HRT and Migraines

[thisAngelBites]

I started HRT a couple of years ago, and in that time, I have had three migraines when I have never had them before. Each one has been a little worse than the previous one. The first time was just pain, the second time was pain, plus difficulty reading (difficulty concentrating and reading each word and understanding what was written), and third one, this morning, was mild pain, but difficulty reading and understanding properly, plus when I spoke I could not complete sentences because I could not recall words that I wanted to use.

I've been on forums where people have said that physicians have cured their migraines with HRT, and I am wondering if there is something about my protocol that is causing these migraines. I'm worried the temporary aphasia will carry on or even get worse.

Has anyone noticed any relationship of migraines to their HRT or blood work?

[kelkel]

I have not. But why do you feel it may be related to the migraines?

[thisAngelBites]

Because I have heard people claim that HRT cured their migraines. I have seen comments by a couple of people who claimed the HRT program of a physician called Dr Dzugan completed got rid of their migraines. If migraines are in some cases mediated by hormones, maybe the changes I've made have caused them in me?

I thought that migraines tend to lessen as people age, and since I have never had them before HRT, I'm thinking about whether there is some causal relationship.

[clarky.]

I've suffered from chronic migraines since 2005 seen a neurologis had scans ect ect. I get them on a daily basis they can last days wks months then they just go away but return at any time i've been on trt over a year now and no change for me there. They are hard to deal with.

[Lifted1]

last halloween my wife was pregnant and and had a similar thing happen...she was having frequent headaches and while we were having breakfast, she started talking and got tongue tied mid sentence. she tried repeating herself and it happened again. she looked confused and couldn't spit out what she was trying to say. I took her to the hospital and they ran all kinds of tests during a 12 hour stay...came up with it being a severe migraine, but it was a very alarming situation.

those symptoms are stroke related and shouldn't be taken lightly.

[APIs]

I wish TRT cured my Migraines. I've had them since a small child and they've wreaked havoc on my life at times. Luckily I found a great Migraine Specialist (Neurologist) in Manhattan that literally saved my life, plus they've gotten better with age. I'm on a certain blood-pressure medicine that helps block them and I take Imitrex 100 mg tablets when needed.

The symptoms you mention should definitely be reviewed by a Neurologist IMO, although it sure sounds Migraine related.

[thisAngelBites]

I just read in one of my doc's books that too much estrogen unopposed by progesterone can cause migraines during the relevant times of the menstrual cycle. He has me on small doses of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone. It sounds like the right thing to do is to drop him a note and get his input. I also have a set of blood test tubes here, so maybe worth seeing where things are.

[thisAngelBites]

last halloween my wife was pregnant and and had a similar thing happen...she was having frequent headaches and while we were having breakfast, she started talking and got tongue tied mid sentence. she tried repeating herself and it happened again. she looked confused and couldn't spit out what she was trying to say. I took her to the hospital and they ran all kinds of tests during a 12 hour stay...came up with it being a severe migraine, but it was a very alarming situation.

those symptoms are stroke related and shouldn't be taken lightly.

Thanks for pointing out this can be more serious than migraines. I already had the aura when it happened, and so I already realised I was getting a migraine. I mentally checked myself to make sure I didn't have any other signs of stroke. My husband and I were laughing, because I was completely aware that I needed super-focus to read and understand, and that I could not think of words, but otherwise mental faculties were intact. Definitely sending a note to my endo now, however.

[thisAngelBites]

Thanks all for the feedback!

[maddad]

I suffered from migraines from the age of 13 until my mid 30s. All kinds of doctors and all kinds of tests, cat scans and good doctors too. Major hospital in a major metropolitan area staffed with harvard MDs and they didn't figure out that food preservatives were responsible for the majority of my suffering. So after cleaning up my diet and exercising I went from 2 headaches a week to 2 every six months or so. I noticed that when I am on cycle I have never had a migraine. I was concerned because the benzyl benzoate is a preservative and i thought this might might cause a migraines. it didn't, in fact i even had a couple auras, the flashing lights and visual disturbances that typicall proceed a migraine, and then nothing happened, no headache after the aura. I guess i got lucky. No i just have to contend with the acne.

[jimmy79]

thisAngelBites, what happened to your migraines?

[thisAngelBites]

They just stopped. I had a couple, and then a couple that were visual disturbances but with no pain. And then never had any more.

I had planned to talk to my endo about it, but honestly, since they stopped, I figured it might have been just getting used to my HRT. Often women will tend to get migraines around the time in their cycle that their estrogen drops, so there seems to be a strong hormonal component for some people.

[kelkel]

Angel couldn't the stress you've been under lately have caused them? Or is the timing off?

[thisAngelBites]

Angel couldn't the stress you've been under lately have caused them? Or is the timing off?

The timing is off as I had the first one summer of 2014, and then the few others in the autumn.

The first was triggered by being in a strange science-y shop which had loads of little oddities for sale, with little signs to read about all of them. So I thought maybe it had to do with eyestrain. And then when I had some with visual field disturbance, but no pain, they again seemed to have to do with my eyes, but then there was the whole hormone thing in the background.

I'm glad they stopped - I certainly feel bad for people who have to contend with them once or more each week.

[DCI]

I have nothing to add other than to say hope you get a solution to the problem soon TAB nothing worse than migraines.

[BigPimpin76]

Sometimes Migranes can be triggered from stress.
Stress can build up in knots on your traps. It's weird but the pain wont manifest on your traps but as in a form of headache or migraine.
Im want to input on this issue cause I went through the same situation and it was nasty! I wouldn't want that to happen to my worst enemies.
So, get that checked... It works best by going to a Quiropractor or sports massage therapist.
I did get them inflamed knots waaay reduced and BAM..... Problem solved!!!
Best of luck mate!! Keep us posted

Kind regards from the Beef Department

[BFBeach]

When I was a kid I suffered from Migraines. My parents would take me to get shots of pain killers. This continued into my 20's,then out of frustration and a dislike for Pain killers I went to a chiropractor. He showed me that sometime during my childhood I suffered a neck injury that was missed. I played all sports, Basketball, Baseball and Football in addition to a bad car accident in my senior year of HS so that made sense. With his help I was able to get rid of the migraines by realignment of the neck vertebrae. My migraines would originate at the base of the skull, travel over the top of the head and end in my eyes. Now, on the rare occasion that I feel one coming on, I can go to a chiropractor and have it stopped/relieved. Not everyone believes in Chiropractics but I firmly do. Just search out a good one, and a good one should never adjust any part of your spine without an Xray first. Not HRT related but could help you with your migraines.