Bad period headaches

[sazzerbear]

Have been having really bad headaches either pre, during or post period. It's like a tight band feeling around my head. This can go on for 4-5 days and no painkillers seem to help. It makes me feel like crap, anyone else experiencing the same and any ideas? TIA

When I saw my GP about my migraines, he printed me out some really useful stuff. I will look for it in the morning (think its in ds's room and he's asleep) and see if I can find where the info came from to link it for you.

He also prescribed Diclofenac which I take as soon as I feel a head coming on and it often, though not always, helps.

Frm scanning this thread,I don't think anyone has mentioned magnesium supplements. I was told that low magnesium levels are commonish in woman who menstruate and this deficiency can contribute to migraines.
So, I now take Magnesium supplements (included in many women's multi-vitamins) and have noticed a huge reduction in the frequency of attacks (though no improvement in severity)

HTH

I was prescribed noresthisterone for this problem by my GP, its some kind of artificial hormone I think. Anyway it has stopped the week of grim nauseous headaches I was getting for the week before my period, though I'm pretty sure its made me a bit spotty.
Painkillers and migraine treatments didn't work for me (I do get migraines as well and its a different headache to this one).
Think its fair to say there are lots of different routes to tackling this one and it may take a while and some persistence before you find the one that works for you.

Great, thanks Posey, chix and all the other contributors, it's good to know i'm not alone. The joys of being a woman!

I take imigran (or its generic alternative sumaptryptan) for period headaches.

Had them ever since dd was born (she's 6) and they laid me low for days each month- I would literally be working out when one was going to hit.

Since using sumatryptan at first stab in the temple, my life has changed- it reduces the migraine to zero, or at worst, a "normal" headache.

They now come every couple of months (am 44 so could be because my hormones are decreasing anyway) If I've run out I use syndol or paramol, both horse-strenth over counter painkillers. Syndol, as others have said, is brill, but does make you a bit woozy and out of it (not in an unpleasant way)

Hope the sumatryptan helps you!

Thanks Bucharest, bring on the horse pills I say!

I have had period headaches for years. I used to take Imigran and it used to work but then there was a change of some kind and it stopped being as effective. I now take Pizotifen (prescription) which is a migraine preventative. But I only take it for the week of my period. I start it as soon as my period starts and it usually works for me.
Sometimes I get pain around and above my eye and then the only painkiller which works is co-codamol (over the counter).
I have also been taking evening primrose oil. No idea if that is helping though.

Bucharest - interesting that yours started after you had dd. Mine have a similar history. I got awful headaches in early pregnancy (when presumably oestrogen levels going up) and now get them before my period (whether on pill or not) when oestrogen levels go down. I am also in my 40s so maybe it is general decline in hormones although I still have regular cycles - and I think it's the fluctuations rather than the general level that seems to cause them. But definitely seems to date from having children - didn't have a problem before.

Another thing I find helps- might mean it's blood sugar related I suppose, I always carry round those lucozade energy tab things- if I shovel a handful of those down when head starts I can stave it off with a bogstandard tablet rather than an imigran.

Here's a link to the stuff my GP gave me.
www.patient.co.uk/health/Migraine-Triggered-by-Periods.htm

There's loads more on the website on the subject.

Let me try that again!

Here www.patient.co.uk/health/Migraine-Triggered-by-Periods.htm

Thanks very much posey, v kind!

I get these - as well as seconding Bucharest's low blood sugar comment, I also find it helps if I drink a lot of water around that time (for me it's always post period, so it's easy to do.) Dehydration, even minor, seem to make things far worse - I also avoid very salty foods, takeaways with possible MSG etc

Me again..update here..have had some success with Imigran but it only stops the headache once it's here. After talking to the doc, the only workable solution seems to be taking beta blockers a week before period starts to try and prevent it , I don't know much about this, has anyone else had any success or otherwise with these? TIA

bump

Yes Imigran in a migriane treatment same class of drug as Zomig by the way which are both Triptans. You take it at the onset of the pain and hopefully clears up the migraine.

If you want to stop the pain starting you need to try a preventative drug. Beta blockers being one type that you can try, but I've never hurd of them being used for just a week at a time. Useualy you take them continulessly and can take a couple of months before they work, as a guid all prevnetatives should be tried for at lest three months to see if they help. Before trying something else.

There is some really good info on the City of London Migriane clinic. The doctor based there is the UK's leading specilist on menstral migraine.

As you can tell I'm a longterm suffer and have found the only thing that really helps me is being pregant. Not really a long term solution. Although I have had quit a bit of sucsses with the Mirina coil. I'm just totaly non functional without any type of controception though.

Just be warry of taking the combined pill if you have ANY aura systems at all. As this can increase your risk of strock.

Thanks MigGril will get in touch with the Migraine Clinic. Not sure being preggers is the answer to this one!