Cured my PMS headaches,ect

dazzle256 · Nov 28, 2004

For 30 years I have had bad PMS. The headaches were so bad. I took 3 imatrex a day, 1000mg tyl and 800 mg motrin every 2 hours. No relief. The fogginess and irrability were frightening. I had gone to a PMS clinic, - no relief, tried B. control pills, no help. It is because of PMS I have kept my life on hold, because I knew like clockwork every 4 weeks, I would have to be responsible for things, and not be able to met the demands because of PMS.
I was reading in my physcology book about drug users coiming off drugs cold turkey, and they listed all the reactions. It sounded to me like a case of PMS. So, after thinking about it, I decieded that is what is happening to me. Every month going cold turkey. The drug being my own hormones. So, This month, I use a patch, I didn't just stop and wait, I cut one in half and thought I would step down slowly. And it worked. No headache, No irritablity.
Just wondered if any of you had suffered like me, that maybe this may help you. Granted it's only one time, and I have waited and waited expecting the pain to knock my breath away, but it never came. Seems like PMS is one thing we are just expected to live with. But, I wonder...maybe there really is an answer. If this will help you, I hope you will consider it. I am going to the doctor and letting her know I will be following a new regeimine from now on.

What kind of patch?

gauge14iv, MSN, APRN, NP · Nov 28, 2004

Yeah!!! What Kind of patch??? Im right there with ya sister!!!!!

tiroka03, LPN · Nov 29, 2004

Sorry. Instead of using birth control pills, I use a birth control patch. That's because you only have to change the patch once a week, instead of taking the pill everyday.

So, if your using birthcontrol pills, then you might consider taking a lower dosage of homone for a week, and then stop for a week. Stepping down slowly from the pills, instead of a complete cutoff date every three weeks.

Since i don't have insurance and imatrex is $15. a pill up here, it's a petty big savings. Also, I am saving my liver and kidneys a lot of work by not throwing them overdoses of meds every month.

The biggest thing for me though, is no headache, no overwhelming cranking crazy moods, and no monster sized appetite. Its only been one time, but it's not something I could fake myself out of feeling, the pain was way too vivid. I hope this helps. I think we have suffered too much, too long. I still had cramps and lovely constipation. But, that's nothing compared with what had been coming my way monthly.

I am interested to know if you try this, or talk to your doctor, what your outcomes are.

gauge14iv, MSN, APRN, NP · Nov 29, 2004

So you are saying that in the that for the third week of your cycle (if week 4 is your menses) you are using half the dose of hormone?

If it stops the PMS symptoms I say go for it - however, the drop in hormone may be enough to allow you to ovulate! so you may want to use a backup form of birth cntrol for that week.

I fully intend to try it myself - I am not on BCP but the thought has crossed my mind since I tend to get about 12 migraines a month. Traditionally bcp's have made my migraines WORSE, but they have escalted to the point of late that I would just about do anything to not have to be eating imitrex and maxalt like candy.

I did wonder though - I had been told by a friendly neighborhood WHNP that the patch may not actually be effective BC for women over 150 lbs because the dosage is too low for them. Maybe it would be enough though to halt the headaches. And I could always lose 10 lbs I suppose - though the patch probably wouldnt help that much!