Aged 51 now, I have been suffering migraine for 2.5 years. I have a Mirena coil so do not have a monthly cycle. I went to see a private Gynae consultant who said she didn't think I was in menopause but offered me Oestrogen gel to try. Before I tried it, I had an appt with my Neurology Consultant and mentioned this - he said as I experienced aura migraines I was more susceptible to stroke and therefore should NOT use the Oestrogen gel!
Any one shed some light on this - ladies with aura migraine that use HRT successfully, have you ever been put off with similar comments?
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KatherineM_PBC
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I have had the Marina Coil since i was 45yrs old, had it replaced at 50 although the specialist said it shouldn't have been removed because apparently once your 50 there's no need to remove it. I've seen 3 specialists and each of them said i should never take any form of HRT other than gel or patches as I'm at risk of stroke. I've had Aura migraines since i was 12 now at 52 i have those and TMJD migraines, vestibular migraines.
I'm going to see a private hormone specialist soon to see if i can get help and look at bio identical HRT.
I'll let you know how it goes.
I'm positive that hormones are playing a massive part in my conditions.
Hiya. So they suggested you cannot take HRT other than gel or patches, but I was told I should not even take the gel......that was from a Neuro Consultant, not the Gynae Consultant who prescribed it, BUT it is just soooo confusing and although I collected the prescription for the gel, I never used it
I have a friend on bio identical HRT so I will message her and see where she goes for treatment. Interested to see how things work out for you. K x
Yeah exactly !! 2 neuro specialists, one private and one NHS and a Gynea specialist privately.
Yeah it is extremely confusing, I'm hoping the private Gynea woman will be able to help.
I used the Gel for 6wks, it done nothing for my meno symptoms and i had a constant headache.
Tried 3 patches, i could feel pressure at the back of my head, stiff neck. Didn't feel any difference with flushes etc. Actually, the third patch i ripped off my thigh in the middle of Tesco, i could feel pressure building in my head. Within 15mins of ripping it off i could actually feel the pressure reducing.
I had exactly the same thing with hrt patches! What a weird and horrible feeling it is! I tried to explain to my GP, she said" push through it" !! No blooming way. I thought my head would combust. I'm so glad, in a funny way, that I'm not the only one.
I've actually come to the conclusion that if i want to fix this i need to fight for it. Wee know our bodues better than the GP's, i felt like a Guinea Pig for yrs.... NO MORE.
Same here have been but been on hrt 20 years after hysterectomy and have severe osteoporosis so didn’t want to stop my low 25mg patches as they give some protection for bones, have had aura migraines last 4 years, catch 22 situation, i am 63 osteoporosis is not good at all so need to weigh up pros and cons .
Interesting! I always wondered if marina coil would help me but it seems not from your comments! I’ve had migraines for 6 years since peri menopause! I’m 56. No professional helped so I’ve been reading avidly. YES your migraines are caused by your hormones primarily I’m sure -low oestrogen! DIET and gut health ?? I’ve gone mainly plant based ( but not entirely) My husband says I’m definitely better for it. I AM. !! I don’t have aura. I never had aura. WE are genetically predisposed to migraines and HORMONES are our main trigger. GOOD LUCK! It’s a minefield and I’m still trying to find answers and get better. I think I have them now for life it’s just a matter of taming them!! 🙁
Hi Katherine - this is a super interesting thread and just shows how we're all given such varied "advice"!
I've had chronic migraine with aura for 20-odd years and I'm on the progestogen-only pill. Recently, my auras have changed significantly and my neurologist considered two things: 1) occipital epilepsy or 2) peri-menopause. He decided it was the latter - which is fine... I am 47... it's just odd to be told you're probably peri-menopausal by a neurologist! I asked him about HRT and he said it was totally fine to take it as the oestrogen is in such a different format and is metabolised completely differently compared to the combined pill. Could this be the same as the bio identical HRT that others have referred to?
I asked my neurologist this same question in several ways... and he said the same thing... that newer forms of HRT do not interact in your body in the way that the pill or other oestrogen does... and that it's fine to take when you have auras. He was very convincing - but based on the comments above, I now wonder!
Auras do have a small increased stroke risk as we all know... but it's only in younger women apparently anyway - over 50 there's no increased risk (I do trust this over most neurologists: migrainetrust.org/about-mig.... Given the horrors of being peri-menopausal and having constant auras, I think I will take the HRT!
Good luck deciding what to do and keep us posted on how you are! xx
Thank you for taking the time to reply. Like you , I have read a lot about 'leaky gut' and have changed my lifestyle significantly since the migraines started. I gave up gluten first and really try to eat fresh as much as possible, rarely any convenience foods. I'm considering swapping to dairy free too, but I have a theory that if you cut out food groups totally you definitely become intolerant to them, and I can't live without cheese forever!
I think a problem is that I am now taking Amitriptyline preventative and migraine supplements, the pattern of my migraine has changed - where I would get a classic aura, 20 min loss of vision then into a 3 day headache, I no longer get aura before a headache starts but the vision in my right eye is always a bit blurry.
I was reading on the National Migraine Centre about Hemicrania Continua, basically a permanent headache, which I've had again for the past 11 days now, and that it might be relieved by Indomethacin, so I'm definitely going to make an appt to get and opinion from them. Even if I knew I could get some relief from the headaches when they started, I would be much more confident about booking theatre trips and days away etc.
I am very interested to hear how you get on, and would be very pleased for you to PM with an update.
Hi. I am in my 40s and have been on an estrogen patch since I am in surgical menopause for 2 years (I have no ovaries or uterus now.) There are studies you can find online (NIH and medical journals and papers of recommendations from gynecology specialists) suggesting that TRANSDERMAL (patch or gels) seem relatively safe for migraine with aura in hormone replacement doses (but possibly not birth control doses).
look for dates 2014 and later though! Before than everyone was still panicking from the WHO studies that weren’t interpreted well).
Both my gyn and neuro agreed that in my case transdermal estrogen replacement was worth a try.
Aura itself seems to increase the risk of stroke even without hrt so it’s tough to tell whether low dose topical estrogen helps or hurts...there’s just not enough info. But if you try it and your auras increase, I would certainly stop.
(I feel so much better since my surgery and on estrogen patches...fewer migraines (went from maybe 10-16 a month to 6 or so?) and all around better...probably due to less fluctuations of hormones among other things!)
This is not medical advice...you might want to seek a second opinion from another neuro or present the papers you find online. Good luck!
Am so sorry to hear all you have been through, it’s so difficult to know what to do im the same total hysterectomy and put straight on hrt never even questioned it estriol, you trust it’s the right thing at the time .
Thank you , and you’re right I have progressively advanced osteoporosis even though having been on hrt doesn’t seem to have halted it , you sound like a special lady ,good to hear you found that special one to share with , best wishes
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