied by mild nausea. Lights, and loud high pitched noises exacerbate it - which is not ideal in a house full on small Screeching children who like to watch the TV...

I also discovered that aspirin helps. Amazing extra is the only thing that helps.