What do your pre-menstrual headaches feel like?

[Livida]

I get headaches throughout my cycle but there are a certain crop that are...worse, though less painful. I think they happen after ovulation. So, mine are a weird pressure that makes me want to close my eyes. Accompanied by brain fog and lethargy. Sometimes it feels like crawling on my scalp or temples. Sometimes the pressure builds so much that it's painful and then I need painkillers. Can anybody relate? I often worry they're symptomatic of something else but it appears not.

I get a migraine 2 or 3 days before bleeding every month.

I start out nauseated then the headache starts. It's behind my eyes and I pinch the bridge of my nose to release tension.

I vomit. Take 2 paracetamol, put on an eye mask and have to sleep it off. A hot bath helps too.

Every fucking month since 14

That's so awful, poor you. I also get the migraines but not every month. My mum was like you, would be in bed for 2-3 days a month. Absolute torture

Evening bump. Still feel awful !

I used to get a headache without fail for 2 days the week of my period. Only started in my 30s.

Very dull head, heavy brain fog, tired heavy eyes and constant nauseaous feeling. I would just go through the motions while at work and then go to my bed really early to sleep through it.

Paracetamol wouldnt touch it, strongest Ibruprofen available helped a little.

I very rarely get them now as my periods are only every 6-7 months, but I have a whole host of other problems thanks to menopause!

Yes sounds familiar! I wish mine were limited to a certain number of days though. I seem to have a few days a month when I feel ok and then there's something up the rest of the time

Like my brain is being stabbed with a toothpick

This describes mine exactly! I get migraines on specific days but those are easy to pinpoint and treat. However since my mid 30s I started getting a sickly, dull headache that's not one-sided but extremely stubborn. Also accompanied by immense fatigue and brain fog. It does respond to triptans though so I take that as a last resort.

It happens on the last few days after my period so I feel it must be related to a deficiency in one or both hormones. Once the cycle picks up again (esp second half luteal phase), the headaches are never there. I also never got them during pregnancy.

I normally get a bad headache/migraine a few days before like I've had yesterday and today. It knocks me out so I have to sleep, I struggle with lack of energy too. I also get them around ovulation time for 1 or 2 days

I get full blown migraines. I have the implant and don’t have periods but I have been getting 5/6 days per month of migraines.

left sided stabbing pain with brain fog and sensitivity to light and sound. It started affecting my work/driving and so I got the bullet and asked my GP for medication. I take them at the first sign of headache(only on the well I’d expect to have the migraine) and 2 months in things are much improved

I often get a headache during my period. Not had bad ones for ages but I'm on day 2 and got one bad today.

I’ve recently started with headaches before my periods, never suffered with them before! It’s been happening for the last 4 or so months. It’s on top of my head towards the right and is like a crushing pain. It’s obviously period related as I have the headache for 2 days then 3 day later my period starts.

God awful, my scalp feels bruised to touch.

Mine were migraines and I still get them occasionally now at 63 so don't be thinking there's an end to it.
It would start with a sort of dull pinching pain near my spine just below my neck only ever on the right hand side. It would travel up my neck to my ear and then on to my temple where it became a stabbing pain with blurred vision, sinusitis like pain and a weird ear ache. My head felt like it wasn't attached properly and was going to fall off my spine.
I would get one before and one after each period, which were thankfully usually short and pain free in a 3 week cycle so about only about 5-6 days a month not affected. I had a Mirena coil fitted at 37 after having DS and never had another bleed but the cycle continued.
Eventually lovely female GP gave me Atenolol which has reduced the frequency substantially and Sumatriptan which usually stops them if I take it before it gets past my ear.

3 days before until 4 or 5 days after it starts. Always on my left side going through my eyes to my jaw. No painkiller works. Briefly stopped when I was taking hrt.

Migraine a couple of days before period started. Sometimes so bad that I literally pulled out my hair on the top of my scalp to try and get relief. I was incapable of looking after my son. Past menopause now and migraines gone.

I used to get a crippling migraine which lasted a couple of days into my period, which my GP prescribed tramadol for.
I could always tell if it was going to develop into a migraine as it always started on my right temple and paracetamol wouldn't clear it, whereas a headache starting on my left temple would be sorted with a couple of paracetamol. All very strange.
When I hit the menopause, they disappeared. Now I just get a light headache maybe a couple of times a year that a couple of paracetamol get rid of.
Forty years of agony that I wouldn't wish on anyone. I sympathise with anyone who suffers them.

Really interesting, appreciating the read.
I'd say mine is right sided and based around the region between eye socket and ear. Alongside this, some sinus problems which cause dripping down the throat.
Feels as if digestion also suddenly plays up and will rebel against a few things, especially if not in the run of the mill making lunch/dinner. Combination of it all means deep tiredness.
Week of period is much better, but comes back again for 2 or 3 days afterwards.

@Ormally I used to feel like my skull was going to explode around the temple area.
Then on vomiting, I used to feel like my entire head would explode on every heave.
However, once I had vomited, the migraine would subside, so as much as I hated doing it, I used to deliberately make myself vomit when it got to an unbearable level of pain ( after several deep breaths of psyching myself up to do it ) knowing that it would bring some relief from the horrendous throbbing.
My mum used to suffer them at her periods and I used to worry that my daughter would too, but fortunately she escaped them.
I feel really sorry for anyone suffering them.

Yes, it does seem that nothing in the painkiller line is really suited to doing anything for these. More like, I don't know, a cause feeling similar to severe dehydration or heatstroke or something. Solidarity to everyone answering.

@Ormally my mum and I suffer. DD is 15 and started her periods a few years ago and she doesn't get them, same as your DD. Interesting!