Headaches after stopping birth control pills??

It's both comforting and infuriating to know that I'm not the only one getting through this. I've been taking combined pill for over a year, after around 5 months I started getting excruciating migraines right before my period. I had migraines since I was a teenager but they had been a rare occurrence, suddenly I had them monthly. And they were the ones where smashing my head against the wall to pass out and trepanation start to sound like reasonable things to do. After few months I couldn't take it any longer, so my doctor switched me to mini pill (Cerazette) which was supposed to make things better as it doesn't contain estrogen. I've never felt so bad as I did on that pill. Constant headache, apathy, dizziness, anxiety, mood swings. I gave it one month to settle, then the next one, then I quit cause I had enough. Right now I'm 3 months off the pill and my headaches haven't gone away. My migraines are weaker than on the first pill, but much longer and I have them shifting all around my head. I wake up every day with a headache, some days they go away after coffee, breakfast, magnesium and some movement. Other days they stay for hours. I go to sleep with a migraine, I wake up with a migraine. Triptans thankfully still work, but I don't want to take them every day. I've noticed a pattern that right after my period ends I get two weeks with constant mild to severe headache, then for the rest of the month I have very weak migraines, few hours in duration, which I can ignore for the most of the day. Nevertheless, the pain is still here for the most of the time and I'm spending most of my time in bed being useless. I feel like I'm on the brink of depression. I can't go on with my life, I can't work, I can't focus. My past few months have been pain and misery. I've decided to go back on the pill. I want some form of contraception anyway and I'll take predictable monthly (or every few months If I don't make breaks) migraines any day instead of this hell right now.

Hey... I've posted on this topic before, I was on the same situation as you. But now, fortunately, I've found a "escape" through this situation with one pill named Qlaira (which has a different kind of estrogen, they say it's more natural). I've never had a migraine before I started using Yasmin for around one year. Than, one day I woke up with the worst headache of my life, so I stopped taking any pill, but the pain was lasting almost everyday until I started Qlaira. My neurologist recommended the continuous use (without free pill days) for at least six months. Maybe this could be an option for you too... I hope my experience may help you in anyway!

I have been on BC for a little over a year. I missed four days and have had horrible migraines since then. I have tried Ibuprofen and Excedrin; nothing seems to help. I did some research about hormonal migraines and found some information that states that orgasms can help with migraines - due to the relief of endorphins during an orgasm; and endorphins are natural pain reliever . Doesn't matter how the orgasm occurs - hope this helps!!!

I've been consuming more foods that contain magnesium , capsaicin, and turmeric that seems to help some. Although capsaicin is primarily found in hot peppers so that could be an issue for some folks.

I have had all of these feelings as well.

I have been on a variety of birth controls (most recent being camrese) for over 20 years with no break
from it whatsoever. about a week and a half ago i quit taking them and lowered my welbutrin also so that i can try and possibly get preggers. I have had alot of headaches (nearly everyday), but they have not been totally unbearable and i am hoping that they will fade off. already had a small period come and go pretty much the same as what i had while on the meds.
so anyway... do not know if this info helps at all but i think and hope my transition will be fine.. there are headaches but not so bad as what everyone else is having.

What is B.C. Powder you referenced in your reply to headaches after going off birth control.

Margaret

This is my second bout with this... The first attack came This time Last year 2016 I couldn't understand what was happening to my body, and spent many days at the ER and Doctors offices trying to figure out what was going on... It went as far as me getting a MRI done on my brain, which came back totally normal. I dealt with it from Feb 2016 until the end of April 2016 and I never had a constant headache again.................... Well until......... March 2017.. I thought I would be DUMB and go off the pill again and try to get pregnant... BIG, HUGE MISTAKE...... not realizing that the pill is what keeps my hormone under control, I am now suffering again... I have already made 2 trips to the Emergency Room and back on more unnecessary Medication. If this is problem that I will face by being off BC. I would rather just adopt or get a puppy because the thought of having a constant headache/ head and neck pain is frustrating and I want no part of it. I've been back on my Birth Control Pill for a month now... and what I want to know is, how long should it take for me to get straight again. This has affected my quality of life... I have no energy, lack of motivation. My anxiety is through the roof. All I want to do is lay around and sleep. I am ready for this to be over with so I can move forward with my life.

B C Powder is an Aspirin in "Powder" form... They also have Goody's Powder... They are fast acting because they do not have to take time to dissolve into your system, However the Bad part of it if you take too many of them it could erode the lining of your stomach, which Im sure all aspirin could.... but hope that helps..

I may have an answer for those who are still having headaches! Keep reading!

First of all, I must say that this website saved me! I stopped taking the pill about two weeks ago after 14 years of use. A day after my last placebo pill, I started getting long lasting headaches that wouldn't subside with Tylenol or Advil. The only thing that seemed to help was caffeine. I would wake up with a headache, and go to bed with it. It was not a major headache, but severe enough to make me worry about it. After 5 days, it was driving me insane. I immediately made the link with the pill, and learned afterwards that it was a symptom of hormonal withdrawl. I had read somewhere that it was a good idea to take a vitamin B complex so I had started taking those during my last "fake period". Many people on this website suggested to take Coenzyme 10Q to help with the headaches, and it worked for me. :)

I highly suggest that anyone coming off the pill and experiencing lasting hormonal headaches try to take 1) vitamin B complex (mine is a mix of B6, B12 and folic acid) and 2) Co10Q. I will also be taking magnesium as of tomorrow (my tablet is a mix of calcium, magnesium and D3).

Hang in there ladies, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! Take your vitamins, drink lots of water, exercise, and be patient. Time will heal your bodies :)

Thank you so much! I'm also using zinc 45 mg, it's helping a lot too!

Hey all! I got off of Yas/Yasmin for the first time in 10 years only 2 weeks ago. I've been dealing with the same headaches which started this week. What has really helped me so far is combining about 100mg of caffeine with a Primrose oil supplement 1,300 mg. Within 10 minutes I've noticed an effect similar to taking ibuprofen.

If you google your hormone period cycle you'll see that for the first two weeks your estrogen is at its highest and Primrose oil is supposed to naturally help balance out the other hormones. For the second two weeks flaxseed oil supplement is supposed to help bc that's when estrogen is at its lowest. But I haven't gotten to that phase of the cycle yet.

Hope this helps!

Hi everyone! I've been following this post for nearly a year and didn't expect it to still be going. I've never commented but I have had a continuous, 24/7 headache, since stopping yaz approx 11 months ago. I'm only 19yrs old and I have to say it completely turned my life upside down. The same day as I stopped the yaz, I instantly developed a ton of vision issues, which I now know to be bad floaters, although I will never understand what happened in my body the day of stopping to cause permanent vision issues and such a chronic headache. I've been seeing a natruopath to get my cycle back, which has been working, although when I started having regular periods, I started experiencing other bizarre symptoms where the left side of my body goes numb for anywhere between a day to a week or two. Specialists virtually haven't heard of what I am going through, but have said it to be just a bizarre form of migraine. If anyone else can relate to these other symptoms id love to chat, as I feel a little crazy. I'm considering going on the mini pill as a last resort... could be the worst or the best decision. Good luck to everyone!

Hi! I've been going through the same thing! I'm usually off and on with my pills simply Bc I'm carefless and forget, but I stopped two weeks ago and I've taken my pills for 5 years now! randomly I have headaches they are not unbearable I'm still able to drive and go to work but I also have felt this strange numbness and tingling feeling and I also have eye floaters. It has really really caused me a lot of distress and only makes me even more worried! now thinking it is linked to not taking my pills and possible stress over the situation! I have an appointment soon hoping to find some relief. Good luck hope everyone gets better

I agree! I have been on Aviane bc for the last 8 months and I am on my 4th day without taking it. I am having the worst migraines ever! My mood swings are even worse. I can't really handle it anymore. I am going to stay away from this "medicine" for a while.:)