# Newbie here - Worried about medications before my periods



## Philia (Oct 22, 2010)

Okay, first of all let me describe myself. I'm just your typical 30 year old that suffered from migraines since I started my periods. They're my ultimate cause for humility in life. They last for 3 to 4 days, and if I'm super lucky, I'd get cramps instead and they only last for a few hours.Just past Monday after an endoscopy, I got a possible diagnosis of IBS and he told me flat out that I cannot take Ibuprofen which has been my migraine killer drug for a decade. And the ###### part is that I'm having one right now and I'd LOVE TO TAKE ONE. But I had read elsewhere that you could suffer from horrible GI bleeds or something. I do not want that, but I don't want to suffer for the next 3 to 4 days with this maddening headache. I don't take ibuprofen frequently, just mostly monthly and in several days altogether. And since I had been having "IBS" issues I was prescribed to a bland diet and had been adhering to it (honey wheat toast, soups, applesauce). I was fortunate enough not to have a migraine for the past two months.I'm very hesitant about taking up any sort of drug, mind you, they've always had had issues with me. Birth control makes me feel demented, Pepto-Bismol gave me the runs (ER visit can confirm that), and some foods would seem fine but lol, my stomach or rather the darn IBS cannot decide which type I am. I would often have BMs twice a week or sometimes less. But after taking one Excedrin (Tension Headache, my other alternate with Ibuprofen) for the first time after the past 2 months of GI issues, I had horrible "MUST GO #2" for 4 times in a day. This GI specialist told me that Tylenol should be safe for me. I want to slap him right now... I took Tylenol when I first started having my migraines, it was my kid headache killer for 4 years starting when I was 12. I grew to recognize that I was developing a tolerance to it and knew to switch, just hated the fact that I took so long to realize that. Tylenol basically couldn't cut it for me and I switched to several drugs like motrin, advil, aleve, bayer, naproxen before finally reaching Ibuprofen and just developed a love relationship with it. Aleve used to work for a while but again I somehow developed a tolerance to it. I don't think I was on Motrin/Advil long enough to recognize the similarities with Ibuprofen? Lortab is horrible because like the doctor said, the headache would come back viciously. I was developing a tolerance to Hydrocodone when I was taking it religiously pre-back surgery.Anyway, so I also bought Pamprin but I'm extremely cautious here about the Acetaminophen causing my excessive diarrhea from a single capsule of Excedrin. But Excedrin has caffeine and obviously IBS sufferers were supposed to stay clear of caffeine *DRINKS* so I wasn't sure if it was the former or the latter of the parts of the drug that made me have this awful diarrhea and I don't want to take another Loperamide because it makes me feel funny as in close to nausea and definitely go on a fast. I looked online and found several reports saying that Acetaminophen has some correlation with IBS as being the cause or making it prevalent, the point was it wasn't clear but did have some connection. Its possible its just wide spread and Tylenol use was wide spread too or whatever, so I wasn't gonna make a note of that if it wasn't that important but still.I'm also trying to find if Pamprin is safe to take if you're having IBS, and especially concerning the Diuretic ingredient aside the Acetaminophen. I've never taken diuretics and am quite nervous about that.SO, I'm on my wits end here and don't know what to take for this awful headache and the only thing I could do in the meantime is switch out my cold presses and freeze my head with it. It helps me focus on the cold than the dull screwing/throbbing pain.TL;DR crowd; My diagnosis isn't confirmed yet, can't take ibuprofen for my migraine, single Excedrin gave me the runs in the same day, should I take Pamprin or something else safer?


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

For right now I don't see any harm in trying the Pamprin. Only one way to find out if it will help you and that is.... to try it, right?There are so many different options today for birth control pills.... one may not make you feel "demented". Ask your Dr about new options. (Also some meds have initial side effects that do go away over time... so if you only tried them for a short time... try giving newer options a bit longer a try.)Also.. perhaps treating the migraine with actual migraine meds will help and then you don't need to worry about nsaids.Another idea... sure caffiene could have brought on the D when you took the Excedrine.. ORrrr it could have been just D from the hormones. Many gals get D (even those without IBS!) around their periods. I think you need to give some of the meds a bit more of a try or try different ones.Wish you all the best.


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## melodymsw (Mar 28, 2010)

If you go to the ER and tell them you have chronic migraines and the latest diagnosis of IBS, they should give you a SHOT of Phenergen. This will stop your migraine in it's tracks faster than anything else you can buy OTC. Also highly recommend the migraine diet, which has saved my life. But you need the phenergen in a shot form in order for it to work!


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