Migraine headaches symptoms and conditions

I'm so glad that I found this site because I was beginning to think that something was seriously wrong with me. I started taking Nuvaring almost 2 months ago. 5 more days and I can take it out...FOREVER!!!!

At first, I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread...and then the weight gain began. My husband said maybe it was just that I was eating junk. Maybe...so I started back on Weight Watchers. I can not lose a single pound, and when I have counted points in the past the pounds fell off the first week or two. I've gained 15 lbs since I started Nuvaring. The strange thing is that it is all just around my stomach. It is like a big spare tire. I've gained very little in the rest of my body.

I also noticed pretty bad cramping after I put it in. It was pretty much all the time, not just during certain parts of my cycle.

Then I started to get headaches. Not little headaches, but debilitating migraine headaches. The sensitivity to light is almost unbearable when I have one of these. Many times I find myself going to bed at 8 pm when I put my son to bed. Pretty much all I ever want to do is sleep. Sex? Nope, not interested. (Very different from how I was in the past.) Huh, I guess it works as birth control because it promotes abstinence!

The worst part is that I am soooooo depressed. Like major depression. I have usually been a pretty even keel personality, but since starting Nuvaring I find myself wondering what I have to live for. I've come to the conclusion that if it weren't for my husband or son, I'd rather just be dead. I've even found myself thinking about how I would want to die. It has gotten so bad that I haven't been to work in almost 2 weeks. I have so much anxiety that I actually feel scared to go. My husband finally called a doctor for me on Wednesday and I start therapy on Monday. I hope that the side effects will go away soon after I take the ring out, but I am very afraid that I might be like this for a while.

I question how so many of us have these HORRIBLE side effects and yet no one in the medical profession has even questioned whether something is amiss. It seems to me that I better just have another child and then have my tubes tied so I don't ever have to mess with all this awful birth control stuff again. (I was bad about taking pills on time, so I ended up having spotting most of the month, which kind of defeated the purpose.)

I'm thankful that I found this site and now I know that I am not alone!

Ambien CR is the only prescription that will allow me to sleep in a hotel, but it is a double edged sword. After about 2 days of using I get migraine headaches. Last week we took our family vacation and I took it for 7 nights in a row. Our timing of our vacation was bad because the day after we got back my husband went out of town (another thing that causes me not to sleep). For the last 4 nights I have taken 1mg of Lunesta. The headaches presisit but I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Tonight I am back to what works best for me Melatonin

For me extended use of Ambien CR causes Migraines. It has time and time again. I know it will happen and in extreme cases (vacation, death in the family) I will choose getting sleep over having the migraine.

Occasional 1 time use of Ambien CR does not cause me to have a migraine the following day.

Hello... I am on my third pack of loestrin 24. Im 19 and have never been on BC. the first pack i spotted and did NOT get my period on my brown pills. the second pack i got my period about the second week and bled for 2 weeks straight. it went away for a week and i DID get my period on the brown pills.. i was excited, i thought i was regulating finally. i am currently on my third pack the second week and i got my period last night and have cramps. i don't not really want to switch and go through this again. i lost my appetite( i don't mind) my drive has increased and i lostt weight. my skin is great im happy not moddy. i am hoping since loestrin is 24 days of hormones not 21 maybe its taking longer to regulate. I hope i regulare im scared i wont. has this happened to anyone... has anyone been normal. my only problem is this constant crampy bleeding! please help.

HELP!

After reading many postings, I don't feel like I'm the only one with my problems.

I've been on the ring for the past 2 1/2 years. Looking back I've noticed that I've had numerous migraine headaches and pretty much ZERO sex drive. How frustrating!!

What the heck do I do? Anyone know of which birth control I can switch to? I've been on numerous pills (orthocept, orthonovum, orthotri), the patch and the depo shot. They all made me emotionally crazy. Condoms don't really jive with my body.

I saw my family doctor on May 16th for a new onset UTI. I hadn't had one of these in about 8 years but I knew how bad they could get if you didn't get them treated right away. I did the over the counter URISTAT for 2 days until I got an appointment. After doing the UA dipstick, they confirmed my UTI because of the high leukocytes and gave me sample packets of LEVAQUIN 500 mg. b.i.d. for 5 days. I went home thinking, "Hey, this will be easy and I will feel great in a few days." I WAS NEVER SO WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING IN MY WHOLE LIFE!!!! I took my first dose that evening and went to bed. I woke up the next morning with a headache so bad that I almost passed out when I lifted my head off the pillow. The UTI went away after a few days, but the migraine stayed for over 2 weeks. The left side of my neck felt like I had been hit from behind with a baseball bat and my scalp became so sore from the pain that I couldn't even use a blow dryer on my hair. I made 2 more trips back to the doctor complaining of the horrible migraine headaches, light sensitivity, neck pain and joint pain. He put me on IMITREX, PROPANOLOL, APAP, and FLEXERIL to control the migraines. I MAXED OUT THE DAILY DOSAGE ON THESE MEDS EVERY DAY WITH NO RELIEF! I went back to the doctor again and he decided to run some lab tests. The next day, my headache had started to get better but I noticed a lump under my left armpit (large pea size) and that I had significant joint pain in my right middle and index finger. My middle finger would hardly bend in the mornings when I got up and the stiffness in my neck was still there. Later that day on my way out for a mini vacation with my family, my doctor called to tell me that my ANA had come back positive and he wanted to send me to a Rheumatologist to rule out things like LUPUS, RA, etc. Needless to say, I was totally freaked out for the remainder of my trip until I went back to the doctor to review my ANA Titer. My titer was high at 1:160, but he keeps telling me not to worry because this happens all of the time and an ANA and high titer is not definitive. I want to also note that one of my friends and my husband have also had very similar experiences. She was convinced by the physicians that she had Lymphoma because of her ANA and titer and my husband was certain that he had RA. Both are negative!
I am still concerned about all of this even though I am feeling better and it may be that I have permanent side effects from this. I was a totally healthy person and there was nothing going on besides a UTI until the LEVAQUIN was introduced. It has been almost a month since I took this drug and the things I have been reading online are horrible. I am sure that I will never take one of these antibiotics again. My advice to anyone else is to READ< READ> READ! There are some excellent websites out there and of coures the blogs are great for information from other patients. A good site for information about positive ANA's is:
http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/fana.asp
Also, read up on LEVAQUIN and the other FLUOROQUINOLONES. I did not know that these are the drugs that will be used to treat people in the event of a biological war. It's pretty scary....

my daughter is 16 takes Yasmin for severe periods and cramps, stomach pain, moodiness during her periods. She has just started complaining about headache that hurt really bad, not like migraine headaches, she already had a history of those and said that they feel different. I'm worried, has anyone experienced this?

i have had terrible migraine headaches, upset stomach and nauseous, anxiety, panic feeling, dry skin, increased pulse..(92 bpm at rest), i can hear my heart beating in my ears, feel terrible on this drug, unable to sleep unless i take sleep aids due to my brain unable to rest and calm down...once i stopped taking lovenox the headaches have subsided and other side effects are slowly going away.

Finding this web site has been a big eye opener me, I knew that what was going on with my body couldn't be normal, but didn't want to admit it. I am a 27 yr old mother of 2 that can't use BC due to liver issues. I worked in an OB/Gyn office for 5 years and never heard any horror stories about either one of the IUDs. My doctor/coworker suggested the COPPER IUD which was placed in 2000 after the birth of my 2nd son. After doing so, I dealt with 2 years of extremely heavy bleeding, cramping, migraines..... So, my doctor then decided to replace the copper with the Mirena. I had the copper taken out and the Mirena put in last March (07). 2 months after that, I was taken to the hospital with excruciating pelvic pain. To find out I had a ruptured cyst. This had NEVER happened to me before and after the surgery my health has gone down hill. I now have breakouts all over my body, nausea, swollen hands and feet, 20 lbs extra, fatigued, increased perspiration, moody, I have moments of rage, tired ALL the time, emotional, and constant pelvic pain. Not bad enough to go the dr, but enough to notice it the entire day. I have moments when all I do is sleep and others when I can't sleep at all.
The GREAT upside to the Mirena has been that I no longer get migraine headaches and I don't get periods at all. It sounds great, but the negative side effects are taking their toll on me. I have to take it out in hopes to regain myself. I don't recognize myself anymore. Physically or emotionally. Good luck to all the women that are on it or considering it. I hope that this brings insight to anyone that has questions.
I have made an appt at the end of this month to have it removed.

I am 41 years old; I've been on several different birth control pills since I was 19 (never had any problems with any of them). I took a break for 2 years recently while trying to get pregnant. After two miscarriages, I decided to go back on the pill until the genetic tests come back.
I am into my 3rd pack of YAZ pills & all I can say is they are by far the WORST birth control pills I have ever taken. After reading all of the side effects that are posted, I am discontinuing immediately. It also eases some of my worries that I am not the only one suffering. These are the side effects that I have experienced since starting YAZ:

1. Daily migraine headaches.
2. Throbbing pain in my head if I turn too quickly.
3. Sensitivity to light.
4. Frequent cramps in my feet.
5. Clouded vision & sharp pain in my eye sockets.
6. Sinus pain.
7. Constipation.
8. Ringing in my ear.
9. Insomnia.
10.EXTREME mood swings.
11.Depression.
12.ZERO sex drive.
13.Fatigue, along with constant neck & back pain.
14.Painful cyst-like acne on my face.

With all of the birth control pills out there, there is no reason to have to take YAZ. It is the only pill on the market that contains drospirenone, which leads me to believe that drospirenone is causing the side effects I am experiencing.

I've been taking Yasmin for 7 months now...at first it was brilliant! i have had trouble with other pills in the past and Yasmin seemed totally different.
however, after settling down with it, i am starting to experience some side effects. i appreciate that obviously they may not be related to Yasmin but after reading other people's experiences I'm thinking that they probably are!

my hair falls out more than is normal...i used to have really thick hair and now it's getting pretty thin.
i have developed a cyst on the side of my head?!
i get weird pains in the right of my chest and stomach as if I've been exercising too much or sitting balled up for hours.
i have gone off food.
my sex drive is none existent! my boyfriend and i used to do it pretty much every day and now i never want it. we haven't really had any proper sexual contact in over a month.
i had complete loss of vision in one eye.
I'm getting seriously anxious about things that are important, but overly so.
i feel permanently tired and drained no matter how much sleep i get.
i cry 24/7 over absolutely anything... songs, adverts... its ridiculous!?

if i come off Yasmin it'll be the 3rd pill that doesn't agree with my body. I'm gonna have to try something new i think...

I stopped taking Yasmin about 6 months ago. Since stopping Yasmin, I have started to get migraine headaches around my cycle and they are progressively worst. Has this happened to anyone??

I took one injection of Lupron for fibroids in Nov. 2001. It totally changed my life, I am no longer the same person I was before. It started with severe migraine headaches for 14 days straight and attacks of nausea, lack of appetite. I used to have a strong stomach - now I was very easily nauseated. I never went for the second shot. I began to have panic attacks regularly (I had not had them for over 20 yrs). I was tired all the time, and a person who used to work out at the gym 5 days a week - eventually I quit. Now I just walk. I feel about 65 yrs old (I am just 49). I look old, my face began to droop, my hair thinned. I had bouts of depression coupled with general anxiety. My migraines worsened. My sex drive dropped to zero, I feel almost "sexless". I used to be confident, now I was afraid of everything. I now suffer from irritable bowel syndrome - with bouts of diarrhea, bloating and severe gas pains. I have trouble eating sometimes.. I have had all the tests and no one can find anything wrong with me,and none of the doctors think all these problems are due to Lupron. But, I know - I was NOT like this before Lupron. It ruined my life. I just wish my doctor would have informed me of all the terrible side effects - she only told me about hot flashes. I looked into suing her for malpractice but the lawyers said they could not build a case with no real medical evidence that my symptoms are caused by Lupron. I just wish I had known then what I know now. I tell everyone - NEVER take Lupron. Six years later and I still feel like this. Oh what I wouldn't give to have not taken that drug.

I took Yasmin for about 8 months until I realized it was the cause of severe migraine headaches, nausea, dizziness, and other terrible side effects. I also had terrible lethargy as well as lack of libido. It is awful and now I realize how many women are experiencing the same problem. My Dr. took me off of it and all of the terrible side effects have gone away.

I have only been taking Topamax for one week, I have horrible migraine headaches. I feel very exhausted from taking topamax, and have HORRIBLE HEARTBURN, and I love pepsi, and it doesn't just taste flat, it tastes horrible, like I'm sucking on pennies! I unfortunately think I'm going to have to quit taking topamax, because I just feel so horrible....I can sleep 8-10 hours a night, and then wake up, and feel like I didn't sleep at all! Does anyone else know if these side effects get better as you keep taking the meds? Help!

i took aviane for a little over a month. the side effects were so severe i had to stop the pill. i experienced intense anger and mood swings,severe depression, appetite increase and weight gain,my whole body felt swollen, migraine headaches, shortness of breath, anxiety, stomach pains, I WAS MISERABLE. i stopped taking the pill 2 days ago which brought on my period along with intense pms symptoms. i'm hoping that once this period is over i will start to feel normal again. AVAINE IS THE WORST BC PILL EVER

I've been taking Yaz for three months and, as much as I'd like to stay on a birth control pill, this one just isn't working. I've been ravenously hungry, and nauseous too. It's been a vicious cycle of eating (to stem the insane cravings), and then vomiting. Yuck. I'm over it. I've read some of the other posts, and I can relate to the need to pee also. I experienced the same diuretic effect, but only for a few weeks during the first pack of pills. I've also had a mild headache nearly every day since I began taking the pill. And I've had sore breasts too. I'm sure there are some girls who can handle Yaz, but I'm not one of them!

What are the possible side effects of Yasmin?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using Yasmin and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;

sudden headache, confusion, pain behind the eyes, problems with vision, speech, or balance;

chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling;

a change in the pattern or severity of migraine headaches;

nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

a breast lump; or

symptoms of depression (sleep problems, weakness, mood changes).

Continue using the medication and talk with your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:

mild nausea, vomiting, bloating, stomach cramps;

breast pain, tenderness, or swelling;

freckles or darkening of facial skin, increased hair growth, or loss of scalp hair;

changes in weight or appetite, swelling of your hands or feet;

problems with contact lenses;

vaginal itching or discharge;

changes in your menstrual periods; or

headache, nervousness, dizziness.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Just thought I would throw this out there for everyone..just found it on a Yasmin website.

Hello,

I read about how YAZ birth control pill affects the body and psych and I am now scared. This is my 2nd day of YAZ (I've never been on birth control pills ever and I am 27 years old), it's all new to me but after reading all these negative posts about Yaz I don't know what to do. Before the birth control pills, I was depressed, annoying, serious weight problems - 210 lbs :~~((, low energy, low libido, always tired, terrible migraines every 2nd day, ridiculously increased appetite and excessive hunger, hair where it shouldn't be, menstrual blood clots, excessive cramping etc
I have all these problems for 3 years now and now that the family doc. put me on YAZ birth control pill I am even more scared - mainly of more weight gain, it would be a tragedy for me, I am fat enough already and what's worse I can't lose the weight, exercise doesn't help, diet doesn't help, NOTHING. Will YAZ birth control pill worsen my already tragic condition? I just don't know what to do and what to believe ... I appreciate any advice or help you can give me ... Thank You to all!

There are a lot of negative experiences on here, so I thought I should share my positive one. I have been on birth control off and on for about 6 years. I was on orthotricyclin for the majority of the time-off and on. After getting horrible near migraine headaches on orthotricylin every Friday before my period for about 5 months in a row my doctor and I decided to try a different pill. I was on trilevelin (sp) for 4 months and gained a few pounds and felt easily irritated and emotionally different-just cried easily and not myself. I've been on Yasmin for a month and have had a great experience. I lost the water weight I'd gained and just verified with my boyfriend that my PMS was hardly even there. Everyone is different and has different hormone levels, but so far I am very happy with Yasmin. I've been migraine free tthe whole month!

EVERYBODY REPLY TO THIS Let's see exactly how many women have had negative side affects from Yasmin. Just reply with the sideaffects. I see lots of posts and was wondering how many women are out there sharing similar problems. So me.... migraines, extremely horrible mood swings all from taking yasmin for 8-9 days next..........? lol

I started Yasmin three years ago. It was great, lighter periods, fewer cramps, less acne. About a year ago, I noticed my left arm would kind of be numb. Then two months ago, I started getting light-headed and dizzy. I went to the emergency room, they couldn't find anything wrong. They said I had a panic attack, but I knew that it wasn't that. I'm a very calm, happy person. I went to a doctor, said I had fluid in my ear, prescribed Antivert, didn't help. Went to another doctor, did an ecg, glucose test, nothing. Said I should go to a neurologist. I didn't because I don't have insurance and I suspected that it was probably the Yasmin. In fact, I asked each doctor if it could be the pill, since this was the only thing I was taking and they said no. Went to an ENT, found nothing. Finally, I just decided to go off the pill, got better, but still having dizzy spells and migraines. It's driving me crazy. Missing work, social engagements. I had the brown spots and vaginal discharge. That I could deal with, but this is ridiculous!

I have been on Lisinopril 20 mg since
February. After a few weeks I kept waking up every morning around 5 am and felt my heartbeat all over the place, like I just had run a marathon. After 4 weeks, this subsided. Then I started hearing weird sounds in my head like a church bell ringing in the distance, this was going on along with waking up for the past two weeks every morning at 4 am with a rapid heart beat, a creepy sensation going up my arms and legs and getting cold. On top of that I was getting very anxious and shaky. My doctor seems to think I suffer from anxiety attacks and put me on Zoloft. I also start getting out of breath just bending down, tieing my shoes and I feel tired and shaky all the time. In the beginning I had the cough, that has subsided but I seem to develop all these other side effects. After reading all these emails, I will stop my medication tomorrow and see what happens. I might try the apple cider vinegar approach. By the way, my blood pressure went down to 92 to 55 most of the time and my doctors thought, that was great! I was under the impression the bp to shoot for was 120 over 80.

Girls, I am right there with you! Also one of the worst pills I have tried. However, I only lasted a few days vs. a few months like most of you. HORRIBLE migraine headaches from day one, severe nausea, fatigue, and depression. I quit taking them today!

I started Topamax over 2 years ago. First 25mg then 50 mg, now 100mg. I was put on Topamax for migraine headaches. I never recieved any information about the side effect hair lose in any of my paperwork. I would have never started taking it if I had, I am a Pentecostal woman and my hair is very important to me. I just found out about this side effect recently in a medical dictionary on my own.I have lost so much hair, it comes out by the handfulls.The doctor said if I dont stop this med I will go bald. I also stay very weak in my legs and arms, and cant even hold my grandchildren much anymore without having pains.I have double vision and recently had to get glasses.I hav'nt had a good glass of pepsi in over a year. I stay sad alot like no one cares feeling very depressed. I never use to feel this way before getting on Topamax.I have so much trouble with my memory I even forget how to get home sometimes. I am only 43 years old I feel like I am losing my mind sometimes.I have lost alot of weight I only weigh 95 pounds and cant seem to gain any back. My family and friends have even noticed the changes. This is a very bad drug and needs to be takin off the market. I cant even stop taking it yet because the doctor said I will start having seziers. I hav'nt had migraines, but look at what else I have gained instead. Just give my a Tylonol and let me keep my hair and mind.

I have been on Topamax for 4 weeks and although I have had some side effects, the drug had done wonders for preventing migraines. I was getting 4-5 migraine headaches a week and now I get none or only 1 a week. The side effects I got mostly occured on the weeks I was increasing the dosage and were nausea, dizziness, fatique, lack of appetite and of course cognitive disruption. I could not remember the little things and of course that made you just a little nuts, but I read up on the drug before I started on it and knew all that could happen. I was so miserable with the migraines that I had to try it and hoped the side effects would not be terrible.
I do not regularly drink carbonated beverages so the terrible taste now due to the medication is no big deal. I will continue with the medication as long as it controls my migraines.