What do you do for TOTM headaches?

Nothing over the counter works. Each month - the day before AF comes, I am hit with a terrible headache. I've tried taking 800 mg of Ibuprofen, Aleve, 2 Extra-Strength Tylenol... nothing touches it. I've even tried Tylenol with caffeine and it doesn't help.

What else can I do? Is there anything my doctor could give me? It's just one stinking day a month. My head is killing me and I know tomorrow it will be gone... but it's so hard to get through the day like this. I have to run to the store and take all the kids to karate later, and all I want to do is lay down in a dark room.

Have you tried combining your painkiller with caffeine?

I do 400mg ibuprofen gelcaps and half a cup of black regular coffee if I have serious pain like you're describing. The caffeine helps speed the delivery of the medication; it's why people swear by Excedrin and Pamprin - one of their "enhancement" ingredients is caffeine.

If that doesn't work, check with the doctor.

I do the 600-800 mg of ibuprofen plus caffeine routine and it only marginally helps. I feel your pain because I get these usually 5 days or so a month.

One thing that has cut down on the frequency of my migraines is to take my BCP's continuously and not have a period. It doesn't totally eliminate my headaches, but it has helped some. The OBGYN actually suggested it.

I have those headaches too. They seem to have gradually gotten worse after having kids. Sometimes they are bad enough to make me vomit. TMI sorry! I definitely think the caffeine helps. I have also tried 2 advil and a 1-2 Sudafed. I did notice last month, that I took 2 advil at the first twinge of the HA and stayed on top of it, and it didn't get as bad. In the past I haven't been so good about taking something and it would escalate into making me nauseated and/or throwing up. Also over the last 2 months, I have started back to yoga 3/ wk so I don't know if the exercise has helped the HAs or not.

My doc told me to take Excederin Migraine at the first sings of a headache and 200-400 mg chelated magnesium (plain mag, not the kind with calcium) the week leading up to typical onset. I've actually been taking the magnesium daily throughout the month because I was getting them more frequently but I have found that has greatly reduced the incidents of headache and certainly the severity when they do arise. For me a feeling of overwhelming fatigue and a dullness behind my eyes signals the onset and that's when I take the excederin to keep it from getting to the throbbing, can't shake it headache.

If you read the Excedrin labels, most are the same formula with different labels. Just get the cheapest.

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Originally Posted by jerigirl

If you read the Excedrin labels, most are the same formula with different labels. Just get the cheapest.

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:yeahthat: Or the store brand/generic!

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Originally Posted by jerigirl

If you read the Excedrin labels, most are the same formula with different labels. Just get the cheapest.

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Ok...I've always noticed that too (at least between regular Excedrin and Excedrin migraine) but have you noticed that the dosing is quite different? I think you're only allowed two or four pills per day with the Migraine version.

I have kind of a weird experience with Excedrin. I'm really sensitive to caffeine. I took 2 Excedrin once, and thought I was going to have a panic attack or something! I can take one Excedrin, but only in the morning. If I take it later in the day I can't fall asleep.

I know it says it's equal to the amount in coffee, but I can only drink one cup of regular strength in the morning for the same reasons, and Excedrin feels stronger to me. I have a tendency to get shaky really easily from caffeine.

I think it might work on my period headaches, but I always try all the other stuff first, and by the time I want to resort to Excedrin, it's already noon or later. Perhaps next month I'll try one Excedrin in the morning.

Wendibird, that is really interesting about chelated magnesium. I'm going to read up on it. Thank you.

Oh, I'd love to go back on oral BCP's, but due to a health condition, I can't.

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Originally Posted by artvandalay

I have kind of a weird experience with Excedrin. I'm really sensitive to caffeine. I took 2 Excedrin once, and thought I was going to have a panic attack or something!

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:yeahthat: this started happening to me too. excedrin used to work like a charm on me, everytime. but then once i took it on an empty stomach, it worked, but i started having like an anxiety attack..very shaky, even very nauseous...stomach in a knot..it was HORRIBLE. i think i am sensitive to caffiene too...tends to give me the runs. i cannot drink coffee AT ALL.

no advice here, other than i always get a headache a day or two around my period, and nothing OTC (ibuprofen, tylenol) ever helps it. i stopped taking excedrin bc i'm a fraid of getting the panic attacks/stomach upset/nausea. i usually just power through it. they are different from regular headaches. usually don't make me nauseous though, thankfully.

eta: i wish i could take magnesium...so many things i have i heard could be helped with it. but in the past whenever i take magnesium capsules or supplements with it in it, i get instant diarrhea, which makes things worse (dehydration, weakness). i wonder if there is a form of magnesium that doesn't upset stomach? i'd so be all over that!

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Originally Posted by ♥ms.pacman♥

usually don't make me nauseous though, thankfully.

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Oh, yeah, that would really suck. I'm sorry you go through that jerigirl.

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Originally Posted by ♥ms.pacman♥

eta: i wish i could take magnesium...so many things i have i heard could be helped with it. but in the past whenever i take magnesium capsules or supplements with it in it, i get instant diarrhea, which makes things worse (dehydration, weakness). i wonder if there is a form of magnesium that doesn't upset stomach? i'd so be all over that!

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Get chelated magnesium. That makes it easier for you to digest. Take it with food (I take mine with breakfast). You can also start at a lower does and slowly add more. I take 2 250mg chelated pills in the a.m. and haven't had any D but some people would split that up and take 1 in the a.m. and 1 in the p.m. Some articles on migraines say to take it with adequate calcium and it's often sold as a joint compound but my doc insisted that I not take it with calcium as they compete with each other. I had started with a cal/mag pill and it wasn't working and after she clarified it for me and I switched to plain mag I've noticed a huge improvement.

http://www.origins.com/product/3821/...ief/index.tmpl

Like Bengay for your head. Not 100%, but it helps a good amount!