Menstrual migraines

[Ineedachange]

Does anyone have any experience of these?

My best friend gets them, and I'm asking here with her permission.

She'd been having them for years, but lately they have got worse. Much worse. She gets sick and loses half a stone every 3 weeks now.

She has seen so many doctors, specialists, tried everything and I feel helpless.

What can I do?

Doesn't she have a prescription for migraine if she is suffering for many years?
I usually get a blinding headache before my period is due. Since period migraine is such a common term I assumed that the headache I got was migraine. I have nausea, light sensitivity and very painful headache. Luckily I saw a gp during my period and he told me that my nasal turbinates were inflamed and swollen which was causing the headache. So in actual what I get is a sinus headache. Nasal turbinates are sensitive to women cycle.
I take sudafed sinus relief tablet for the period headache now and everything is okay.
For your friend, ask her to look inside her nose when she gets her headache next time . If her turbinates are swollen she can easily see it with a torch. If they are swollen then take advise from your GP.

I get these. Have done since I gave birth several years ago. They're getting slowly worse. I get 1 at ovulation, & anything from 1-3 on the week of my period. The headache is absolutely dreadful, feels like my brain is in a vice, & I get waves of nausea which feel like they go down to my knees. Sometimes vomit, sometimes not. I have to retire to bed, take analgesics, & try to sleep through it. I find I can sleep all day & still feel exhausted.

I get hemiplegic migraines as well so I can't take triptans, but I don't know if they might be helpful for your friend?
I am on botox which is somewhat helpful for both types.
I also take magnesium, as recommended by the migraine trust (I think).

Sisyphus - Yours sounds similar to my friend. Only hers have got far worse.

Last week she was in bed for 3 days, she vomits now every single time. She's loses half a stone, she's tiny anyway, she hasn't got it to lose. She had to see her GP twice for injections because due to the pain.
I can't remember all the meds she takes for them.

I just don't know what to suggest to her, and she hates asking me for help.
I know she was having injections to force the menopause to see if it would alleviate them, but it didn't work. She has been seeing specialists for years now but nothing is helping.

She's tried everything. She has said that she's thinking about getting in touch with the migraine trust for help.

Her husband has always been very good; patient, helpful, supportive. But two months ago he gave her grief because it was his birthday and they had made plans. My friends so hates to let him down.

She's very stoic, has always been very pragmatic, I've the emotional one out of the two of us. But this time she just broke down crying, she's at her wits end and she says she doesn't know what to do anymore.
I'm really worried for her.
I'm concerned that this is becoming a mental health issue as much as it is a medical one.

Had menstrual migraine 25 years but now after menopause all gone. Such a waste of happiness every month. Hugs to your friend.
She’s probably doing these already but this info came from headaches nurse.
Lead dull life.
Go to bed same time every night even weekends
Get up same time even weekends and holidays
Never binge alcohol
Never skip meals
Drink water regularly
Avoid sugary food
I tried acupuncture, chiropractor, Botox injections, beta blockers, the pill, extra hormones, all the triptans as they were invented.
Triptans were best combined with sugar avoidance and increasing exercise

I get this too, it's awful. My doctor prescribed the progesterone only pill but it made the migraines worse, absolutely awful. I was then prescribed sumatriptan to take when a migraine came on. This worked a little but not significantly.

I am now on the combined pill. This was risk assessed by the doctor and as I don't get migraines with auras or visual disturbances and am normal BMI and have low blood pressure it was ok to prescribe.

I take the pill without a 7 day break to keep the hormone levels stable. I do sometimes still get migraines but they are not as severe or as frequent and are more responsive to the sumatriptan. I feel much better on this pill.

Menstrual migraines are normally caused by a drop in oestrogen before and during a period. I also used to get migraines just before ovulation. You can get other oestrogen treatments to try and stop the sudden drop.

Thanks Rinsefirst and Tartan.
This is happening every 3 weeks now. I believe she has been through all the treatments. We have a big neurology centre here so I know she's getting the best care available.

The only thing I can offer is to help pick up her shopping. She's already very busy, they have something close to a small holding and she has horses too. She's thinking of selling the horses because she's so completely scuppered when she gets the migraines.
She stopped drinking a few years ago now (she was my drinking buddy ) and she definitely gets plenty of exercise.

Anyway, thanks ladies for your help. It's hard you know, when you feel totally helpess and she's my best friend. We've known each other since we were 14 years old.

You sound a really good pal.
The thing is the headaches are virtually predictable. It’s a case of accepting that normal life / any plans can only get made 67% of the time until new avenues can be explored. Can she ask the numerological team if she can take part in trials ?
Look also online at any US or European studies or papers??