Migraine and oral contraceptives

Abstract

Migraine is a common complaint in optometric practice. Three cases of migrainous patients taking oral contraceptives are presented in this report. The role of oral contraceptives in triggering a migraine attack and possibly elevating the risk of a stroke in a patient with migraine is discussed. The counseling an optometrist can provide in such cases in discussed.

PIP: 3 case studies of migrainous patients taking oral contraceptives (OCs) are presented in this report. The role of OCs in triggering a migraine attack and possibly elevating the risk of a stroke in a patient with migraines is examined. In the 1st case, a 27-year old white female accountant complained of temporal throbbing headaches associated with nausea, vomiting, hazy vision, small scotomas, and photophobia. The patient had been having the headaches twice a month since 1978 and she took Fiorinal to relieve them. Her physician diagnosed the headaches as migraine. The patient acknowledged that she started getting these headaches after beginning to use OCs 3 years earlier. Her family history revealed that her mother had severe migraine headaches which sometimes were accompanied by unilaterial paresthesia, as well as high blood pressure. Ophthalmoscopy, slitlamp, accommodation, and intraocular pressure findings were unremarkable. The patient was counseled about the factors which can trigger a migraine attack and was advised that eliminating these factors may reduce the frequency and intensity of the headaches. The patient was advised that OCs could increase her risk of having a stroke, especially with her family history. Her family physician subsequently reduced the dosage of her OCs. 5 months later the patient reported that she was trying to avoid the migraine triggering factors (e.g., she was wearing her sunglasses). Her headaches had become less frequent and less severe. The 2nd patient also began to have migraine attacks after beginning to use OCs. The 3rd patient's headaches became so severe after taking the pill that she consulted a neurologist. The 2nd and 3rd patients complained that the headaches were most severe at the time each month when they resumed OC use. None of the 3 patients discontinued OC use. The 2nd and 3rd patients were using a low estrogen OC, and the 1st patient was put on a low estrogen dosage after this optometrist's recommendation to her physician. Encouraging the patients to discuss the dosage of OCs with their family physician may be one of the ways to reduce the unwanted effect of the pill. The effect of OCs goes beyond triggering a headache. They may trigger a stroke particularly if the patient has a family history of high blood pressure as did the patients in this study. Differential diagnosis of migraine headaches includes muscle contraction, tension, sinus, and allergic headaches. Optometrists can be most helpful to the patients by counseling them to avoid the triggering factors. Glare, a triggering factor, could be reduced by tinted spectacles.