What HRT is recommended for frequent migraine

[shggg245]

Hi

I'm thinking of HRT. I have typical symptoms of menopause, I'm 51. I also experience hormonal migraines which are getting worse - 4 this week!.

I take sumatriptan and nortryptaline.One GP said - HRT is not recommended as it'll make my migraines worse. Another said - it'll be fine.

Has anyone experienced similar? 🙂

I really struggled with migraine since I started puberty. I told my dr about trying HRT & she started me on micronized progesterone tablets, non stop throughout the month (to prevent the hormonal fluctuations) It's was miraculous! I'm also now on estrogen patches & after 6 months, I've had maybe 2 migraines max.

Every time I have taken hormones, my migraines have become dramatically worse.

If I were on your position, I would avoid HRT like the plague and instead focus on finding a good migraine prevention med. that is what my doctor did when my headaches got worse as perimenopause got going. I’m not sure if what she prescribed is available in the UK, so I will just leave it at the path was very successful and my migraines are less frequent than ever.

I've had migraine since I was about 12. It used to come on with stress, missing meals, and usually before a period (the day or two before.)

I've been on over HRT for many years now and the migraine has not got worse and is in fact almost non-existent.
Sometimes I do get a slight headache when the progesterone part of HRT is withdrawn each cycle, but nothing that a couple of pain killers can't help.

Just to compare- I did use the same regime as @Utterlyexhausted - for a while ( non-stop progesterone, every day) and it didn't suit me. When the levels in my blood fell over the day, I'd start to get a headache. Using it on a cycle - 12 days each cycle- suits me better.

You have nothing to lose by experimenting and seeing how you are.

I asked a question about this about 10 days ago as a new HRT user.

My migraines are with aura.

I am 49 and am perimenopausal….although only had 1 period in the 6 months before starting HRT.

My GP agreed to oestrogel (startin* on low dosage) and I too are having continuous Utrogestan (100mg) despite not being post meno. I’ve only been going for just over 2 weeks. Haven’t had any bleeding and don’t know if I will. Haven’t had any migraines since staring, but I could usually go a couple of weeks without anyway. Will be interested to see if there’s any impact on the migraines. Obviously hoping they don’t worsen and ideally improve.

My GP started by saying HRT was contraindicated for people with migraine with aura. I’d read up before hand and knew this wasn’t case and luckily the GP was happy to listen to me and was clearly checking their computer whilst talking. It was me who suggested continuous Utrogestan to reduce hormonal fluctuations. Again, he was clearly reading up on it and concluded he would prescribe it off licence (as I’m oerimenopuasal not post) as it was clinically justified given my migraines. I’m just giving it a go…if it gives me migraines or lots of bleeding I will re-think.

@WombatChocolate I'm also peri menopausal and although my migraines have been minimal, my bleeding was still heavy for a couple of months after starting HRT..I'd suggest giving it several months..I'm in month 7 and my periods are much lighter now thank god!

Thanks all - very useful. It appears that trying a number of combinations seems best.