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Tylanas
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Birth Control And Migraines
Posted: 11-14-07 13:06pm
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I could stick this in either section but
to be 100% honest, Birth Control gets more
hits.
Three years ago, in my sophomore year of
college, I developed Aura Migraines.
That's a fairly normal age to develop
them. I have textboox aura migraines; 30
minute auras and then bam, intense
half-headed pain on the opposite side of
the aura. I had three migraines in one
year. You need 4 to be officially
diagnosed.
That summer I got on Ortho Tricyclen Lo.
Because I was not officially diagnosed, I
didn't know you're not supposed to be on
estrogen birth control when you have aura
migraines because of the extreme risk of
stroke O.o
Well, I went on Ortho-lo for two years. I
didn't have a single migraine the entire
time. Not one. This summer, I got off and
decided to start depo because I had a
habit of forgetting pills. I stopped the
pills June or July. In September I learned
that estrogen caused a high risk of
stroke, and was glad I was off it.
I had Depo injected October 12th. November
12th, spotting began. Yesterday, the 13th
I had heavier spotting and stronger
cramps.
Last night I woke up at 2 am... and I was
in the full Aural stage of a migraine.
Thank goodness I was able to just go back
to bed, but I was surprised to have one.
So here's the thing. Progesterone is
supposed to PREVENT migraines. Estrogen is
supposed to cause them. Yet apparently,
the exact opposite happened to me.
Estrogen completely prevented my migraines
for 2 entire years! I get on progesterone
and a month later (during my period
nonetheless) I get a migraine.
So what's up here? I don't want to go back
on estrogen because of the risk of stroke.
I've had 4 migraines now so the upside is
that I can finally be diagnosed and get
medicine for it so I can prevent the pain
during the aura phase.
But the estrogen seemed to be very
effective against migraines... Unless it's
common place to have 3 in one year and
then none for 2? I think the placement of
the estrogen and progesterone is just too
convenient to be coincidence.
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anniek
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Posted: 11-14-07 18:38pm
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I too deal with migrains. I'm not on any
medication and have only had one Aura. But
I still had problems on any BC I have been
on. I've been on a few including the shot.
(Which I'm sure you already know!) I'm
sorry I feel so bad for you cause I
totally know!! I just have learned what to
do when I get one. I usually take a
caffine pill and 2 naproxin 220mg and go
lay down. My boss is pretty good about
letting me go if I know I'm getting one.
Sometimes about 4-6 hours later I have to
take a couple ibuprofen to. After you talk
to your dr about it let me know what he
says!
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Tylanas
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Posted: 11-15-07 00:47am
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I've discussed it with my mom (since I'm
on her insurance). We've decided to wait
until December when we'll have more time
for an appointment... But she doesn't
think anything can be done for me because
I don't get them enough. She also says
that the cause is too unknown for anything
to be done.
I don't know if any of that is true; it
seems pretty obvious to me that estrogen
clearly prevented my aura migraines.
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Georgia59
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Posted: 11-17-07 00:05am
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Some docs will prescribe estrogen birth
control to help with migraines. I don't
think progesterone is actually supposed to
effect them at all, make them better or
worse. I think if you get like 3 migraines
per month, they'll treat you for it, so it
might be worth getting checked out.
The birth control part is tricky though,
because different doctors say different
things. Yes, the estrogen ones are
supposed to help with migraines, but they
also increase your risk of blood clots and
stroke. I dunno.
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Tylanas
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Posted: 11-17-07 13:52pm
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I have read everywhere that you
absolutely should not use estrogen when
you have aura migraines because you could
get blood clots and you know, die... So
yeah it got rid of my migraines but at
what risk?
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Carifairy
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Posted: 11-17-07 14:48pm
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MANY women notice different things as far
as BC is concerned.
For I would seriously recommend a NON
hormonal IUD for BC, because BOTH estrogen
and Progestin *can* cause problems in
*some* women when they have migraines with
aura.
Progestin is safer for women with
migraines because Progestin does not have
the high risks of blood clots, NOT because
it actually prevents them.
MANY women do get worse on progestin only
methods.
You can use her insurance without HER
being there. You just need the card with
YOUR name on it.
You should definitely be seen though.
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Tylanas
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Posted: 11-17-07 15:56pm
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I have no problem with my mom being there
because I'm very unclear as to how
insurance works. I just want to discuss it
with a doctor and get some straight
answers you know?
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Carifairy
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Posted: 11-17-07 16:21pm
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You should be seen SOONER.
When you are under a company benefit, and
then insure your children, each person has
their name on a card.
You can use it with or without your mom
being there. You do need to be seen sooner
rather than later.
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Tylanas
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Posted: 11-17-07 16:27pm
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I know but how will the money work? I
ended up having to co-pay for Depo when we
thought it was all paid for.
It was SO much easier when we were under
my dad's military insurance. You just go.
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Carifairy
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Posted: 11-17-07 16:31pm
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Most EVERYTHING has a copay, honestly.
When you go to the doctor you pay your
copay and then you are seen.
I have never heard of depo vists NOT
requiring a copay, as my office does use a
copay for depo injections.
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Tylanas
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Posted: 11-17-07 16:35pm
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Like I said, I have no idea how to do
this, so I'm just going to wait until
Christmas break. It's the first one I've
had in 2 years so I've heard that it's not
a good enough "history" to get me
diagnosed.
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anniek
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Posted: 11-17-07 17:29pm
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I forgot to tell you. I went just about 3
years (only had one in those 3 years)
without a migrain and they have now
started again. I didn't have any change in
Bc but thats why they took me off the depo
thinking that may have triggered but I
still have had a few since that. It's a no
end situation for me. It's ok like I said
before I have just learned to deal with it
and i know what i need to do if I get one.
Kinda sucks but I don't want to be
diagnosed with migrains because of ins. My
dr knows about them and is not going to do
anything unless they get to be 3 in months
time.
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Tylanas
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Posted: 11-17-07 21:40pm
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Why in the world wouldn't you want to be
diagnosed? I want it more than anything so
I can finally get medication.
From what I read, you need to have had 5
normal migraines in a year or two aura
migraines in a year to be diagnosed...
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Georgia59
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Posted: 11-18-07 01:09am
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| Eiri
wrote: | | I have read everywhere that you
absolutely should not use estrogen when
you have aura migraines because you could
get blood clots and you know, die... So
yeah it got rid of my migraines but at
what risk? |
I agree- but some doctors (that I've had)
have no idea that there's even a higher
risk. I told a doc about it once and she
actually said "I've never heard that!"
Well, I didn't go back to her....
And some doc prescribe estrogen bcp's
specifically for migraines. So I don't get
it. It all just worries me, and I stay
away from the stuff.
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anniek
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Posted: 11-19-07 20:10pm
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I don't want to be diagnosed because I can
handle them as of now. I know what to do
to help get better and my husband and my
boss are very good about knowing to let me
go home and sleep. I take what i know to
take and just let it pass. Sometimes you
can have problems with ins if you are
diagnosed but if they are to hard to
handle then yes you should be so you can
get the correct medication. Like I said my
dr knows about them and know I monitor
them. So I'm fine for now. If I have ones
I can't handle then I will worry about be
diagnosed then.
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Tylanas
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Posted: 11-19-07 23:04pm
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I can't handle them right now either; but
diagnosing them isn't going to make them
happen more; it's simply confirming that
you do indeed have migraines. You don't
have to take action right away. Besides,
it'll make you feel better to know for
sure.
I don't think migraines make insurance
rates go up....
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Tylanas
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Posted: 11-19-07 23:15pm
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Oh by the way; last night I thought I was
getting another migraine but it went away.
It inspired me to write up my actual
migraine history... And it turns out I was
ON birth control when I got two of them!!
Estrogen didn't do a thing to prevent it
hahah!
See, I knew what events happened during
the migraines; what classes I was
attending, etc, so I looked back at my
transcripts and this is when my migraines
were: (Spring and Fall refer to school
semesters, not actual seasons)
1st. Fall 2004 (No BC)
2nd. Spring 2006 (already on BCP!)
3rd. Spring 2006 (later on, still BCP)
4th. Fall 2007 (Depo)
So yeah, birth control played absolutely
no role in my migraines it seems.
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Georgia59
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Posted: 11-20-07 18:21pm
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lol
If you do see a doc, there are medications
you can take to alleviate them. I was on
imitrix for awhile, it worked wonders.
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anniek
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Posted: 11-20-07 20:27pm
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No being diagnosed dosen't always make a
difference in ins but it can later. Like I
said I know I have migrains and so does my
dr. I can handle them so I don't care for
medication or extra doctoring. You know
what I mean?  If you can't handle
them you for sure need to talk to you dr
there are medications you can take and
they can talk to you about ways to watch
out for them so they don't get too bad.
Anyways.....Hope you are doing better with
them and see you dr soon!
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Tylanas
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Posted: 11-20-07 20:49pm
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Well it's the fact that if I do get one, I
am unable to do function at all, so they
are extremely debilitating. They may only
come once a year, but I cannot function
for the time I am actually "under".
After-words I feel like I'm recovering
from a fever for about 12 hours.
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