Lara Briden's Forum

Thank you! I've ordered the book. I think for me, I wasn't timing the estrogen correctly, which could have been the problem. If I have a massive spike at ovulation or my period and adding estrogen on top of that, for example. Also, I have read experts say that some women with migraine are sensitive to increases after a period without, as well as the drop in estrogen, but hopefully if you do something like the patch that initial transition will even out. What I have learned, perhaps most importantly, from some migraine/hormone experts in the UK is that perimenopause is so tricky because we're dealing with these unpredictable spikes in estrogen (eg: your FSH comment) and so it's hard to dose HRT. Hopefully menopause will be easier when the hormones level out. I have found progesterone to help (oral micronized) but it does get tricky when my periods are all over the place! I like your strategy of continuing with one progesterone pill on those days, if my period does not come as expected. I have done this also. Look forward to reading the book! Thanks for your insight.

Thanks for your insight too! It is helpful to know the stategy of someone else with roughly the same symptoms.

Can I ask you a couple of questions? What dose of estogen patch were you given? Was it to be used everyday? How much progesterone did your doc recommend?

Thanks in advance.
Sam

Hello Folks on this thread,
I am new here and desperate for help with my perimenopausal migraines. I had pure menstrual migraines from 37-43, around 2-4 a month. Since 43 (I am now 45) I have seen a doubling, tripling and now quadrupling of my migraines. I had 24 last month. I have tried natural things and supplements, I eat extremely healthy, am a healthy weight, drink zero alcohol and keep my caffeine very low (1/3 cup of coffee a day). I take no other medications and have had no luck whatsoever with anything that I have tried, they have only gotten worse. By far the worst time is just before, during and after my period. I bleed every 24-26 days. The follicular phase is the worst, along with menstruation, with daily migraines for almost two weeks that require ibuprofen and or Rizatriptan taken 2-4 times a day to treat. After ovulation, the migraines are every other day or so until bleeding again and only require ibuprofen taken once during any given 48 hour period. But then it's back to utter hell. I tried low dose birth control last fall for 5 weeks but it's didn't make much difference - I ended up having my period anyway and having every other day migraines after an initial 12 days of being migraine free. I have never taken anywhere near this much pain medication in my life and really want to not have this insane frequency. I have not tried micro progesterone but have tried the cream with no results. I am getting the HRT estrogen patch next week to try. Any suggestions would be so appreciated! It seems there are very few of us who are getting migraines this often and reading this forum helped me have some hope that maybe I can get some relief from this nightmare migraine rollar coaster that is perimenopause. Unfortunately I have only had a few hot flashes, no skipped cycles and definitely have had some hair loss, insomnia and dry skin along with some mood swings in particular with depression during the follicular phase. I tend to get anemic after bleeding (on a blood test) but iron supplements have done nothing for me, I used liquid bioavailable iron. I wish I was closer to menopause but it looks like no end in sight at the moment. Thank you to anyone who will respond, it is a great comfort right now!

Any updates? I’m 38 and been dealing with follicular phase migraines since 34. Tried progesterone cream and oral cyclically but it didn’t help. I get a migraine, fog, insomnia from day 8 until around day 18 or so. I feel so good the week before me period and the first few days of my new cycle but then it all repeats. My iron levels aren’t low. I thought maybe my estrogen peaking was causing it but my OB wants to start me on combo birth control. Any advice before I try it out if desperation?

I have had very similar problems, with my worst time of my cycle being from day 1 through 14 or so, but this started in perimenopause at age 43 for me. I tried continuous monophasic low dose birth control for five weeks and it did nothing, not better or worse but unfortunately getting off of it was absolutely wreched with the worst migraines of my life. I had to medicate every 4-6 hours for about 6 days, it was crazy. Months later I tried a higher dose of birth control and it made no difference, I had to get off of it because I lost consciousness one evening. Also threw me into another phase of terrible migraines until my body adjusted again. I went to a functional medicine doctor who specializes in women's health and hormones and she told me that she has seen some women experience a complete resolution of hormonal migraines with the keto diet alone. Since I have given up caffeine entirely (also alcohol and chocolate) and getting on a keto diet that is also a combination of the Heal Your Headache diet (you can get this book on Kindle for $10, definitely read this book) I have had less migraines since three months. I haven't gone through my worst phase yet, but this is the only thing I have ever tried in years that has actually helped. It's worth checking out. No meds, just a big diet change. It's not easy but for me it's worth it to not have near daily migraines. I will keep you updated.