Migraines:how much Oestrogen to stop?

[HormonalAndie]

Hi everyone I did a much longer post detailing my history of switching from Yasmin to HRT but ultimately I just want to know how many pumps of gel or how strong a patch people needed to prevent or improve hormonal migraines? Especially severe ones and with a history of menstrual migraines before starting HRT. Thankyou!!

Bump. Anyone?

There won't be one size fits all.
It depends when in your cycle the migraine occurs.
I'm wondering why you think estrogen will have an impact either way?
It's sometimes linked more to the progesterone part of a cycle.

I've had migraine since I was a teen. They used to be worse just before a period when my progesterone was falling. It's the same now on HRT but doesn't happen monthly- just now and then. I use 2 pumps of gel but that's for symptom relief and to help bone density.

I echo what @JinglingSpringbells said as a fellow ex pre menstrual migraine sufferer. I'm on everol 50 and 100mg progesterone now. No more regular migraines post menopause but I randomly get what I call a migraine type headache - ie not a full on migraine but the same sort of lingering behind my eye headache, just less painful.

I started a thread a while back about the effect different brands of progesterone were having on me re: headache and eventually came to the conclusion because I'd started putting oestrogen cream on my face i was getting a big too much erratically and the ratio between the 2 hormones that my body was used to was triggering headaches. Also, when its hot and I assume my patch releases faster I sometimes get the same sort of headache.

That said, I definitely can't tolerate the Accord brand of progesterone, but that's a whole different thread.

My Dr recommended patches for hormonal migraine as apparently they deliver a more even dose. Evorel 50 patches (and cyclical ultrogestan) improved my migraines massively.. Previously the only thing that ever helped was the mini pill, which I hated for other reasons, and pregnancy!

I am now on 75s for different reasons but migraine still vastly reduced. It's so great to actually have something about perimenopause that is better than before!

My Dr recommended patches for hormonal migraine as apparently they deliver a more even dose

That's a bit of a myth.

It was never advised by my consultant when I was prescribed gel almost 20 years ago.They were / are very pro gel.

Patches eventually reduce the dose as they run out after a few days. so within a week you get more lows and highs.

If you apply gel at the same time every 24 hours (or twice a day for higher doses) you get an even level over 24 hours.

It's a myth the level falls within a day( to the extent you feel symptoms) and it needs an instant top up.

'Missing a dose' that may impact on symptoms is applying it more than 12 hours late. So that's 36 hours after a dose.

I have experimented stopping HRT twice and it took over 3 weeks for symptoms to come back.

I'm going through the menupause and have also had bad migraines, yesterday morning it was so severe I had to lie down in a dark room,I'm currently not on any medication for it as my doctor says it's not the menupause as I'm too young at 55 really

Too young for the menopause at 55!!! Where did your dr get their qualifications, the back of a cereal packet? 😂

That's exactly what I said some doctors are useless

I think maybe I replied to your last thread.

100mg patches + 1pump gel, 200mg of utrogestan daily.

I have a history of severe, chronic, predominantly menstral, migraine. They averaged 5 per month until perimenopause when they went up to 15 a month. After mucking around with HRT they are back to 5 per month (generally).

It was switching from sequential to a high continuous dose of utrogestan that reduced them from 15 to 5.

I think the reason you haven't had more replies saying what dose of HRT stopped people's menstral migraine is because it doesn't stop it.

HRT genuinely has stopped my migraines almost completely. I can't believe I'm the only person?!

Regardless, I feel very fortunate and I'm really sorry to those it hasn't helped. Migraines are so incredibly debilitating and shit.

My GP has put me on the combined pill for hormonal migraines. I was hoping for HRT. But so far it’s been better.

I was put on one pump of Oestrogel 75 mcg a day, in combination with a progesterone 100 mg capsule.

I tried gel but it didn’t work for me, even with 3 pumps I got night sweats. Even when I applied at bedtime. I’m using a 75mg patch and the delivery system must be better as no night sweats

I'm on the patch and still sometimes get them.. I've added in Amitriptyline to prevent them.

The average age for menopause (ie the stopping of periods) in the UK is 51. So you aren’t too young! And the NHS assumes your periods have stopped once you reach 55 because that’s the point when they stop bothering to test for pregnancy before any procedure or drugs that could harm a foetus.

In your shoes I’d change GPs, if they are this uninformed.

Get a new GP!! The NICE guidelines recognise that most women are in peri meno from 45. 55 is def not too young! Even if you still have a period your estrogen is in decline.

In my terrible unmedicated phase of perimenopause I had a big increase in migraines, but since HRT they have virtually stopped. I’d had them all my life until then, but rarely, and always when my progesterone dropped just prior to my period.

Too young at 55? Who is this doctor? I suggest you find another one. The average age is 51 and most women have symptoms in the 5 years before so anytime from 45 to start HRT.

Hrt didn't help my migraines. Either gel or patches, or cyclical utrogestran or mirena. Now taking Nortriptyline (50mg daily) and that's not working either.

Going to try and get Rimegepant

Rimegepant really helps me. The only other thing that has worked except triptans. I had botox and all sorts.

Also a high continuous daily dose of utrogestan has improved them.

I went on HRT to stop migraines. Unfortunately, I didn't find it helped at all. 🙁But worth trying, as everyone's different.

Thanks so much – can I Ask what you’re on and what doses?

That’s great ! Can you tell me what you are on and what dose please?

How brilliant! Can I ask what you are on please? Thanks

I’m on Evorel 75 patches and 200mg Utrogestan every night. My periods have stopped now (I’m 55) and so I’m on continuous progesterone.

I’ve been on HRT for four years, and the improvement in migraines came while I was still having periods, so it’s not just that they’ve disappeared since I went through the actual menopause.

I started on Evorel 25 patches for the first year, then went up to 50 for another 2 years, and it’s only been for the past year my dose needed upping to 75. But the migraines improved even on the lowest dose.

Hope you get some relief soon!