My migraines subsided awhile back (two years ago? I have no conception of time anymore) when I finally began using the patch .025 (extremely low dose). When I went off it for awhile or would cut it in half, they returned.

Progesterone phase used to be headache free. Now, however, I have had two migraines just these past four days, one while on my beloved progesterone. How could it turn on me?

I'm going to increase to a patch and a half to see if it helps for at least a couple of days. I can't see my doctor having a problem with that since she originally prescribed for me a much higher dose, which I refused to take. Plus, she isn't there on Fridays.

So, has anyone been helped by just increasing estrogen a bit? Obviously, this question is for those who use estrogen, LOL.

On the other hand, if anyone has any new ideas on reducing migraines, please chime in. I've thought of trying black cohosh again, which is supposed to help, but didn't help mine, but I was only using 40 mg. and now I read that you need that much TWICE per day. (I did the B-2 thing, which did not work, and feverfew which did a little bit.)

Every expert gives a different opinion. It is enough to give you a migraine!

Hi, Aimee! I read Dr. Elizabeth Vliet's books "It's My Ovaries Stupid!" and "Screaming to Be Heard." She said that a lot of women get migraines in the days of their cycle when estrogen plummets--the day before ovulation and the day or two before menstruation starts. I started logging my migraines and lo and behold that's when my migraines hit.

Vliet said that she gave migraine patients Ovcon 35 or Yasmin to beat estrogen drop headaches because those pills are the lowest in progesterone. She claims progesterone is partly to blame for headaches. She claims a high progesterone pill like Loestrin would be bad for headache sufferers. She prescribes birth control pills with an estradiol patch on the off-days or recommends taking the pills continuously.

This is why I decided to try birth control pills, to beat my migraines. But as you know I did not feel well on the Yasmin. I mean my head felt just fantastic for the few days I was on it (!!), but the rest of me was a wreck by day four.

The only thing I have found that cuts the migraine pain is Sudafed. Not asprin, tylenol or ibuprofen. Just Sudafed. I think I read around here somewhere that other peri women discovered the same thing. I mentioned this to my doctor and she said it was probably because pseudoephedrine is a vaso-dilator.

Perhaps you know all this stuff already, and I apologize if I'm rehashing things you've already discovered. Just thought I would share what I could. These headaches are just bad, bad, bad and I hate to see someone else suffer from them.

Hoping you have a good holiday weekend!

Thank you for your response. No, I didn't know that about Sudafed. Luckily, Advil actually works almost completely for me; the problem is I don't want to take it every darned day! That can't be good for me.

My experience with progesterone, however, was completely different from Dr. Vliet's opinion, though I agree with her that estrogen's dropping most likely causes migraines. I have her book, Women, Weight and Hormones, and I could not disagree more with her on progesterone. My pre-period headaches vanished for nearly 8 years when I added progesterone (and I used only progesterone in the first 6 of the 8 years, then added .025 patch with Prometrium the last couple).

My most headache-free time is still when I take the Prometrium, but I think I am getting so close to total menopause that it has stopped preventing them. It's like nothing helps (prevention-wise) AND I'm getting them at any time during the month! That's why I'm increasing the estrogen a little bit. It's just crazy!

But I think it is good for others who don't react well to progesterone to hear that it could be a culprit (though I have to admit that most of my books say progesterone actually relieves headaches and estrogen causes it. But I also don't believe estrogen causes them, either!)

Now, if my periods would just STOP, I am certain the headaches would go away.

Thanks so much for the info on the Sudafed. I always learn something new here.

I have suffered from sort of migraine for years, even on the OTC progesterone. (which did help my mood swings) Now that I am on the testosterone and a low dose of estrodial as well, I have NOT had a headache!!!! (for about 4 months)
My estrodial is done by instertion of a small granule in the butt cheek, and I know I am on the lowest amount possible. Maybe it is the testosterone that you need to add????
I don't know, I know we are all different. I would try a little more estrogen and see I guess...
Good luck!
Josie

P.S. the other thing that did help my heachaches a lot was my chiropractor.

Thanks, Josie. I would definitely be willing to try testosterone (well, a tiny bit!) if I thought it might help. I'll see if my doctor (I'm trying to find a new one) will let me give it a try. And probably up the estradiol a little, too.

Hi All,
I just got some low dosage Prempro from my doctor for headaches. I get them when the period starts and I get nauseas, can't keep anything down for a day or 2. Once I had to go to the ER because I was very dehydrated.
I agree that these happen when the estrogen drops. I'm a little scared about taking synthetic hormones and will probably have to find a doctor to prescribe natural eventlually. I can't take Sudafed either, it makes my heart race and BP go up. Be careful with it as it is a strong stimulant.