Migraine

I have seen some discussion of birth control pills and migraines here, but I didn't see anything that directly addresses my issue.

When I was originally diagnosed with migraines, we tracked them for several months and found that every 4th day of my period, I would get the migraine. My general doctor originally diagnosed me, and when I talked to my gynocologist about it, she put me on continuous birth control. So now I throw out the placebo pills and have 2-3 periods a year.

For awhile, it worked. But then I started getting migraines not related to hormones. So that's where I am now. I am now seeing a neurologist too, who agrees with the birth control theory and in addition to my Maxalt, I am taking phenergen (sp?) for the nausea too. Nothing prevantative because I was getting them every couple months. They seem to be increasing again. I had 2 in November and 3 since December. (not bad compared to a lot of posters here, I know)

First, does it make sense that if I originally had menstrual migraines that now I get them at other times? (Oh, and I still get them when I do have the occasional period)

Also, everyone I talk to about the continuous birth control raises the question about if this is safe. I figure, 3 doctors have approved it, but who knows what will come out in the future.

Any feedback? Thanks! (and sorry for the long post!)

I take almost continuous birth control to help my menstrual migraines. I am on Jolessa (Seasonale generic) so I only get a period 4 times a year.

You may have other triggers besides just hormones - like weather, foods, smells, etc. I know that the pill has help me get LESS migraines, but I do still get them.

Have you tried keeping a headache diary to see if you can figure out other triggers?

Hi Kristen,

I've had the same problem as you. I've had menstrual migraines and the occasional migraine outside of my cycle all of my life. Two years ago my migraines went chronic. So it makes sense that you can begin to develop more migraines later in life, outside of your period.

I am on Jolessa too after a long and entirely frustrating sojourn with progestin-only pills. I was on it before I went chronic too.

The research generally states that having fewer periods means less ovarian ruptures over a lifetime and drops your chance of ovarian cancer, the last I read (it's been a few years, when I first started Seasonale I researched continuous birth control). Considering that continuous birth control has been Rxd for over 10 years (longer than it's been advertised), I think that it can be regarded safely. When you compare the # of periods we have now compared to the # that women had in earlier decades, we have far more.

Most of the detractors of continuous birth control are women who tout the "you don't respect your moon cycle if you don't have natural periods!". Many of them are of the opinion that big, bad doctors, and big, bad pharma are looking to make money off of continuous birth control by marketing it as "less of a hassle" and "easier". And of course if your period is a hassle then you aren't a REAL woman who REALLY respects Mother Nature! Sounds funny, but it's true. A lot of these women don't understand that some of us are fighting huge battles with other symptoms during our periods.

Consider also that birth control does not provide you with a "true" period at the end of the cycle. It's hormonal withdrawal bleeding that mimics a period.

Here's a good article: http://contraception.about.com/od/prescriptionoptions/p/MissingPeriods.htm

Hi Kristen,

I can only share my experience with you, so here goes...

I went to my gynecologist last October to see if he could help me with my PMDD symptoms - mainly my severe mood swings. I specifically asked him if he could test my hormones because I've been in perimenopause for several years, now. Since I'm still having regular periods, though, he said that would be a waste. OK... so I asked him if he would consider letting me try an estrogen patch. He said he doesn't prescribe them unless one is actually IN menopause. OK... so what's left? A birth control pill, of course. I told him I was concerned and not sure if I should take them because of my migraines. He then told me that he had several patients whose migraines decreased once they started taking them. So I figured I would go ahead and try it (Seasonale). I LOVED the idea of only having a period every 3 months because my periods make me really sick.

Anyway, it was immediately obvious that this pill helped with my moods. So much so that my husband and I reveled in the fact that I'd found something - ANYTHING - to help with my mood swings. We were elated. The only problem is that I didn't realize that my migraines were getting worse. To make a long story short, I got very desperate and in my mad rush to try any and everything to decrease my migraines (I was having approximately 6 a week), I decided to stop taking the bc pill. I am extremely happy to report that my migraines have only happened one day out of the week for the last 3 weeks straight. I've made other changes and I'm sure that I have multiple triggers, but I'm thinking that the pill was causing the majority of my problems.

I've decided that I can live with mood swings (but I'm addressing that issue in other ways), rather than feel like I'm dying because my migraines were in control of me almost every day. I don't need any form of birth control because I had a tubal ligation back in early 2000, so that doesn't matter to me as far as the pill is concerned.

I know that taking bc pills (for me) was also a way of cheating mother nature. I loved the idea of not having to deal with PMDD, but I'm actually glad that my body is getting back to normal and behaving the way that God intended it to. This experience has caused me to take charge of my own body in many ways and I hope to tame the PMDD and become healthier in all aspects of my life.

Good Luck and God Bless,

Sandi