Great Question!!!!!!

I've suffered with (instead of migranes) what my headache Specialist has just categorized as "benign headache syndrom"  ~ as if that means much?  The only reason that we came to the conslusion that they weren't migranes, was b/c even when I gave myself an Imitrex injecion - even @ the max of "no more than 2 shots in 24 hours, but you can give another in an hour if you feel no releif..."  And so the Imitrex, plus several other triptans that they tried barely (if even at all) touched my daily 24/7, never goes away, just fluctuates in intensity and more than not, I am up in the 7-10+ pain scale, EVERY SINGLE friggin' DAY!!!!!

So, back to your question.  We have 5 children and after our 4th litlle "surprise" , we did a lot of research and spoke with my OB/GYN - you know, pros & cons - and I had the Mirena inserted.  If you're not familiar, it IS a hormone-based form of birth control, but once you GYN inserts it, it constantly releases a slow rate of steady hormones, both estrogen & progesterone. 

After being absolutely FED UP with this doc and that doc and saying that we just don't know, so there's nothing we can do ... I started puttin' my brain in motion (what's left of it anyway! ) and what I came  up with was this:  I had the IUD (Mirena) inserted at my 6-8 wk post-partum check up after Katie, our 4th was born.  I mean, really, it was BRAINLESS.

I fall into the lucky 20% that never had a period, occasional spotting, but VERY occasional, not even enough to wear a pad.

Anyway, at my pp check-up after Noah was born (11/1/06), I went in, and so did the Mirena!  Mindless, wonderfl b.c. - no periods - come on, why not????

But since we've trecked down every imagineable road, seen a gazillion docs, i goodled "mirena & headaches" -  to say that what I saw amazed me, would be a major understatement!  All of these ladies saying that they never suffered heachaches, UNTIL their Mirena was inserted, and then they were daily, intense & not very repondent to any of the OTC meds.

So, I went and had my Mirena removed last week (9 days or so ago) - and all I can tell you is that my headaches have NOT gone away...maybe intensity-wise, but trust me, I still get 'em, wake up with them, go to bed with them, still to this day.  I'm not sure how long it takes for my body to rid itself of the extra progesterone (she said that if the Mirena was the culprit, that it would most likely be due to an overdose of progesterone,  ~ weird thing is:  I NEVER had anything even remotely CLOSE to symptomatic when I had the Mirena in between Katie & Noah.  So, I had it in for just shy of 2 years & never encountered headaches.  

HOWEVER, since I started thing back, I had Noah in 11/06, had my pp check-up in 1/07 & my intense, unrelenting headaches started in 2/07. 

So, I would really advise you to talk very in-depth, not only with your OB/GYN, but also with your headache Doc (if you have one) and if you're one of the smart ones who already sees a psychologist/psychiatrist, I'd talk to him/her about it too.

I don't know how many children you have - or if you ever having a longing for more, but I encourage you to exhaust every effort first, b/c - what if - one day you just have this undeniable, ache in your heart/soul wanting another baby?  You may be ROTFL at me right now, b/c maybe you're older and your kids are grown and you thinkin' - "there's no way in that I want another baby - not a chance!!!!!" 

Sorry that I rambled so much - I just really wanted to let you know about my Mirena IUD (since it has hormones that release for up to 5 years) as it sorta kind is a "2nd Cousin"?    to having your insides torn out for good - which then, of course, if you're not already peri-menopausal or you're any stages of it, it would kick you into HIGH GEAR if you got a hysto.  Then I guess you have to decide what kind of HRT do I want/trust.

Ok, someone me up - Sorry, I can (ok, I AM) soooooo long winded.  And the computer makes my head hurt MUCH less than talking on the phone....So, my apologies for making you all suffer thru my sermon!

God Bless You,

Wen