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Migraines and HRT

Posted , 8 users are following.

maxinecarla
maxinecarla

HRT has been amazing in giving me my life back after curing all my menopause symptoms such as memory loss, mood swings and night sweats, but it has given me a very unwanted symptom, migraines.   My GP has told me that I will now have to come off of the HRT as it could cause a stroke. This has depressed me as I run a business on my own and know that the menopause symtoms will make this impossible.  I don't know what to do. Please can anyone offer advise?

0 likes, 56 replies

56 Replies

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  • colleen90305
    colleen90305 maxinecarla

    Posted

    Maxine, refreshing to here for me because I start HRT tonite, but scary for you and I for the high risk of stroke it may cause. How long have you been taking these, and why stop now when they are helping you?
    • colleen90305
      colleen90305

      Posted

      I said why stop when they are helping you? Shame on me as I just woke up. Stopping the HRT outweighs the risk of a stroke, But it's really sad that somethinh which helps you so much has bad side effects whicj could lead to serious consequences. Us women cannot win!

  • colleen90305
    colleen90305 maxinecarla

    Posted

    How long were you on HRT
    • maxinecarla
      maxinecarla colleen90305

      Posted

      Hi Colleen, 

      I have been on HRT for about a year, I have tried 3 different types.  I am currently on Estrogel.  I will go down the diet route and try getting Estrogen from food. I am very healthy in every other way. I don't smoke, I excercise every day and eat a healthy diet. I am definitley coming back as a man next time!!!

  • beth86610
    beth86610 maxinecarla

    Posted

    Has th GP addressed anything like diet and supplements before perscribing you HRT?  The GP gave it to you and now tells you to get off of it and now you fear your life will go over a cliff.  Nobody needs a stroke.  But you don't have to live in a hole either.  

    Start doing your research and find ways which can help deal symptoms if they return.  Access you diet.  Start thinking about exercise like walking every day.  Start eliminating bad foods and habits.  There are ways of dealing with this that don't involve perscriptions.  Give it try.  

    • maxinecarla
      maxinecarla beth86610

      Posted

      thanks Beth, but I already power walk for around 8 miles a day. I am also  a very healthy eater.
    • alison28608
      alison28608 beth86610

      Posted

      But when you have done everything recommended, and are still doing everything 9 years down the line, where do you go from there?
    • maxinecarla
      maxinecarla beth86610

      Posted

      If I do have to come off of HRT then I will start eating all the foods that contain oestrogen.  I will be anything and everything Beth x
    • maxinecarla
      maxinecarla

      Posted

      that should be trying anything and everything.
  • Zigangie
    Zigangie maxinecarla

    Posted

    Hi maxine,

    Headache is caused by too much estrogen. I don't know know what type you were on.

    I'm using oestrogel and Utrogestan.

    With oestrogel you can tinker with the dose unlike patches.

    The smaller dose of 2 pumps could easily be halved to one pump or by throwing half of that dose away thus getting 1/4 of the recommended dose.

    I wonder if seeing that you have had so many improvements with HRT if your doctor would be willing to give you a trial with this before giving up completely?

    • looloo43
      looloo43 Zigangie

      Posted

      Hi Zigangie. Thats strange what you say about too much oestrogen causing headaches. I'm on the same hrt regimen at you - the gel & the utrogestan capsules days 15-26, & my frequent intense headaches stopped 2-3wks after starting hrt in april. I've only had 1 all day intense headache that coincided with withdrawal bleed & tender boobs since mid april. so I'm supplementing my oestrogen, but headaches have virtually eliminated??? Hey ho, at least the hrt is helping, but isn't it strange how we all get different effects? I 100% agree with you that Maxine could enquire with her doc about the less risky hrt regimens now available (like we are on), the worst she can say is no. xx

    • Zigangie
      Zigangie looloo43

      Posted

      Hi looloo,

      I did do a lot of research before I went and asked the GP for this HRT.

      I'm only really repeating what I have read on another meno forum.

      I'm fiddling with my dose as I want to use the least I can get away with.

      I've read that often symptoms return and then women need more and more estrogen.

      I've tried dropping to one pump a day, I've tried as much as 4 pumps a day.

      I couldn't really notice any further improvements with twice the dose.

      The first symptom I get come back if I forget to use is is memory, so as it's only annoying and not uncomfortable I can play around a bit.

      So far I've found after a week or so of one pump a day people finish my sentences for me. But on 2 pumps every other day things seem ok.

      I get headaches ocasionally but I have for years and I don't think HRT has made a difference either way to them.

      I think bio identical are going to prove much safer all round than horse urine HRT because they are the same as your body would make.

  • looloo43
    looloo43 maxinecarla

    Posted

    Hi Maxine, I totally agree wwith what zigangie said to you - about asking your doc if you could try oestrogel & utrogestan capsules or something similar instead of your "current"hrt. there are more low risk formulas around now than there were years ago. definately worth a chat with her, rather than doc just giving up on hrt, & to save you the misery of returning symptoms. the worst she can say is no. xx

    • maxinecarla
      maxinecarla looloo43

      Posted

      Hi Looloo,

      I am on Oestrogel, it is that what is causing the migranes. Like you, it has helped with my headaches but has started the migraines. I used to have awful headaches everyday and suffered all of my menstruating life. These have virtually gone with the HRT. Another thing that could return if I have to come off of HRT.

    • looloo43
      looloo43 maxinecarla

      Posted

      Sorry Maxine, didnt realise you are already on oestrogel. how many daily pumps of it are you using?
    • looloo43
      looloo43 maxinecarla

      Posted

      its a last ditch attempt to help keep you on it, but you could try going down to 1 pump for several weeks before stopping it if your doc agrees to try it & see if that stops the migraines but maintains your other symptoms ok.  another lady on here zigangie said only yesterday that apparently too much oestrogen can cause headaches(not specific about type of headaches) so worth a try perhaps??? i get by on 1 pump quite well.  are you also on the utrogestan capsules? if so do you take 100mg everyday or 200mg days 15-26?

    • maxinecarla
      maxinecarla looloo43

      Posted

      Thanks Looloo, 1 pump it is definitley worth a try.  I am currently just on the Oestrogel with the progesteron for 2 weeks.  I will ask about the Utrogestan.  I have my appointment in half an hour so will find out what I am condemned to. I will let you know x
    • looloo43
      looloo43 maxinecarla

      Posted

      utrogestan is micronised - a purer form of progesterone that is more effective in helping with meno symptoms, & more tolerable than synthetic progesterone. my specialist meno gp told me this. you could check if the progesteron you are currently on is synthetic or micronised - just a thought might be worth switching??? xx 

    • maxinecarla
      maxinecarla looloo43

      Posted

      Very good news Looloo.  My GP has just completed a Menopause course and now knows that HRT does not cause strokes if it causes migraines.   The complete opposite of what she told me before. All that worrying for nothing. I am so happy that I can stay on HRT.  I forgot to ask her about the Utrogestan, but will next time I see her.  Thank you for  all the advice x
    • looloo43
      looloo43 maxinecarla

      Posted

      That's great news Maxine. It's also great your gp has been on a meno course; my gp is a specialist meno/gynae gp & she is so clued up, i feel very lucky to have her as my gp, as so many ladies on here meet a brick wall with their doctors. before i started on hrt in april we had 2 20min appointments to discuss it all & she alleviated my fears of starting it, & bingo got me on a low risk/low dose regime that worked first time, so i didn't have to try several different types to see what worked. i'm so please for you, now you don't have to worry about dreadful symptoms returning. You're very welcome for the advice (I'm no doc, that was just from personal experience & my gp's knowledge!!!) x

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