Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transsexual talk => Male to female transsexual talk (MTF) => Topic started by: Tazia of the Omineca on March 17, 2012, 09:18:51 PM

Title: Headaches
Post by: Tazia of the Omineca on March 17, 2012, 09:18:51 PM
I get some pretty intense headaches when I am late with taking my pills. I have read (however briefly) that dropping/fluctuating estrogen levels can give you some annoying headaches. I think it's true since it happens when I stay at my sister's (I'm afraid to leave my hormones here) and forget to go home.

And since I am lazy and such i haven't yet gone home to take them. I should probably do that.
Title: Re: Headaches
Post by: Raya on March 17, 2012, 11:36:52 PM
Are you sure they're headaches? I know migraines are a known side-affect that come with estrogen surges. Have you tried ye olde caffeine and aspirin?
Title: Re: Headaches
Post by: Cindy on March 18, 2012, 01:52:56 AM
Yes as Raya said, migraines are a common side affect.
Title: Re: Headaches
Post by: Tazia of the Omineca on March 18, 2012, 03:01:40 AM
Maybe it is a migraine, I get those all the time.  :P
Title: Re: Headaches
Post by: luna nyan on March 18, 2012, 06:45:58 AM
Quote from: Tazia of the Omineca on March 18, 2012, 03:01:40 AM
Maybe it is a migraine, I get those all the time.  :P
Ewww...yuck.  Have you had them checked?  Sometimes there are good preventive measures that can be used to reduce them.
Title: Re: Headaches
Post by: Naturally Blonde on March 18, 2012, 08:11:52 AM
Quote from: Tazia of the Omineca on March 17, 2012, 09:18:51 PM
I get some pretty intense headaches when I am late with taking my pills. I have read (however briefly) that dropping/fluctuating estrogen levels can give you some annoying headaches. I think it's true since it happens when I stay at my sister's (I'm afraid to leave my hormones here) and forget to go home.

And since I am lazy and such i haven't yet gone home to take them. I should probably do that.

I used to get a lot of headaches a few years ago on HRT and used to get high prolactin levels but it seems to have settled down more in recent years.
Title: Re: Headaches
Post by: Bardoux on June 13, 2013, 05:51:21 AM
I recently took off my patches early and was without HRT for somewhere close to 36 hours. I had the most intense headaches initially followed by a dull pressure/pain that seems to float around different parts of my head. The drop in estrogen and surge of testosterone was staggering...
Title: Re: Headaches
Post by: Naturally Blonde on November 06, 2013, 04:23:13 AM
Quote from: Bardoux on June 13, 2013, 05:51:21 AM
I recently took off my patches early and was without HRT for somewhere close to 36 hours. I had the most intense headaches initially followed by a dull pressure/pain that seems to float around different parts of my head. The drop in estrogen and surge of testosterone was staggering...

If I drop estrogen I don't get headaches, it only happens if I've taken too much estrogen as my prolactin levels go through the roof!
Title: Re: Headaches
Post by: Sammy on November 06, 2013, 04:49:11 AM
I never get those migraines/headaches (but I used to have terrible migraines in my early teens... not the best experience...), but I start feeling crappy if I stay off progesterone.
Title: Re: Headaches
Post by: Natalia on November 06, 2013, 05:29:50 AM
Sometimes, usually before going to bed, I face a really bad migraine and usually a bit of brain fog. I am sure they are because of the estrogens, but can also be related with spiro.

Nonetheless, the best thing to do is tell your doctor about it. You never know when something may be wrong with you and only exams can tell sometimes.
Title: Re: Headaches
Post by: Naturally Blonde on November 06, 2013, 05:35:05 AM
Quote from: ♡ Emily ♡ on November 06, 2013, 04:49:11 AM
I never get those migraines/headaches (but I used to have terrible migraines in my early teens... not the best experience...), but I start feeling crappy if I stay off progesterone.

I see, so you take progesterone as well as estrogen. Sometimes if you take too much progesterone it will convert to testoterone. I don't take progesterone as the doctors over in the U.K don't advise it. When I get my bloods done I already have a natural progesterone level. What benefits have you found from taking it?
Title: Re: Headaches
Post by: Sammy on November 06, 2013, 06:11:44 AM
Quote from: Naturally Blonde on November 06, 2013, 05:35:05 AM
I see, so you take progesterone as well as estrogen. Sometimes if you take too much progesterone it will convert to testoterone. I don't take progesterone as the doctors over in the U.K don't advise it. When I get my bloods done I already have a natural progesterone level. What benefits have you found from taking it?

I am taking quite a small dose actually and mostly for filling out my breasts. I noticed that the growth was a bit slower while being only on E, but P really does add some spurt into this. Also, I think that I get less moody, but this is just my own observation  without any empirical research - I have not tried to skip my P just to see if I will start feeling crappy ;). But the most important thing, while I am still taking it - very soon I started getting cramps in my upper arms and shoulders, so I believe that P+E is more effective when melting down the upper body bulk.
Title: Re: Headaches
Post by: LittleV on November 06, 2013, 02:19:23 PM
Just to give my input on the necessity of taking your medications on time; I almost never had headaches (or migraines) while being punctual with E. It's when I (deliberately, because I previously stupidly overdosed) went off spiro (and that in turn let the T do it's work) and it took only a couple of hours to note the changes. The carelessness, the numbness of feeling, and I even became more scatterbrained in that short period. Whoever said women are scatterbrained??  >:(

And also one possibly useful fact, that the most studies link brain fog issues with long-term spiro usage. In users with shorter than six months usage, the occurrence in 100 patient sample is one-digit number, whereas in users of more than six months the figure is much higher. I remember those issues having started somewhat after a six month-mark. And more intensely as I entered the month of eight. I wish there was an alternative to spiro, even though it's relatively safe there are some serious drawbacks. :(