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[FoggyMoggy]

Hi there

I quit HRT patches a few weeks ago as I thought they were giving me more migraines. But I'm still getting them. Could oestrogen still be in my body?  I was on combination patches so the same question about progesterone.

THanks in advance

[peri]

Hi Foggymoggy

I am no expert, but I think it leaves your system pretty quickly.  I only say this as I actually feel my oestrogen patches run out, and within 2 hours of replacing one (evorel 50) , I start to feel better - I'm like the Duracell dog, lol x

[dangermouse]

I found that the hormones will leave via your bowels after a few days but they will have set off a certain type of cycle in perimenopause, so it may take at least one clear cycle for things to reset. Ive also read that transdermal hormones can build up in fat cells but I'm not sure if it's true or not.

[Dancinggirl]

If you are post meno then the Oestegen will drop
Off quite quickly - so within the first couple of weeks. When I stop HRT my headaches always get worse. If you are peri meno then the headaches can continue because hormones are fluctuating.  Are they true migraines or just bad tension type headaches?
DG x

[FoggyMoggy]

Hi, thanks for all your replies. I get both migraine and headaches, Dancing Girl. I thought they started increasing on the patches but I'm still getting them. But hormones aren't the only cause of them.

[br350]

I think levels drop very rapidly. I stopped my estradiol patches and within less than a week have had some very mild hot flushes.

[Hurdity]

Just to confirm that systemic levels ( ie as measured in your bloodstream) drop very quickly and the immediate effects do so too. However the longer term effects (of decreased oestrogen) take some time - weeks in fact to become apparent because oestrogen exerts its effects through the cells of target tissues. It is unlikely though that this would cause your headaches (residual oestrogen)! Depending on how far into menopause you are you will still have your own oestrogen anyway - levels drop on average for approx two years following the last period although there can be some follicular activity (not to the extent as before and during ovulation).

The effect of progestogens on headaches - sometimes these are caused by the progestogen itself - but this will have left your system from that point of view, and sometimes headaches are caused by the withdrawal of the progestogen ( a temporary effect which usually lasts a few days at most).

It is usually thought to be the rapid changes in hormones which cause hormonal headaches, and sometimes progestogens themselves. Other gynaes say that low oestrogen (as in post-menopause) causes more frequent headaches, and I was also told by a gynae that low testosterone also causes these! It's a minefield innit?!!!!

Hope yours improve soon - but perhaps a visit to the doc and ask for a referral if you don't know the trigger for your migraines or if you think they are not hormonal?

Hurdity x