Migraine mid cycle

[Lizey13]

During the last trimester of both of my pregnancies and during the breastfeeding phase of my second child I had frequent migraines with aura . Since stopping breastfeeding in April I have had migraine auras and associated head pain exactly 16 days after my period on 3 different occasions. Prior to the aura phase I have about 4 days leading up to it with upper back pain, sensitive and altered vision and a general feeling that a migraine is about to arrive. After the migraine aura I am weak, have a pain in my right side on the bridge of my nose and generally feel out of it for a couple of days . I get repeated aura sometimes for about a week. I then feel 'normal' again and then the cycle starts again.

I am on 10mg of amiltryptiline which obviously isn't doing anything. Imigran also doesn't deal with the auras.

I'm trying to find out what hormone could be responsible for these migraines. Before pregnancy I had about 10 migraines overall.

I am 36, otherwise healthy and try to exercise each week apart from when the migraines arrive. My next doctors appointment is in October so this time I want to solve the hormone issue having kept a detailed diary for the last few months and being able to pinpoint the migraines arrival exactly 16 days after my period. Thanks in advance.

Oh and I also get numb lips and slurred speech and a horrible taste in the days leading up to a migraine.

[Gambit62]

Mid-cycle isn't unique as I get it as well (and end of cycle :(). For me they tend to be slightly different - mid cycle probably a bit worse - and they don't necessarily respond to the triptan I tend to take.

I found that running regularly helped me - other forms of exercise had no impact but running seemed to reduce severity and length.

Hope you manage to find something that works soon.

[Lizey13 in reply to Gambit62]

Thanks for the advise. I used to run 3 x a week before having children and didn't get migraines so that may be worth a try.

[Gambit62 in reply to Lizey13]

No real idea why running does it and cycling and walking don't - may be it shakes up the brain enough to keep things in place

Hope it works for you as well.

[migrainertoo]

I am 55 and also experience the stroke like symptoms. I was a level 4 trauma patient in April. It took many tests to determine that it was a migraine and not a stroke. That was severe enough that I was unable to participate in my treatment and they kept me on the Neurological floor overnight.

I take antiseizure drugs and now a beta blocker. I have a narcotic to take at the first symptom. For me, that is usually confusion. I would strongly recommend looking at your diet. That is making a huge difference for me, and I can control it.

I try to avoid processed foods or to simplify, if the label has words you can't pronounce don't eat it. Salad dressing is really easy to make. When eating out, read the ingredients.I do it all the time. I am going with fresh over processed and I have significantly reduced my migraines.

[Charlotte_NMC Partner National Migraine Centre]

Hi Lizey13. I am sorry to hear you are struggling. This is the curse of migraine with aura. Most sufferers find migraine gets better during pregnancy but those who experience aura often find it gets worse. We have a factsheet on migraine and pregnancy. The National Migraine Centre developed the diagnostic criteria for menstrual migraine so we know a great deal about hormones! The best thing is to come to us for an appointment. We have a couple of doctors with a particular interest in migraine in pregnancy so mention your problem when you call. Reception: 0207 251 3322.

Factsheet: migraineclinic.org.uk/about...

[1stgls]

My migraines started in the car park of the registry office when registering the birth of my first child

They now arrive once month, however my gp said I was not having "menstrual migraine"as they occur dn the wrong part of my cycle. When he looked at the frequency of my requests for imigrane he realised they were 4 weeks apart. ,,,,,they are def hormonal. Good luck sorting it out