Hormonal migraine increase

[DanceTheDevilBackIntoHisHole]

Has anyone any experience or wisdom to share?

I've been having hormonal migraines for years. They were generally mid-cycle around ovulation time. I started HRT about 20 months ago for broader symptoms and obviously hope it would help but it made no difference at all. Fine. (Only on one pump of oestrogel and cyclical utrogestan).

However the last three months the frequency of migraine is getting much worse. For two months I got premenstrual migraines too, meaning I had them every 2 weeks instead of every 4, but this month I'm getting them even more frequently, weekly or even less (had.one on Tues/Weds a and another one today).

I'm going to make GP appointment but has anyone experienced this? I could cope with them monthly as sumatriptan helped and I could largely function with them for the 48 hours they last, but this is debilitating. No idea if I should up my oestrogel or come off HRT!

I was always convinced they were related to oestrogen as I used to get them on the combined pill in my 30s,.on the week I'd stop taking them.

HELP!

I suddenly started getting migraines when my periods started becoming erratic when I entered menopause. It was a bummer, at first I only had them once or twice a month then they just carried on increasing until they were twice or even four times a week.
Go to your GP and get a referral to a headache clinic and try all the treatments they suggest. If I could have my time again I would have tried more drugs faster. I think I was in denial and was sort of expecting things to magically get better. If you can afford it go private, migraines are time sensitive.
Good luck .

I'm similar to you OP, have gone from monthly to fortnightly or even weekly or more! Have been on HRT for about two years. I think it's menopause itself not the HRT causing it. I've tried everything with alternative therapies etc and also take amitriptyline which doesn't stop them but makes them milder.
Just praying they stop soon- most people say they are better after menopause. Although I won't know when that is as my periods have more or less stopped due to mirena coil (thank god as they were getting so painful).

Just to add, If you started HRT 20 months ago then surely it's not the cause of the last three months being worse? I find I have blips when they're worse. I wouldn't stop HRT personally as it's so beneficial to my mood.

Yeah you're right @Arcadia about HRT probably not being a cause. Maybe my natural levels are just dropping and I need to adjust my dose and try two pumps or maybe it's a blip but it's SO hard to live with.

Thanks for sharing @Notgoodatpoetrybutgreatatlit I'll get that referral and also explore private (or on health insurance although they're awful with covering anything menopause related). What treatments did you get/try in the end, if you don't mind sharing

I had the nerve block injection into the back of my head on both sides, its painful but effective. Don't drive afterwards and take the next day off work if you do it.
And I have that head electronic thing the cefaly device, which I use daily. And finally after I was getting daily migraines I started that new drug atogepant. I had to get that privately. It's very expensive and I take one tablet a day. It is however very effective. I went from nearly daily migraines to two since I started the drug five months ago.

I’ve had the same experience, OP. The frequency was increasing but definitely hormonal in perimenopause. I haven’t tried HRT yet but the GP has given me amitriptyline to take 10mg a night. It’s helping so far - I’ve been able to cut down on the sumatriptan and most of the headaches are helped by Anadin aspirin/paracetamol combined tablet.

I had migraines in my 30's described as hormonal.

2 months ago I started with have been diagnosed as cluster headaches (a form of migraine). I had a hysterectomy 2 years ago but kept my ovaries so I'm not on HRT but I know my hormones are evolving.

I'm taking 10mg of amatriptyline before bed and it's working so far.