Birth-Control triggered headaches - Headaches & Migraines Message Board

lemoneko · 05-09-2005, 12:21 AM

For the past 18 months, I've been suffering from headaches. They were triggered when I went on birth control, and I instantly went off them. This happened with my mother too. Her headaches escalated into migraines and she ended up going to the hospital to get shots of demerol because the pain was so bad. They are also sometimes accompanied by nasea.

The doctor put me on Amotripylin for the headaches, and I'm experiencing some weird side effects. My mom was on this medication as well, and she experienced some of the side effects, but not all I have. I don't actually know if the side effects are side effects or aomething else.

Lately, my fintertips of my right hand have felt numb.
I get pain in my breasts and through into my back.
I have a lower sex drive.
Eyes are light sentitive. I haven't gone out of the house without my sunglasses on.
Constipation accompanied with bloody stools, rectal bleeding at times.

I'm on 75mg of the medication.

Eventually, this medication stopped working for my mom, and we suspect it'll stop working for me too. The only thing that helped her headaches was a total hysteroctomy.

Is there anyone else having the same type of headaches (hormone triggered) and anyone else on Amytrypilin?

Thank you muchly.

calgarygirl · 05-09-2005, 07:10 PM

I'm not sure if BC pills triggered my migraines or not but I am now on a new BC pill called Yasmine and it really seems to be helping with my migraines. I use to get 2-3/day and at the very minimum 2-3/week!! Some of them migraine headaches with aura and most of them just the eye migraine (without the headache). I'm not sure if you are trying different types of BC pills or if you got off them totally but for me, so far, Yasmine in terms of my migraines has been a huge success. I'm not sure if the eye migraines are hormonal because they just started almost 4 years ago now but before that I suffered from just the migraine headaches w/aura but not nearly as often as I have since the birth of my son 4 years ago.
I hope you will be able to find an end to your symptoms,
Good-luck.

Sissypie · 05-10-2005, 06:42 AM

My doctor has told me that he thinks my migraines are caused by hormones. In my case, it's probably the beginning of perimenopause. I am hoping to get through this without the use of medication.

I was surprised that your doctor prescribed amitriptyline for headache relief. It certainly doesn't come without a host of nasty side effects. Headaches, constipation, and extreme fatigue are among them. I'm actually surprised that they even still use that drug. It's one of the oldest anti depressants on the market.

There are so many birth control pills on the market. You may find that you will have to do the trial and error method until you find one that will work for you personally. I'd certainly talk to your doctor about the side effects you are dealing with on the amitriptyline.

Good luck,
Sandi