hbc and migraines

[softlyy.livejournal.com]

 

dear VP, i'm hoping you can help me with a problem i'm having with my birthcontrol, Microgynon.

see, since age 11 i've suffered from chronic migraines (without aura), and over the past 8 years i've learned how to read the signs of an oncoming migrain, avoid my near 20 triggers as best as possible and how to tackle them as best as possible. the frequency and severity of my migraines has changed a lot over the years - but in the past two weeks, since i began taking Microgynon, i've been having them almost every single day.

my doctor, when giving me my prescription, told me migraines were a fairly common side effect of Microgynon and i asked him (seeing as he knows my medical history) if there wasn't another HBC i could take. he told me, "this is the HBC we prescribe to everyone."

i was a bit stumped by this. surely there must be an HBC that won't affect my migraines?
VPers, do you have any personal experience with this topic and any suggestions?
i'm about to have my final exams in high school, so i really want to avoid more of the migraines - while at the same time i just entered an amazing relationship with my first boyfriend, and want to be stay safe.

thank you!

EDIT: thank you all for your incredibly helpful responses. i have to admit, everything i've been reading has made me worry, but i'm glad i'm finding out about this so early! and i'm going to go see a new doctor first thing monday morning so we can get this all sorted. again thank you!

Comments

[immortalavalamp.livejournal.com]

My advice would be to find a doctor who prescribes to meet the needs of the patient. There are many others that have a lower incidence of migraines.

Good luck! Migraines are the worst!

[softlyy.livejournal.com]

thank you!&heart; they really are awful...

[hadespuppy.livejournal.com]

Generally speaking, if you get migraines with aura (which I'm assuming you do, since you said you can feel them coming) then most HBC is contraindicated, since the risk of stroke is elevated.
I seem to recall, and someone will correct me if I'm wrong, that people with a history of migraines are supposed to use POP's rather then combined pills, since the estrogen is what tends to aggravate the migraine symptoms. I would go back to your doc and demand something else, since he really shouldn't have prescribed you a combined pill without outlining the risks in the first place.

[queensugar.livejournal.com]

This is correct, yes.

[softlyy.livejournal.com]

actually, i don't have aura with my migraine (that is, if i understand what aura is correctly - it kind of impairs your vision, doesn't it?) when i talk about "feeling" it, it's that my eyes just start hurting like eff, and then i know i need to take my medicine.
does the fact that i don't have aura change what you mentioned above? because if not i'm going to my doctor's first thing monday.

[svexsal.livejournal.com]

well, do you get visual disturbances before/at the beginning of the migraine? Someone went ahead and drew what some of them look like on this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aura_(symptom)) wiki page.
Oh, and sorry to overload your inbox with responses/corrections. Migraines are a hot topic for me. Whenever I'm at my gyno and they try to put me on a HBC, they check to see if I get migraines and change their mind.

[softlyy.livejournal.com]

it's totally fine with all the corrections - you're all so wonderful for being so helpful!♥
well, i don't have any of those symptoms apart from the whole feeling a bit apart from my body, but that's usually after my migraine has really kicked in. i've never been diagnosed as having aura though.

migraines in general are a hot topic for me, because it seems like everyone around me has such a hard time understanding how painful they can be. especially at school, my teachers and friends can't seem to get that when i get a migraine, i really can't concentrate but need to go home in and sleep in order to get better. i've had friends tell me i'm overreacting and probably just faking it to get out of tests and such...
(haha, please excuse the ranting!)

[softlyy.livejournal.com]

oh, and thank you btw!♥

[chiyo-no-saru.livejournal.com]

Yup, this is definitely correct. Any progestin-only birth control is appropriate for someone with migraines with auras--so POPs, the Mirena IUD, Depo-Provera, or Implanon, in the US.

[x-cupkake.livejournal.com]

Dude you shouldn't be on Microgynon if you have migraines.
I was on it, but after a year I saw a different doctor who flipped and said I should be on Microgynon if I get migraines because it increases the chances of a stroke :/

Lol sorry, I didn't mean to freak and worry you there!!
But yeah, I loved it, but it made my migraines worse, and apparently the amount of estrogen in it (I think it's that) can increase the risk of a possible stroke. I would advise getting a new HBC because the one your on will most likely them worse, the did for me.

[softlyy.livejournal.com]

lol, this is all kind of worrying, yeah. but i feel much better knowing all of this!
i can't believe my doctor would just give me this if it's so bad for me...
thank you for you help!♥

[spiritualorchid.livejournal.com]

I get migraine with aura. I was on NuvaRing for 3-4 months about a year ago and had a constant migraine for months. Somewhere in that 3-4 months I started to go to Planned Parenthood instead of my GP for my reproductive health (because NuvaRing cost me $60/month and I knew I could get free BC at Planned Parenthood). The doctor was shocked that my GP had prescribed me HBC because of my history with migraine. I ended up switching from NuvaRing to a copper IUD. I still get migraines, but they're a lot less frequent/less severe now.

So. Have you considered birth control that isn't hormonal, like a copper IUD?

[softlyy.livejournal.com]

to be honest, i had never really considered anything ut HBC, because i never imagined there would be a problem with taking them while having migrains... but now i certainly will!
thank you♥

[elephantus45.livejournal.com]

I got migraines from HBC and they were so bad I would get them 3 times a month, and they would last 5 days or more! I tried everything I could, and went to doctors, and finally figured out that it was the pills I was on, and I was on several different types over the years. I got the copper IUD and haven't had a single migraine in three months! It is so amazing to not have one.

Since you had them before HBC I would try a POP or mini pill first because they may work for you.

[h0rsegurrrl.livejournal.com]

HBC can/does cause and exacerbate migraines, and having migraines on HBC increases the risk of strokes. I'd suggest getting on a non-hormonal birth control, like a copper IUD (iud_divas), FAM (fam), or some combination of other non-hormonal methods.

[softlyy.livejournal.com]

i'll definitely look into those. thank you for the suggestions!♥

[littlemissalien.livejournal.com]

I don't know where you are, but if you can find a doctor who will prescribe you a POP or the implant (Implanon) you could try that. I had migraines with aura and was on microgynon, but when I saw a new gp he flipped and put e on a POP instead. I now have Implanon, and thankfully, because I'm in the UK, it's all free.

Good luck!

[softlyy.livejournal.com]

i'm in norway^^ i've never heard anyone mention the alternatives you wrote about, but i'll definitely look around and see if anyone offers your suggestions.
thank you so much!♥

[jazzycat0818.livejournal.com]

Seasonique gave me migraines out of the 5ish different pills I've been on.

Because I don't know too much about HBC pills, All I have to say is this: Get a new doctor that will actually listen to you. I've never heard of any doctor saying that they prescribe the same pill for everyone. That doesn't make any sense. There's a reason for there being SO many different kinds out there!

[softlyy.livejournal.com]

yeah, i'm going to go see a new doctor tomorrow. hopefully they'll be more helpful!
thank you♥

[cheeseydreams.livejournal.com]

Seasonale caused my migraine frequency to increase exponentially.

[sinnamongirl.livejournal.com]

My migraines seriously decreased with plain old Ortho-Tricylclen Lo, and now I'm on a continuous cycling (so I'm in charge of when I get my periods, generally)... because it is relatively common for women to get menstrual migraines, and for different women it's different hormones that do it.

Absolutely go to someone else. A doctor should be taking into account your medical history, your other medications, any side effects you report, etc. And if you're taking anything like Imitrex, that can also increase your blood pressure- which is why I can't take it; I already have labile hypertension and the Imitrex sets it off, which makes the migraines worse.

I'm so annoyed that doctors don't just shut up and listen. It's potentially dangerous for you to be on that BC. That's all there is to it.

[svexsal.livejournal.com]

It's potentially dangerous for you to be on that BC.
This. Especially when you have the aura involved.

[cheeseydreams.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that about Imitrex! I'm so glad I made my MD switch my migraine meds in addition to the birth control.

[sinnamongirl.livejournal.com]

Oh, yikes. Yes! That's the only reason I'm not on it, besides the lack of hormonal fluctuations has cut down on my migraines quite a bit. I got really worried that people would be on 2 medications that can mess with their blood pressure that much; and, of course, it's all how your body reacts, but it seems ridiculous to take the chance unless you really have to.

[cheeseydreams.livejournal.com]

I never had a problem with my blood pressure until I switched to Seasonale. I guess my body reacted badly to the HBC and taking so much imitrex on top of it didn't help at all. My PCP put me on Propranolol (a beta blocker) both to prevent my migraines and to get my blood pressure back down and I switched to an IUD as my contraceptive. I've been migraine free for 5 months, it's fantastic!

[svexsal.livejournal.com]

I've gotten migraines with aura for the past 13 years and have been put on the prophylactic medication Topamax to keep them at bay. The only birth control to work for me was the non-hormonal IUD Paragard, which you can find out more about at iud_divas. Don't assume you can't get one because you haven't had kids. I'm 26 and haven't had kids. Things were fine for me.
Elsewise, I've used diaphragms and condoms because Orthotricyclene and Loestrin 24 only made the migraines increase for me. Both times, I stopped them after 3 months.