Headaches after stopping birth control pills??

I stopped taking Levlen ED about 7 weeks ago and have also had daily headaches ever since. Have been rotating ibuprofen and tylenol but still always wake up with pain. Doctor prescribed Amitriptyline which is an anti depressant but don't really want to start messing with that. Started taking magnesium supplements as I've read that can help - haven't noticed any change. So for now I'll just whine about it and hope they go away :(

Hello everyone, I am having the same trouble, here's my story: I have been on birth control (orthotricycle/trinessa) for 15 years. I decided to stop taking it 2 months ago as the smell of the pills were hard to swallow (maybe that's because I've been taking them for so long) one day they made me puke, so I said 'No More', ever since then I thought I've had a terrible sinus infection, taking prescription Sudafed. My whole life I've never had headaches, always had stomachaches, so when I wake up every morning with these headaches it feels like my brain is going to explode with pressure. I can take Tylenol or Pamperine to have them stop, but they go away about 2 hours after I’m awake anyways and I don’t want to take those pills daily, as they are not good for you. So I’m wondering, why is this happening? Is this hormone withdrawal? If so, does it stop? Thanks and I hope everyone’s headaches are gone!

did you find an answer? i too have had daily non-stop headaches after going off the pill after 5 yrs. mine have been going on since september. i'm going to a headache specialist in 2 weeks. it's been hell.

I too have experienced the chronic daily headache after stopping birth control. they have continued now for 5 months. after seeing my doctor, obgyn and a neurologist, and trying several pain meds, and replacement hormones -- i am 46) i found a specialist who deals with new daily persistent headache (NDPH -- which is what this is if it's been going on for 3 months or more). this is what he said is going on: the sudden loss of estrogen from stopping the birth control pill had activated the trigeminal/cernical pain system (the trigeminal nerve is the largest in the brain). once this is activated, it is difficult and even impossible to deactivate. NDPH is not new. but NDPH due to stopping birth control is totally unstudied and unndocumented. there is very little written on it. this doctor (who is in wikes-barre, pa) says he's seeing more and more of it recently though. i am improving slowly but surely, which he said is very good news. some women he's seen never improve. i am giving it another 3 months and he thinks it may self-correct and i'll be pain free. if i'm not, he has options for me. this is a total nightmare. find a specialist and do your own research, because it's real. and it has everything to do with stopping birth control. i have never had headaches in the past.

Hi. I'm the most recent poster :) I too have been suffering daily headaches for 5 months now. Did yours ever go away? This is a total nightmare.

I was only on a low dose birth control for 1 month (Junel Fe) to help with ovarian cysts. I stopped because I did not react well. And I've had a nonstop headache for the past 2 weeks since stopping. Along with a stiff neck and upper back. I hope to find some answers soon.

Hoping to hear someone whose longterm headaches stopped?!? Anybody?!?

THANK YOU! I'm only on day 8.

Stopped taking my progression only pill 4 days ago and I have been waking up with a headache that continues ALL DAY ever since. It's awful. This CAN NOT last 3 months there has to be a solution!!!!

Finding this thread is both relieving and saddening. I can't believe that so many women are experiencing this. I don't know about anyone else, but my doctor NEVER told me that this could happen. I've taken low-dose in the past and never had issues. I had a baby a couple years ago and recently went back on the pill only to stop my periods (my partner has a vasectomy, I didn't need to do this...how stupid, right?). I was on Amethia for about two months, gained a ton of weight and ate everything in sight. Had a crazy PMS freak-out when my first missed period should have started (which I was told wouldn't happen), gave it another month, and then took a break to have a period. During that time I decided I was done and I tossed my pills. No headache during the period at all. But when I didn't start the pills again, the headaches started, and they have been getting worse. Every night before bed they begin, and laying down is a slow process so as not to jar my head. Waking up is a nightmare. It's like the worst hangover ever. The Hurt Locker is REAL, omg. Throbbing pain that makes me cry out. I have to get vertical as slowly as possible because any sudden movement feels like my skull will explode. They disappear completely during the day, which is such a blessing, but I am now afraid of waking up because I know this will happen EVERY SINGLE MORNING. Not counting my period, I have been off the pill for a whopping five days. The idea of going through this Hell for another three months makes me want to cry. The best part is that because I take Cymbalta, I can't take NSAIDs. I really want to hear from one of my fellow sufferers here that your headaches stopped. Please? Give us some hope! Feel better, ladies...

I was looking for a reason why my girlfriend was having headaches after stopping the pill after taking it for years, and finding this just made my stomach drop. It's comforting to know she's not alone, but it disgusts me that so many of you have to suffer with this. I do not want to see my girlfriend suffer with a continuous headache for AT THE LEAST three months. That is ridiculous and no one should have to suffer with that. I know I'm not a woman so I could never understand, but something has got to be done about this. You shouldn't have to just "deal with it" as if it's a part of "being a woman". That's ridiculous. This shouldn't even be a thread with countless posts, this shouldn't be an issue! There has got to be a solution, there has got to be consequences for doctors who just brush it off like it's not a problem, and there has to be recognition of the birth control companies who have taken no steps to help its patience in recovering from a drug that isn't supposed to continue damage after a stoppage of consumption. Has anyone checked to see if the side effects include continuous headaches of up to two years (or more) after you stop taking the pill? If it's not on there, I hope you all can smell the lawsuit as well as I can. Good luck ladies, I empathize with your pain and hope to see this problem solved as soon as possible. 

I agree there has to be consequences. But I don't think most doctors even know about this. Obviously, it is rare. Most women go on and off the pill with no issues. I have in the past. Very bizarre but very real and sad for those suffering.

I have the same problem!.. I was taking the same pill for 3 months and my hair started falling off those 3 months so i stopped, but now i have headaches everyday! and its been since dec 12 i stopped :(..headaches and hair is still falling off!

My headaches have been going on since September 20. And, honestly, tomorrow it will be 6 months, so I'm losing optimism that this will ever stop!! I have also had hair loss. I wish we could hear some good news from somebody else whose headaches stopped. I know there was one woman who said give it 3 months, but mine have lasted double that time already :( Any positive news would be much appreciated!

I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen for a year after not being on any birth control for almost 11 years (had to stop once before because of a bad reaction, should have never started again).  I stopped taking them because I started experiencing menstral migraines around September that were so debilitating I had to leave work.  I have had the worst headache for the last week and couldn't figure out what could possibly be causing it.  Now that I've seen this, I am relieved that it's not something worse and disheartened that I am going to have to deal with this for some time to come.  Mine happen usually in the early afternoon and progress at night to the point where I can't even see straight anymore.  They're centered behind my eyes and around my temples and the only was to describe it half the time is that it feels like my brain is trying to shove it's way out of my nose.  I thought about getting sudephed, but the only thing it has in it for headaches is acetametophin which already doesn't work even at 1000mg.  I think I am going to look into the CoQ10 and see if that helps.  This is bull.