I need relief from my headaches and getting cycles back is my only option. PLEASE read and...

[WindyCityMom]

I get severe migraine headaches, and at least some sort of headache every day.  I had a post about this a few weeks ago.  Basically, when my progesterone is low, I get headaches.  They lessen during my luteal phase and completely go away during pregnancy.  With two small children, I'm losing my mind and cannot function.

I'm nursing and don't want to take any drugs. 

My doctor (well, not mine, but one in the practice, mine was helping someone birth..) said "Well, unless you're willing to take meds that (I'd have to wean to take), you'll need to start your cycles up and get pregnant! He he he ho!". 

I tried some homeopathic thing (forgot the name) from my local HFS and it didn't work.  Each headache requires that I take 600mg of ibuprofen to feel better, and most of the time that doesn't work as I'm starting to become immune.  Naproxen doesn't work.  Tylenol works but I don't want to damage my liver.

I don't want my cycles back.  My LO is soon to turn 12mos and nursing alot, though she's cutting back.  If she cuts back enough on her own to get my cycles, then so be it.  I do have vitex and have contemplated taking it but realllllyyyy don't want to because I'm scared it will drop my milk supply (though it couldn't hurt- overabundance of milk...).

I don't really want to get pregnant.  No, it's not the end of the world, but it's not ideal.  My living situation is funky and though we could certainly manage and afford one more child (after having two kids there is really nothing more to buy), but I don't want to hear crap from everyone.  I also don't want to feel like I've had a child just to alleviate my pain.  I can't even get pregnant now anyways- no cycles!  Oh, and no sex life (thanks a lot headaches..)!

Sorry if this seems scattered and all over the place but my head is killing me and I need so ideas.

[Juvysen]

have you considered a progesterone (wild yam) cream?  My Naturopath suggested it for me and said it was safe while nursing...

[WindyCityMom]

I thought that it wasnt.  Hmm, I hope you're on to something. If that's it, then problem solved!

Originally Posted by Juvysen 

have you considered a progesterone (wild yam) cream?  My Naturopath suggested it for me and said it was safe while nursing...

[happysmileylady]

I also get migraines that are triggered by my cycles.  I usually get one around ovulation, then another about 3 days before AF shows.  I also have other triggers, like dehydration.  Oddly enough I also don't get migraines while pg. 

I have found for me that if I control my caffiene intake (ie make sure I get some, but not too much) and balance that with being VERY hydrated, that can help to prevent some of them. 

Here's a page from Kelly Mom about natural migraine treatments

http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/natural-treatments.html#migraine

I am nursing and currently haven't gotten my cycles back.  My doc has oked the migraine med I do take, Relpax, for nursing, provided I am using it in very limited amounts.  Considering that insurance only pays for 6 pills a month, and at that it is $60 co pay, I am already pretty limited anyway, I only take it if I absolutely need it.

Relpax, IMO, is like a fairy tale's worth of magic all in a little pill.  I bitch about that $60, but I will pay it every single month just to have that little pill on back up.  It's one of the few meds that makes me really sleepy so I can't take it if I have to drive within two hours of taking it, but once that sleepy period ends, the migraine is GONE.  Nothing else has ever touched a migraine for me.  I have gotten them since I was like 12, tried every single combo of ibuprophen, tylenol, naproxen, etc etc.  In fact, most doses of vicoden don't even touch a migraine for me.  I also tried a couple other migraine meds including imitrex.  Most just made me throw up and still my head hurt. 

[WindyCityMom]

Thank you SO much!  I'm going to mention that to my regular doctor (she's very proBF, and now that I have a nursling about a year old everyone is going to tell me I should wean!). 

Only thing is I get them almost daily.  I get bad bad ones a few times a week and almost certainly one every day (sometimes not so bad, like I said, but still). 

[happysmileylady]

Originally Posted by WindyCityMom 

Thank you SO much!  I'm going to mention that to my regular doctor (she's very proBF, and now that I have a nursling about a year old everyone is going to tell me I should wean!). 

Only thing is I get them almost daily.  I get bad bad ones a few times a week and almost certainly one every day (sometimes not so bad, like I said, but still). 

I don't think Relpax is recommended for taking daily, even when you aren't nursing.  If you are getting them daily, you might need to consider doing some journaling to find out if you have other triggers in addition to the hormones that perhaps you can control.  I have taken it for YEARS, through several different insurance companies and most only approve 6 pills a month, one approved 8. 

I just fired off an email to the IBCLC at the hospital I delivered at, they run a free BF support group and I know they have Dr Hale's book, so I asked her if she could double check the safety with that.  I can tell you I took it a few times while nursing my now 2 year old and she's totally fine now

I also did a quick search of the KellyMom forums, and that turned up a suggestion of taking Aleve in combo with benedryl.  I haven't ever tried that before, but it might be worth a shot. 

There were also several suggestions of vitamin and suppliment combos, like calcium and magnesium.  You might want to post your question over there to see if they can make other suggestions.
 

[Juvysen]

Originally Posted by WindyCityMom 

I thought that it wasnt.  Hmm, I hope you're on to something. If that's it, then problem solved!

Originally Posted by Juvysen 

have you considered a progesterone (wild yam) cream?  My Naturopath suggested it for me and said it was safe while nursing...

I don't use a lot (like half the amount it says on the bottle), but I have some mild adrenal fatigue and apparently since progesterone and cortisone are very similar, if your body's already having a hard time making cortisol, having to switch over to make progesterone, too, makes the cortisol levels drop... which makes me an anxious mess.  She's been right about everything else and has children of her own which she breastfed and whatever... she also suggested not using the pro-adrenal herbs because they can be too stimulating to my nursling.  I've been using it for a couple weeks and haven't noticed any changes (like reduction in milk quantities or something) besides my anxiety going away. 

[WindyCityMom]

Originally Posted by happysmileylady 

I also did a quick search of the KellyMom forums, and that turned up a suggestion of taking Aleve in combo with benedryl.   

Won't benadryl dry up breastmilk?  I need to do some googling.

I don't have any triggers other than environmental ones (cigarette smoke,tar,perfumes).  I remember going through a list of triggers with a neurologist when I was younger.  I had an MRI done and there's nothing physically wrong (this was 10 years ago though).  This has persisted for 10 years (like I said, only during luteal phase and during pregnancy do I get a relief from the pain).  I also notice a huge change in my mood.  I'm so sick of the headaches.  I also can't imagine using progesterone supplements (cream or otherwise) for the rest of my life- what if my body becomes immune to them and they require ridiculous dosages?  Aren't hormone replacement therapy & breast cancer linked (or is it just artificial)? 

I can't imagine what I'm going to feel like when I hit menopause (fortunately it's about 25 years away for me...)!

[Juvysen]

from what I understand, the artificial progesterone causes issues more than the wild yam cream, but I don't remember what my source was for that.  Beyond that, I wonder if you could take or eat some progesterone supporting foods later in life, but if your body's not creating it because of breastfeeding it's sort of a different issue, right?  I'm not a doctor, though, so I don't know.

[happysmileylady]

 Here's the response from the IBCLC

 per Dr. Thomas Hale’s resource, Medications and Mother’s Milk, Relpax is classified in the “safer for breastfeeding” category.  Per the one study done, there were no pediatric concerns reported via mama’s milk.  He says it is unlikely that the clinical dose delivered to the infant via milk would harm a breastfed infant.  The molecular weight of the drug is over 400…larger molecule…less passes through.  High protein binding…thus gets out of the system better.  The highest level of drug in mom’s plasma is at the 2 hour point. 

[WindyCityMom]

I tried the wild yam cream (3 days now) and it did help with my migraines.  By help, I mean, I didn't get the slightest hint of a headache ;)  However, it makes me extremely dizzy, nauseous, and generally ill-feeling.  My breasts are ridiculously tender.  I had no idea this would work so quickly.  Oh, libido is also up, but things are kind of hectic here so that is a need unmet.  I feel almost exactly as I did (I take that back... a little worse) when I was pregnant with DD2 and the doctor started me on prometrium for a little while because of my history of early miscarriages.  I know that the molecular structure of wild yam is the same is progesterone naturally produced in the body.. so why does it make me feel so much differently?  I tackled the headaches but gained new sxs that are just as annoying and taxing on my body. 

So what gives, really?  I'm lost.  I now know for a fact that it's a progesterone imbalance, because replacing the progesterone fixed the headaches.  I'm not taking too much either, I'm taking it as directed, and at a lesser dose (abt. 1/8tsp 2x/day instead of 1/4-1/2tsp 2x/day).

Why me?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juvysen 

from what I understand, the artificial progesterone causes issues more than the wild yam cream, but I don't remember what my source was for that.  Beyond that, I wonder if you could take or eat some progesterone supporting foods later in life, but if your body's not creating it because of breastfeeding it's sort of a different issue, right?  I'm not a doctor, though, so I don't know.

Thanks, I need to do more research.
 

happysmileylady: Thank you for the info!! 

Originally Posted by happysmileylady 

 Here's the response from the IBCLC

[WindyCityMom]

Oh- and now, it's basically choosing between hormone replacements and pharmaceutical drugs.  :(  Or neither, and continue to suffer.  AND the drugs aren't every day drugs, so I'd still be in headache h-ll most days.

[SeekingJoy]

Could you cut back even further? Your body seems hormonally sensitive and reactive, and that might just be too much. You might have the same side effects if you went to a meds solution

[bluets]

If you're open to homeopathy, you should really find a local homeopath or a naturopath.  Some remedy randomly picked isn't going to help.  What you need (homeopathically) is to peel off the layers and get down to your constitutional remedy.

[Juvysen]

Try doing just once a day.

[rainbringer]

Originally Posted by Juvysen 

Try doing just once a day.

I agree.  I take a tiny bit of progesterone cream for PMS, and I only need to take it once a month.  If I take more, I don't feel well.  Some people are very sensitive to it so you might not need much at all.

[WindyCityMom]

Thanks, I'll try cutting back for the next few days and hopefully I'll do better with it.

[WindyCityMom]

I keep trying to post and it gets deleted :( My computer is acting up...

Anyways, I wanted to update and say that after cutting back (to a teeny weeny dab 1x/day), I've not only felt like a headache was trying to come on (pretty much a very dull ache that was sometimes there and sometimes not) but the dizziness and other sxs are still there (not as intense, but still not nice).  The headache thing started today, I guess because all of the progesterone was out of my system more by today.  I know nothing about how it is metabolized by the body so I'm just guessing there.

My DH keeps suggesting weaning- but I don't want to wean.  I refuse.  Is that really my only option?  I feel like I need to choose the lesser of two demons at this point- or is there something else I'm not aware of?

[happysmileylady]

Well, if that is helping, what about a progesterone only bcp?  I am pretty sure that's safe for BF, and it would be something you could take every day.  I think there are a couple of different ones, perhaps you could experiement a little to see which have the least side effects?

[sbgrace]

Originally Posted by happysmileylady 

Well, if that is helping, what about a progesterone only bcp?  I am pretty sure that's safe for BF, and it would be something you could take every day.  I think there are a couple of different ones, perhaps you could experiement a little to see which have the least side effects?

This is what I would do. I think they can cut a bit into supply but you've got excess anyway. It's worth a try in my mind.
I feel for you.