Hormonal Migraines - what works?

[SugarOrange]

Without fail, every period and ovulation I get debilitating migraines (it’s so bad I can’t bear noise, even speaking level, or bright lights).

It also really affects my sinuses. Every migraine my nose will stream and I’ll feel like I have a bad head cold, then it clears up as soon as the migraine goes.

I saw a consultant who did an MRI (all clear). He diagnosed migraines and prescribed zomig, but they make me feel really sick and faint. He also suggested taking aspirin, which I do.

I find the only things that help ease the pain slightly are aspirin, nasal sprays, ice packs on my forehead, and weirdly enough chewing gum.

Has anyone found anything that helps considerably? Or even better, something that stops them from coming on in the first place?

My consultant offered epilepsy medication that I could take every day to prevent them (I’m not epileptic but apparently they work on migraines).. but I want to avoid taking medication all the time..

The only thing that really works for me is the pill. I do take other migraine medication daily but I have other triggers.

Sayana press injections all the way! A self given injection done at home every 12 weeks, no periods, no migraines and no pain! What more could you ask for….

Naproxen works for me most of the time, it’s prescription only.

I get awful menstrual migraines that last 3 days, and then 2 days of awful fatigue afterwards. Sumatriptan can sometimes knock it on the head but only if I catch it before it starts.

( I noticed a while back that I yawn loads on the day before a migraine, so if I’m able to take a Sumatriptan as soon as I spot suspicious yawning, the migraine doesn’t develop.)

Full fat Coke with soluble aspirin can also help manage the pain. I mainly just lie very still and earnestly wish for death.

I’ve given up alcohol and caffeine but neither made a difference.

I take sumitriptan for mine and find if I take it with ibuprofen it helps. Interestingly I read a thread on here a few days ago about white tiger balm that helps some too so have ordered some to try. Mine are hormonal due to menopause. They are awful OP, hope you find something that works for you.

My GP recommended 3x aspirin if I feel a twinge to try to head it off but this only works with normal headaches. I take sumatriptan each month, usually 3 or 4 (one a day) which usually works. I need to see my GP again though as apparently you shouldn't take sumatriptan for cluster migraines, which I suspect they are as they come back each morning. My colleague suffers from menopause migraines and has a nasal spray on prescription. I used to be on mini pill but didn't like taking them every day just to prevent hormonal migraines as I don't need them as a contraceptive

You should try acupuncture!! Look into it. It's incredible and has fixed many of my ailments over the years.

I find antihistamines can help mine, weirdly

Progesterone only pill. Not had a migraine since.

Another vote for the mini pill, was having up to 3 a week, was dominating my life, haven't had one for 4 years now.

Acupuncture! Totally sorted my terrible debilitating hormonal migraines hardly ever get them now.

I had my daith pierced 3 months ago and no migraines since. I was getting them before ovulating and before my period and was having full blown symptoms... slurred speech, aura, numbness and forgetting words and talking backwards!!

No idea how it works but it has!

Daily propranolol and then zomig if I have a migraine works for me. Cut mine down from 5 migraines a month to the occasional migraine every few months. I also tried daily amitriptyline which worked for the migraines but I was like a zombie even on a minimal dose and couldn't tolerate it.

I tried all manner of things (Vitamin B, magnesium, taurine, domperidone, several preventers, several relievers including most of the triptans, naproxen, Cefaly, acupuncture, ditching caffeine and peanuts and red wine) for mine. Some things worked for a few hours but then the migraine would recur.

After a consultation with National Migraine Centre they suggested a triptan (I take frova) and naproxen, and metaclopramide and to repeat the naproxen after about 6 hours. This does seem to work, I feel dreadful (weak, shaky) for about 2 hours but it goes and doesn't come back, and in fact I have never needed to do the repeat naproxen.

Mine are also quite sinusy and sometimes taking the generic version of Sudafed can ward one off too. Also bizarrely a hot wheat bag across my eyes helps. Thankfully they are much less frequent now as am in menopause (perimenopause was awful, they got worse) so hopefully they will stop.

My period migraines went away when I was on progesterone suppositories but that isn’t a healthy long term option. Still it made me think that thenpain is caused by low progesterone which I know I have

Following with interest!

@Ardith I have read and also been told that they are due to progesterone fluctuations too.

@arejcenencehche3uh9f3 yes that’s exactly how Zomig makes me feel! I also have naturally low blood pressure and it felt like it dropped it even further to make me feel faint.. with a little one in tow I just couldn’t risk feeling like I would pass out. I will try the hot wheat bag!

@TheProf I’ve heard about this helping others, but I didn’t know if it would help for hormonal migraines - I’ll take a look into it.

@smilesup thank you, I’ve seen a few comments about acupuncture and the most natural options are usually the best for me so I’ll look into this too.

Great to hear the pill is working for some, unfortunately I can’t take it.

I also tried naproxen but it had no effect but I’ve seen sumotriptan come up a few terms and heard of it previously so I’ll speak to my GP to see if I can try it. Thank you everyone

Feverfew, magnesium and reflexology have changed my life. I was suffering from debilitating 3 day migraines on a regular basis. The sickness made it impossible to take any pain relief. Since I've taken daily feverfew and magnesium supplements, alongside reflexology, I've not had any migraines.

@SugarOrange mines were oestrogen related... at some points, I was getting a migraine and then bleeding next day. Almost like an oestrogen surge. I now take continuous progesterone which has also evened things out a bit.

Take the epilepsy meds. Game changer for me alongside the mini pill. And a head specific TENS machine for when they come on anyway. But I've gone from having at least one a week to probably 2-3 a year on the meds.

I have tried so many. Currently on prescribed triptans and now taking four times the original prescribed amount. They have never helped but then neither has magnesium, nasal sprays,or the little tablets that dissolve under the tongue (I can't remember the name). Over the counter pain relief doesn't help although I take 500mg tablets throughout the three days.
I get the three days hormonal migraines and I can't drive or function and am in such pain (which sounds so dramatic but the pounding over my right eye hurts so much).
I've tried acupuncture to no avail.
I have never tried feverfew. Do you take a particular dosage?

I'm so tired of losing three days every month. I'm so tired after them as the pain means I have difficult sleeping - although I fall asleep easily but the pain wakes me frequently throughout the night.

I suffer from debilitating hormonal migraines. The only thing that works for me is zolmitriptan. Sumatriptan didn't work for me. I am on 25mg daily dose of amitriptyline now as well. I've taken it for over a year but others have said it makes me fairly groggy the next day.

Mine come with hormones but when I'm also stressed, tired and it's a bright sunny day. Eating plenty of red meat seems to help me sleep better so helps prevent them happening. When it's a day full of triggers, eating salt can ward it off- crisps, chips, or literally plain salt. I appreciate red meat and salt is not the healthiest recommended diet but it seems to do the trick for this.

I’m another one who gets a lot of relief from acupuncture. I, also, take a lot of preventatives, have triptans and Botox but acupuncture seems to keep the lid on them a bit. When I do get a migraine they’re less intense, and I don’t get the severe nausea I used to get.

I take a supplement called Dolovent, i buy it from Amazon, that was recommended by the National Migraine Centre , too.

Ibuprofen works well for me but I have to take it early, and with a processed carb, and some (but not too much caffiene so like tea and toast or chips or something, but nothing too sugary like chocolate that seems to hinder it. Ibuprofen didn’t work for them before I started taking them this way.