Migraine pain

[sid104]

I have migraine pain frequently.I am just planning for transition from male to female..does estrogen effect migraine headache?

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[Doreen]

There are many different causes of headaches and migraines.. some of which include stress.  Transitioning and taking HRT can either increase your risk for more severe migraines, or perhaps even aid them... Sometimes if you have lack of sex hormones HRT can also help to diminish these.

What I recommend is try to find the source of these headaches, and take appropriate steps to alleviate them.  As both a registered nurse and a chronic migraine sufferer, I have been through this for the past decade.  I think I've finally found the right medication (non-narcotic) that appears to at least alleviate some of the more severe migraines. 

[sid104]

I have migraine headache at same month of the year and they start at fix time.I just put my finger on the throbbing vein and it seems to calm me other than that nothing i have found to control it

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[jessical]

I was concerned about this myself before I started HRT.  I found that HRT did not change my migraines at all.

[Dena]

I seem to get migraines a bit more often and it could be tied to age. I only get them rarely and for me they seem to be triggered by excessive caffeine and/or lack of sleep. As yours seems to be predictable, I suggest you look at the causes of migraines and try to avoid whatever your trigger is.

[Soli]

I'm a clusterhead, episodic cluster headaches, the worst nightmare... Very little is known about cluster headaches but my clusterhead buddies on the Internet all agree that low testosterone is linked to cluster headaches and some have had some relief from unlivable pain by taking a testosterone hormonotherapy, but after a few months, effects faded, but it was still common knowledge among clusterheads to consider lowering testosterone is a very bad idea.

well no, it isn't a bad idea and it doesn't seem linked, it didn't trigger any cluster headache nor episode of it, that came as usual at the solstice, around June 21, as it has for 30 more years (the 2 solstices and equinoxes), but I was able to fight it (I developped ways to avoid slipping in a cluster headache by plunging into myself, using lots of caffeine too), but the real stop came when I took my 2 pills of synthetic progesterone. So three days in a row like this, the heat and humidity as we just pasted summer solstice, I was really on the verge of falling into hell (clusters are really hell, 8 weeks of it) and it seem progesterone apo-medroxy that is, kept me from that, and I might have found a miracle cure for all clusterheads... so I had to come out to them to explain my discovery and... no one is willing to try LOL I told them it doesn't feminize very much. Anyways, maybe, and I'm now certain cluster headaches are a hormonal problem (I wasn't supplied with the right one) and the hypothalamus (that we know because of the solstice) which sends the messages to the glands producing the hormones. It's my new theory.

As for migraines, the story might be very different but what you describe sound like low pain cluster headaches, is it on one side only?

migrainers are known to be very sensible to any little change in food habbits, sleep, cafeine, all kinds of stuff, as opposed to clusters where it's not related to anything, it just freaking hurts. And popular knowledge (since science doesn't study our case) developed many different cures, but for sure, lots of cafeine helps, two big energy drinks in a row... I can tell you more about the other cures to clusters but... maybe not here, it's illegal

[Brooke]

I also suffer from migraines, on the severe end of the spectrum. As my mom and sister are also very sensitive to migraines as well I spent quite a bit of time researching.

It seems like most of the research on estrogen and migraines focus on cis postmenopausal women taking estrogen. It does appear to be a risk, and can exacerbate migraines though most of what I've found is with fluctuating levels.

For instance migraines can get worse during pms. My sister gets migraines on schedule every month due to fluctuations in her hormones.

My mom takes estrogen hrt, and due to steady levels has seen a decrease in her migraine frequency and severity.

There has been research that shows decrease in migraines for women undergoing estrogen replacement therapy, as the levels are not constantly fluctuating.

I personally have seen no large difference in migraines except in the days following changing doses, and more susceptible on the day before switching patches (3/4 day path- affects on the 4th day) ai have been able to minimize this by changing the 4 day patch in morning and 3 day patch in evening for less fluctuations in levels. 


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[Deborah]

I've only had about three or four migraines in my entire life.  Since starting HRT I haven't had any.  So for me at least, it does not seem to have increased the risk.

[Kylo]

Yes it does.

Back when I was using estrogen based BC pills, any fall in estrogen level would bring on a killer migraine after 3-4 days like clockwork. The withdrawal pain is considered to be on par with the likes of an opium withdrawal, if you've been taking E steadily for years like I had. E itself is a cause of migraines, but probably just as a response to changes in the levels of E in the system. The medical links between E and migraines seems to be well documented and researched. I notice some MTFs who have been on E for some time talk about migraine as if it is a normal part of the regimen.

I'm now on T and take no E or BC pills. I've had zero migraines since I started T, although today I had a pretty bad one for some inexplicable reason.