Menstrual Migraine: Will Topamax Help?
It can … but not as much as we hoped, according to researchers in the University of Turin, Italy.
In a study published online last week, researchers reported on 198 women that suffered from menstrually related migraine. After one or two months of observation, patients were given 50-200mg of topiramate per day for six months.
The good news is that the women had fewer migraine attacks. Of course, this was not a blind study – patients knew they were getting treatment, which means we need to be aware of a significant placebo effect. Still, the significant decrease in attacks is encouraging.
On the other hand, the attacks that did come were no less severe, and were not shorter than normal.
There was no difference with patients who had aura, or in patients that took oral contraceptives.
Topamax (topiramate) may help, it seems, but women will probably want to be on the lookout for other treatments, either in combination or instead of just Topamax.
More about this study: Perimenstrual migraines and their response to preventive therapy with topiramate.
26 July 2010 @ 1:09 pm
I started on Topiramate in December last year for exactly this reason. I was starting to get severe migraines lasting 2-3 days (with re-bound migraines) and totally unable to function. I did see an immediate ceasing of migraines in the first 2.5 months then they started to return. I then went on the progesterone only pill and am again seeing a reduction in them. I’ve definitely seen a massive difference in the severity of the migraine and the length/strength of them, although I accept that I’m still susceptible at the time of my period and at ‘ovulation’. I’m only 3 months into the pill so I’m hopeful that this may also improve.