I've dealt with migraines for over ten years now. I have Imitrex nose spray, 800mg Ibuprofen pills and various sleeping/pain medication. The Imitrex was a godsend when it was first prescribed to me, working most of the time, but it's now about a 50% chance of it impacting my migraines. I try to be attentive to my eating and sleeping habits, try to keep my stress to a minimum but no matter what preventative measures I take, I always get a migraine right around the beginning of my period no matter what I do. No fail.
Is there anything that I can do to help prevent these menstrual cycle migraines? A vitamin supplement or something? I'm going home for Christmas starting Tuesday and I'd really like to avoid a migraine if I can (my vacation, unfortunately, coincides with my cycle).
For the last year I have been doing the Birth Control Therapy (taking continous pills so I don't have a period). I don't have the week of having the headaches & feeling "out of it"....my body stays on the same "level" and I also don't get mood swings anymore. Granted I still get (small) migraines when the weather changes & from stress. I think I've come to the conclusion if someone is prone to migraines - it is IMPOSSIBLE to eliminate them.....
This is what has helped me, I'm not sure whether it was the combination or individual, only that I can go many months without a pre-menstrual migraine when I am consistant with all.
1 - Light excersise; for me it is about a 45 minute walk at a fairly quick pace at least several times a week. Something about being active regulates hormones, it seems.
2 - A supplement of the B-vitamins, magnesium and potassium in pill form.
3 - 5-HTP (an amino acid)
4 - fish oil supplement
5 - Avoiding certain foods (for me it's aspertane, flavor enhancers found in processed foods and soups, red wine, and hot dogs.)
Lately I have been slipping on the walking, 5-HTP and fish oil, and I have been getting a "functional" migraine about every other month that lasts for a couple of days. Still not as bad as the ones I used to get, almost every month, where I would be knocked out of commission for about a day and a half.
