Migraine Sufferers - Best HRT to take?

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Originally Posted by AK49sister Ive got nothing left in there and am taking 600 mg of prometrium and 1mg of Estradiol.

That is a very large prometrium dose compared to your estrogen. It may be why you're not feeling so well. Are you splitting your estrogen dose and taking it twice/daily? That would help avoid fluctuations as the level starts decreasing about 10-12 hours after you take it. By spreading out the dose and taking it twice/day instead of once, you avoid fluctuations in the level.

Most of us use only 100mg of prometrium, or possibly 200mg. I haven't heard of someone using 600mg daily. If your estrogen level is low and you add a large dose of progesterone, you're likely to have low estrogen symptoms plus excess progesterone symptoms.

I had a complete hysterectomy the old fashioned way in November, 2000. It's now eleven years later and I have constant chronic migraine headaches that caused me to lose my job and I am now on federal disability.

Through the last 11 years I have been on over 20 different types of HRT: natural, compounded, patches, rings, creams, pills, etc. What has worked best for me is a low, low dose birth control pill. It gives me the estrogen and progesterone that I need.

For the 15 years before my hysterectomy I battled endometriosis and was on all types of hormones then; including depo-provera after my second laporoscopy. It's been a long road. I've been fortunate to have good doctors. If your doctor does not listen to you, keep getting a new one until you find a doctor that listens. Sometimes the doctor has to work outside the box.

After my Hysterectomy I started having terrible migraines. Good luck with the hormones. I have tried several different type and still get migraines. I have finally made a decision to go off of them. Can't take the ups and downs anymore.
Good Luck to all .

I tried no hormones and the side effects were frightening. I would wake up in the night soaking wet like I had been in a shower. During the day the hot flashes were so strong my hair would become wet. It was impossible to live like that. I am going to try again in a couple of years when I'm in my mid-forties since that is a more normal age to be without hormones. I had my surgery at 31. Of course the endometriosis complicates the whole hormone issue. I have to be careful not to retrigger the endometriosis. That tissue was all over my intestines and pelvic cavity. It's possible there is still some in there.

You poor thing. I have tried several things and well 80lbs latter, migraines like crazy, my joints swell up and I look ridiculous . I have decided to take the road less traveled. I know what to expect so I'm ready. I hope you get better.

Didn't mean to scare anyone, but please be sure everything's checked/ruled out before accepting the migraine diagnosis.

Before my life-long brain tumor was diagnosed, I was 'asked' by my family doctor if I had 'migraine' when I reported huge headaches that happened when I woke up in the morning. I thought my head was going to split into halves.

It took 8 months - changed the primary physician, demanded referrals from the 2nd family doctor and threatened legal actions - before the 4x5x6.5 cm life-long Central Neurocytoma was diagnosed through CT-scan and MRI.

There's a cluster called HNPCC- Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colon Cancer that is featured by family members having colon cancer, breast cancer, cancer of the intestines, brain cancer, and cancer of the reproductive organs.

I chose to have prophylactic hysterectomy/oophorectomy because of personal/family cancer history plus being a long-term user of Tamoxifen which tend to increase the thickness of the lining of the uterus.

Brain tumor is very, very rare. But if you have significant cancer history in the family, and your headache is increasingly worsening, be sure to ask for a CT-scan or MRI to rule out the possibility of a brain tumor.

You haven't scared me. At this point, a brain tumor would be welcome. I have had countless MRIs and every couple of years my neurologist has another done just in case there was a tumor so small it was missed and is now bigger. If there was a brain tumor then something could be done. Today a woman from church was going to bring me communion but I had to cancel because I'd been up all night with storms & head pain and my head hurt worse all day today so I just laid down in a dark room. Fun.

I, too, am looking for more answers. I have tried the following and still get migraines, though usually when life is more stressful:
1 patch of VivelleDot .1
2 patches of VivelleDot .1 at the same time
3 sprays of EvaMist
4 sprays of EvaMist
3 sprays of EvaMist and 1 1.25mg Enjuvia
And all of the above (except the patches option) I have slapped on a patch when things are really going rough (this last fall I had Thanksgiving which is stressy, finals, my dog died... etc) on top of the other treatments. I would say 75% of the time I am ok when I am on EvaMist for 4 sprays, but when it gets more stressful (going to start the process of short-selling my house) then I start waking up with migraines. Imitrex is great but I am using more than the monthly allotment (9) and it's not possible to get more than that much. I wish the patches worked for me - they just weren't absorbed well on me, or maybe I didn't find the right spot - the best for me was on the front, though they should have worked better if they were on my backside, which they weren't. The spray was great at first and I try to break up the doses so it's not all at once and it's more of an even level but that still doesn't give consistent results.

Anyway, I know taking more estrogen helps because it will make a migraine go away and pretty fast, but continuing at higher levels isn't the best thing. I also am concerned about what will happen in a few years when I am supposed to start weaning myself off of it....

Hoping some other people have ideas or good results

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Originally Posted by mariah27 Thanks rhonda...i've been on every medicine out there. prophylactic, naturapathic, shots, oral, accupuncture, etc etc. Actually on my second round of some... topamax and I had blood in my urine. 60% of my hysterectomy decision was to see if it would help with it. Only for two weeks. I've diaried and know my triggers etc etc. SORRY for whining. love to hear what works for others. Might try Mayo to see if they have anything new...... Here's to continued health!

I tried to get into Mayo, but it was a year and a half wait. I went to John Hopkins I have seen improvment after seeing nim and getting off all of the drugs. My HRT is liquid compound that I drop on my wrists. My hysterectomy was mainly due to my migraines. Here is hoping to a lot less migraines.

Migraine have plagued me since age 21 - very tied to cycles and fluctuations of hormones - now post TVH almost 9 years, still it happens once in awhile when I forget to change my patch on time - so, I go with keeping levels "level" - to avert the migraine response...