Chronic migraines symptoms and conditions

I have been on Yasmin for about 5 years. I loved it to begin with but just recently I have been having horrible side effects that i just realized could be related. I just thought i was a 21 yr old with problems. i am having heart palpitations, hair loss, insomnia, anxiety, vision problems, UTI's, lightheadedness and blackouts, and CHRONIC migraines. I am having about 3 migraines a week! they are disrupting my life. it is weird that i was fine on the meds for so long and they are just now resulting in this. I am stopping the pill as of today and i am going to talk to my doctor about other options. i am thinking about ortho tri cyclin lo. i have to be on a birth control because i have had endometriosis and my doctor said it is less possible to come back if i am on a birth control. she mentioned the shot but i have heard bad stories about that too and i don't think i want to go there.

I've been on it for just over one year and I have had great success with Topamax for my chronic migraines! I am at 200mg a day. I use to wake up with migraines in the morning and that has been greatly reduced. I use to never know when they would hit me and now I can figure out when which is usually hormonal - during my period. Before we (my neurologist and I) settled on the right dosage, we kept bumping up in 25 mg at a time and i would have side effects ... unpleasant (smelly gas, tingling fingers, other stuff i don't remember anymore), but after a few weeks, the side effects would go away. Now I don't have any side effects. I did loose weight, but only 5 lbs. I made a conscience effort to eat right and drink plenty of water because I read the forums about the bad health effects of the drug. I do loose words sometimes, but its a small trade-off for the migraines. Now, if I could just find something that would tame the hormones... Cheers!

Actually, I had been taking YASMIN for over a year with NO problems. I was on every other pill known to man, but suffered from Acne sooooo, MD put me on YASMIN and skin was clear with no bad side effects. Recently, my MD put me on YAZ and, now, I'm having bowel issues (hospital twice), migraines, cramps in my legs at night, bloating and acne coming back. YAZ sucks! I'm tired all the time and feel depressed, too. This is all new to me so I'm going to ask to switch back to YASMIN!

I have endometriosis and chronic migraines (not related to the pill). I am taking a preventative migraine medication daily now, so we figured we would try again to help my pain from the edo with the pill. At this point, all of my doctors have suggested taking lupron, which will put me into temporary menopause, instead of the pill. I am just not ready for that option. Because I have tried so many different pills, Femcon FE is one of my last options before taking the lupron. I was concerned after reading many of the posts on this site, but figured I would give it a try and see. I started it on Sunday April 25th and so far this is what I have experienced:
Increased onset of migraine pain- (but the pharmacy didn't have my migraine medication and I had to wait two days until they ordered it, so that could be the cause of that)
Slight breakout- (but I started a new foundation, so that could be the cause of that)
Increased moodiness
I have not had any cravings like I did on Seasonale (all I could think about was chocolate)
I don't know if I have had any weight gain yet, my scale is out of batteries and I haven't had a chance to replace them! But my cloths do not feel tighter, so that is a good sign!!
I will continue to post periodically while taking Femcon FE. Hopefully it works for me and I will have nothing but great things to say! I am going to stay positive and will away the negative side effects!!!

I was prescribed FEMCON FE to control an unregulated, heavy and extremely painful cycle—and apparently, this is the only BC pill that can do so when one is ALSO prescribed anti-epileptic meds. I was bleeding (and cramping) uncontrollably for 3-4 weeks when put on FEMCON; I’ve been on it for 2 full months. Fortunately I didn’t do much research before beginning the pill—I didn’t really have a CHOICE of pills—these posts would have terrified me… Everyone’s systems are so different, and respond so crazily, especially when it comes to hormones. FEMCON, at least so far, has regulated mine beautifully, with minimal hitches (nothing unusual for BC pills). Some of the past positive postings are similar to what I would have to say—when I was on Yasmin, I still had long, painful, and heavy periods. On FEMCON, again so far, it’s been cut to 3-4 days of super light flow. LOVELY! I suffer from severe chronic migraines, and the halfway-mark seemed to cause me a particularly difficult time, but again, this is nothing FEMCON-specific. It just took me a bit aback. Good luck, all!

I am going on topamax for the second time. I think the drug is going to be the best choice for me, personally. I am on it to treat both, epilepsy and chronic migraines. The first time I went on it, I titrated partially to my dosage (400mg) and had to stop because my potassium dropped dangerously low and I was pregnant at the time. I have since had my daughter and am giving it another go. I am having the loss of appetite, redness and tingling of hands and feet, some irritability. I am up to 100mg now and am titrating up to 400mg. I hope that it will subside after a while. I already don't care for carbonated beverages and you are supposed to avoid stimulants if you have migraines and epilepsy anyways people! So figure it a blessing that you can't drink carbonated beverages that MOST contain CAFFEINE aka STIMULANT!!! HELLO!!! As for the other symptoms, i guess you have to weigh the benefits to the risks. I certainly hope it works for me and everyone else. Last time I took it, it could have caused heart failure. That was a biggie! So I would say, Get your routine labs and so long as you can withstand the side effects and the reason you went on the medication is being controlled...... Thank you topamax!

DON'T TAKE EFFEXOR unless you want be on a med forever. I did not have any problems getting on it but after two years I am wanting to get off of it because I think I am in a much better place. I have been tapering off and I am down to 37.5 and I just cant get off of it. I was all the way up to 150 so you would think all the down to where I am that I could get off this. NOPE!!!! I hate it i hate it I hate it. I don't mind being on it but I just don't think I need it...... but I am thinking my body is telling me differently. This just sucks getting off of it!!!!

I've only been on topamax for about a month and a half and already I'm feeling some interesting side effects. In the first week of taking the medication I had such pressure behind my left eye I thought it was going to pop. It eventually went away and has not come back (thank the Lord). I also experienced some pretty nasty numbness, tingling, and uncomfortable pins and needles in my fingertips and toes/sole of my foot. The tingling in my hands usually lasted a few hours and the tingling in my feet only lasted for a couple of minutes. This tingling is never predictable.

Eventually the tingles went away and I was tingle free for a while. But in the past few days they came back. It actually coincided with my PMS. The tingles came back and with intensity about three days before my period started. I was wondering if it was common to have a side effect return or increase in intensity around your menstrual cycle? My hormones are pretty nutty and the reason I'm on topamax is to stop severe migraine auras and slight seizures that are tied to my menstrual cycle.

The feet tingles are the worst. It feels like I'm being jabbed with needles and I hate when it happens while I'm sleeping because it wakes me up and I can't fall back asleep again until they go away... they are that irritating. The hands I can deal with because I'm used to my left arm going numb when I was having the auras.

My sleep patterns have been disturbed because of topamax... I'm not too peeved about that. I still manage to get enough sleep. However there are times when I'm out with friends or having conversations and I'll know the word I want to say and I'll just bust out the wrong one. Like for example saying symphony instead of sympathy. My friends have gotten used to it and know what I'm trying to say. It cracks them up when my word salad produces sexual innuendos on accident when I really mean something else. BUT it's really messing up job interviews at the moment. I'm a bright and articulate person who is getting her BA in Anthroplogy and Archaeology, minor in History and am trying to get research assistant jobs at museums and universities. It's really hard to get a job when you are sitting there sounding like an uneducated moron high on crack.

I haven't had problems with memory, thank the Lord. Even though I've got the word salad going on (and it's strange... the word jumbles are only when I'm speaking... I'm super coherent when typing) I'm not forgetful. I was able to make it through finals week perfect, while juggling a full work load. I hope I don't start losing my memory.

I haven't lost any weight (AW SHUCKS!!!!!). I was looking forward to that one. How soon should I expect to lose weight by, if I do in fact lose weight? I'm a difficult duck when it comes to weight loss. I've been at a stable weight since I was 13. I'm an athlete so my body is my temple sort of thing. But in the past two years I've put on a little bit of unwanted weight in certain areas when I stopped hitting the weight machines :( My question is, if I haven't lost it yet... will I lose any?

I'm also classified as type II bipolar, obsessive compulsive, and anxiety disordered. I've noticed my mood has stabilized. I'm not as all over the place as I used to be. My highs could get pretty high and when they would get up there my obsessive compulsive would almost go on a little joy ride. And when I was low, I was super low and my anxiety would take the depression out for a spin. But now I feel a calmness and a zen that I never felt previously. It's not an apathy I can certainly tell you that. I feel like I am in control of my life. I thank topamax for that.

Reading all of these posts I just worry that the honeymoon period of my medication maybe over. I worry about other side effects cropping up. I think that I can deal with my tingling extremities and that I can manage my word salads. I don't want the pressure in my eye to come back. I also don't want to start exhibiting the other side effects. What is the possibility that I will start exhibiting more side effects or are you generally stuck with what initially presents in the first month or so? My doctor also does NOT intend on increase my dosage. He thinks 50mg once a day will do me just fine. Oh and one last question, anyone else experiencing the side effect increase coinciding with PMS?

Sorry for the super long post! All replies are welcome!

my BF has been taking antidepressants for 15 yrs- mostly a combo of lamictal and parnate. he is always depressed, has no energy, can't lose weight, suffers from chronic migraines (for which he downs handfuls of Tylenol and Excedrin) and constant muscle pain. i'm afraid to drive with him because of the road rage. his thinking is foggy, he is overwhelmed by every little thing and he constantly loses his keys, his phone- you name it. when he saw the commercials for AADD, he started to think he had that too and needed even more medicine!

i've had about all i can stand and in doing research, i found that niacin is useful for people with depression. it has to be the flushing kind and you need to take enough without flushing. some very depressed people have taken 12,000 mg a day and still not flushed!

so i started him on niacin and as we built up his dose, he cut down on the antidepressants. he got to 2000 mg of niacin a day and it took him 2 months to wean off the antiDs. he had minor brain shivers, but not nearly as bad or as many as when he has tried to get off the meds in the past

he has now been completely off the antiDs for 2 months and is taking between 300 - 500 mg of niacin daily.

here's what has happened: in 2 months, he has only had one headache and his muscle aches have gone; consequently he has only taken one Tylenol in the last two months as opposed to 10 a day like he used to. he has more energy- this Sunday when he got out of bed, he got active doing things instead of slumping on the couch for hours. i also almost fainted when i drove with him and he didn't scream when a pedestrian cut out in front of him. he is much more able to focus, he is not getting overwhelmed by everything.

and for the past 3 weeks at weight watchers, his weight has gone down a little

he is very happy about it.

I was given Hydrocodone for chronic migraines and it didn't even lessen the pain. It did make me feel relaxed and calm though. However, they made me very itchy. One time it gave me hives. Can't take it again. I itch too much.

Yes, kenalog has many side effects with SOME people. I'm both a patient that takes kenalog and a third year medical student. I've been receiving kenalog injections twice a year during allergy season for the past 5 years. All I can say is THANK GOD. I can deal with a itchy/running nose, the sneezing, and the itchy eyes. What I cannot deal with are the asthma symptoms that act up whenever my allergies do. I get little enough sleep as is, what I do get doesn't need to be interrupted by waking up not being able to breath.
What must be realized here is that however many posts are on this and like sites, the people who suffer from the side effects are in the minority. For most patients this drug provides great relief with little to no side effects.
For those who said that their doctors did not tell them what they were being given, or warned about the side effects, yes, those physicians should have warned their patients about the possible side effects. HOWEVER, it is also YOUR responsibility as a patient to ASK what you are being given, and what the possible side effects are. Never let anyone just stick a needle in your butt without asking what the heck they're doing first. I'm not defending those physicians that don't tell the patient what they're doing; they are in the wrong. But they see tons of patients very day, most of it route. And many patients lack the knowledge to ask what they are being given, and what might happen from it. Even if the physician took the time to explain, a lot of people wouldn't understand or simply don't care. Don't be one of those patients. Ask your PCP: what is this drug? what does it do? what are the possible side effects? what percentage of patients experience these side effects?. Take some responsibility for yourselves.

I have been on a 1000mg of Depakote for over fourteen years,in the last month i have become severely ill with feelings of electricity going thru my brain,vertigo,nausea and fainting spells. I have been communicating with my Doctor and he said stop all Depakote immediately. As a result of it i feel like a new person.Always pays to do your own research and listen to body symptoms.I saved my own life. Andrew.

I didn't really have any side effects with Relpax. The most wonderful thing was that it made my headaches go away. Of course my Dr freaked out when she found out that I was taking them on average 3x a week and switched me to Topamax because the frequency of my headaches meant that I had chronic migraines. I HATE Topamax. It gave me a lot of side effects and I still have my headaches. I want my Relpax back!

Okay, my Dr. switched me to Topamax because I was taking my Relpax too often (3 x a week on average, but it actually stopped my headaches) which I did not realize meant that I had chronic migraines. So far I am less than impressed :(

I've experience a little tingling in one hand, the left, have no idea of why it hasn't occurred in the other. No weight loss. I am under great stress at work (I have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder that's being treated with 40 mg Paxil and 150mg (?) Buspar. The side effect that's killing me is the confusion and memory loss. You have no idea of how long its taken me to write this post. My mind will think of one word, but my fingers will type another. I will go back to correct and the same thing will happen. I can't really afford to be stupid at work. At home no one really cares if I'm stupid. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but at least I have some place to be stupid.

The worst thing is I still have the freaking headaches. I want my Relpax back and they can keep these Topamax (and yes, I see why they call it that). I'm just to the point where I'm supposed to up my dosage to 25mg in the morning and 50 at night and I'm not sure if I'm going to do it or step the dosage back down. How long is this stupidness supposed to last, on average. At what dosage do you know if its working or not for your migraines? I'm very frustrated and about to toss in the towel.

Thanks for any help,
Just call me Dopey

I took 75mg of Topamaz for 3 1/2 months for my chronic migraines. The side affects for me were nearly as bad as the headaches: I lost 17 pounds, tingling in my toes and fingers, tiredness, food intolerances, and still had the headaches. I went off the Topamax 2 months ago and thought I was going to be OK. But last week, I developed appendicitis and had my appendix taken out by emergency surgery. I am curious if any other patient has had appendicitis but just didnt relate it to the Topamax.

I am a 41 year old woman who has been on Toprol for 2 years. At first there were no problems, and a pleasant side effect was that my chronic migraines were greatly reduced! However, of late, I have been experiencing EXTREME sleepiness, sometimes even first thing in the morning after a good full night of sleep! I have been nervous to drive because of how sleepy I feel. I can barely keep my eyes open anymore, and the muscles of my eyes are even tired from trying to keep them open! I also have extremely dry eyes, atrial flutter, numb and tingling fingertips. The symptoms definately got worse when I went from taking 50 mg to 100 mg per day. I am glad I finally got worried enough to investigate the side effects on the internet. Thanks for your site! I will be talking to my doctor about slowly getting off Toprol and trying another medication for my high blood pressure. The best medicine is Exercise!

I have had asthma for over 20 years. I am now 25 and have been on Advair for over 2and 1/2 yrs. Advair definitely has helped, I can breath enough to run again, no wheezing or struggling for breath no hospital visits since I started the med....BUT I have also gained over 40 pounds (and still gaining), get chronic migraines, and have definite Cushing's like symptoms. Plus I get thrush in my mouth every couple of months. And don't forget the insomnia, jittery feelings, tremor and rapid heartbeat. All of these symptoms started since I began taking Advair and continue to worsen. And to top it off, my Pulomonlogist insists the Advair cannot be causing all of these problems. I thought I was losing my mind until I found this forum. Advair is no miracle drug and should be taken with extreme caution.