Hormonal headaches

[Bellini12]

I was getting hormonal headaches before I started HRT but was hoping they would be sorted (have been on oestrogel and 2 weeks of utrogestan tablets). I tend to get a 2 day headache around the time my period is due and sometimes mid month too. They last 2 days and aren’t quite a migraine but I have pain behind an eye and a feeling of pressure around my head, often making me feel nauseous. After 2 days they disappear and I feel normal again.

just wondered if anyone else got these and if they could suggest anything to help. I don’t tend to get them the first 2 weeks of my cycle.

I have a family wedding and a holiday booked around my danger zone and I really want to avoid getting one if I can. Does a change in diet help? Ibuprofen doesn’t seem to help. I’m 51.

I've had migraine all my life .

I always used to get a headache just before my period, so when estrogen was low and progesterone was falling.

I now experience very similar although not every single cycle, on HRT.

A couple of days after stopping Utrogestan I can get a migraine.

What you could do as a temporary change is to delay the Utrogestan until after the wedding. This is fine and (just for reference) some of us under medical guidance do a longer cycle anyway (beyond the 4 weeks.)

I can't help with the 'mid cycle' issue as that shouldn't happen on HRT.

I used to get these religiously every month for the reasons jingling describes. If I can offer any hope I don't get them now at all, I'm post menopausal and on continuous HRT.

@JinglingSpringbells I’m wondering if the mid cycle headaches may just be a headache as they can be quite random. But the ones that come a few days after stopping utrogestan (when I generally get a period) are definitely cyclical.

i have delayed taking the utrogestan for a couple of days this month so I should be on the last 2 days of it for the wedding weekend. Am hoping this means I’m delaying getting the headache. It makes me feel so grotty there’s no way I will cope with a long drive and socialising/music etc.

@Overthemenopause so nice to hear that one day they will hopefully stop!

The relationship between HRT and headaches, particularly migraines, is complex and individualized. For some women, the stabilization of hormone levels through HRT leads to a reduction in the frequency and severity of headaches. However, for others, HRT may exacerbate headache patterns. Have you tried acupuncture or maybe even swimming to cool down?