Hormonal migraine

[jelly79]

Does anyone have this? If that's what they are called

About 5 days before I am due on I get a headache last 2-3 days. I have to take painkillers throughout, it wakes me up in the night, I get dizzy and like pins and needles in my head. But it's not agony, I can work and go about my day

But I feel like the shutters are down, flat, low and sometimes sickly.

Is there anything I can do to ease this?

For context I am 44 and had the coil for over a year so light periods. But this has been going on for much longer than a year

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/migraine/management/adults/#preventive-drugs-for-pure-menstrual-menstrually-related-migraine

This is the guidance on menstrual migraine - I'd take it to your GP and ask for them to follow this.

Yep. All my adult life. Migraines typically can last for 72 hours. They are always the precursor to periods for me. Please speak to your GP and get a triptan to deal with the pain. You don't have to go through this every month.

Yes- I do. For some reason, it's taken me years to work out the pattern. Every time I get one, it lasts 2-3 days and I swear to myself I'll speak to the gp before the next one but then I don't ☹️ this thread has inspired me to make sure I do an they can be quite debilitating when I get them x

Yes.

Go to your GP and get a triptan. Game changer.

Oh my god I literally said this to my mum today! I swear I'll go the GP and then when I feel better I don't!

I did a few years ago though mid migraine / haze and sobbed to her! I was advised to take painkillers and if it persisted maybe anti depressants:(

Is triptan to take when it's sets in? I've taken sumitriptan before and they are great! I am hoping for something to prevent or reduce the whole set of bastard symptoms that take over for a few days 😤🤣

Thank you so much x

Definitely try a Triptan if GP recommends
preventative meds didn’t help me.

I have some strong painkillers also that I use. I find that a dose or two of strong ones is much more effective (and I’m sure better for me) than keep taking plain paracetamol or ibuprofen which don’t touch it. I buy paramol from the pharmacy. Take around 4 tablets in total (2 doses) maybe every couple of months. Or nurofen with codeine.

The other thing I found with menstrual migraine is to be really really careful with sleep, regular food, keep hydrated, try and avoid alcohol. Any stress you can delay try to do that. Often with any migraine there is a cumulative effect, so you might for example ‘get away’ with a very late night…but then if you miss breakfast or lunch or have a glass of wine it might tip the balance.

You can't stop the hormones, nor should you, but there's no need to be in pain. I've tried numerous meds supposed to prevent migraine and ime none worked. Ask for a migraine treatment.

This resonates. I haven't drank in over 6 months and have a good healthy balance with sleep and food. However I have been intermittent fasting and doing longer fasts! Maybe I need to ditch that in this week and eat more regularly!

Great way to look at it as I suppose I am looking for something to stop the hormones as I feel like they take over to an extent! But you make a great point x

You should also try eletriptan. It's more refined (and more expensive to produce) than sumatriptan but I find it works a lot better. Sumatriptan knocks me out for several hours, whereas eletriptan seems to work much gentler and just lifts the pain without making you woozy and exhausted.

Had hormonal migraines my entire adult life (only break was during pregnancy) and I basically figured out my cycle schedule so I know exactly which days it tends to be worse. On those days I just pop a triptan at the first twinge instead of trying to tough it out or take OTC painkillers every 4 hours.

I have them mid and end cycle and only have a three week cycle so life was pretty miserable and I used to think my neck was going to break and my head fall off until my lovely GP put me on Propranolol and Sumatriptan.
It usually works in about 20 minutes as long as I catch it while it's still in my spine/neck and before it gets to my ear.
Well past menopause now but still get one every two or three months so still taking the tablets.
Don't get overtired. Don't drink alcohol. Cut down on cheese, chocolate and oranges and never, ever after 8pm.

Today I have irrational rage and I want to cry

Bastard hormones!