My neurologist prescribed Fioricet (acetaminophen, caffeine, and butalbital) for me about 5 years ago for tension headaches. I only got them 1-2x a month, but they were lasting 3-4 days with nausea, vomitting, and sensitivity to light and sound. Recently, I started keeping track of the headaches and found that I was getting them 2-3 days before my period. So I looked online and found 'menstrual migraines', which are common due to the hormonal changes in women each month. Does anyone else have these? The Fioricet works GREAT for me, and usually a 30-day supply lasts me a year.
~pink

Quote from pinkangel670:

My neurologist prescribed Fioricet (acetaminophen, caffeine, and butalbital) for me about 5 years ago for tension headaches. I only got them 1-2x a month, but they were lasting 3-4 days with nausea, vomitting, and sensitivity to light and sound. Recently, I started keeping track of the headaches and found that I was getting them 2-3 days before my period. So I looked online and found 'menstrual migraines', which are common due to the hormonal changes in women each month. Does anyone else have these? The Fioricet works GREAT for me, and usually a 30-day supply lasts me a year.
~pink

As a matter of fact I am having one now :eek: Mine change either before, during OR right after. Lately it's been before.
Like another poster... I did the non stop BC. Now I am off the pill all together and that made a huge difference.
I use to take Fiornal but I can't function during the day on that. I take Amerge, Toradol and inderal la a beta blocker,
I take the inderal every single day. Toradol helps me a lot and if it gets real bad I bust out Amerge which is highly recommeneded for Hormonal migraines.

I get menstual migraines on days 0,1 & 2-the day before I start and on the first couple days after that, not the only migraine I get just the most predictable. I take fioricet for ovarian cysts, Relpax, vicoden (only when severe), Advil Migraine and ice packs for the migraines. Usually just go till I can't anymore then find a hole, climb in and pull the hole in after me :). I am 44 and perimenopausal so the ha are even more unpredictable. One thing I did when I could find it was use loose feverfew leaves and make a tea with it twice a day. The herb is pretty harmless-a chrysanthymum type plant-I think. Ask at the health food store if your interested. Good luck
BB -- Magna

I started having mensrual migraines also. My obgyn told me I was in peri-menopause and the fluctuations of estrogen cause them. I was placed on Effexor xr and bcp, which stopped all the tension and the bloated painful breasts, but still have the migraines mid cycle (when I now have my period). I can take imitrex, but it causes such cardio contriction, that I can't do my usual runs and have coldness in my face, dizziness, and extreme sleepiness with it. so I can't take it till bed time. I have tried fioricet, no help there. Anyone else have this problem. Also extreme sensitivity to light and noise. I want my life back!

Quote from vonniejean:

I started having mensrual migraines also. My obgyn told me I was in peri-menopause and the fluctuations of estrogen cause them. I was placed on Effexor xr and bcp, which stopped all the tension and the bloated painful breasts, but still have the migraines mid cycle (when I now have my period). I can take imitrex, but it causes such cardio contriction, that I can't do my usual runs and have coldness in my face, dizziness, and extreme sleepiness with it. so I can't take it till bed time. I have tried fioricet, no help there. Anyone else have this problem. Also extreme sensitivity to light and noise. I want my life back!

I went off the pill all together and that helped me. I still get migraines but not near as bad. One real bad side effect for me from going off the pill is the painful breast, it's horrible. I feel like I am engored with milk for about two weeks a month! I am afraid to schedule a mamogram because they hurt so bad and It is unpredictable. Usually it is two weeks before my period.
I too have the light and noise thing and terrible tension in my upper back and neck. It's a terrible way to live. You start to feel like everyone around you is just sick to death of your mood swings and headaches (which I'm sure they are).
I feel like I am I normal about two weeks a month, the other two are spent with sore breast, migraines, mood swings and my period!