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HEADACHES!!!

I get these terrible headaches usually to one side of my head but they usually only come the week before my menstral and last a couple days with taking some meds like excedrin...well now it has come back before this time and along with it I cant focus on anything I feel dizzy lightheaded and extremely tired but try to lay down and cant sleep the goes from my temple to the side of my neck...Help any ideas of what is causing this...I called dr cant get an appt till thurs....but im worrried...
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Avatar universal
Your headaches sounds like migrains,this can cause every symptom you have described,you could also have a trapped nerve which is causing the pain in your neck,i hope this helps.
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Avatar universal
Headaches in women, particularly migraines, have been related to changes in the levels of the female hormone estrogen during a woman's menstrual cycle. Estrogen levels drop immediately before the start of the menstrual flow.

Premenstrual migraines regularly occur during or after the time when the female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, decrease to their lowest levels.

IDEAS:
The frequency of side effects, such as headache, decreased in those who took birth control pills containing lower doses of estrogen and did not occur in those who took birth control pills containing progesterone.

Treatments:
The medications of choice to stop a menstrual migraine are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs).

The NSAIDs most often used for menstrual migraines include:

    * Orudis
    * Advil and Motrin (600-800mg)
    * Nalfon
    * Naprosyn(available in combo with Imitrex called Treximet)
    * Relafen
    * Aleve
NSAID treatment should be started two to three days before the menstrual period starts and continued until the period ends. Because the therapy is of short duration, the risk of gastrointestinal side effects is limited.

For people who have severe menstrual migraines or who want to continue taking their birth control pills, doctors recommend taking a NSAID, starting on the l9th day of the cycle and continuing through the second day of the next cycle.

Other drugs that may be used are given by prescription only. They include:

    * Small doses of ergotamine drugs (including Bellergal-S, Cafergot, Migranal)
    * Beta-blocker drugs such as propranolol
    * Anticonvulsants such as valproate (Depakote)
    * Calcium channel blockers such as verapamil

These drugs should also be started two to three days pre-menses, and continued throughout the menstrual flow.

Because fluid retention is often associated with a woman's period, diuretics have been used to prevent menstrual migraine. Some doctors may recommend limiting salt-intake immediately before the start of menses.

There is my favorite group ( and best fits your symptoms) called "Triptan" based treatments that work very but would probably want drug coverage as they can be a bit pricey depending on the brand. However, they do work very well. Some brand names are: Maxalt, Axert, imitrex, Treximet, and Frova. Let me know if you have other questions.  

Hope this helps
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