Endometriosis treatment & migraines

[Alice24]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with Endometriosis in 2015. I had a laparoscopy to remove adhesions and the Mirena coil inserted afterwards to deal with any further Endometriosis.

But the Mirena coil doesn't appear to be working. I am still having monthly periods (should these have gone away with the Mirena coil?) and in the last 2 months I have been having more pain in the area where the adhesions were removed.

So it looks like I will need to change the Mirena coil to something else. But I am nervous about doing so, because I suffer from chronic migraine (migraines every day) and any change in my hormones makes the migraines worse.

When I first started the Morena coil, the migraines were worse for about 6 months. If I understand correctly, then the coil only has a little bit of hormones in it, so I am worried about changing to something that has stronger hormones.

In the past my gynaecologist suggested provera but it even warns in the information leaflet about being careful with provera if a patient already suffers from migraines.

If anyone has any suggestions of something that can replace the coil but has minimal effect on migraines, I would be grateful to hear them.

Thanks.

[Hidden]

When I started progesterone only I had daily crippling headaches and weekly migraines and a lot of other symptoms to the point where I was about to give up on it. Afer 3 months or so it settled and now I only occasionally get a headache. If it's something you've been on a long time and the headaches have only just started then I'd definitely go get checked as it might not even be related (the doctor basically laughed me out of the buliding when I told her my headache and neck pain was due to the pill and a lot of them still refuse to believe they're connected).

Did you suffer from migraines before any form of contraception? I think any form of it has a risk of causing headaches and you just have to stick them out til they've settled and see which ones work for you or not x

Also periods can either be more frequent or not at all with the mirena, it's like some horrible lottery where you either win or you lose haha :')

[Alice24 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. I have had migraines every day dor the last 4 years, even when I wasn't taking any contraception. Whenever I have any hormonal changes, the migraines get worse, which is why I'm very nervous about changing from the coil to something else.

Do you know if you still have regular periods with the Mirena, is it still working ok for the endometriosis? Or is it a sign that it's best to change to something else to treat the endometriosis?

[Hidden in reply to Alice24]

I'm on the progesterone only pill but was told it works exactly the same as the mirena, and was told I'll either bleed or I wont, which isn't really helpful but I've found I still bleed just less regularly than off it and the daily pains are only back when I'm due on x