Migraines

[Glitterblue]

Dd has just turned 11. She started getting migraines years ago, but not with any regularity. Recently however, they've been a lot more frequent and I've started keeping a note of when they happen, because I get hormonal migraines and was wondering if hers could be hormone related. She has woken up with one today - her last one was 4 weeks ago tomorrow and the one before that was 8 weeks ago today so it looks as if I could be right.

She hasn't started her periods yet but had just started getting breast buds so hormones are definitely at work.

Does anyone else have any experience of this? I haven't been to the GP with her because a Panadol and a few hours sleep seems to put her right, but I don't want her to have to miss a day of school every month, plus I know from experience how horrendous migraines are, and I don't want her to have to go through that so young. I don't know if there is anything else they could give her or if it's just one of those things.

This happened to me as a child. I would get migraines and then they began to happen with monthly frequency, as you describe, and I still get hormonal migraines now. One mid-month at ovulation time, then one the day before my period (now I’m on the Mirena so not bleeding but still regular migraines). My issue was complicated by the fact I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of 14 and so was in and out of hospital / on steroids/ losing weight and didn’t start my actual period until I was 18. But the migraines were very much a feature before I began menstruating. I used to take panadol, and then when old enough, migraleve- after we went to the GP to discuss it. As a student I was prescribed mefemanic acid as was bleeding very heavily and the headaches were getting worse.
Interestingly it is my 7yo DS who seems to have inherited my migraines here. He was in such a state with them that he was referred to hospital outpatients and saw a fantastic doctor who prescribed him sumatriptan, which he takes as soon as an attack kicks off.
Can definitely recommend going to GP to talk it over, as it really helped us with my DS.

Should add that DS had a CT scan and MRI just to rule out any other cause- dr was very, very thorough and having it taken seriously made a huge difference to my DS who was so worried about it.

@BusMum79 thank you so much. Your poor DS, I'm glad you had a thorough and understanding doctor and have found something that works for him. I didn't realise sumitriptan was given to kids, that's good to know. I used to use that myself but have recently been switched to zolmitriptan which works even better for me. It's awful to think of kids having to go through this awful pain isn't it?

Yes it’s a soft of half dose type thing that he’s been prescribed. It definitely seems to help as the migraines come on super suddenly. And he can take Calpol etc with it too. He just sort of crashes out and usually feels better when he wakes up. I use a 4head stick on him too and that seems to calm him down enough to get him to fall asleep - with a cold flannel and all the usual tricks like washing his hair. He was also getting other bad headaches which didn’t seem to be as severe as migraines, so I had his eyes tested and he needed glasses. Since he got them, I now know that when he says he’s got a migraine it’s definitely a full-on proper migraine rather than eye strain.
What really helps me- as well as all the drugs (!) - is one of those microwaveable lavender wheat bags under my neck and shoulders. Helps me get off to sleep if I have one. And I take my tablets with a full fat coke as was once advised that by a nurse- no idea if it makes much difference but seems to help!

Oh thank you, that's great advice. Heat is very comforting and I seem to get a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders when I get them so that would help me. I'll get one of those forehead sticks too thank you, I never thought to try those on her. I use tiger balm on myself but it says not to use on children for headaches. Thank you so much for your help. She's just woken up and feeling a bit better- thankfully they're not usually long, if she can take a panadol and go straight to bed/back to bed. I suspect DH thinks she's trying to pull a fast one but I know she's not, she loves school and I know when she has a migraine. Plus it's EXACTLY when I was expecting the next one, from the tracking I've done.

I’m so glad she’s feeling a little better. I always think my DH is slightly skeptical, especially when the migraines coincide with some playground drama or other, but that is- of course - when it’s most likely that tha stress will get to him. And I always know when it’s genuine and when it’s a case of “I’ll say I’ve got a headache and see how far I get ”. 4head is fantastic- I used it all the way through my pregnancies, simple but effective. Good luck! Hope she feels fully recovered soon!

Exactly, I can tell the difference! She looked awful this morning, white as a sheet, really black round the eyes and she could hardly even speak. She looks much much better now and has had some lunch but she's in the brain fog phase now and is absolutely wiped out, bless her.