Menstrual migraine prevention and high blood pressure
Has anyone with high blood pressure had any success in preventing menstrual related migraine? I currently take birth control pills to prevent menstrual migraines. Without birth control, I get horrific two-week long migraines that are resistant to treatment and leave me unable to work. I've recently developed slightly elevated diastolic blood pressure, and my doctor has threatened to stop prescribing birth control. Since I have a family history of hypertension and am already doing everything you're supposed to do to lower your blood pressure, she said there's not really any lifestyle changes I can make to lower it.
I'm devastated at the thought of going back to my former life of pain. I have no idea how I would support myself, since I would be unable to work full time. I've tried taking Frova and naproxen the first few days of my period, and it didn't have any effect. I already take other preventives, but they don't work for my menstrual migraines.
Has anyone else experienced something similar? Are there other options?
, I am sorry to hear you are having trouble and may have to go off the birth control! My menstrual migraines are also very resistant to preventative treatment, I hear you. My headache specialist did prescribe a triptan to take preventatively to ward off menstrual migraines- but frankly, I'm terrible at tracking my cycle and it required taking it so many days prior (I do not recall the particular medication or the days before) but there is another strategy out there specifically as a preventative for hormonal migraine, and that is what I was prescribed. Sorry that I don't have more information- I believe it was rizatriptan, but that doctor has retired- he's a personal friend, I will try and see if I can send him a message and ask him. I also do not know if this is a treatment appropriate for high blood pressure, which is of course something you would need to check with your doctor before having it prescribed. Let me know what you think. ~Melanie (team member) Hi Melaine and Amy - I had the same meds - was suppose to take a few days before period started, but had the same problem as you- couldnt remember when - and perimenopausal - but I am now on a beta blocker for migraines - Inderal - 120 mg, which is a high blood pressure med - but I dont have high blood pressure. The inderal helps lessen the severity of the migraines - but not the frequency. I take the Inderal at bedtime because it does make me a bit sleepy and I wake up with migraines. Hope this helps.
