Migrane symptoms and conditions

I get reeeeeally nauseated! It feels like the worse nausea ever, and it actually gives me gag reflexes and sometimes vomiting. Not to mention I also do get the BAAAAAAD headaches! It almost feels like a bad Migraine! My hair also falls a lot...but I didn't think it would co-relate to a freaking vitamin! Pissy!

I had the mirena put in at my postnatal visit in may 2009. I bled for a month then things were good. Did notice the "fogginess" Its been 4 months now and so far my marriage is heading south, I'm yelling more, getting dizziness, nausea/vomiting, and I've had my first ever migraine and don't forget the hot flashes about 4 - 5 times a day. I had blood work done today no thanks to my ob/gyn. She can't see me or give me orders for blood work for 2 1/2 weeks. I should find out my lab results soon but suspect it will all be normal. Reading these posts makes me realize I'm not crazy and it is comforting others feel the same. I think after reading everything here I'm gonna have it taken out so I can get back to my normal self and enjoy my family!

I never thought I would ever be posting my experience with BC but I think this could be useful to other women worldwide. I have been using Yasmin now for a year and a half and I agree with everyone here at the beginning I felt great, beautiful skin, controlled short term periods, stable weight. My body changed in all the right places. My breast turned a cup larger (I was a 34B) my buttocks got larger and rounder. My boyfriend was enjoying the changes as much as I was!! I thought this was the perfect pill for me and I actually recommend it to all my friends. Things started changing for me about three months ago. I started to feel tired, I use to work out 5 times a week now I can't even work out one. My eyesight started to change, I started getting cramps in my legs at night, my legs started feeling heavy as if I was losing circulation, fast heartbeat, and the occasional migraine to top it all of. Then I found the commercial about the lawsuit on TV and I panicked!! I googled the lawsuit and I found this websi

te and after reading everything here I went straight to my Dr. this afternoon with all my side effects. I am 39 now 18 on diferent types of BC and up until now I have been a very healthy and active person. When I read everything here I was decided to get off thie pill inmediately. But here goes what my Dr. said: (I trust his opinons because he is a friend and has been my obgyn for the last 15 years) " first Yasmin is the best hormone BC on the market, very women has different side effects and giving me another pill wouldn't solve my problem. I could actually get worse. He gave my the option of going of the pills but asked me if I was ready for all the changes that would bring. Weight gain, acne, anxiety, depression etc. Another option he suggested I try was taking an antioxidant complex, omega 3, and lecithin. All natural supplements which he firmly believes will make me feel much better, help my circulation, and minimize the side effects. I will start this treatment tomorrow and stay on the Yazmin for at least another month. PS. My health is in perfect conditions after blood tests and sonograms. thank God!! I will keep everyone posted on my progress. And I hope this is useful to all you ladies. God bless!

I am 23 years old and have been on Yasmin for approx 9 months now...at first I experienced the most horrific migraine - I felt as if my head was literally exploding. I informed my doctor who just instructed the nurse to check my blood pressure regularly. The readings were fine and I didn't have that side effect again.

This past week though I have been uncontrollably tired..going to visit family etc and heading straight for the bedroom to sleep. I thought perhaps i've just been working too hard. Then I woke up with swollen, itchy eyes and a rash on my eyelids which i put down to the weather. A few nights ago I started having chest pains. Every time I took a breath I could feel it deep in my lungs and it was so painful. It felt like my chest was tightening and I couldn't breathe. This morning I am still in pain and it hurts when I breathe - I thought perhaps I was developing asthma!

I decided to check the internet for my symptoms and came across this site...now I am stopping this Yasmin immediately. I probably should have been more weary after my migraine experience but the doctor made me feel as if it was all okay and not directly linked to Yasmin. I was only put on Yasmin to help with my irregular, heavy and extremely painful periods, but for me it is not worth it at all.

Thank you to all for sharing as it has helped me to identify what is causing me problems.

I am on Topomac for the last 10 days. I have been suffering from stress migraine for the past 6 months and I took professional help only a month os so back. The doctor started off with Sibelium, but this managed to reduce the occurrence. So instead of 4 headaches I now had 2 headaches per week. After a month of Sibelium, he started me on a 25 mg course of Topomac. I did not realize that this drug would be one which I would end reading so much about. Starting on this drug I immediately started feeling lethargic, sleepy and general tingling in the arms. From the 8th day onwards the dosage was increased to 50 mg per day with a review to be done on the 30th day. However other than the general lethargy, sleepiness, and slight lack of coordination, I feel that the drug has helped me get rid of the pain of migraine. I hope I am not speaking too soon, but I will keep all posted of the progress of my treatment with this drug.

Don't know if it's because of this medication but after taking it twice a day, after only 3 days, I had the most severe headache I have ever had. I couldn't even walk without it hurting. The was followed with me throwing up and this continued right through the evening. When I woke up the next morning the pain was only 25% of what it was the night before and no more vomiting. The next 5 days involved minor headaches that sometimes feel they're on their way to the same severe migraine I first had. Not sure if this is the Doxycycline Mono 50MG but I never had these headaches before and was wondering if anyone can relate to this.

I've had the Mirena since June 2008. I have NOT STOPPED bleeding since then!! After 3 months, the doctor told me that my body probably needs more time to adjust, after 5 months the manufacturer told me to allow 6 months for my body to adjust, and now 7 1/2 months later I'm still bleeding!! I had an ultra sound last week and the doctor claims all seems normal. HOWEVER...I now have a 6 cm cyst on my ovary...and the doctor (who is not concerned!) told me that it is from the Mirena, but not necessarily bad! What? Following the ultrasound, I experienced (and still am experiencing) extremely heavy bleeding (w/a lot of clotting...sorry, I know that's gross!). Nobody (except me) seems concerned!! She wants me to come back in 6 - 8 weeks to have another ultrasound to see if the cyst is growing!! HUH? I'm making an appointment to have this crazy thing removed. I came upon this site hoping to find some information on Mirena lawsuits...If I have a 6 cm cyst on my ovary, I suspect I am going to have additional problems going forward.
I, too, experienced mood swings (depression), but thought it was just a result of my frustrations! Other effects: Blurry vision, Cramps, and these 'ice pick like' stabbing headache pains! (Maybe that's a migraine, but I've never had a Migraine before, so I don't know!)

Thank you to all of the ladies that have written to this site. I've never sent in feedback, but it has been so helpful to read these stories and try to diagnose my issue. I am in the second month of the NR and will remove it tonight. We have 2 children (2.5 and 18 months) and are unsure about more so we have been hesitant to get my husband fixed. I found the site while unable to sleep because of a migraine during the first month. I have never had migraines before, but figured it was from a head cold Then the almost intolerable itching began...that has been awful, but I thought it may just be the "adjustment period". Because of 2 small children and a stressful career, I didn't notice the loss of sex drive right away. But recently, I noticed that NOTHING turns me on. I have always been able to orgasm almost every time we have sex (or even on my own), but now I cannot even stimulate myself or get turned on from sexy shows or ANYTHING. I am only having sex for him and it burns like crazy in my vagina right after we have sex. It was bad enough with babies in the house, but now I seem to have no sex drive AT ALL. So, the whole point was to get away from condoms but since I don't want or enjoy sex...guess that logic goes out the window. To sum up...migraines, crazy crotch itch, and no sex drive. I'm sure this works for some women, but if it is not working for you, take it out. I'll write again after I am clear of it to update.

I started birth control a couple months before I got married. I was on alesse and it made me rapidly gain weight. I went to the gyn and she ranted and raved about NuvaRing. I was excited to get off alesse and that I didn't have to remember to take a pill everyday.
The first month was great. I didn't feel the ring and some weight was starting to come off from the previous bc. I have been on it a total of three months and will no longer continue. I cry at the drop of a dime; I am bloated in my midsection as well as even more weight gain; I have zero sex-drive; When my husband and I do have sex, I am crying because it hurts so bad; I have terrible mood-swings; acne; bad cramps (I never have had cramps before); and not to mention, horrible headaches and even my first migrane!
I thought I was becoming a crazy person and have felt like my husband deserves better than me. Come to find out, that person he married is in there still, but hiding under drugs.
What other birth control has anyone gone on that works since the NuvaRing??

Well ladies, I don't really have much to add. Weight gain, depression, anxiety, loss of sex drive and as many of you have said the mental problems are the worst.
In high school I tried "the pill" despite my better judgment. Ironically the female doctor I had requested did not believe me when I told her my regular migraines were caused by estrogen. Predictably I became extremely aggressive and angry.Since then I had been taking a pill with no estrogen, a once a day birth control pill, the kind you have to take at the same hour every day.
I changed over to Depo-Provera because I don't trust myself to take a pill with in an hour window. And because with out some sort of birth control I'm worried I might bleed to death. During the short period between the once a day pill and the shot I bled through two tampons and a pad in under five minutes.
I pushed through all of the horrible side effects of the first year, weird bleeding weird discharge. All the ups and downs.
I am glad to say I have no more period.
But I don't know what to do, I'm losing my friends, my life, and myself.
I'm starting to feel like this whole birth control thing is just one big joke. Or worse some sort of sick punishment.
I don't understand how these medications get passed inspection.

***IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON STARTING FEMCON FE PLEASE READ THIS FIRST***
I am 31 years old and have been on contraceptives for 15 years. I have endometriosis and have very bad periods. In the past I have taken several different brands of the pill and have had no side effects, aside from a very occasional migrane, but they have not controlled my pain/periods...so we tried femcon fe. I stopped taking it today after three months when i realized that the horrible things i have been going through match up with what all of the other ladies are saying here. The first day i had such pain in my breasts that my bra itself almost brought me to tears, then came the nausea. I actually took three pregnancy tests because i was sick at the same time everyday. I started vomiting with painful abdominal cramping off and on and not putting two and two together i was about to go and have a GI thinking it was an ulcer or worse! then i started to notice the weight gain, skin issues - not pimples but splotches, Then came the depression, rage and mental cloudiness. I started having trouble concentrating or even listening, was experiencing horrible anxiety to the point of near rage, and even having some trouble slurring my words and having significant "blank outs" where i couldn't find my words or remember things. I was depressed enough to consider psychiatric help/meds...this is NOT me!! Insomnia, crazy vivid dreams and nightmares, trembling, irrational fears and reactions...these are serious side effects that were doing nothing but getting worse. Today i got a migrane and could not stop vomiting, that is when i sat in fear that there was something terribly wrong with me and it hit me...THAT DAMNED PILL!!! I am not kidding, i really thought that i was deathly ill. stomach cancer?, a stroke? i thought, what the hell is going on here?!? That's when i found this site and thanks to you ladies i am no longer afraid that i am crazy or going to die! immediately, i called my OB who has advised me not to take another femcon, obviously, and said that everyone reacts differently and this is not something that will "level out." If you are having these issues CALL YOUR DOCTOR!!! Please don't let yourself get to the point of total misery that I stupidly did...there are HUNDREDS of pills out there that will not do this to you!!! I wish i would have realized this sooner i thought it was all coincidental having been on so many different pills and never having even a tiny pimple of a side effect. Please do you research and please don't continue taking this pill if you are having problems with it...it is not for everyone and an irregular period is nothing compared to the sheer hell i have been going through to have 10% less cramps and a one day shorted period!!
Jacqueline B.

i have bee on topamax for 2 years started out low amounts now i am up to 100mg at night and 50mg in the morning and i will take 50mg when needed for a headache if i get one thru the day . that is all i love it. no more in the bedroom all day missing life sick. no more head splitting open just shoot myself painful headache. i feel great and i function raising three boys two teens and one pre teen. im not saying that they don't give me a migraine but i can control them thanks to topamax. i hope it never loses its effectiveness because i will lose my piece of mind. oh before i go ,weight gain ! i am an semi-active person. i did not gain the weight at first but as i got older i did . but i work it out and keep going. i would rather 10 lbs more on my tush than a migraine busting my head open. so work out a bit ,go for a walk ,choose a good eating regimine, and lose your headaches.

UPDATE from Yesterday)))>>> well thanks to everyone i quit taking it yesterday BUT!!!---> today when i woke up i had a horrible head ache and it seemed to be coming from my left eye. i looked in the mirror and i have a really weird yellowish glazed tint in both my eyes and in my left eye a blood vessel has burst. i also noticed ive developed a skin rash on my right side of my stomach and on my left calf. My joints kept me up all night in constant pain which felt like someone was ripping apart my ligaments. I had a minor anxiety attack last night (Ive NEVER had anxiety before) and my body just feels weak, drained, and i keep getting really weird muscel spasms in my upper thigh. I tried to go out to the store earlier and as soon as i stepped into the sunlight a migraine hit me, and ive never been sensitive to light....Ive had a feeling of helplessness and worthlessness more in the past 24 hours than i have in a year. Im also experiencing horrible lower back pain and stomach pain around where my kidneys are.... I did have a small amount breast tenderness when i woke up and im not sure if that's another side effect...(no im not pregnant, had multiple urine tests in the last week)...I think ive only went potty maybe once today...and that was at like 9am...its now almost 9pm. Im pretty sure if this isn't over with or doesn't improve by 10pm im going to the hospital.....i cant drink water and im pretty sure im getting dehydrated....my skins turning pale, i have dark rings around my eyes.....etc.......has anyone else suffered with these things? Levaquin is by far the MOST painful, riskful, antibiotic ive been on...They should definitely take this sh*t off the market!!! =[[

ok i have been taking topomax for about roughly 7 years. at one time it got so bad with the memory loss they put me on the alzhimers med. that they proscribe for about everyone with alzhimers. i have had clumps of hair fall out so they put in a prescription for hair loss. i once weighed 100 lbs size 0 im 5 ft tall and i am usually about a 7-8 . the topomax i was taking it for my toruretts syndrome and every so often it causes a clich ill have face freezing that will last for and hour to 3 days or make it worse. ill get hives i get aggressive angerd very easily at the drop of a pin and wont eat at all because i forget i forget everything i once stared at a wall for 3 hours i couldn't move my body or eyes my mind went blank like someone shut off the electricity . plus bad acne ( um when i first took it it was like i was getting high with my entire body tingling like when ur foot has fallen asleep even my eyes felt like that) i have sufford some vision problems everyday and forget what and where i was going it has made me have some psychological problems increase
i have now recently stopped taking it i still get rashes i am always cold hair is still falling out still hear a ring in my ears i see things that aren't there like little firecrackers going off in my vision or blackouts like when u get a migraine i am always itching tingly all the time aggravated all the time
but now i eat i have gained like close to 20 lbs but i am more focussed in some things it helps when i am in class to stay focussed but not really because im not used to being so alert but i think i like not feeling foggy anymore

I'm 2 rows into my 2nd pack of Yaz. It's my first birth control and was told by my doctor to give it a try a couple months and let my body try to adjust. Toward the end of the first month I got very moody, much unlike myself, annoyed with small things, and really upset my boyfriend and snapped at him unjustly. Off the pill, I had max 3 day periods, my first one on Yaz started the morning after my last pink pill of the month and lasted 7 days steady. My mood was the worst toward the end of that, and I was crying over things I normally wouldn't tear up about. Now, 2 weeks into the 2nd month, I'm cramping up already & have a noticeable lack of libido. I am thinking about switching, but feel like 3 months would be appropriate to try to adjust. Nice to know I'm not the only one with these symptoms. It's also nice to know it could be much worse, for example, I've never had a migraine, and haven't noticed any additional headaches since I started. Just hoping I adjust soon, because I'd hate to change and go through another readjusting phase.

I have been on Topamax for 2 1/2 years at 250mg for migraines and have decided to get off because of side effects. I have had all mentioned: mood swings, dehydration, not sweating,tingling, dizziness, loss for words, short term memory loss,numbness, fatigue, GI problems, anorexic weight loss,rage... And this all began from the starting 25mg dose!
The migraines decreased from 24 a month to 12, at best down to 6 or 7, but I seemed to hit a plateau then back to 15.
I saw three different doctors and all wanted to simply increase the Topamax or add another med (Depakote, beta blocker, etc.)
Finally, I found that a problem with my neck may be causing the headaches and treating that has reduced them enough for me to try and get off the Topamax. I still rely on the Relpax to get me through the bad days, but I'm hoping I can get free of the Topamax for good!
I just encourage anyone thinking of starting Topamax to investigate all possible migraine causes before starting!! Topamax doesn't cure the migraine, it only blocks the pain! And the side effects are not worth it if you can find another way to alleviate the problem!

I was put on Loestrin because I am anemic due to heavy periods. I have been on it for almost two months.For the past week, I have felt absolutely horrible. I am naturally a very calm individual and always have good days. Last week, I felt like I was going to die of panic. My leg was cramping at night and I thought I was going to pass out in class. I was dizzy and thought I was going to throw up, which I later did. I can't quench my thirst and my dizziness hasn't stopped since last week. Sometimes I feel like I am going to have a panic attack, but my blood pressure remains at its natural level, which is low. Even my pulse is great, at 55 on average. I feel like I have a 3rd eye which is throbbing all day, like when you have a migraine. I feel bloated all day, have a almost headache/migraine that won't go away, anxiety attacks without high blood pressure and only spotted when I had my last period. Could it be the Loestrin? I went to Doctor and they said I don't have any flags at all, but why am I feeling so bad? All the symptoms come back to the Loestrin24Fe, I don't take any other pills.

Since starting on Drenamin two days ago, I have been getting headaches, yesterday was the worst a migraine. Is this a side effect? And could this happen just after two days?

I've been taking Topamax now for about 6 weeks, and my headaches are still just as bad as ever, except now I have headaches with the thrill of numb fingers, confusion, weight loss, memory loss, an absolute horrid taste in my mouth, and now the latest.... my hands feel dirty all the time. Has anyone experienced this?? I just feel like my hands are dirty. I wash them, and a half hour later, it almost feels like there's a film on them, and I have to wash them again. Almost ocd-ish. So 6 weeks in.... Anyone have any advise on how much longer I should give this topamax before I give up on it & try something else? My doc said it should have worked by now if it was gonna - but I have read on here, that it sometimes can take months...? I just don't know if I can take these side effects, AND the headaches for much longer without going NUTS! {grin}
Any advise?

I was prescribed a sulfameth drug for a severe UTI which entailed terrible abdominal pain & blood in urine. I took it for 2 days and started feeling better. The third day, I was hit with a severe allergic reaction, which after reading some of the side effects, I realize now that i should have gone to the er or called 911. It started with a terrible headache, then vomiting. That night my fever shot up to 104 degrees!!! But, I was freezing. I was shaking uncontrollably, confused, joints aching, you name it. I thought I may have had a migrane and ended up falling asleep and never took any of the medicine on day three. On day four, I woke up feeling MUCH better, and noticed red blotches all over my hands. The second I saw this, I knew it was an allergic reaction. I went and showed the pharmacist and told him about what had happened, and he said, yes, it seemed that way to him too. He said to call my doctor and let them know I had a reaction. When I did that, all they said was they would put it in my chart. I was not even offered an alternative to it considering I still probly had a UTI. I think they did this because now that I have researched it quite a bit, I have learned that people who are allergic to penicillin are more likely to experience a reaction to sulfa drugs. And, yes...I am, and have always been extremely allergic to penicillin. I believe this was overlooked when I was prescribed with the sulfameth.

I HAVE BEEN ON YASMIN FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS NOW, EVER SINCE I STARTED DATING MY BOYFRIEND. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY MIGRAINES INCREASED TO AT LEAST ONE IF NOT MORE A WEEK AND EVERYDAY I DON'T HAVE A MIGRAINE I STILL HAVE A LESS SEVERE HEADACHE. I HAVE TERRIBLE HEARTBURN OR ACID REFLUX DAILY, AND EVERY TIME I GET IN A CAR THAT IM NOT DRIVING I GET REALLY SICK. I HAVE BEEN TO MY DOCTOR SEVERAL TIMES AND SEEN A NEUROLOGIST. I TIRED TOPAMAX AND LAMICTAL WITH NO SUCCESS! AND I FEEL LIKE IM POPPING MIGRAINE PILLS LIKE CANDY, CAN ANYONE WHO HAS GONE THROUGH ANY OF THIS TELL ME IF THEIR HEADACHE PAIN STOPPED AFTER QUITTING THE PILL? THANKS SO MUCH!

These posts about contacting a bad viral infection while the immune system is suppressed by Singulair are particularly worrisome. This was from 2007 so it has nothing to do with the FDA investigation. Epstein Barr causes some really bad illnesses including lymphoma.

The scary part is that children are the most susceptible to viruses. They need to develop immunity at a young age that will build up over time to levels that will protect them for the rest of their lives. Why are we giving children a drug that will suppress the leukotrienes? Why do we think that it is okay to take away one of the bodies defense mechanisms? Wouldn't it be logical that a drug that suppresses the immune system is a last resort option not handed out like lollipops?

www.iddb.org/drugs/singulair/ - 243k
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Anonymous Immune System Dysfunction September 13th, 2007

Do users of Singulair and Advair understand how these products work? In order to understand how they work, you must first know what happens in the body during an allergic attack.

Allergic response is a function of the body's immune system. When an allergen enters the body through the nose or the lungs (e.g., a bit of pollen or cat dander), it is recognized by the body as a foreign substance, and the immune system then produces histamines to fight the intruder. Singulair and Advair work by disabling the body's immune system, so that there is no allergic response.

I too thought these drugs were wonderful. I was on both Singulair and Advair to combat asthma from my new husband's cat. I took high strengths of these drugs for approximately three years.

During the time I was on these drugs, some disease entity, most likely a virus (e.g., Epstein-Barr, Herpes Simplex I, HTLV I). I have been sick with a fever for the last four and a half years. My immune system seems to have been permanently impaired, and every organ in my body is now compromised. I have a fever, night sweats, liver and spleen enlargement, digestive problems, skin infections, hypertension, rapid-onset insulin-dependent diabetes and other endocrino;ogical problems, blood cell abnormalities, and neurological problems (e.g., tremors, myoclonic seizures, muscle cramps and weakness, vertigo, incoordination).

I am about to undergo a spinal tap and other tests, looking for the causative entity. Whatever it is entered my nervous system when I had an epidural anesthetic while on these immune system depressants. I have not been the same since. I have been too sick to work. This has ruined my life.

As we have all learned from recent reports of heart damage from Vioxx, the FDA no longer has the money to fully test new drugs entering the market. The "clinical trials" are a drug's entry into the population. If it kills or sickens too many people, they withdraw it. However, the drug companies define "too many people" as a number that could potentially ruin profits through lawsuits.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Don't rely on the government to protect you. Before putting any drug into your body, do the research into how it works. Read comments from other users. I wish I had done that.

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 started taking Yasmine in 2005 and almost imeemdiatley I started to have severe anxiety, depression, no sex drive at all and worse of all extremely bad migranes especially a few days before getting my period and during. My life had to be put on hold when I had my period because of the migranes. I stopped taking the Yasmine 3 weeks ago because I just couldn't take the migranes anymore. I have noticed I have gained some weight, my skin and hair feels alot oilier, and my hair has been falling out more than usual which is kind of freaking me out, don't have mood swings. My sex drive has gotten better which is a relief. I still don't know if my migranes will have gone away during my period. I'm just curious can anyone tell me if these side effects (hair loss, weight gain, oily skin) will go away after a few months.
When I went off another type of pill I actually lost weight, why is this one different?

When i was in college i was taking orthotrycyclin low, But stopped it for about to years just to clean out my system. Usually during my period (with no bc) last for one week and very heavy with pain. On top of that i only have one ovary. My doctor suggested that i should get back on some sort of bc to control my periods. I tried the patch but as soon as I placed the patch on my lower abdomen I had a migraine. (I've never had a migrane before). So I immediately was scared and took it off. I went straight to my dr. and he told me to try Loestrin 24. So I did. The first 2 months were not that bad. But recently I have been very moody especially when it comes close to that time of the month, I've felt much anxiety, and have been in and out of depression. Of course i've never had depression before but i come straight home from work and just feel down and like not doing anything. The other day I was busy with work and happened to miss my pill. Well ladies be sure not to miss a pill. I had severe cramps and spotting. I'm at the point that I want to get off of it and am really considering. I tried getting off of it before and realized that MY MOODINESS increased. Believe me my co-workers and boyfriend let me know. and my depression increased. I also gained about 15 lbs. since i've been on Loestrin 24. I consulted with my doctor and he said the bc's don't not make us gain weight. But after reading all these blogs i know I'm not the only one going through this dilemma....