Menstrual symptoms getting worse since baby, now getting migraines :( Anyone got any tips?

[HolidaysQueen]

DS is 16 mo, and I got my periods back when he was about 7mo. Since then my menstrual cycle has gradually gone from its usual 30 days to being 26 days, and they are much heavier, and whereas they used to last 1-2 days they are now lasting 5 days. On top of that, for the past 4 cycles I have suffered the most horrendous headache at around ovulation - worse than I've ever had before, ibuprofen barely touches the corners of it, and I can only cope by sitting very still and then going to bed early and sleeping it off. Yesterday I had one of these headaches and was incredibly nauseous too. It made me realise that these are probably migraines as they are just so debilitating

Anyone had this? Is it normal for symptoms to get much worse after having a baby and continue to get worse? Any ideas on what I can do for the migraines as these are really the worst thing? And do I need to worry that my cycle is getting shorter and more vicious?

Book an appointment a the GP in the morning

Get your GP to refer you to a hormone specialist (if you are in London, there is a fantastic one at Hammersmith/Queen Charlotte). You probably just need to go on the pill to supplement the estrogen that your body is not producing enough of.
I had the same problem after my second child, but it was actually unrelated to giving birth, but just dependent on my age (39 after my second child) and I turned out to be Peri-menopausal. The Pill cured all my problems.

oh will do. eeek! i hate the pill (it gives me headaches - clearly i'm just a headachey person!)

sofia - i have been referred to QC for other stuff and had DS there so I guess I might end up there anyway if i'm referred. what is the name of the specialist?

Oh that's handy. His name is Dr. Panay. My GP referred me directly to him (after my mother's OBGYN in the usa diagnosed my problem as hormonal...I had seen a series of us and uk doctors over a period of 3 years before finally figuring it out). You may find that although the pill used to give you headaches (because you had too much estrogen), nowadays, it may cure your headaches because you don't have enough estrogen.
By the way, if you are local to it, I used Mill Hill Surgery in Acton and the GP's there were fantastic. (They also have a parking lot!!!!)