Good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Caroline and like many of your here, I suffer from migraines.  I suffered my migraines all my life, but was only diagnosed 2 years ago.  I am blessed to have a wonderful neurologist here in DC.  She's great because she also welcomes patients to try non-drug therapies if that suits them and will work with you and your alternative therapist.  Not a lot of western-taught physicians explore that.

At any rate, I take topomax twice a day (2 50 mg tablets, for a total of 100 mg) with relative success.  There is one problem that won't go away and has gotten worse - my menstrual migraines.

My neuro sent me to a Estrogen specialist, explaining that for most women the problem caused by fluctuated estrogen levels. 

To date (7.25.07) I have tried:

• Estrogen pills prior to onset of period
• Seasonale
• Seasonique
• and as of right now the Nuvaring.  I got a sharp blinding headache this morning and knew my cycle was about to start.

 I am at my wits end.  The estrogen specialist who is not on my insurance said we can remove my ovaries, totally explaining it is a GAMBLE - 50% of women never have migraines again; the other 50% are no better or worse, except they just gave some hospital alot of money. (Makes sense considering most migraines are hormonal - most suffers are women) He thinks we will have success.

I am willing to take the gamble. I went back to my gynecologist (who actually knows the Estrogen Specialist - they went Harvard together)But is against me having surgery - which he calls "extreme", even though I am 38 and don't want children.

How do I:

• convince my gynecologist this might be might best way to go
• or respectifully "fire" him and find a doctor on my insurance plan
• find another solution.

My gynecologist said he hates to see me suffer, and that we can keep playing with this.  I do like the Nuvaring better than the pill, as there  they are less side effects, and I can use it as birth control as well (interestingly enough, Topomax lessens the effect of oral contraceptives, and I was warned to use a back up method)

Any suggestions on greatly welcomed.  You are talking to a person who has had menstrual migraines so bad that twice I've gone to urgent care clinics for shots of demoral.

Oh and by the way I've tried several medications strictly for menstural migraines (frova, etc). Didn't work.

Cheers,

Caroline