PMS headaches and sinus problems

Hi there, I too suffer from these awful sinus type headaches and symptoms. I had never had them before and after a year of taking a new BCP - Yasminelle - I started to notice sinus type symptoms. Awful pounding eye pain, blocked nose, drainage, sore roof of mouth sore throat and swollen glands. It was really awful and my whole life was affected. I continued to take this pill for months afterwards not connecting the two after being assured by my GP that it could not be related to my pill. Anyhow, out of desperation in Feb 2010 I decided to stop taking the pill and voila, within 2 months the symptoms began to dissapear. Month on month the symptoms wained until I was just getting maybe one sinus headace lasting a few hours each month, this I could deal with with ibuprofen etc. Anyhow, months had passed and this Feb 2011 I had a tough week in work, felt a bit run down and got a sinus infection. After a week of the sinus infection the sinus headache had returned along with the other symptoms including the constant nasal drip. It is now May and it hasn't improved. I've been to see a different ENT specialist who after looking with a camera said my tissue in my nose was 5X the size it hould be. He prescribed Betnesol drops for 12 days and a steroid spray for 8 weeks. I haven't had a bad sinus headache since starting the drops howerver, all of the other symptoms pressure, blocked feeling and constant drainage ar still there. I have just started evening primrose oil supplements today so hopefully this will help me. I really belive mine is hormone related as my periods are totally different to what they were before. Very bad cramps, spotting during the month etc. Anybody else experience this after taking a pill or who thinks it may be connected?

I'm 36 and for years, I used to have period migraines that lasted 3-5 days, and no amount of pain reliever would touch them. However, it was just a couple of years ago -- after moving to a new town -- that my menstrual migraines evolved into menstrual sinus headaches. I would be able to detect it coming on from the bad taste in my throat, and wham! -- I'd wake up in the morning with not only my period, but with congestion, sinus pain and pressure, sore neck/shoulders/back-of-head, postnasal drip, dizziness, nausea, and face feeling like it was beaten with a baseball bat. Once I figured out that my sinuses were infected, I bought Advil Cold and Sinus which actually worked like a hot damn! HOWEVER, the pseudoephedrine makes my heart pound wildly (causes chest pain in my husband) and quickly became a very last resort for future periods.

I did notice that for a great deal of the winter, that my period sinus headaches subsided and were just replaced with regular headaches. Now that Spring/Summer is here, however, the sinus headaches have returned -- which leads me to suspect that allergies are working in kahoots with the hormones and weaker immune system from the period, and therefore, may be creating the sinus problems.

I am not one for taking medicines anymore. I would really like to combat this issue as naturally as I can. I have read that taking 2 tbsp of Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (with the Mother) in an 8 ounce glass of water three times a day can help with sinus infections, and I am currently trying this out. I actually find it tasty!  ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** web addresses not allowed***

 

 

Oh my god, I can't belive I've found this site.

I've had a headache for 7 days now and just started my period today. I've just had a baby six weeks ago, and haven't had this headache since way before my pregancy.

It actually knocks me off my feet, nausea nearly all day long, pain behind one eye, one side of my head and sinus pain. I also get the drainage behind my nose. 

 

My hormones are crazy at the moment due to the pregnancy, so it stands to reason that these headaches are hormone related.

 

 

Get these sinus pressure headaches.  Use a nasal steroid spray and it helps a lot.  Also mixing one tylenol and one ibuprophen.   Just wish I could find out how to avoid it all together. eh

I have went to the Gyno and reg. Dr. to discuss my sinus and Asthma problems the week before my period. They act like there is no connection but there is.  I believe as women who know our bodies very well and we do know what we are talking about. Its almost like we are suffering for no good reason.

As I have been trying to get pregnant, I have been following my LH levels and measuring my temp's.  The most obvious reason for the PMS symptoms are the extreme drop in Estrogene with elevated levels of Progesterone a few days before your period, and then the extreme drop in Progesterone a day before or same day of your period.  Any fertility chart will show you these elevations and drops.  The question is, why does this affect my sinuses, as it does for me too (I always have to take a tylenol and aspirin when I get these otherwise the sinus headache will definately develop into a full blown migraine.. the headache, btw, is sinus to start because it is right behind my right nostrel and right eye, followed by mucus bulidup filling my throat in the morning.. )  So again, why does this hormone drop manifest in a sinus headache??  Well, has anyone noticed you can smell EVERYTHING a few days before your period?  Someone is smoking outside the window, the room smells stale when you wake up, the garbage under the kitchen reeks, this is the day you DON'T where perfume as it would trigger the migraine.. etc..   Well, my theory is that the hormone change affect the smell, and acute smell sensitivity can cause sinus infection.. here is more info:  ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** web addresses not allowed***

 

EVer since i had my kids i have been suffering from sinus /migraine headaches when my period stops.  throat pain and flu like symptoms.  all the obgyn says is that its the change in hormones and what do you take for it... he referred me to a nuerologist who gave me samples of imitrex which i never took!! I'm going to try L trytpophan soon here.. i would take excedrin and claritan sudafed that has helped in the past  but now i get the feeling of my brain swelling and  eye pressure/facial  and eyelid swelling.  what the heck is goingon??? i don't feel alone now that i hvae read all of your similar situations... then the next day i feel normal like nothing ever happened until the next cycle!!! some one pleas study this and help us out here 

yes i get the sore throat a few days b4 my period starts too and then a full blown sinus headache towards the end of period!! i'm trying to eliminate salt and sugar this month to see if that changes anything

yes i too never had sinus headaches around my period until i started taking bcp...go figure..we may be on to something here. and they got worse after i stopped the bcpills.

Ever since I had my tubes tied, my periods changed, I have severe cramping and clotting. Sometimes after a shower I can't dry off fast enough, before there is "a mess" and I have to shower again.  I have recently been getting headaches along with sinus congestion and sore throat.  I'm glad I'm not the only one out there. I thought I was crazy. What can  I do?

I have had the same problem as everyone starting 2 years after I started bcpills. Now I am at my wits end! I have been to 3 ENT's and Allergist, my regular doctor, and gyeno. I have been put on SO many medications that it isn't even funny anymore. I have been able to control the headaches down to a few days before my period and then the week of. The only thing that relieves my headaches is once I start on a new pack of bc. I had tried almost every antibiotic, steroids, nasal sprays, rinses, hot packs, you name it! I am now on a decongestant twice a day everyday and a nasal spray 4 times a day... being on these controls every other day except those leading up to and the week of my period. I taken more pills the week of my period then I ever want to! I take tylenol, benadryl, other nasal sprays and the two medications I am regularly on and NOTHING helps. I feel like the only thing that helps me is when I sleep, but I wake up and the headache is still there. I did see on Mystery Diagnosis a women who had the same problems and they linked it to her progesterone levels and said it was an autoimmune reaction to the hormone. She too had tried everything to make it stop and she couldn't. Sadly the only answer in her case was a hysterectomy... after that she never had the problems anymore. I'm only 22 and would like to still have kids so that option is out of the question for me. 

I'm so glad I'm not the only one! These sinus headaches started a few months ago. Taking Advil and Tylenol never seemed to help with the sinus pressure in my eyes and nose. However, the other day I took a ClaritinD 12 hr and my headache went away all day! Claritin-D contains a combination of loratadine and pseudoephedrine. Loratadine is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.

Pseudoephedrine in Claritin-D is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion. During the winter months, forced heat can cause nasal passages to become dry and irritated (especially if you have long haired pets that shed). I also use NeilMed (sinus rinse) as another method of sinus relief as it moisturizes my nasal passages and irrigates any debris or bacteria that may be lingering; It feels so good! For nausea, I eat ginger chews, ginger gum or even wear my Seabands. When non of these are available, I always feel taking a nice hot shower with steam really relaxes my muscles, it feels great when I have neck pain and I feel really refreshed afterwards. These are just a few things I do, during that time of month that we all dread, I hope this helps! Just like anything, when it doubt, make sure to ask your doctor! 

I was taking carbimazole for an over-active thyroid for three and half years. since discontinuing this medication five months ago I repeatedly develop sinus pressure that builds in intensity for four days before my period, culminating in a migraine either the day before or the day it commences.

Then for three and half weeks I experienced chronic sinus headaches. I changed my diet (eliminating dairy products and increased my water intake) and cured it. However, four days before my next period the cycle repeated. I felt ripped off!! I googled "the effect of hormones on sinus" and discovered that others are effected with the same problem.

I get the monthly sinus misery too - after much trial and error, I've found pseudoephedrine (in California you have to sign for it, even though its OTC) with naproxen (as in Aleve-D) is the ONLY thing that relieves the pain to a manageable level. It makes my heart race, but I'd choose that over the headache any day.

Like all you others out there I too have been suffering from the same thing. I have long since finished my periods, but still get sinusitis around the time that i would have had a period, and around mid cyle too, and just recently the pressure in my sinuses have been almost unbearable and i have been having a slight nose bleeds. The doctor just seems to think i have a sinus problem, but it is fine the rest of the month, I know if I go to see an ent specialist I will probably be half way through the month and absolutely fine, they wont find anything wrong! HOWEVER i have been taking sumatriptan as soon as it starts to come on, which has been a massive relief, but the only problem now is that has started to give me indigestion. I have to keep the indigestion tablets handy. Its such a problem trying to get to the cause of all this, not just treating the symptoms.