<p>D went to the student health center to renew her BC pill prescription. The MD would not prescribe them for her due to the fact she suffers from migraine headaches. She gave her some info on alternative methods but none of them sound ideal.
The pills in the past were prescribed by her pediatrician originally for severe menstrual cramps. My D sees a neurologist several times a year for her migraine treatment and we will call him tomorrow for his opinion. In the meantime I am hear asking for your opinions and experiences.
Any experience with a progesterone only pill or injection? She is in a long term relationship so BC is essential.</p>
<p>Has she considered an Iud?</p>
<p>@emeraldkity4 The birth control isn’t just for sex in this case. It’s for cramps as well. </p>
<p>OP, knowingly letting your D be sexually active? I commend you. I don’t think I could be so calm about it.</p>
<p>Have they determined why she has severe cramps?
It just seems like overkill to take something everyday, to prevent cramps a few days a month.
<a href=“Menstrual Cramp Home Remedies to Manage Pain”>Menstrual Cramp Home Remedies to Manage Pain;
<p>"OP, knowingly letting your D be sexually active? I commend you. I don’t think I could be so calm about it. "</p>
<p>Annie, I’m married to the one and only guy I ever… you know… It’s been almost 30 years. But - the OP’s D is in college, she is most likely of legal age to get married, buy cigarettes, vote, and enlist in the army. 
Keeping an open channel of communications with your kid is a real blessing despite your personal views. It keeps them from making stupid decisions and from getting STDs!! :)</p>
<p>EK, for some people BC is a godsend when it comes to cramps (not so much for me, buy my gyn doc’s assistant raves about the difference it made for her). Hope the neurologist has an answer for your D, mom60.</p>
<p>My daughter who has a hormonal iud, found that it helped her cramps.
I was not able to take birth control pills when I had severe cramps, but increasing nutrition & fluids helped.
I also had migraines connected with my cycle. Some women find birth control pills to worsen their headaches, others find it helps.
I found the only thing that helped was niacin at the onset of my period, otherwise I had a migraine for days.
Its also suggested that women try a pill with a lower dose of estrogen.
Something I just thought of, although it may be tmi, but sperm has prostaglandins, which cause cramping, perhaps a barrier contraceptive could help.</p>
<p>I have chronic migraines and PCOS so I understand your D’s struggle. I was on the pill for several years before switching to Implanon a few years ago. My migraines were reduced considerably and now there’s literature coming out showing that reducing the hormone-free time (like with a continuous method like Implanon) can help reduce migraines for people that take BC. </p>
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<p>The vast, vast majority of college students have had sex (it’s near 90% by senior year at nearly every public U I’ve ever looked at data for). It’s really refreshing to see parents caring about their child’s reproductive health. </p>
<p>And if the D is over 18, there is no “letting” someone be sexually active. I’m not sure how someone would stop their adult child from having sex if he/she wanted to… </p>
<p>If she cant get the BC pill and migraine issues straightened out and has to use another BC method then has she tried the following for cramps:</p>
<p>If she is somewhat regular, then start taking 2 ibuprofen GEL pills twice a day for a couple of days before the period starts. If the period is early, start taking the moment she is aware. (the gel form are more expensive, but many places have generic and much cheaper versions…Costco!!! Sams Club!! Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc. The club stores are by far the cheapest.</p>
<p>Pain and cramping is easier to keep away BEFORE it starts then after it starts. Too many people arent pro-active. The pain comes and then they try to get rid of it. </p>
<p>I had SEVERE menstrual cramps, which did get some relief after I had children, but I still have to use this method to prevent cramps (yes, I still have regular periods at age 55!!! ugh!!!). Unfortunately, ibuprofen wasnt OTC back years ago…and certainly not in gel form (which is much more effective).</p>
<p>Pycnogenol might also help with the cramps. They did for me. I agree with mom2collegekids -try to head off cramps before they start. Also, staying hydrated and having enough fiber - not to get tmi, but if your digestive system has issues, then menstrual cramps are worse.</p>
<p>Magnesium might help with the migraines, specially if they are hormonally triggered.</p>
<p>Edit: Btw, as I understand it, BC pills are contraindicated for women with migraine with aura because there may be a possibility of increased risk of stroke. Just something to weigh against convenience.</p>
<p>I would be concerned about the increased risk of stroke for your DD. Did she have the headaches before she started taking the BC or the other way around?</p>
<p>Headaches started long before BC. The migraines are severe and life limiting and can cause a problem in school if not kept under control.
Not so concerned about the cramps these days. We tried the ibuprofen when she was in middle school. The Dr said the trick is you have to start it before they start. We had limited success. We are talking her sobbing pain. This from my child who has a very high threshold of pain.
At this point she feels the BC serve two purposes. The ibuprofen won’t serve the BC purpose.
The concern is the increased risk of stroke. Emeraldkity her pill was low dose estrogen. The problem appears to be the estrogen.
As far as sexually active- my kids talk to me. I don’t judge them. I don’t always agree with what they are doing but I will listen and give my view. Between my kids I have seen them with a lot of different boyfriends and girlfriends. In this D I have a feeling this is the “one”. Not that that matters.
This is out of my area. I am probably one of the few women of my age who has never taken the pill. I was a bit alternative in my day and used a cervical cap. They never caught on and in later years used a diaphragm. </p>
<p>My dr said the ibuprofen has to be at rx level (600 to 800 mg) to be effective. I found pycnogenol to be more effective.
Btw, are her periods also very heavy? If it is have her be aware of the probability of anemia.</p>
<p>On a side note I think I saw something on TV recently where the FDA approved using Botox to help with Migraines.</p>
<p>Has she found the trigger for her migraines?
My husband gets ( more infrequently now) cluster headaches, which were extremely debilitating.
By taking melatonin a few nights, he is able to break the cycle.
<a href=“Melatonin May Be Effective for Migraine Prevention | MDedge Neurology”>http://www.neurologyreviews.com/home/article/melatonin-may-be-effective-for-migraine-prevention/d1920d83d60cf4608c1a10ce48a64dc5.html</a></p>
<p>Maybe she can try going to a OBGYN instead of the student health center. A specialist might be better able to suggest a treatment that doesn’t affect her migraines.</p>
<p>My D went on the progesterone-only pill after she had a vascular migraine on the way back to school. Very scary - it was like a mini stroke. She’s doing fine with it. She had been on a combination pill.</p>
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^ Love to know how not to “let” a legal adult have sex, or why.</p>
<p>Snow dog- thank you for sharing. Scary but that makes it more real. The health center can prescribe a progesterone only pill but they said you need to take it the exact time each day. That might prove difficult for this unorganized D. Has your D experienced weight gain?
Have left message with neurologist. But in light of Snowdog sharing I will push her to go for a progesterone only product.
Salander- she will look into an off campus GYN.
MicheganGeorgia- she asked the neurologist at her last visit about Botox but it is not approved for her type of migraine.</p>
<p>I think people in college are generally adults, aren’t they?
They choose what they eat, what they wear and who they sleep with, or not.</p>
<p>However, someone who is married to a man who isn’t sensitive enough to keep his misgivings about the sex of their unborn child to himself, may have a different perspective.</p>
<p>Oh, my…</p>
<p>mom60, best wishes to your daughter that she finds the safest solution for her health. The hunt is a tough one!</p>
<p>Mom60, my D’s biggest concern was that she didn’t want to start having a monthly period again - she had no periods on the mini pill. I have not heard her complain so I think that is going according to plan. Weight gain - yes a little. She’s had to be more careful with her diet. As she’s been home this summer we are cooking light, mostly vegetarian and her bit of gain is coming off.
She visited her ob/gyn over the summer and the MD suggested she could get Depo Provera (the progesterone injection) - I am against that as it is associated with loss in bone mineral density.
I think the progesterone pill is fine.</p>
<p>P.S. my D is not super precise about when she takes it. She tries.
Finally - I don’t know where your D attends but the MDs at the health center at my D’s university were able to handle the issue. She was assessed by both the head of internal medicine and an ob/gyn, both at the health center. The ob/gyn said that although the danger of stroke on the mini pill is low, if my D were her daughter, she would change her to the progesterone-only pill.</p>